 
Connor Clover and the Lost Children

Book1

Helen Oghenegweke

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 by Helen Oghenegweke

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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For more information:

http://ihelenblog.wordpress.com/

ISBN: 9781310759192

For my husband, Tim, for sharing my dream,

Believe in the power of dreams for they do come true.

Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to thank my husband, Tim, for being my rock of support throughout. This book would not have been written without his enthusiasm and belief. I would also like to thank my children, Olivia, Thomas, and Jessica who have been the root of my inspiration.

Much appreciation goes to my mum, Josie, and my step-dad Bryan for being incredibly supportive. Thanks also to Ben Butler for his enthusiasm and advice, and Delia Robinson for her expert skills and advice.

CHAPTER ONE

A Frightening Encounter

On a cold November morning, in the small town of Wislington, Connor Clover woke with a start, staring at the ceiling. Before he stretched or yawned, a deep voice thundered again.

'Hey, worm bag! Come here now! Are you deaf or something?' it hollered impatiently.

Used to his uncle's insults, Connor wondered if his guardians had actually forgotten his real name. He rolled out of bed, put on his slippers and slung on his dressing gown. He knew the drill. From an early age he'd leant not to keep his uncle waiting. Not unless he wanted him to stamp his foot like a buffalo and scream in his ear. Blind as a bat without his glasses, he tripped on his dirty washing. Pulling his glasses from the pocket of his dressing gown, where he'd left them the night before, he placed them on his nose. Beside his bed, the alarm clock read five-thirty in the morning. He groaned as he shuffled from his room. He was never usually called at this time.

He rubbed his temples and mumbled, 'It's the middle of the night.'

Entering the living room, Connor was greeted by a thick wall of cigarette smoke. The curtains and windows hadn't been opened for two years, due to the preferences of Dorcus, who'd taken a fancy to dark, stinky atmospheres. He covered his nose on approaching the sofa, where Uncle Dorcus sat with Aunt Fagan.

They'd been stuck in the same chair for two days now, after a serious food scuffle had occurred between them. Being his usual brutish self, Uncle Dorcus had squashed a cream bun on the end of Aunt Fagan's lumpy nose. She, being as savage, had thrown a treacle pancake over her brother covering his entire face. Losing his balance he'd grasped hold of her and pulled her on to the sofa with him. The sofa had given a loud rumble, accompanied by a splintering noise, before collapsing under their weight. Now it resembled an exhausted animal, with its wooden legs pointing horizontally along the floor.

'They don't make furniture like they used to,' Dorcus had commented, peeling the treacle pancake off his face and eating it. When he'd finished, he'd pulled the flattened bun off Aunt Fagan's nose and eaten that as well. She didn't mind; she had been otherwise occupied with a box of popcorn, munching away like a potbelly pig with cream and jam smeared on her chin and whiskers.

Snoring loudly, Aunt Fagan's head lolled to one side.

Uncle Dorcus yelled again and Connor covered his ears in time.

'You good for nothing, green, warped toad. Come here now!'

'I'm here.'

'You waste of space!' Uncle Dorcus scoffed, his bloodshot eyes narrowing. 'Well you took your time, didn't you, little flea bag. Look at the clock and tell me the time!'

'Nine-thirty.' Connor avoided his uncle's scowl. 'It must've stopped last night. It's five-thirty in the morning.'

Connor's heart skipped a beat when Aunt Fagan turned sharply, narrowing her beady eyes. Had she been awake the entire time?

'You liar! The clock is right! Why haven't you prepared our breakfasts, little worm. I'm going to teach you a lesson. When I get up, I'll get you!' she spat coarsely, wriggling her wobbly legs, huffing and puffing, achieving nothing more than a sweaty brow.

Uncle Dorcus pointed his dumpy finger at him. 'Did I ask you to tell me lies? No I didn't. So shut up, little pip squeak!' He thumped the arm of the sofa so hard it disturbed the dust. Seconds later, he suffered a coughing fit.

Serves him right, thought Connor.

'Now see what you've done to your uncle!' screeched Aunt Fagan. 'Go and bring our breakfasts!'

Thankful to close the door, Connor entered the kitchen and opened the window for some fresh air. Heaven! Apart from the streetlights, the neighbours in their safe, little houses appeared to be sleeping. Switching on the light, he shuffled to the cupboards. The upright freezer overflowed with food and, when he opened the door, an accumulation of food and ice fell on to the tiled floor.

'Jeez!' cursed Connor.

'What are you doing, useless toenail?' screeched Fagan.

Connor gritted his teeth. Unfortunately, to make matters worse, there was no more ice cream.

'Are you thick? You'll have to go and buy some from the shops – right now,' ordered his aunt, snapping her crocodile jaws.

'What? Now? It's too early!' Connor wished he hadn't said anything, for his uncle raged for several minutes on how he should respect his elders.

Putting on an extra jumper, a coat, scarf and woollen gloves, Connor exited the house and shivered as he closed the door. He predicted it would take him fifteen minutes to walk to the twenty-four hour garage, one-mile away. The biting cold slapped the warmth from his cheeks and the darkness terrified him. He hurried along the pavement, catching sight of two foxes rummaging in someone's bin on the other side of the road. For a sudden moment, it reminded him of his aunt and uncle.

Aunt Fagan and Uncle Dorcus were brother and sister and being horrible people, no one had ever wanted to marry them, so they now shared a house and developed a hobby for eating, whilst growing into their surname 'Piggott'. Their diet consisted solely of junk food: they ate it in the morning; they devoured it for dinner; they scoffed it for tea and they snacked on it in the middle of the night.

Connor knew little about his parents as his guardians refused to speak about them. He'd no idea if they were dead or alive. But a few days ago, he'd come across an old newspaper cutting, with a picture of a young couple and a child. He'd found it in an old suitcase at the bottom of his aunt and uncle's wardrobe when he'd been searching for his birth certificate. Wearing a dark suit, the man had matching dark eyes and black spiky hair. Being slightly shorter, the woman's blonde wavy hair cascaded to her narrow waist. The chubby child grasped the woman's hair with clenched fists.

The headline read: Couple Missing, Presumed Dead

The article continued: Yesterday, a young couple disappeared in an aeroplane accident in Mexico. Rescuers have been searching in vain. So far, the wreckage of the aeroplane has been discovered. Ryan Clover, age 45, and his wife Christy Clover, age 45, are feared dead. Their child Connor Clover, age 2, is currently being reunited with his mother's brother, Dorcus Piggott.

In his excitement, Connor had tipped the entire contents of the suitcase on the floor, but apart from a few blurry photographs, there was nothing else of interest – until he found his birth certificate, and discovered his true date of birth – next Wednesday. Altogether, his search had proven productive. Bursting with questions, he'd asked Uncle Dorcus about them.

'Why do you want to know? They didn't want you, little wart!'

So Connor didn't bother him again. For now the newspaper article remained in his jeans pocket for safekeeping, where it became a ritual to view the picture of his parents each night before he slept. Knowing he resembled his parents and bore no physical resemblance to his so-called guardians made him happy. He thanked his mother for his mop of blond hair and blue eyes, whereas his oblong facial shape, large ears and nose were inherited from his father.

Striding purposefully, with his hands thrust deep in his pockets, Connor recollected his dream about his parents, but he couldn't remember all of it. They'd been crying about something. His mum had given him to a furry-faced man, who took him away. He remembered them saying they loved him and he yearned to believe the dream had been real, but the newspaper article proved his parents were dead, so he put it to the back of his mind and tried not to feel sorry for himself.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the garage. Stomping towards the lighted building, an elderly man on night duty appeared to be talking to someone, while reading a paper. As Connor's footsteps crunched across the frosted forecourt, he made a beeline towards the old man at the service window.

'Hi,' greeted Connor.

'What can I do for you, young man?' The old man peered down his large nose towards the boy. He took off his extra-large, wire-framed glasses and wiped them on his sleeve.

'I'd like a tub of vanilla ice cream, please.'

'Ice-cream?' the old man quizzed, stroking his long goatee beard. 'At this time in the morning? You should be in bed. I hope your guardians know where you are.'

'It's them who sent me!' Connor kept moving to stay warm.

'Really?' He shook his head in disapproval. 'Poor kid. Read this while I get your ice-cream.' He slid the newspaper under the gap in the window. 'You'll be surprised what's been happening in the world.'

As the old man hobbled to retrieve the frozen dessert, Connor noticed the newspaper brand: UFO Times. How strange. He'd never heard of this newspaper before. He scanned the headline before reading the whole article of "The Lost Children".

"The Dark Master, Definastine, has strengthened his forces. Last month the planet Darl was destroyed by his army and a significant relic, known as the consulting mirror, was stolen. It can show events past and present. The inhabitants of Darl were responsible for the sudden breakthrough in the whereabouts of the missing children, which prompted Definastine to attack the defenceless planet.

Children have been vanishing for centuries from Earth. On the night of a full moon more children vanish from their beds, for it holds the key to opening a secret dimensional gateway from Dramian into our own world and vice versa.

Many great law abiding star-spirits from other worlds have been visiting our people for thousands of years. Unfortunately, this includes Definastine, the destroyer."

Amused by the article, he recalled his dream and remembered someone had mentioned the name Definastine. Could this be a simple coincidence?

When the old man returned, he said, 'No one knew where those kids had gone, until now!'

'But its not true! Aliens don't exist,' replied Connor, though he'd never really thought about it before.

'Don't they?' When the old man grinned, his brown, rotten teeth made Connor cringe. 'Don't be so sure. You've seen a newspaper meant for members of the AAA council.'

'AAA? Isn't that a battery?' The boy stiffened as muffled laughter came from the counter. On tiptoes, he peered into the shop to find it empty. The old man coughed loudly.

Connor eyed him curiously. 'You okay?'

'Oh, I'm fine.' The man gave a final cough. 'It stands for Alien Agents Alliance.'

'If you say so.' Connor paid for the ice cream. 'But aliens don't exist.'

'You try telling the UFO fanatics that,' he snorted. 'Whatever you do, don't hang about this morning. I wouldn't want you to go missing like those other kids.'

'Don't worry! I can take care of myself.'

'Just be careful!' called the man as Connor trudged across the garage forecourt. 'Don't talk to strangers!'

Connor waved, leaving the safety of the forecourt for the dark depths of the night.

Once the boy had left, a man and a dog crawled from their hiding place beneath the counter in the shop. The man had scruffy brown hair and wore a chestnut coat.

'Well, Tookar,' chuckled the old man. 'You don't exist. Are you sure the Starstone wants him as a host?'

'Yes,' replied Tookar. 'I must go after him.'

'Not now. You'll frighten him to death!' the old man declared.

'You managed that,' snapped Tookar. 'What on earth did you do to your teeth?'

'I'm in disguise.' The old man removed the fake teeth.

'And mentioning strangers and the missing children...what were you thinking?'

'Don't go after him. He doesn't know you from Adam.'

'But I know him. Now, please unlock the door or do we have to do it the hard way?' Tookar folded his arms stubbornly.

'Don't go. He's jumpy enough.' The old man fidgeted nervously. 'Besides I won't help you.'

Tookar glanced at the dog. 'Well, perhaps some gentle persuasion will change his mind.'

'Now, now gentlemen.' The old man flustered, stepping back. 'I'm sure we can discuss this amicably.'

'A gentle nip on his bottom should do the trick,' Tookar suggested.

The dog growled softly before lying, with its head resting between its paws.

'What are you doing? I said go and bite his bottom!'

The dog tilted its head to one side and eyed Tookar impatiently. Moving its jaws in a strange motion the dog spoke. 'Don't think for one minute I'm going to lower myself to act like a canine. I'm not budging or biting any bottoms tonight!'

'Crazy dog!' Tookar rolled his eyes impatiently.

The old man flung his arms in the air. 'Oh for goodness sake, I'll open the door but promise me you won't frighten Connor. Think before you act, please!'

Tookar saluted. 'I promise.'

Meanwhile, Connor continued on his journey. Street lamps either flickered or weren't working and he cursed the council for not fixing them. The odd car whizzed pass with blazing headlights, creating monstrous shadows. Trees stirred restlessly as the coldness continued to bite. He imagined the headlines in tomorrow's newspaper: Boy Freezes Walking Home.

He wasn't particularly fond of the snow, especially when his aunt and uncle threw him out in the blizzard and refused to let him back in. When he closed his eyes, he could still picture their faces jeering at him from the window. In those terrible times, he'd sneak off to visit Mrs Rosebud, an elderly lady who lived two doors away with her pet dog Mrs Damson.

Connor shivered. The frost sliced through his clothes, draining him of warmth. Icy vines entwined his limbs, spreading from his scrunched toes to his shivering shoulders. Right now, he disliked the cold as much as the dark.

The article he'd read at the garage began to play heavily on his mind. The slightest noise startled him. During a full moon children go missing. Why? Where have they gone? Thankfully, the moon wasn't full this morning. He increased his pace, but his feet moved like two blocks of ice. He buried his face in his scarf. Relieved to finally reach the top of his road, he jumped when a deep voice spoke from the darkness.

'Hi Connor! I know this might come as a shock, but I've something for you.'

For a terrible moment, Connor froze. A man wearing an oversized coat, fiddled with something in his pocket and he'd known his name.

'Ah – here it is!'

The stranger must have followed him home. Beneath the seamless blanket of cloud, the surrounding gloom shrouded the man's face, while a camel-coloured dog waggled its tail.

'He won't bite.' As if to prove his point, the stranger stroked his dog. 'He's a big softy – a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Meant to be a guard dog, but well – he's harmless.'

The dog sniffed Connor, before rolling onto it's back. Connor backed away. His love for animals didn't mean he'd be careless enough to start playing with this one. The dog flipped, jumped up at him, knocking him off-balance.

'Hey – get down!' scolded the man. 'Sorry Connor – he's excited.'

Connor continued stepping backwards. 'How'd you know my name?'

'I'm a friend of your parents.'

Connor paled. 'My parent's are dead!' He turned on his heels and fled.

'Wait!' The man called.

Panic urged him on until he reached his garden gate, and with a wheezy breath, stumbled up the garden path and fumbled for his key. He'd never walk in the darkness again, no matter how much his uncle yelled at him. As the key turned in the lock, a hand grasped his shoulder and another covered his mouth.

'Shh!' whispered the man. 'You're safe with me. I've a letter for you.'

Safe? He wasn't safe? Despite Connor's struggle, the man proved too strong and his cries for help were dampened. His legs weakened like jelly and to make matters worse, a horrible whiff of rotten mushrooms oozed from the man's skin.

'If I let you go, promise not to scream. Take this letter.' When the man released him, Connor screamed louder than he'd ever done in his life. To his astonishment, the man vanished and the dog took flight. Falling backwards in shock, his head struck the wall and darkness swiftly came...

Startled, Connor eventually woke to see a doctor leaning over him with a peg on the end of his long, thin nose.

'He's waking,' said the doctor in such a manner, it was as if he had a hot potato in his mouth.

For a brief moment, Connor was disorientated and confused of his whereabouts. Though, his blurry vision soon recognised the familiar array of shadows in his bedroom, which reassured him.

'Looking for these?' A young woman passed him his glasses.

'What happened? What are you doing here?' groaned Connor.

'You hit your head. How are you?' The doctor held his wrist and measured his pulse.

'I've a headache.' Connor had no memory of the past events and this unnerved him.

'You've been in bed for the best part of the day. It's two-thirty in the afternoon. You knocked your head pretty bad,' explained the doctor. 'The swelling will subside in the next day or two though.'

'What were you doing outside at that ungodly hour?' queried the woman. Her long auburn hair fell softly forward past her shoulders and freckles covered the bridge of her nose.

'I remember going to the garage to buy a tub of ice cream,' explained Connor.

'Lucky for you, your neighbour, Mrs Rosebud, came to your rescue. She called us. Please, excuse us for a moment.' The young woman pulled the doctor aside for a private word, but Connor still listened.

'I knew it,' the woman hissed. 'He's suffering from exhaustion. His guardians have been abusing him. He'll have to be placed in another home or something.'

'We don't know anything as yet, Deana.'

'What don't you know?' she snapped. 'He needs help. Isn't it obvious?'

Connor took an instant liking to Deana.

'Okay. They needs a live-in carer and since you've no sense of smell, why don't you take the job?'

'Thank you, Doctor Raymond.' She jangled keys from her pocket. 'I'm going to collect some belongings. I'll be back in a jiffy. You won't regret this.'

'No, I'm sure I won't,' he replied, smiling.

CHAPTER TWO

The Shrouded Letter

Deana moved into the spare bedroom on Friday evening, bringing a single suitcase with her. She and Connor cleaned and tidied the room. Since his guardians hadn't been able to access the stairs for months, it pretty much belonged to Connor.

The following day, on Saturday, arrangements were made for a larger sofa to be delivered especially for Dorcus and Fagan. To their horror (and Connor's amusement), several firemen arrived with special lifting equipment and cutting tools to free them. This hard work involved extra nurses called in to wash Dorcus and Fagin.

Four hours later, after being scrubbed clean and dressed, Dorcus and Fagan sat stiffly on the new heavy-duty sofa with its unique lifting mechanism to help them off the seats. Embarrassed, they sulked for the remainder of the day, while Connor relished the peace and quiet. Meanwhile, the old sofa had been wrapped securely with a plastic sheet to be destroyed.

For the first time in his life, the boy experienced happiness and enjoyed Deana's company, as they got along well. In some ways, it seemed as if they'd been friends for ages. Twenty-two-years old and bossy, Deana had his best interests at heart. She tended to wear her long hair in a ponytail and freckles speckled her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She was more like a tomboy, opting for jeans and T-shirts.

But something bothered him. On the few occasions when he'd been trying to sleep, he'd overheard Deana talking to someone in her room. One night, curiosity got the better of him and he crept from his bed and pressed his ear to her door and definitely heard another voice. So he tapped on her door and entered, to find her alone.

'You must have heard me on the phone. I had it on loudspeaker. Sorry.'

So Connor headed back to bed, plagued with dreams of a stinky man (who had mushrooms growing from his ears) and a dog that wouldn't stop licking his face.

The next day was Monday and Connor woke at ten o'clock. Opening his curtains wide, a grey and dreary day greeted him. Although he wanted to go to school (as it was such a rarity), Deana insisted he took another day off. 'One more day won't make a difference,' she'd insisted. 'You really must rest after everything you've been through.'

So Connor rested for the first time in years, waking later than usual and doing whatever he wanted. The doctor's diagnosis of Connor had been correct: he'd been overworked and exhausted looking after his abusive and ungrateful guardians.

'A good rest is what you need,' the doctor had prescribed.

This worked well in theory but after a relaxing weekend, Connor became bored and frustrated with nothing to do. To alleviate the boredom, he decided to go for a short walk.

'Connor!' Deana called from the kitchen. 'Before you go, I'd like a quick word?'

'Sounds serious.' Connor entered the newly tidied kitchen, with clean cupboards and sparkling worktops. 'You've done a good job in here, thanks.'

'I'm glad you like it. I wanted to give you this. I found it in the pocket of your jeans.' Deana took a newspaper cutting from her apron pocket.

'Have you been snooping in my pockets?' Connor snatched the paper from her. 'I thought you're meant to care for me. I don't remember 'nosy' being on the list.'

Deana surrendered. 'Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you and I wasn't prying. I came across it by accident. It's a sensible habit to check the pockets when I wash jeans. Besides, I don't regret finding it. Otherwise it would be an unidentifiable piece of paper by now.'

Connor wanted to kick himself for jumping to the wrong conclusion. He had much to thank her for. She'd been trying to help. 'I'm sorry.'

'It's okay. I'll listen if you want to talk. I won't meddle in your affairs. I'm here to help you, nothing more. But if you do want a chat, you can trust me.'

Connor watched Deana make herself a cup of tea. 'I think I'll join you.'

She smiled as she made Connor a soft drink in a tumbler. She scrapped two chairs from under the table and Connor sat opposite her.

'I don't remember my parents,' he confessed. 'This newspaper clipping tells me they died in an accident.'

Deana grasped his hand. 'It must be difficult for you.'

'Not really. In a way I'm glad they hadn't desert me, but I'd hoped they'd show at the door one day and say sorry for abandoning me, before taking me to live a fantastic life somewhere else. But I've no parents to rescue me. This is my life.' Connor sipped his drink slowly.

'Don't give up hope of a better life. You don't know what the future holds.'

Connor shrugged. 'I suppose. But I'm not clever and I've not been able to go to school much. I don't have much hope to amount to anything.'

'I know this won't make sense to you at the moment but you're important – I mean – I know you'll do something worthwhile with your life.'

'You think?' He immediately brightened. 'I wish I knew more about my parents though.'

'I can help you. I know someone who works as an editor for a newspaper. They might be able to dig up information.'

'Really? That'd be fantastic!'

'Can I keep this clipping a bit longer?'

'Sure, but don't lose it. It's the only picture I have of them.' Connor stood to leave.

'Before you go, I wanted to ask you what your aunt and uncle normally have for breakfast?'

He laughed. 'It's a long list so you might want to write this down: twenty-four pancakes soaked in maple syrup and ice cream; a large bar of melted chocolate poured over thirty packets of crisps; two large saucepans of rich chocolate toffee cookies and five packets of marshmallows and fifteen spoons of sugar. I had to deliver their breakfasts on the ironing board in the cupboard, as no normal size tray is large enough and lay it across their laps.'

'Oh, no wonder they refused the cereal I gave them yesterday.'

Connor laughed. 'But it's your choice. You're in charge now.'

He peered through the door to watch Deana deliver two healthy bowls of cereal. As Connor suspected, his uncle threw the food on the floor in disgust.

'Are you trying to poison us?' he screamed.

But Deana, like a schoolmistress, scolded them. 'Don't be so rude! No breakfast for you two this morning if you're going to behave like that!' She retrieved the bowls from the floor and scooped as much of the cereal into the bowls as she could. 'If you're not going to eat this, you'll not be having anything else until dinner time.' Lifting her head high in the air, she marched off. Dorcus ranted and raved until his throat became sore.

'She can't do that!' Fagan snarled. 'What's she doing in our house? Where is that useless blockhead?'

Furious, Dorcus couldn't complain because he'd lost his voice.

Connor muffled his laughter. 'You'd better be careful!' he warned.

'I'm not having them talk to me like that!'

'No, but if you starve them they'll lose weight, jump off the sofa and come after you.'

Deana slapped Connor's arm. 'Stop trying to scare me.'

'Hey – don't injure me!' Connor dodged her next blow.

'Go on and get out!' she laughed.

Laughing, Connor closed the front door and took a deep breath. For the past two days he'd been cooped inside the house. He pulled his gloves from his pocket when a squeaky voice called to him.

'Hello dear!' Mrs Rosebud, his elderly neighbour, waved to him from her garden. 'Lovely day, isn't it. I'm glad you're feeling better. You gave me a fright the other morning.'

'Thanks for calling help for me,' he said.

'Don't mention it, but I can't stop. I've pies in the oven!' She hurried into her house.

Straightening his coat collar, Connor noticed his gloves were covered in camel coloured hairs. He remembered a filthy, smelly man who said he'd known his parents, before he'd attacked him. But had be been attacked? Hadn't the man wanted to give him a letter? Slowly, his memory returned. The man had known his name and address. He'd dropped a letter on the pavement. But where was it now?

He scanned the front garden, particularly a large rosebush where most rubbish accumulated. He gingerly searched the prickly plant but still managed to scratch himself on a menacing thorn.

'Ow!' He gave his small injury a rub before tugging the pile of litter. He saw it lying slightly apart from the other rubbish, resting against the fence, where it shone and shimmered as if it were alive. It was addressed to him. Thinking it was a birthday card he took it back inside the house, wondering who'd sent it? Once inside, he heard Deana talking to someone in the kitchen, so he gently closed the front door and crept closer. The discussion sounded serious.

'So where's the letter now?' Deana demanded.

'It must still be in the garden,' replied a man. 'But I couldn't find it.'

'So what's the plan?'

'Your parents want him at the AAA. The council agreed it's for the best. I have his best interests at heart too, for without him, I won't be able to leave this planet.'

'But the security at the AAA is awful at the moment. He can't go there. Not with Definastine on the loose using portals willy-nilly and showing up when you least expect him to. Surely he's safer with me, in this dreary house.'

The man sighed. 'Times are changing. We have the best guards to help protect him. Anyway, it's time to give this to Connor. Have you told him of his destiny?'

'No,' Deana whispered. 'He's had an awful life and it's going to get worse.'

'You can't keep the truth from him. Definastine is closer than ever. Connor needs to be prepared.'

'Prepared for what?' Connor burst into the kitchen to find Deana alone. He squinted at a shadowy apparition next to her but it vanished in a blink of an eye.

'Connor!' exclaimed Deana, startled. 'I didn't hear you come back.'

He eyed her suspiciously. 'That's obvious. Who were you talking to?'

Shaking her head, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. In a suspicious manner, she fast replied, 'Oh, no one.'

'Don't fob me off. Who were you talking to?'

'No one.'

'I don't know how he managed to vanish, but I heard a man talking in hear with you. What's going on? It concerns me, doesn't it?'

'No.' She snatched a tea towel and pretended to dry a plate.

'Deana, that plate is already dry. Don't lie to me. You mentioned Definastine and me. Who is he?'

'Forget it,' she snapped.

'No!' Connor shouted back. 'Tell me!'

'You won't believe me.' Still holding the tea towel, she folded her arms across her chest and faced him. Her face paled when she saw the letter. 'You have the letter.'

Connor's eyes widened as something clicked into place. 'Is this the letter you were talking about? Tell me!'

Deana fiddled with the tea towel.

'Deana, I trust you, so don't lie to me now, please!'

'There's much to tell you. I'd hoped to shelter you from it, but I was wrong. I know that now. Read the letter first, it'll answer some of your questions.'

Connor disappeared upstairs, burning with rage and slammed the door to his bedroom. Deana closed her eyes and sighed. She couldn't avoid the truth now. She'd have to tell him everything. She wiped a stray tear and remained at the table. Shaking, she poured another cup of tea. From the back pocket of her jeans she glanced at a photograph of two adults and two children, taken ten years ago when she – the older child – had been twelve, and the younger one two. She stroked her finger across the picture and placed it in her pocket.

'He knows you're here, so there's no point hiding anymore.'

The figure of a man immediately appeared. 'Well, it went well, given the circumstances.'

Deana rolled her eyes and poured him a cup of tea, while she waited for Connor to return.

Connor remained on his bed, unsettled. Something strange was going on and it involved him. He stroked the silky envelope and quickly ripped it open. Suddenly it quivered and fluttered.

'What the –?'

Against logic, Connor witnessed the impossible. Without any assistance, the two torn pieces merged, mending itself along the torn edge where it had been ripped. Connor fell off the bed and backed away slowly, fearing the envelope would attack him. Once repaired, the envelope rested on the bed motionless. The boy's fear became replaced with curiosity as he examined it – no visible tear could be seen. He tore it a few more times and watched in fascination as it repeatedly mended itself. He almost forgot about the letter inside it. Now he'd witnessed this miraculous display, he wanted to show Deana. He put the envelope to one side and held the letter; the velvety texture tickled his fingers. Composed of letters dotted at random, the letter was unreadable, as if a toddler had written it. He threw it aside believing it to be a joke. He snatched the envelope and hurried to show Deana.

'Look! Watch this!' He ripped the envelope in half and placed the two halves a short distance from each other on the kitchen table, where again the paper quivered and mended. 'Isn't it fantastic?'

Unsurprised, Deana sipped her tea. 'I take it you haven't read the letter yet.'

'No, it's impossible to read. But isn't this fantastic?' Connor beamed.

Amused, Deana watched him with interest. 'I remember receiving my first one. I'd screamed and hid in the cupboard for hours.'

'You've had a letter like this before?'

'Yes. It's known as a shrouded letter. Only the person it is intended for can read it.'

'I couldn't.'

'Hold the letter for several seconds – then you'll be able to read it.'

Puzzled, Connor darted back to his bedroom. He lay back on his bed, holding the letter, wishing for something to happen. He didn't wait long for the typed letters on the soft fabric to move of their own accord to form readable words, but the moment he released it, the letters returned into nonsense words. He held it again. Within his quivering hands, the message became clear.

"To our beloved son, Connor,

Years ago we received a prophecy that if Definastine still lived before your twelfth birthday you'd be chosen as the Starstone's host. To protect you we faked our deaths and have been attempting to destroy Definastine ever since. It broke our hearts to leave you but your life was in grave danger and still is. We'd hope to defeat Definastine so you wouldn't have to, but the prophecy has come true and now many lives will depend on you. Please trust Tookar, for he's going to help you.

Not a day goes by when we don't think of you. Try and get to the AAA as soon as possible for your own safety. We love you so much and pray to see you soon.

Loving you forever

Your Mum & Dad (Christy & Ryan)"

Connor perched on the edge of his bed, rereading the letter and after that, he reread it again. Angry at the knowledge of his parents abandoning him and subjecting him to a life with abusive guardians, he screwed the letter and tossed it across the room. Like the envelope it ironed itself flat. He also knew why the male voice in the kitchen had sounded so familiar. It belonged to the stranger he'd encountered early Friday morning – Tookar?

He'd no choice but to talk to Deana about it, He peered through the dusty net curtains when someone knocked on his door. Without turning, he continued to stare at a sparrow on the fence, staring straight back at him.

'Come in.' The bird appeared to be dancing, its twig-like legs were tapping away. 'I read the letter, Deana. Apparently my parents are alive. They did abandon me.'

'You weren't abandoned, Connor. Your parents wanted safe,' came a deep voice.

Connor spun round fast. In the doorway, stood a man (a foot taller than him) with straggly brown hair.

CHAPTER THREE

The Starstone

'You!' Connor screamed. 'Get out! – Deana!'

Deana rushed into the room, pushing the man aside. She frowned at the stranger, but wasn't surprised by his presence.

'Tookar! We decided to wait before you introduced yourself!' she snapped.

He appeared worried. 'We don't have time. Besides, you decided... I didn't.'

'You know this creep?' quizzed Connor.

'Yes, I do,' she sighed. 'Connor, meet Tookar, your guardian.'

Connor's eyebrows furrowed. 'Guardian? But he attacked me the other day!'

'I didn't attack you!'

'Yes you did!' insisted Connor. 'You covered my mouth.'

'I didn't want you to scream,' said the man.

'Well, it made me scream louder if anything.'

'We have some explaining to do.' Deana gave Connor a hug and rubbed his back. 'Let's talk downstairs.'

'Talk?' gasped Connor.

'Yes, talk,' Deana repeated. 'We've matters to discuss. Join us when you're ready – but don't leave it too late.'

As Deana left, the man lingered. His eyes were tired and dirty stains streaked his face and clothing. 'This is for you.' From the inside pocket of his coat, Tookar retrieved a small parcel and gave it to Connor. He paused and, unsure of what to say, quickly left.

Connor didn't open the parcel straightaway, as it wasn't his birthday until Wednesday. Confused, he paced his room and bit his fingers. A few minutes later, he gathered his courage and headed downstairs. Deana and Tookar were sitting in the kitchen with empty cups and a packet of biscuits. Tookar munched on a tuna sandwich, which Deana had made him.

Connor paused by the door, watching them, before entering the room. 'He stinks and needs a bath.' Without giving Deana a chance to speak, he spoke again. 'It's true. He can use the bathroom upstairs if he wants to. There's a clean towel hanging on the radiator.'

Tookar laughed. 'Is he always so truthful?'

'Yes,' smirked Deana, relieved to have Connor talking to them.

'I'm sorry for scaring you the other morning. It wasn't my intention.' Tookar carried his empty plate to the sink. 'Well, I'd better go and wash. I can take a hint.' He ruffled Connor's hair as he walked past. 'It's no secret I've been hiding in the dirtiest of places.'

Connor ducked, not wanting the man to touch him.

Once Tookar had left, Deana glared at him. 'He's well respected where he comes from, so don't be so rude.'

'Rude!' snapped Connor. 'In case you haven't realised, the man who terrified me the other morning entered my bedroom to scare me again.'

Deana resigned. 'I'm sorry. He shouldn't have done that. I told him not to. But perhaps he's right. Time is against us.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm not who you think I am.' Deana made another cup of tea. 'I'm a detective as well as a nurse. I work for a secret organisation known as the AAA.'

'I've heard of that place before! The old man at the garage mentioned it to me, when I bought some ice cream.'

'You met Sparkie.' She returned to her seat. 'He's a little eccentric, but totally harmless.'

'Sparkie?'

'He works for the AAA, with Tookar and me. It stands for Alien Agents Alliance. Hundreds of years ago, a small faction formed to help stranded aliens. But over the years the role of the AAA has changed considerably. It now provides warships to help defend neighbouring dimensions and other planets from coming under attack from Definastine and other enemies. It also provides rescue parties to save star-spirits in distress.'

'Star-spirits?' quizzed Connor.

'It refers to intelligent life forms, such as aliens. Instead of calling everyone an alien, we decided star-spirits was more suitable.' she explained.

'So you believe in aliens?'

'We grew up with them, Connor. Your best friend was a star-spirit.'

Connor spluttered. 'I grew up with aliens? Are you kidding me?'

Deana laughed at Connor's bewildered expression. 'I'm not kidding. You lived with them for the first two years of your life.'

'Did you know me when I was younger?' he asked.

Deana suddenly spilt her drink on the sideboard and dabbed it with a cloth. 'Oh, silly me!'

'Are you okay?' Connor watched her closely.

'I'm fine...just a bit clumsy.' She continued to clean up the spillage. 'Yes, I knew you. Our parents were friends and we were raised in the AAA, until you left.'

'Wow?'

'There's something else I haven't told you and I don't want you to get upset.'

'Why would I get upset?' shrugged Connor.

'You thought your parents were dead, but they're alive, Connor. For the past year they've been on a mission to protect a vulnerable planet from Definastine's destruction.'

Connor's expression changed, his eyes darkened. 'I know. I read the letter, but I don't understand why you didn't tell me before!'

'I'll explain if you'll be quiet. When you were two-years old, Arbtu foretold you would become the Starstone's host. He's the founder of the AAA and had prophesied a living consciousness would enter your body and your two bodies would merge and work as one to end a dynasty of fear and violence at the hands of Definastine.'

'Me? A host?' Connor frowned. 'An alien wants to use my body? What? No way! And my parents wanted to keep me safe so sent me to live with my uncle and aunt? You saw how they treated me. They made my life a misery, treating me like a slave.'

Deana raised her eyes to the ceiling. 'They didn't know, Connor. No one knew how terrible your life was.'

Annoyed, Connor folded his arms.

'Look. You're not safe. Since Definastine stole the consulting mirror, he now knows where you live. He'll come after you, sooner rather than later.'

'This just gets better and better!' he mumbled. 'What so special about the consulting mirror?'

'It reveals everything that has happened in the past to the present moment, but it cannot predict the future. Because of this, Tookar received a warning that Definastine will be coming after you. This means that you cannot rest in one place for longer than necessary You need to leave here today.'

'Today?'

'Yes.' Deana rested her hand on top of his. 'You must allow the Starstone to join with you. Your destiny cannot be altered. You cannot run from it.'

He swallowed hard and glared at her. 'No!'

'You don't have a choice,' she whispered. 'Definastine will be watching your every move. This is your only chance to stay alive.'

'This is crazy. How am I supposed to allow an alien to enter my body, when I don't believe in them in the first place? It's crazy! I won't do it!'

'The sooner the better. It'll take a while for you to –,' Deana broke off. She stood abruptly, causing the chair to topple and crash to the ground. In the distance a dog howled. Her voice hurried with a sense of urgency. 'Where's the Starstone, Connor?'

'I don't know!'

'You must know! Tookar gave you a parcel with the Starstone in it. Where did you put it?' urged Deana, horrified – her face white.

'It's on my bed upstairs. What's wrong, Deana?'

'Tell Tookar to join me and go to your room and don't open the door for anyone.'

'I don't understand.'

Deana grasped his shoulders. 'Listen carefully. You must open the parcel. Let the Starstone enter you. Hurry, before it's too late!'

Connor turned, dashed up the stairs and banged on the bathroom door, yelling to Tookar. 'Deana needs you. Something's wrong!'

The door flung open. Standing in the doorway, wearing black trousers, Tookar held a strange weapon and wore a grave expression. 'Go to your room! And lock the door!'

Tookar bolted downstairs, leaving Connor alone. Glass smashed in the kitchen, followed by a scream – Deana? More yelling. Doors slammed. Objects crashed. A dog continued to howl in the distance. Hugging his knees to his chest, Connor pressed his hands to his ears, praying for the terrible sounds to stop. Scared, he scrambled to the edge of his bed to retrieve the parcel. Tearing off the paper, he discovered it was wrapped in a blue scarf. He cupped it in his hands.

Terrified and unsure of what to do, the blue cloth glowed, rippling in waves and changing from blue to purple. His fingers warmed. At the same time the object pulsated as though he carried his heart. His eyes widened.

'I didn't ask for any of this!' As he hurled the object across the room, the cloth slipped from it and a ball of light whizzed through the air, but instead of ricocheting off the wardrobe door, it passed through it, leaving a gaping hole in the wood.

The disturbance downstairs increased. He locked his door and dived beneath his bed to retrieve his baseball bat. Seconds later, the small ball of light emerged from the wardrobe, hovering and humming softly. Slowly it circled the room, increasing in speed so fast it looked like a silvery hoop.

A few seconds later, it stopped abruptly and hovered in front of Connor. He squealed and retreated towards the window, contemplating his survival rate of jumping from the window. To his horror, small grey-bodied creatures swarmed the garden, naked apart from small loincloths and moved extremely fast like spiders, as they climbed the brick wall. Their eyes were large with huge black pupils.

'What the –?'

Connor leapt on top of his mattress, still grasping the bat. Either way he had to make a choice – the Starstone or the little grey men. He tossed the bat aside and surrendered, no longer running from the alien ball of light. He resigned himself to the fact he had no choice in this.

'Fine. Hurry and get on with whatever you're going to do,' he shouted, twitching nervously.

The Starstone shimmered in silvery colours, like a gigantic jewel suspended in the air and like a wave of calm, it washed through Connor's tense body, stripping away his fears. His muscles instantly flopped as if his bones had vanished, causing him to lie on the bed as his legs gave way beneath him. His face slackened and his tongue hung loosely from his mouth. Connor stared in awe at the wondrous star as his mind floated on an enormous ocean of cloud, no longer afraid.

A voice spoke to him. 'Connor!'

Connor smiled dreamily at the ball of light.

'I am the consciousness of the Starstone and I seek to become one with you. Do not fear. Be not afraid for it is our destiny to become one.'

Its hypnotic voice soothed Connor and a dribble hung from his chin.

'Relax and close your eyes,' it said.

His resistance vanished. The last thing he saw, before closing his eyes, was the Starstone descending into his stomach, disappearing inside his body. It had left no visible mark on his body nor caused him any pain.

In his mind, a voice sang:

'Great Ones rejoice with us here,

The time will soon come with nothing to fear.

Although the Dark Master is very near,

The Starstone had chosen Connor as Seer!'

Connor slumped on the bed, sucking his thumb for the first time in years.

'Goodnight, Connor,' said the Starstone.

CHAPTER FOUR

The Healing Miracle

Two days later, Connor woke to a peculiar odour, though it wasn't the smell of home, but fresh and clean instead. Unfamiliar noises made him wary. Stiff white sheets lay across his body, tucking him tightly to the mattress. As he wriggled an arm free, a boy in the next bed watched him.

'Hi. You've been asleep for ages.'

'Where am I?' groaned Connor, reaching for his glasses.

'In hospital,' replied the boy. 'Your glasses are on the table to your left if you're looking for them.'

'Thanks,' Connor stretched his arm, banging it awkwardly on the cabinet. Putting on his glasses, his vision became blurrier, so he took them off to discover he could see perfect without them. 'Strange.'

'What's strange?' The boy looked across at him.

'I don't need my glasses anymore.' Connor had worn them his entire life and now something extraordinary had happened but he'd no memory of it. Sitting up, he immediately brightened when he saw birthday cards on the bedside cabinet. One was from Deana and the other was from Tookar - the name was familiar but Connor had no memory of him.

'What day is it?'

'Thursday. You've been asleep for days.'

So Connor had missed his birthday. The boy in the next bed looked friendly, with dark circles and mischievous brown eyes. At that moment, a stout nurse marched into the room, bolt upright.

'Ahh. You've woken, Connor. You kids will do anything not to go to school these days.' She inspected Connor with her green eyes, peering over the rims of her glasses instead of through them. She checked his pulse and updated the written record hanging at the end of his bed. 'Would you like something to eat or drink?'

'I'm not hungry, but I'd like a drink.'

A few minutes later, she returned with a jug of orange squash and a clean glass.

'This will help.' She poured him a glass and handed it to him.

'Thanks.' He waited for an explanation to explain his presence in the hospital, but when she turned to leave, she left him disappointed. 'Excuse me!' he called and the nurse paused. 'Why am I here?'

'The doctor will explain.' She cocked her eyebrows in a curious fashion before walking away.

Connor groaned, itching to leave hospital. Opposite him lay a young girl, struggling to breathe. As if reading his mind, the boy in the next bed gave him a commentary about her.

'I'm Philip and that's Mary over there.' He pointed to the bed opposite. 'She has asthma. She's been bedridden since birth.'

Mary waved her little fingers and smiled, in between deep, raspy breaths.

'How horrible,' Connor murmured, his life suddenly didn't seem so bad. 'I can't imagine being in bed all the time. It would drive me crazy.'

'It drives me crazy. I wish I'd stop growing!'

'What's wrong with you?' asked Connor.

'I have gigantism, but I call it a pain in the butt,' smirked the boy. 'I'm already seven feet tall and I'm still growing. As long as the doctors keep drowning me with painkillers, it's at least bearable.'

Philip's feet poked out the end of his bed and rested on a table. It would be a lie to say his feet weren't big. They were huge, at least a shoe size twenty-five.

'By the way, happy birthday,' cheered Philip – the boy giant.

Despite enjoying his chat with Philip, which lasted the afternoon, he grew exhausted without leaving his bed and wondered when Deana would finally show. It was four o'clock when she finally poked her head round the door.

'Happy birthday,' she breathed, sliding next to him and whispering suspiciously.

'Thanks,' beamed Connor, relieved to see her.

I haven't slept a wink!' she confessed, glancing nervously towards the door. 'Are you okay? Are they feeling you good food?'

'I had sandwiches for lunch and I'm having a jacket potato with beans and cheese this evening. I've enjoyed being spoiled for once,' he smirked.

'That's good. How do you feel about you-know-what?'

'What?' he asked.

'Everything I told you yesterday,' she reminded him.

'I can't remember anything.'

'Are you joking?' she whispered.

'No!'

'Can you remember what happened Monday morning?'

He shook his head.

She looked crestfallen. 'What can you remember?'

'I remember you talking to someone in the kitchen.'

'Tookar warned me this might happen,' she muttered.

'Tookar?' quizzed Connor.

'The man in the kitchen,' she explained. Deana gave him a newspaper clipping from her pocket. 'Remember this?'

'Of course, I do,' whispered Connor, solemnly.

'Do you remember its fake and had been created at the AAA as a cover up to be given to your uncle. Your parents are alive, Connor.'

Connor watched her straight-faced.

'This is so annoying.' Deana pressed her lips. 'Tookar wanted you to have this.' She took a photograph from her bag and gave it to Connor. 'He wanted me to give it to you since he thought you might not remember him.'

Connor recognised his parents straightaway as they stood each side of another man with scraggly brown hair.

'It was taken weeks ago,' Deana informed him gently. 'Your parent's are alive.'

Connor frowned and stared at photograph.

'That's Tookar.' Deana pointed to the stranger in the centre.

Connor examined the photo closer. 'I don't recognise him and my parent's died in an accident.'

'No, they didn't! They're still alive but I can't discuss it with you now.' Her tone was final. 'My friend K will collect you tomorrow,' she whispered.

'Why can't you?'

'I'll visit in the morning but you can't leave with me. It's too dangerous.'

'Too dangerous?' spluttered Connor. 'This is a hospital, not a raging river.'

'You don't understand. Anyway, it's arranged.'

'What does K look like? How will I recognise him?'

'It's hard to say, as he may be in disguise.'

'How helpful,' mumbled Connor.

'Tookar believes your memory will return in the next few hours.'

'I hope so.'

'I'm not sure what to say to you now, considering you don't remember anything.'

'Tell me about my parents,' he said.

'Well, they talk about you a lot.'

'It must be a short conversation, considering they haven't seen me in ages.'

Unperturbed, she carried on. 'They're both warriors and manage different factions at the AAA.'

'How lovely,' said Connor, full of sarcasm.

'They are. Do you want me to continue? Or are you going to carry on taking swipes at them?'

He shrugged.

'Perhaps its best not to mention them anymore for the time being,' she said. 'I've bought you a present.'

She handed Connor a small gift, wrapped in birthday paper. He couldn't remember having a present before. Inside was a locket with a picture of his mum and dad.

'Thanks,' he smiled. 'Where did you get the pictures from?'

'K's mum had a few,' she told him.

'It's great. I love it,' he yawned.

'Don't worry, Connor. Everything will be okay. You'll leave here tomorrow and this will be nothing but a bad memory.'

'But I want to leave today,' he yawned, stretching.

'You can't,' she said. 'You're too weak to move. It's the after effect of the Starstone joining forces with you.'

'But I'm fine...' he said, closing his eyes and drifting off.

Deana left soon afterwards.

Later, when he'd woke for supper he felt an overwhelming loss at Deana's absence and wasn't too talkative. After all, its not every day you're told your dead parent's are alive. Meanwhile, Philip's parents stayed for an hour and Connor made polite conversation with them, especially after they'd visited the hospital shop and bought magazines for them both. His mother was incredibly tall; whereas his dad appeared to be the shortest man he'd ever met and made up for lack of height by spreading outwards instead.

'You're parents are kind,' Connor remarked after they'd left.

'They are,' Philip beamed, his cheeks puffed after shoving a handful of grapes into his mouth at once. He offered some to Connor. 'Where are your parents?'

'I don't know.' It was an honest reply. Knowing so little about them, Connor didn't want to discuss them.

Philip shrugged dismissively and devoured more tasty grapes. With the empty bowl on his lap, he fell deep asleep. The night had slowly arrived. Curtains were closed and the lights on the ward had dimmed. In the main corridor outside the ward, the nurses sipped hot drinks while writing reports at their desk. Their soft chatter and laughter was comforting. However, as Mary struggled to breathe and had been unable to speak throughout the day, he wished he could help her. A mask had been placed on her face to cover both her nose and mouth. Her chest rose rapidly as she breathed with the aid of extra oxygen.

He rubbed the crease of his elbow where he'd been pricked like a pincushion from one blood test after another.

Two specialists had examined Connor's stomach, exchanging several gasps between them. Connor withdrew, wanting to yell at them to leave him alone. He wasn't a guinea pig to be experimented on.

Being tucked in bed wasn't a pleasant experience either, for the freshly cleaned blankets were tucked under the mattress so securely like being an insect in a cocoon. It did cross his mind they were trying to keep him a prisoner. He became frustrated. His life didn't seem to be his anymore. Deana wanted him to do one thing and the doctors and nurses wanted him to do something else.

By the time Connor 's worries were put aside, he'd become the last child to fall asleep. He dreamt of falling into a bottomless pit, before coming to a slow grinding halt. Then his body catapulted in the opposite direction, flying him upwards. With a loud pop he floated above his body, staring at the familiar face he'd come to know so well. A purple thread of light was safely linking both his bodies. His head was tipped on the side so his cheek squashed against the pillow. His mouth opened and closed in a gentle snore. He tried to touch his face but his hand passed through his skin.

Feeling invigorated and free, Connor knew it wasn't a dream as whirls of different colours surrounded the other children. He flew about the ward, travelling through walls to witness the light touching the sleeping children as well as the nurses on duty. Then, without any warning, his body sucked him back into it like a vacuum, where his dreams were restful. He continued sleeping soundly throughout the night.

Unknown to Connor, his desire to help Mary had caused something miraculous to happen inside of him. The Starstone, nested inside his stomach, leaked light and an invisible force flowed unconditionally from his body, sending healing to every patient in the children's ward. Connor's compassion had energised the strange alien life form to cure every possible aliment inflicted on the patients.

The next day at sunrise, the children's section of the hospital brimmed with excitement. Joyous faces were at every turn.

'It's a miracle!' exclaimed the day nurses, who'd arrived for work to find the ward in absolute chaos with previously bedridden children now jumping on their beds and running excitedly.

'My cancer has disappeared. Father Christmas gave me my present a month early,' a young boy told those who would listen.

'Look what I can do,' another child shouted across the room, bouncing on the bed. His broken legs had rapidly mended.

'And me,' another cried.

Mary had also been cured. For the first time in her life she left her bed and, with the assistance of the nurses, attempted to walk. 'Watch me!' she grinned. 'I'm walking. Soon I'll be running!'

Connor beamed. 'Unbelievable!'

Philip spent most of the day in shock. Already he had reduced by four inches in height. His pain had vanished and for the first time in months he could swing his long legs to the side of his bed. 'I'm shrinking!'

'Wow!' Connor breathed.

Broken bones had mended overnight. Cancers and tumours had vanished. Burns had been replaced with new skin leaving no scars. Children waiting for organ transplants no longer needed them. Those children needing time to recover had recovered. The list of complaints miraculously healed was endless and the healing didn't affect the children, but everyone who'd worked last night too.

Overjoyed, one particular nurse who worked on the ward said, 'My warts have vanished. 'I've had them for years and they've simply vanished...it's magic!'

Connor slipped on his clothes and waited for Deana. He needed to tell her about his strange dreams of healing people.

'What happened last night?' Philip wrinkled his face, grinning broadly in astonishment.

'I haven't a clue.' But Connor knew he'd somehow been its cause.

CHAPTER FIVE

Hunted

Throughout the morning, vast crowds of people had flooded the children's ward: doctors, surgeons, nurses, news reporters, family and friends. The children had been miraculously cured of illness.

One by one the children were discharged. Philip had an appointment with the doctor at ten o'clock. Fifteen minutes later and beaming, Philip emerged from the closed curtains.

'It's official!' Philip smirked. 'I'm shrinking. I'm four inches shorter than yesterday!'

'That's great!' Connor kept his eye on the door in case Deana arrived, struggling to hide his disappointment when each time the doors swung open, she wasn't the one walking through them. Instead someone else's parents had arrived to collect them.

Philip's mum and dad arrived at eleven o'clock to collect their son.

'I can't believe it!' Overwhelmed, Rachel showered Philip with affection. 'You're shrinking! Seriously? It's a miracle!'

'Get off, mum!' Embarrassed, Philip ducked his mum's affectionate hugs.

Philip's dad, with a lopsided grin, reacted differently. In shock, he placed a fist on his dumpy waist while the other scratched his head.

'I can't believe you've lost height!' screeched Rachel in disbelief. 'Four whole inches.'

Connor grinned, since most people comment on losing weight and not height. After her obvious pleasure, she turned to Connor. 'Don't worry love, I'm sure your sister will arrive soon.'

'She's not my sister,' Connor corrected her. 'She's a friend.'

'Well, you've a good friend.' She smiled as she helped her son from his bed. 'Come on love. Get your belongings. We'll be waiting for you outside in the corridor while you say your goodbyes to your new friend. Don't be too long though. By the way, Connor, please come and stay with us sometime.'

'Thanks.' Connor beamed as they exited the ward.

Philip wrenched a pad of notepaper from his bulky carrier bag. His clothes were spilling over the top. 'I'll give you my phone number and address. It would be good to keep in contact. You'll be my first pen pal.'

'Mine too.' Connor exchanged addresses.

'Maybe when we next meet, I might be shorter,' Philip grinned.

Philip left the ward, leaving Connor the last one on the ward. Now twelve o'clock he felt dejected and abandoned. When would Deana arrive? He wanted to go home, but the doctor insisted he should stay.

'But nothing's wrong with me,' groaned Connor.

'Your scan suggests otherwise and is set for this afternoon,' said the doctor.

An hour later, Deana cautiously stepped into the ward.

'At last you came.' He offered her fresh grapes from Philip's abandoned fruit bowl.

'Are you okay?' she whispered. 'I heard it on the news. I had to push through the crowd to get in. Don't worry. I crawled between their legs, hence my dirty knees.' She dusted the knees of her trousers.

'I want to go home? Everyone else has. I'm the last person left in this dump!'

'The Starstone has changed you,' she muttered, apologetically.

Huh?' Connor made a face.

Deana's face dropped in disappointment. 'Oh, haven't you remembered yet? I wished I hadn't brought you to this hospital. If the AAA were more secure, you'd have gone there instead. They have the best hospital, but it's madness. Someone let those damn devlins loose again. They shouldn't have been there in the first place, but they didn't listen to me. Madam Gripe insisted lessons in identifying aliens are crucial if we are to know what we're fighting against. I suppose it's true but they cause nothing but disruption. They munch wires and destroy the computer systems. The worse thing is they reproduce so rapidly. Every minute another ten devlins are born. It's ridiculous.'

Connor frowned.

'Oh, sorry, I forgot you don't know what devlins are. It'll become clearer later.'

'I doubt it,' muttered Connor.

'K will collect you later.' She paused. 'This might come as a bit of a surprise to you, but both Tookar and K are shape-shifters. They can transform into any living form they want.'

'You should be in this bed instead of me?' Connor shook his head. 'You're losing the plot.'

'This is so frustrating! Can you remember the shrouded letter? Only the person who it's addressed to can read it. Don't you remember?'

Connor closed his eyes. Didn't Deana realise how absurd she sounded? 'I'm sorry Deana. I can't remember anything apart from some strange dreams I've been having.'

'If you remembered it would make my job a lot simpler. What about the Starstone, which entered your body? It's an intelligent life form with incredible powers. Whether or not you want to believe it, you had something to do with this healing business,' Deana continued. 'Apparently the Starstone can do anything. More than we can ever imagine and it's your mind which controls it.'

'I think I did have something to do with last night. It can't be a coincidence I dreamt of healing all these people with a single touch.'

'I knew it!' Deana grinned. 'By the way, what happened to your glasses? Why aren't you wearing them?'

'I'm not sure,' Connor admitted. 'My eyesight is better without them.'

'Cool,' breathed Deana. 'I bet the Starstone healed you too.'

The doors banged loudly, causing Deana to jump and a doctor with wild frizzy hair bounded into the room. He coughed loudly to gain their attention. 'I'm sorry, Miss, but visiting times and you'll have to leave.'

Connor's stomach lurched as Deana got up to go: he didn't want her to leave as he was the last patient in the ward and the empty beds made him feel worse.

'Trust K,' she whispered, giving Connor a quick kiss on his forehead.

She waved, disappearing through the doors. Heavy-hearted, Connor waved back. A short while later, a nurse took him for a scan and, since there was no one else about, he didn't have to wait in any queue. It was a painless ordeal, but left Connor none the wiser.

Within the hour, a nurse helped him move to a single room, which was much cosier and had a television hoisted high on the wall. At least he'd have something to occupy his mind now he didn't have Philip to talk to.

Late in the evening, a female nurse, whom Connor hadn't seen before, showed two older men, in their forties, into his room. There was no introduction or explanation for the men's presence in the room before she left, the door snapping shut, leaving him alone in the room with them. The hairs on the back of Connor's neck prickled as he glanced from one man to the other. Wearing suits and carrying briefcases, they appeared professional and on a mission.

The larger man had broad shoulders as square as his jaw and as wide as the doorway. He introduced himself as Marty; his shiny, baldhead was in direct contrast to his ample facial hair. Taking off his sunglasses, he revealed small dark eyes, not proportionate to the rest of his face and a golden suntan warmed his skin. He chewed on some gum and eyed Connor dubiously.

Joe, extremely gaunt with thin serious lips, perched like a bird on the end of Connor's bed and with a beak like nose, and piercing blue eyes.

Marty took a seat and linked his fingers. 'We work for the government, son, and we want you to tell us what you know about the healing, which took place last night.'

Connor froze. 'I don't know anything.'

Marty leant forward in his chair. 'We were hoping you might have something to tell us. Many people were more than happy to tell us their stories. We're hoping you'd be just as co-operative. How were you healed last night?'

Connor squirmed.

'What you tell us will remain confidential. We have your best interests at heart. In your own words, please tell us your experience.' Marty smiled, which didn't suit him.

Connor shifted in his seat. 'Well, I feel better.'

'Come on!' Joe snapped, slamming his fist hard on his briefcase. 'Tell us what happened.'

Marty scowled. 'I apologise for my colleague. It's been a busy day. So what happened? Tell us!'

'I don't know. I really don't.' Connor wanted K to rescue him and wondered if he'd lost his way. Shouldn't he be here by now?

Joe spoke. 'Do you believe in aliens? Judging by your latest scan, we know you're connected with what took place last night. Your body isn't human. We know you're one of them.'

Joe dragged the last word for longer than necessary, but Connor understood its meaning. Whatever the scan showed, these men thought he was an alien. Marty passed Joe a warning glance. These men were relentless and wanted to implicate him with the recent events happening in the hospital. They were after his blood and at this moment he was a mouse being eyed by two great hawks. The next forty-five minutes were the longest of Connor's life as the two interrogators probed and accused in an attempt to make him confess to something he wasn't.

'You're an alien! So why don't you tell us the truth!' Joe screamed.

'I'm not an alien!' Connor snapped for the umpteenth time. 'I'M A BOY!'

Their faces darkened.

'A boy?' Joe leant closer to Connor. 'A boy alien perhaps.'

Marty raised his hand, warning Joe to back off. 'What my colleague is trying to say is – we know the truth. We know you are an alien trying to survive on this planet while you're waiting for your family to collect in their little spaceship. What we want to know is where and when you'll be meeting them.'

'You're both mad!' cried Connor. 'I'm not an alien!'

Marty rubbed his palms impatiently. 'Well, we have evidence to prove contrary.'

'I don't even believe in aliens.'

Joe, losing his patience, pinned Connor's arms to the chair. 'We're not going to let you go,'

'Get off me, you creep!' screamed Connor, striking Joe with his legs.

Marty's cold eyes watched Connor struggle. 'Tell my friend the truth, then he might let you go.'

'I won't lie!' spat Connor.

Joe held Connor's wrists so tightly they bruised. 'This is ridiculous! He's wasting our time!'

Trapped, Connor curled forwards and bit Joe's fleshy thumb.

With a yell, Joe released Connor's wrists and struck the boy hard across his face. The burning blow left Connor shaking – tasting blood.

A loud dialling tone broke the silence. Marty brought his mobile phone to his ear. 'Yes...we'll do that... okay, see you later.' He ended the call and spoke to Joe.

'Zelda is waiting for us in the car park. They have the girl as well.'

'What girl?' blurted Connor. 'No! Not Deana!'

'Shut up, brat,' Joe laughed, plucking a crumpled handkerchief from his pocket and a small bottle labelled with a skull and crossbones.

'You leave her alone – she hasn't done anything!'

'Sorry. Can't do that,' Joe sneered. 'But if you come with us, we'll get her released.'

'That's blackmail!' spat Connor.

Joe quickly unscrewed the lid and dabbed some clear liquid on the cloth. What had they done to Deana?

'W... what are you doing?' Connor leapt from the chair. 'Get away from me!'

'Get him, Marty,' cried Joe. 'He's coming with us. This won't hurt...boy.'

Marty grasped Connor's arm.

'Get off me!' Connor struggled to release his arm. 'Help!'

Marty covered his mouth and the boy kicked him hard. 'Quick. Bring it. This'll do the trick!'

But Joe's plan was interrupted by the door bursting open, slamming against the wall. Speechless, Connor sank to his knees as a large silverback gorilla rose onto its hind legs, blocking the doorway and pounding its mighty chest. At seven feet tall, it charged into the room with the power of a steam train.

'What the –?' Marty spun.

Joe held a gun – too late. The gorilla lifted and threw him against the wall and he crashed to the floor unconscious. Marty pushed Connor towards the gorilla, as he tried to make a run for it. Much to Connor's surprise, the gorilla moved him aside gently and instead lurched towards Marty and yanked him back into the room. Connor covered his ears and hid under the bed. The next thing he knew, the same gorilla was coaxing him from under the bed and helping him to his feet.

Connor shook, seeing Marty's body lying on the floor next to Joe's. A wide grin appeared on the gorilla's face and his belly vibrated, as his broad chest heaved with exertion and his large nostrils flared.

'Are you okay?' came a deep rumbling voice.

Startled, Connor stared at the talking gorilla. Then in front of his eyes, the gorilla changed shape: its fur sucked into the skin becoming paler; its jaw and facial shape transformed: clothes instantly appeared on the humanoid form and longer brown hair sprouted from the top of his head.

Quivering, Connor's jaw dropped.

'I'm sorry,' the man apologised. 'But those two idiots were going to take you to the ACE, which stands for Alien Control Exterminators. Don't worry. I'm here to rescue you. People have to be detained, otherwise they'll continue to do harm. By the way my name is K. I'm a...' he hesitated. 'I'm a...'

'Alien?' Connor finished for him.

'Half-alien, and the best shape-shifter in town.'

'The only one, I expect.' Connor watched him uneasily. 'So you can change your shape into anything?'

'Well, anything living. Choose an animal and I'll prove it to you. Better still, I'll become you. Don't be afraid.'

K's body jolted as he mutated: his face became oval; his bones cracked; his hair changed from a rich dark brown to a mousy blond; at the same time his height decreased by several inches. Within a couple of seconds, K had finished his transformation. Connor stared at a duplicate image of himself with the same familiar blue eyes shining back at him.

Connor stepped back, shaking his head.

'Now, listen – carefully!' K grasped Connor's shoulders. 'We've got to go. A friend of mine is waiting for us in a van and will take us to safety.'

'What sort of trouble am I in?'

'Someone working here leaked information to the ACE of your scan results. I don't know who their informant is, but the Starstone has changed your internal body, for you to be the perfect host. The scan shows your heart has doubled in size and your other organs appear to have vanished. But don't worry. I'm sure it's only temporary.'

'My organs have disappeared? I'm a host?'

'There's so much to tell you but no time to explain.'

Connor's little world had been placed inside a cement mixer. Would anything ever be the same again? He hadn't a clue his body had changed and his organs had vanished, no wonder Joe and Marty had been so persistent. How could he still be alive if his organs had vanished? Right now, he had to trust K, but it was hard to trust a stranger. If it weren't for Dean's faith in the shape-shifter, he'd have bolted before now. Connor relied on gut instinct and right now they were telling him to go with K. Besides, his choices were limited.

'Men from the ACE are crawling like ants around this establishment. Quick put your coat on. It's cold outside.'

Connor obeyed. 'What if we get caught?'

'You won't! That's why I'm here. Don't worry. Now I'm disguised as you, they won't know which one of us to chase. Now follow me. And Connor –'

'Yes.'

'Be careful, it's not only the ACE who are after you.'

'What do you mean?'

'I'll explain later. Be wary of strangers for the time being!'

'But –' interrupted Connor.

'What is it?'

'Deana's been kidnapped,'

'No she hasn't – I saw her before I came in here!' K grinned. 'She's okay.' He opened the door. 'Come on. It's clear!'

Connor frowned, hoping K was right about Deana, but until he knew for sure the heavy burden remained.

K left the room with Connor following him into the corridor, then as if forgetting something, K ran back holding a gun and shot it twice in the room where Marty and Joe laid. Connor froze, his heart thumping heavily, having witnessed a murder of two men in cold blood.

'Come on!' urged K, running ahead and gripping hold of Connor's frozen torso, dragging the boy reluctantly.

They ran blindly towards the door.

Being a host for a Starstone – having no organs – on the verge of being drugged and kidnapped – meeting a half-alien – being hunted – witnessing two murders –these were enough ingredients to cause a tornado of chaos.

K shoved the heavy doors leading to the stairs on the twentieth floor. Peering over the banister it looked too far to go down in a hurry.

'It'll be okay,' whispered K. 'Honest.'

Connor took a deep breath, bringing his anxiety under control.

'Can't we go in the lift?' he requested.

K laughed. 'The exercise will do you good, you lazy toad.'

CHAPTER SIX

The Ghoul

They descended to level ten before encountering any serious dilemma. Below, the back door of the hospital burst open, allowing a tidal wave of troops to sweep up the stairs towards them. K wasted no time shoving Connor through the doors on level ten.

'Keep low!' K hissed.

As the thunderous footsteps passed, the two fugitives peered discreetly through the glass doors. The soldiers were armed, as they stampeded up the stairs, wearing distasteful green uniforms.

'So, they brought in the troops!' whispered K, too preoccupied to notice the looming figure of a large lady hovering over them.

'What are you two doing in this maternity ward?' she snapped, dressed in a blue uniform with her grey hair swept into a bun with stray wispy strands. Her murky coloured eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'Identical twins – humph! Double the trouble.'

'We're lost and on the wrong level,' muttered K, pushing the doors and descending to the next level. They jumped the stairs, two at a time, for a further three levels, when above them came a loud shout.

'There they are, men!' cried a commanding voice.

Several faces peered at them over the bannister.

'Run!' shouted K.

They raced down the stairs jumping five at a go with the soldiers followed hot on their tail and gaining on them. On level four the door once again crashed open on the ground level and more soldiers swarmed into the building. They were trapped and Connor's legs had frozen in fear, holding him a prisoner inside his own body. With no escape, the enemy stormed towards them from both sides. Yet, at the crucial time when the enemy was almost upon them, time appeared to stop.

'Huh?' K scrutinized Connor's face. 'You can stop time? Jump!' he shouted, yanking Connor towards the banister. 'Trust me! You'll be fine!'

It was flight or fight and they chose flight – the railings appeared to be the only escape route. Connor peered at the ground as they climbed over the railings.

'Now!' urged K and with a firm grip on Connor's wrist they jumped.

Suddenly, gunfire exploded as they fell towards the ground the concrete below, the air whizzing past their ears. Connor yelled and K released him.

Moments before they crashed to the floor, a magnificent creature with powerful wings flew above him. Huge talons closed on his shoulders and lowered him to the ground in one piece. The giant eagle squawked, 'Go! I'll keep these men at bay!'

K had come to his rescue, yet again. Connor gaped and fled from the building into the night as gunfire erupted behind him. He ran for his life, skidding as he swerved a corner and colliding with someone.

'Ow!' a familiar voice echoed.

'Deana – you're safe!'

'Steady on!' she laughed half-heartedly, as he embraced her. 'I've bad news – your aunt and uncle have been kidnapped.'

'What?' he panted.

'Definastine's servants entered your home through a portal and took the sofa as well.'

Strangely, this didn't bother Connor. 'They should have taken them years ago!'

'Connor!' scolded Deana. 'What a horrible thing to say!'

'I know – the truth hurts.' Connor didn't regret a single word.

Deana squinted into the darkness and cautiously checked the area. 'Sparkie's waiting for us in his van. But I can't see him. Where is he? He must've parked round the corner. Stay close to the wall and we'll use those bushes for cover.'

The cool night air was refreshing after the sterile atmosphere of the hospital and although glad to be outside, a pang of guilt remained at leaving K behind, despite him murdering two men. Yet, there was a sense of gratitude towards him too. For without K, he wouldn't have escaped. Those men were going to do something awful to him, maybe kill him. Goodness knows what would have happened if K hadn't arrived when he did.

'I met your friend, K,' whispered Connor, not wanting to mention the murder.

'And?' Deana eyed him dubiously. 'Everything okay?'

Connor nodded.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

'Nothing,' lied Connor, fidgeting.

'You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you, because K's a good friend of mine. If he's hurt or something I must know.'

'No, he's fine,' replied Connor.

'Good.' She relaxed and continued along the path for a short distance, stopping whenever she saw someone walking across the car park. When it was safe to move, she silently resumed along the path where lampposts watched with empty eyes.

'Sparkie turned the lights off, to give us more cover,' she explained. 'He's good at manipulating energy.'

She shoved Connor to the ground, face first in some mud.

'What did you do that for?' he complained, wiping his eyes.

Deana hushed him as a black car with concealed windows parked straight ahead of them, a few feet away. They peered through the shrubbery. Clouds of smoke drifted from a small opening in the back window. A tall man dressed in a black suit strode across the car park towards the car and opened the back door. The interior light of the car revealed a tall, skinny woman stepping from the vehicle. She had sleeked bleached hair and wore a bright red mini skirt and high heel shoes. A cigar perched between her lips as she blew circles of smoke into the night air.

'Who's she?' Connor murmured.

'Shh!' hissed Deana, forcing his head lower.

'Any sign of the little creep?' grilled the woman.

'She's talking about you?' whispered Deana, as if it needed explaining.

The man beefed his arms to the side like a peacock. 'Not yet, but we'll track him.'

'It's been a long time since we caught an alien for ourselves. I'm not going to let this one get away.' The woman clutched her jacket, shivering.

'The girl escaped and disabled five of our officers. She may be one of them, but we're not sure. No one else was at the house.'

'How dare she!' the woman raged, throwing her arms in the air and stamping her feet. Her black leather jacket fell to the ground. 'I'll kill her myself!'

The man retrieved the jacket for her, placing it on her skinny shoulders once more. 'I believe you will. You can do anything.'

'Thank you, Doug.' The woman stroked her finger along his jaw. 'You're a great asset to the ACE. Pierre might have to go, so I can have you as my personal bodyguard. What'd you say?'

'It would be an honour to serve you so closely,' he agreed.

'Urgh! Enough of this,' groaned Deana, pulling Connor with her. 'Let's go!'

Deana kept low as she headed back towards the corner of the car park, hoping to spy Sparkie's van. Crouching within the shadows of a bush, Connor's legs ached.

'Was she talking about you disabling her men?' he whispered.

'Yes.'

'What happened? How did you do it?'

'What? You want the gory details?' She sounded amused.

'No, I wondered what happened.'

'I'll tell you later.' An unexpected flash startled them and Deana lost her balance. 'Sparkie?'

But it wasn't Sparkie. A decaying stench burned the inside of his nostrils before she saw the tall hooded figure, wearing a robe, stepping out from the solid brick, having walked straight through it.

'The Starstone – give it to me!' it ordered, as if in a rush.

With lightning speed a shrivelled claw gripped Connor's throat. The faceless creature towered before him, bringing his shadowy face closer.

Deana gasped when the creature gazed at her for two shafts of red light exited its eyes and she slumped lifeless to the ground. Connor struggled to get free.

'Deana!' he croaked. 'Deana!'

She remained unresponsive.

'What did you do to her? Get off me!' Connor squirmed desperately but to no avail, for the more he struggled, the more sinister the grip. Grasping hold of Connor's coat, it hoisted him high in the air. Connor's feet dangled from the ground. 'Let me go. You're hurting me!'

'Give me the Starstone,' it repeated coldly, 'and I'll let you live!'

'I don't know what you're talking about! You have the wrong person. Let me go!'

'Ahhh,' the creature screamed. 'You play me for a fool. Surrender it now or I will take it myself.'

Connor choked. 'You're hurting me!'

'Good!'

Slowly Connor suffocated.

CHAPTER SEVEN

A Leap into the Unknown

Death. It wasn't something Connor had considered before until now, as it came closer by the second as he dangled in mid-air by his neck. His body no longer screamed in pain. Could this be what dying felt like? Where fear was replaced with a sense of peacefulness as he waited for his final breath.

Breathe, Connor! Came the soft voice of the Starstone.

Connor shuddered with a jolt. Mustering all his strength, he took a deep breath and kicked the foul creature repeatedly, swinging his feet at the body beneath the robes. The monster snarled, striking Connor's face hard, tearing his cheek. Blood flowed from the open wound, but numb with fright, the boy sensed no pain. Instead resentment built in the pit of his stomach until he burned with an anger engulfing his terror. The creature snarled – shaking Connor like a rag doll. The beams of blood red light from its eyes burned deep inside Connor, but had no effect.

'Get off me!' Connor screamed.

The creature held Connor warily. 'Surrender the Starstone to me and I'll release you!'

'No, you won't!' Connor gasped. 'I'm not stupid! You'll kill me anyway.'

'I'm losing my patience,' a warning note appeared in the chilling voice.

The creature paused for a moment and without any warning attempted to snatch the Starstone from inside Connor's stomach – deep purple veins poked beneath deadly grey skin where large knots covered his hand. With dirty-yellow, long and curled fingernails, he struck at the boy's stomach. Unknown to them both, the boys muscles had knitted together; forming a surface so tough the ghoul broke its fingernails, making no impact on it

'Ahhh!' it cried.

Connor's muscles had become as strong as concrete and although his clothing had been ripped the ghoul made no scratch on his body whatsoever. Startled, it cursed the boy and gripped him firmly again.

'What strange magic is this?' it whispered. 'No one encounters Definastine and lives to tell the tale!'

'Definastine?' croaked Connor.

But something extraordinary happened, something he had little control of: his cloudy blue eyes speckled with dashes of golden light; his pale skin hardened as his muscles grew in size and strength.

Deana slowly gained consciousness and scrambled to her feet. When she noticed the physical changes in Connor, her eyes widened. Panicking, she believed Connor was dying. She whispered his name but Connor couldn't respond, for it would be catastrophic to lose concentration now. He had to survive and focus with the Starstone equipping him with incredible strength.

Deana could have run at any time, but she didn't. She wanted to stop Definastine before he killed her friend, so she aimed her laser, but afraid of harming Connor, she searched the ground, stumbling across a rusty metal pole. She swivelled it above her head and made a swing for Definastine. It surged through the air knocking the creature backwards. She struck him again and again.

Definastine groaned loudly. Losing his footing he dropped Connor to the ground. Deana aimed her Zap-Fire and fired several shots at Definastine's leg. The first one struck him and he fell to his knees. Immediately a red tinted shield encompassed his body, sheltering him from further harm.

'Run!' Deana screamed at Connor.

He did. They ran for their lives and Definastine watched them flee into the distance. Snarling viciously, he gave orders to another figure lurking in the shadows.

'Razor, destroy them both!' he demanded. 'Do it quickly and bring me the Starstone!'

Stepping from the darkness appeared another powerfully built, tall, hooded figure.

'Yes, master,' it bowed, before pursuing the boy and the woman.

With long strides it gained with each step. Fearing for their lives, the two of them sprinted, petrified. Deana fired several more shots but they missed as the creature dodged them with lightning speed. They tore across the car park, weaving between the cars. Connor lost Deana as she stooped behind a parked vehicle. He darted in between the parked cars and knowing he couldn't outrun the creature, he lay flat on the ground and rolled beneath a parked Range Rover. Footsteps swiftly approached yards away. The creature paused and sniffed the air like a bloodhound, close to where Connor cowered. The moment it knelt, the creature lowered its face to the ground and peered under the vehicle.

It's hideous face came into view: bony and covered in grey skin stretching across a pointed jaw, with a gaping hole where the nose should have been. The eyes glowed orange straight at Connor. A cruel grin spread across on its face, revealing razor sharp teeth.

Connor kicked its monstrous face, making it scream and retreat. Connor scrambled from beneath the vehicle and saw the creature being flung back to the ground by an invisible force. What the-? It stood a second time and gave a chilling scream. It waved wildly whilst fighting something unseen. Connor stood still. After a moment's struggle, the creature fled in the direction from where it had come and a car tore across the car park, followed by screeching brakes and loud shouting.

'Get him, men!' screeched a woman, from a different direction.

The familiar black car, followed by several others, raced in hot pursuit. Connor had no idea what had happened but guessed it had something to do with the creature that'd chased him. Once the danger passed, he rose from between the parked vehicles.

'Ahoy, Connor!' called a high-pitched voice 'Giddy up!'

It wasn't obvious at first, but floating in the air above the cars was a partially invisible van in the surrounding darkness. This must have been what the creature had been fighting with. When an old man poked his head from the window, grinning wildly, Connor recognised him at one. He was the man from the garage where he'd bought his ice cream. The back door swung open and Deana leaned with her arms outstretched.

'Come on, Connor!' she yelled urgently. 'Before it comes back!'

Scrambling onto a car roof, Connor grasped Deana's hand and clambered into the hovering vehicle.

Deana hugged him tightly and noticing his wound, pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. She tried to stop the flow of blood by applying firm pressure.

'Does it hurt?' She withdrew the cloth to examine it.

'No. I can't feel much at the moment,' he confessed.

'You're in shock. Thank goodness you had the sense to hide. I don't know how long I'd been unconscious for, but you're a real warrior to survive that.'

'You reminded me of your mum and dad then, leading them a merry chase across the car park,' the old man chuckled. 'So, aliens don't exist, eh? Have you changed your mind yet?'

Connor nodded and noticed what bright blue eyes and white teeth the old man had.

'You used to have brown teeth,' Connor observed.

'They were false,' Sparkie giggled.

Deana relaxed back on the seat. 'This has been a night I won't forget in a hurry!'

'Same,' Connor mumbled. 'I thought he'd killed you!'

'Knocked me pretty bad – but didn't kill me.'

The old man chuckled. 'I expect Deana has told you lots about me.'

'No, but Deana then hasn't told me much at all.'

'It's not my fault you forgot everything I told you on Monday morning,' she fired back.

'It's not his either,' Sparkie reminded her. 'Anyway, I'm Sparkie. It's good to meet you properly at last. I'm sorry I wasn't parked where I'd planned to be, but other unforeseen problems presented themselves to me – such as the black car. Trust Zelda to park in the spot I'd chosen. Typical woman, spoiling plans for others.'

Deana gave a disapproving grunt.

'Oh, apart from you, my dear. You're no problem. You're like one of the men! Thankfully Zelda came through for us in the end.'

'But not deliberately,' Deana muttered.

'But that's the beauty of it. She helped us without knowing it. Did you see Zelda chasing Razor away in her car? At least she took their minds off you two for a while.'

'Who's Zelda? Two men who interrogated me at the hospital mentioned her waiting for me.'

'She's the woman in the black car. She's in charge of the ACE,' Deana explained. 'She's a complete nut case.'

'The ACE soldiers are swarming the hospital, but K will sort it.' Sparkie showed them a pocket-sized television screen.

K had changed into his human form and was dodging numerous bullets with a speed faster than light. He held his gun and fired it at the attacking party where they vanished one by one.

'Huh?' grunted Connor. 'What's happening to them? Where did they go?'

'Straight to the interrogating unit at the AAA,' Deana explained.

'You mean – he isn't killing them?'

'Of course not!' Deana gave Connor a stern glance. 'Why do you always think the worst of people!'

Sparkie chipped in. 'K wouldn't kill anyone. He believes in giving people a second chance. If it weren't for him many lives would have been unnecessarily ruined. K has helped many people in his short life. He's a Star-Lord in the making.'

So K hadn't killed Marty and Joe in the hospital; he had merely transported them to another place. Connor hadn't seen their bodies disappear and had assumed K had killed them. He'd jumped to a conclusion without knowing the facts.

'Star-Lord?' quizzed Connor.

'It's the highest rank a person can achieve in the AAA and is what most star-spirits strive for,' Deana explained.

'He'll make someone a proud husband one day.' Sparkie winked at Deana, whose face flushed crimson. 'The ACE must've tracked you after hearing of the bizarre events in the hospital last night. From now on, we'll have to be extra careful.'

'Who tried to kill me tonight?' Connor touched his bruised cheek.

'Two were after you. Definastine wanted the Starstone and it's startling he didn't kill you. Not many people encounter him and live to tell the tale,' she breathed.

If it weren't for the Starstone, Connor would have been killed easily, however, if the Starstone hadn't placed him in this predicament in the first place, he wouldn't have been in that situation.

'As we ran he sent one of his servants after us.'

'Razor,' said Sparkie. 'Poor soul.'

'Poor soul!' gasped Connor. 'He tried to kill me!'

'Yes it's true, but he wasn't always like that. Let me explain: Razor had once been a top secret agent, working for the AAA – a fantastic man, who wouldn't think twice of placing his life in danger to save others. He'd been one of four men who disappeared several years ago. After a secret operation failed, Definastine captured them. He trapped their souls and mutated their bodies. Now, they can't remember their pasts,' explained Sparkie. 'They are lost souls.'

Connor remained silent. Definastine wanted him dead because of the Starstone. Could he really protect this alien life form inside of him? Why hadn't the Starstone chosen a karate champion or someone adept at self-defence? Exhausted, he leant back and relaxed his head against the cushioned headrest, watching Sparkie put on a strange hat, like an upside-down kitchen sieve. Thin blue wires poked from the top and streams of blue electric currents randomly pulsated between them. Several times, he blinked in case his eyes were playing tricks on him, for it reminded him of a lightning storm on a miniature scale.

'What are you're wearing?' quizzed Connor.

'What? This old thing?' Sparkie pointed to his hat. 'It's a communication link with other star-spirits, which I invented.'

'Very trendy,' mocked Deana.

Intrigued, Connor leaned closer. 'What does it do?'

'Apart from making me trendy, it helps me receive telepathic messages. I'm waiting for news from Tookar at the moment.'

The odd, little man attached small suction caps to his temples and had a peculiar shaped face, with a wider than average forehead. Fluffy white tufts of hair stuck from under his hat. His long pointed chin had a long, silvery goatee hanging proudly from it, which curled near the end to form a complete loop. His red-framed glasses were too wide for his face, resting on a large nose. He was of slender build with unusually small feet and his knobbly knees resembled skin-coloured tennis balls stuck firmly on to his legs. He wore a T-shirt and shorts in the middle of winter but since the van was warm, it wasn't too surprising. Connor placed him in his seventies due to his many wrinkles.

Sparkie continued fiddling in the front seat. A warm golden light illuminated the van, revealing colour-changing fish swimming above their heads. The van had become a fish tank on wheels, made from a transparent material filled with clear fluid, which softly changed colour. The warm glow in the van reflected within the tank, emphasising the shimmering scales of the fish as they swam, creating an instant calming effect.

'How is it possible?' gaped Connor. 'They're beautiful! Where did you get them from?'

'From another planet. Some friends gave them to me as a parting gift.'

'From another planet?' whispered Connor in awe.

'He's my favourite.' Deana drew Connor's attention to a large red and pink striped fish with fins like a magnificent ball grown.

Connor favoured the blue and orange striped one as round as a ball with teeth.

'We mustn't hover so low. Put your seat belts on,' ordered Sparkie, pulling a lever and making the van zoom higher in the sky. Connor's stomach churned. The acceleration made him stick fast to his seat. At last when the van stopped, Connor banged his head on the roof.

'Ow!'

'Sparkie!' snapped Deana. 'Give him time to put the seat belt on first! Your driving is dangerous at the best of times.'

'Sorry!' Sparkie looked sheepish.

'Are you okay?' She touched his head.

'I'll live.' Connor felt woozy.

After Deana tightened his seat belt, he grasped the handle of the door for reassurance. The van had become twice as big on the inside than on the outside. The impossibility of this defied the natural laws of science. Neither did it possess a steering wheel or handbrake. Surprisingly relieved and happy after what he'd been through, Connor stretched his legs. 'This is great! I bet this is better than flying in an aeroplane.'

'How's your head now?' Deana said loud enough for Sparkie to hear.

Connor touched his tender head, but he didn't want Sparkie to get another earache. 'Fine. No damage done.'

'No, thank goodness. But it says in the code of conduct, to put your passengers first and make sure they know what's going to happen next.'

Ignoring Deana's remarks, Sparkie occupied himself with buttons on the dashboard. He amazed Connor. If someone were nagging him, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else.

A flat television screen sprung from the middle of the dashboard. The old man twisted a dial and the screen became a virtual reality map, revealing the entire area of the hospital car park, from the viewpoint of a helicopter suspended fifty feet in the air. When all of a sudden, the floor disappeared.

Connor screamed.

'Sparkie!' Deana yelled. 'You must explain to Connor what you're going to do. You frightened him! Don't worry, the floor is transparent but still there.'

'Connor, please forgive me. I rarely have passengers to explain my next move. I'll try to be more considerate and inform you as I go along.'

Connor grinned. Safe in the company of his friends, he could deal with anything, including a forgetful, old man. He tapped the solid, invisible floor with his foot and leaned forward to peer between his knees at the hospital below. 'Wow! Can anyone see us?'

Sparkie laughed. 'No, we're partly transparent at the moment.'

'What else does it do?' Excited, Connor shuffled on the edge of his seat.

'This van is based on a typical spaceship, which I invented. It can fly, hover, float, travel underwater, cross galaxies, become invisible. It can change shape. Its design is based entirely on energy and vibrations. The Mookie Zensa people passed on their advanced knowledge to me.'

'The Mookie Zensa people?' Connor queried.

'Star-spirits I met a long time ago. Good – K's coming now,' announced Sparkie, focussing on the screen. 'We'd better open the window. We don't want him slamming into it now, do we?'

'I don't see anyone.' Connor squinted, catching sight of a small bird flying with speed towards the van. Sparkie opened the window and the bird fluttered in, flapping its wings and hopped on to the back seat, resting in the rear of the van.

'Excellent work, K,' Sparkie congratulated him. 'Well done!'

The tiny bird was K?

The bird slowly changed shape. Several loud cracking noises transpired before a young man with short brown hair and dark brown eyes rested in its place. Connor shivered.

CHAPTER EIGHT

K the Shape-Shifter

'Wow!' Connor breathed. 'Thanks for the rescue.'

'I'm glad you made it!' K shook Connor's hand and planted a kiss on Deana's cheek. 'How's my favourite girl?'

'As good as can be expected,' she blushed. 'How did it go?'

'Altogether about forty ACE men out of action,' he briefed her

'I dealt with another five,' Deana informed him.

K rummaged in his bag looking for a bottle of water. 'Good, because they can't inflict pain where they've gone.'

'What will happen to them?' inquired Connor.

'They'll get a fair hearing to decide on what level of mind sweeping is required for them to become better citizens.'

Startled, Connor snapped. 'You wipe their minds? You can't mess with people like that! It's wrong.'

'People have been doing it for centuries. You've heard of people being hypnotised, haven't you?'

'Yes.'

'Well, it's a similar thing. It's a harmless process and an effective way of dealing with traumatic memories. We help people come to terms with grief and pain and help them remember events long since forgotten,' Deana explained.

'What right do you have to tell someone what they can and can't remember?' Connor argued.

Deana looked at him. 'Don't you want to remember your past – to remember the first two years of your life? We can make it happen for you.'

Connor opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and remained quiet. He'd be a hypocrite to say he didn't. Of course he wanted to remember.

Deana continued. 'I'm a warrior and a nurse. Sometimes I battle for survival and sometimes the people I fight against get hurt. These people have been brainwashed in a sense too. They believe fighting against other star-spirits is a good thing. "Rid the world of threats!" they say.'

Connor frowned. 'But the mind sweeping isn't humane.'

'Isn't it? Can you imagine witnessing a terrible crime and remembering it day after day? You'd wouldn't achieve peace of mind. Sometimes intervening and helping people forget is a healing process in itself. Sometimes a person who has done terrible crimes in the past wants a chance to change. Mind sweeping gives a person the opportunity to start again. It can be difficult for someone to change without help. But everyone gets a second chance at the AAA.'

'Oh.' Connor ran his fingers through his hair. 'It makes sense now you've explained it.'

'Go, get some sleep,' soothed Deana, before giving orders. 'Sparkie, recline Connor's seat so he can relax, – K, grab a pillow from the back for Connor.' She whispered something to Sparkie. From the glove compartment he grasped a small flask and passed it to her. 'Drink this. You'll feel better when you wake.'

Connor held the flask to his lips and sipped gently. The sweet, juicy liquid quenched his thirst. Being so delicious, he'd consumed the entire contents before he knew it, leaving him sleepier than before.

His seat slowly reclined backwards. K passed Deana the pillow to place under Connor's head.

'Are you really half-alien?' Connor whispered to K.

'Yes. My father is an alien but my mother is human,' K explained. 'And because I'm both, I'm mixed.'

'Mixed-up in the head,' added Sparkie.

'But how is it possible?' Connor eyelids drooped heavily.

'I'm sure I don't have to explain to you the ins and outs of the biological process of having a baby,' K smirked.

Connor's face burned with embarrassment. 'No, of course not.'

'Sleep well, Connor,' Deana whispered, stroking his head.

He closed his eyes and drifted off into a world of dreams where his parents were again. But this time he saw other faces near his parents. As he hugged his mum, a teenage girl cried beside her. Between her sobs, she whimpered, 'Don't forget me. I'll always be your sister.'

More solemn faces came forward to stroke his hair. People were saying goodbye. He had no idea why they were distressed, as strong arms held him securely and took him away from his parents.

Next a young puppy scampered after him, and since he was held a long way off the ground it suddenly changed into a teenage boy.

He called the boy's name. 'K!'

Sadly, the boy waved, watching him being taken away.

He called for his mum, who had collapsed to the ground, heartbroken.

The crowd watched, but no one came to his assistance as the hairy-faced man with warm, deep-set eyes carried him away. Connor hugged him.

The dream faded and Connor entered a second dream with a man and a dog. Connor feared for his life and ran home, but they'd followed him. The man had smothered his mouth. He'd been unable to scream. The man had wanted to give him a letter, but they'd been struggle and the man vanished in mid-air and the dog scampered off.

He dreamt of Deana talking to someone in the kitchen, but when he entered the room she'd been alone. She'd been surprised by the letter. But it hadn't been an ordinary letter and he had to hold it for several seconds until the words unscrambled. His parent had written it to warn him of danger. A man had come to his house to give him the Starstone.

Now Connor was alone in his bedroom, with Deana screaming downstairs. Outside his window, little grey men with large, black eyes clambered the walls to his bedroom.

The Starstone had floated into his body and he'd fallen unconscious. By the time he'd stirred, his window had been smashed and little grey men, wearing hateful expressions, were crawling through it. They were odd creatures with long, rubbery noses. He grasped a bat and whacked them with it as they tried to take him away. He jumped on his bed and repeatedly smacked them. The door burst open and Tookar stood in the doorway, his face glowering.

'Get away from him!' he yelled, shooting at them with a strange weapon, making them vanish.

Although Connor had been wounded, he'd suffered no pain. The little creatures had sliced him with their daggers, soaked in blood.

'We'll have to take him to the hospital!' she screamed in panic.

Connor woke with a jolt to see Deana next to him, resting her eyes. Her flowery scent comforted him. With the dreams still fresh in his mind, it took him a few seconds to focus on what had happened.

K and Sparkie were discussing Tookar's whereabouts and voicing their concerns.

'Any luck?' K asked Sparkie.

'No, but I have a terrible feeling something has happened to him. Ley's go!'

'What about Connor? It's not safe for him,' K reminded him.

'Is anywhere safe for the poor child at the moment? At least he has us to protect him.'

Connor perked up. 'What's going on?'

K spun round. 'Hey – how are you?'

'Okay, thanks. How long did I asleep for?'

'Half an hour.' Yawning, Deana stretched and touched Connor's forehead. She smiled with relief. 'Good. Your temperature is back to normal.'

'I know what happened. I remember everything?'

'The drink we gave you helped to relax you so you'd start remembering again. Someone opened a portal from Dramian to your home. They were after the Starstone.'

'I guessed as much,' murmured Connor. 'But didn't those rock dwellers cut me with daggers?'

'Yes, they were vicious little blighters.'

'But I don't have any knife wounds on my body. I don't have any wounds.'

'Tookar used his healing ointment to close your wounds before you lost any more blood. We washed your body and changed your clothes before taking you to the hospital so they didn't get too suspicious.'

'You washed me!' Connor recoiled.

'Don't worry,' smirked Deana. 'I'm a nurse. It's my job!'

Easier said than done. 'I dreamt of you too, K.'

'Me?' K smirked.

'Poor lad. It must've been a nightmare,' added Sparkie.

'I remember saying goodbye to you and you'd shape-shifted into a puppy.'

K's face paled. 'I can't believe you remembered something from so long ago. We'd play together.' His eyes softened. 'When you were a little kid you insisted I change my shape before we played. When you were living with your parents you came to visit me, with your sis...' K quickly broke off, glancing nervously at Deana, who shaked her head.

'My sister,' finished Connor. 'I dreamt of her too. I can't believe I've a sister. Why hasn't anyone mentioned her to me as yet? Is she dead?'

It became uncomfortably quiet.

'Well – is she?' Connor persisted, glancing from one face to another. 'Tell me!'

Deana spoke. 'She's alive and well, but we've had strict instructions to keep her identity secret in case Definastine became aware of her. If he knew you had a sister he might want to blackmail you. If he ever kidnapped her he'd place you in a position to rescue her. We can't afford to let that happen. You're too important.'

'What is she like? And do I have any other brothers or sisters?'

Deana carried on. 'No, but your sister is a fabulous person.'

K smirked. 'She reminds me of you, as she's brave and misses you.'

Like the luckiest boy alive, Connor smiled in disbelief for he had a sister, plus he hadn't been abandoned. Giving him up had broken his mum and dad's heart. A glimmer of hope grew; perhaps he'd be reunited with his family.

'I've been helping Tookar watch you for some time now,' said K.

'You have?' Connor's nose puckered.

'Tookar would be invisible while watching you from time to time. I'd sometimes go with him. I remember him being good at dealing with nasty little boys who picked on you. He'd trip them so they fell into a nice dirty puddle.'

'Tookar did that?' Something unfavourable would often happen to anyone bullying him. He had developed a reputation of sorts. For this reason he 'd been bullied less often.

'Tookar also saved you when a speeding car almost knocked into you. He pushed you, saving your life.'

Connor's face paled. He recalled the incident with clarity, as he'd spent many sleepless nights thinking of it. And no matter how hard he tried to make sense of it, he still remembered two hands pushing him to safety. It had spooked him for weeks for the car had missed him by inches.

'So how long have you been watching me?' queried Connor.

'We weren't watching you all the time.'

'How long?'

'A few years,' K confessed.

'How many years?'

'Oh, for goodness sake, tell him the truth!' snapped Deana.

'Most of your life,' whispered K.

Connor recalled the time he had tripped down the stairs at school and had sworn someone had took hold of his arm, but he'd been alone.

'So I wasn't imagining it. Why you and Tookar?'

'You were my best friend. I didn't want to lose contact with you,' K confessed. 'And Tookar kept his promise to a friend – to watch over you as a guardian angel.'

'He did?' whispered Connor, feeling guilty for being rude to Tookar before.

'By the way, Connor had the pleasure of meeting Definastine tonight,' Sparkie mentioned.

'No! What happened? Were you hurt? Did he say anything to you? How did you get away? Why didn't anyone tell me?'

'We've been concerned about Tookar!' answered Sparkie.

Connor laughed.

'He might've killed you!' gasped K.

'But he didn't,' Deana reminded him.

'So. What happened?'

'This creature stepped though the wall, took one look at Deana and she collapsed on the ground.'

K whitened. 'Were you hurt?'

'Don't fuss. I'm fine. Connor was the hero.'

Connor talked non-stop to his friends, his fear long forgotten. 'He tried to take the Starstone from my stomach but my body became so strong. He dropped me after Deana knocked him on the head with something. Then we ran for our lives.'

'He wants the Starstone. It's amazing Tookar kept it secret for as long as he did,' muttered Sparkie.

'What's the Starstone?' Connor yearned to know more about it.

'It's an intelligent alien life form. In the past two thousand years, Tookar has been stranded on this planet it hadn't chosen anyone until you came along.'

'Stranded for two thousand years!' gasped Connor. 'But why didn't you take him back in this van?'

'Impossible! As long as Tookar is Guardian of the Starstone, the Tinxshians are in grave danger. Tookar left his planet to hide with the Starstone. In doing so, he's protecting his people. When his spacecraft crashed to earth, Tookar remained.'

'But why did it choose me? And why do you suppose Definastine kidnapped my aunt and uncle?'

'It's blackmail. He wants to capture you by using your aunt and uncle as bait to snare you. But don't worry. I can rescue them. I've tracked them to a secret underground hideout used by Definastine's servants. And to answer your first question, I don't know. I suspect fate has something to do with it. Are you strapped in?'

'No!' yelled Deana.

Taking a silver pen from his trouser pocket, Sparkie traced a route on the screen. They moved with lightning speed, the view outside blurred.

'Right. Are you ready? We're going to use the transporter.'

'Yes,' rang a chorus of voices.

He pressed the button and the van gave a little shuddered. Sparkie undid his seat belt and unlocked his door.

Connor wriggled in his seat. 'Has it broken?'

Sparkie choked. 'No, we've been transported to the woods near Tookar's cottage.'

'What! Impossible!' Connor gasped in disbelief.

'Learn to believe in the impossible and you'll learn to live. This van has an auto driver mechanism. Once you give it the information it requires, such as the place we want to go and how we wish to travel it will move on automatic pilot. The screen is the brain of this van. This small screen shows me more than looking through an ordinary car windscreen. As you are aware this van can disappear,' Sparkie explained. 'It can travel on roads, in the air, beneath water, or underground. It depends how urgent my destination is. Anyway, enough time has been wasted.'

Stepping from the vehicle, Sparkie gasped. The others hurried to join him, gaping too. In front of them, a building burned with smoke pouring thickly into the air, and flames tearing into the night. Shadows in the woods flickered and danced in the furious blaze.

'Oh my. Oh my,' Sparkie repeated. 'This can't be true.'

'They found his home!' panicked Deana.

'But hopefully not him,' muttered Sparkie.

In silence they watched as the flames rose higher. Amidst the snapping and crackling of burning material, a siren wailed in the distance.

'This is terrible,' gasped Deana, her eyes searching for any sign of Tookar. 'I wonder where he is now.'

'Who did this?' asked Connor.

'Definastine's servants.' Sparkie spat the words as if they tasted foul and stroked his fingers through his tufts of hair.

A few trees bordering the edge of the garden were smouldering. The bark had blackened and smouldered. Approaching sirens filled the smoke thickened night.

'Where now?' Connor eyes stung.

Sparkie coughed to clear his throat. 'Why, to find Tookar of course.'

CHAPTER NINE

The Secret Hideout

Connor, Deana and K followed Sparkie back into the van and waited. Connor had no idea what would happen next but he sat in the back next to Deana, watching Sparkie and K in the front.

No one made a noise as Sparkie pressed an orange button. Headrests sprung from the back of their seats. Deana jumped in surprise.

'Oh, no!' she screamed, trying to undo her seat belt. 'Not this!'

'Keep it on!' urged K, his voice serious.

'What's going on?' whispered Connor, staring into Deana's petrified eyes.

'We're going to become invisible!' she screeched.

'Invisible!' Connor gasped. 'Is it so bad?'

To Connor's surprise, the van spun in a complete circle. 'This is okay'

'You haven't experienced anything yet!' Deana squealed, grabbing his hand.

'Ow!' Connor tried to wriggle free from Deana's grasp, but she'd squeezed tight, as if in a clamp. No matter how hard Connor begged her to let go, she continued holding it fast, staring ahead and whispering a prayer. The van jolted and rumbled, increasing in speed. Connor filled with panic.

'We are changing to a new vibration. We will be operating on a new frequency. Don't fight it. Go with it. It's going to spin much faster in a minute or two!' Sparkie squeaked, mimicking a choirboy.

And sure enough, as Sparkie warned, the van proceeded to spin faster. Connor cringed. He tightened his stomach. He grunted and gritted his teeth. His cheeks were flapping and his head stuck fast to the headrest. Nausea overwhelmed him as the van continued to spin. At this moment, the van and a washing machine on full spin, shared little difference.

Sparkie's face became partially hidden since his beard mimicked a winter scarf. His hat levitated above his head whilst still attached by the suction caps on his temples. These suction caps were so powerful they stretched his skin to maximum capacity.

During this time, Deana produced deranged animal noises and her fingers were fixed on Connor's own. At this point, her fingernails sunk into his flesh. After a horrendous two minutes, the van slowed before coming to a standstill.

'Now, it wasn't so bad.' Sparkie smoothed his beard.

After the spinning, Connor belched and covered his mouth. 'Why aren't we invisible?'

'We are,' grinned Sparkie. 'Since we're operating on the same frequency as one another. It's why we can still see each other.'

K blinked in an effort to refocus, as everything had blurred

'Are we okay to continue?' Sparkie noticed Deana's closed eyes. 'Deana?'

She opened her bloodshot eyes and screeched, 'Don't ever do that again!'

'Ah, it's good you've woken,' Sparkie smirked and pressed the orange button, which controlled the headrests. They swiftly disappeared and Deana's head flopped backwards.

'Ow!' she complained.

But Sparkie had already exited the van.

When Deana peered at Connor and saw his expression she lowered her head.

'What's wrong?' she whispered, taking tissue from her pocket.

'Your make-up has smudged and you look like a clown.'

It had in fact stained her cheeks with black tears.

Deana corrected her appearance, unaware of K watching her.

'You're beautiful without make-up.'

'Oh, stop it!' She blushed and a small grin appeared.

Further into the wood, they were in a place far distant from the threatening fire. A carpet of damp vegetation covered the woodland floor; leaves in a golden array of different tones Stepping from the van, Connor slipped on the slimy leaves before sinking into the mud.

'Urgh!' he grunted.

From inside the van, Deana chuckled and leapt from the step of the van, missing the soggy patch of mud, which Connor stood in. But where she landed her foot sunk deep too. Connor laughed at her. Deana scooped some mud and threw it at him. A large lump landed with a splat, right on his cheek.

'Deana!' he squealed, wiping his face.

But Deana didn't linger. If she knew Connor, he'd return the gesture. So she dragged her feet from the mud and dived to a tree for shelter. A moment later her face peered from behind the trunk.

'Bit old to be playing hide and seek, aren't you?' he shouted.

With force, Connor lifted his feet, making squelching sounds on removal. Thick mud stuck to his feet, making them heavy and uncomfortable.

His sole intention to pay Deana back for her dirty trick became sidelined when his fingers flew towards the van door and instead of touching the van, travelling through the transparent material. For a few seconds he left it in the same space where the fish swam, amazed – until Sparkie warned him.

'Quick! Take it out, Connor!'

Connor gulped as a plump, grumpy fish swam straight towards his fingers. Fighting against a strong sucking force, he wrenched it free before the fish snapped its jaws.

Sparkie patted Connor on the back. 'You're lucky he didn't bite you. He's a nasty little blighter – almost had my finger off once. When he'd finished with it, it hung by a thread.' Sparkie lifted his index finger to show Connor a thick white scar. 'But I arrived at the hospital in the nick of time and they sewed it back on.'

Connor swallowed hard. Without Sparkie's warning, he'd have a finger missing by now.

Sparkie, chuckling with relief, pressed a small remote control dangling from a necklace. Connor watched in disbelief as the van miniaturised to the size of a matchbox vehicle.

'How on earth –?' gasped Connor, wrinkling his nose.

'Don't ask,' said Deana.

'This van fits in my pocket.'

Sparkie walked off, leaving Connor staring and shaking his head. K caught up with Deana and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. Grinning, Connor stumbled after them, aware of the love floating in the night air.

'He'd better be here,' muttered Sparkie.

Connor expected to spy a hut or shed amidst the trees, yet nothing but more woodland welcomed them.

'Keep quiet now. Follow me and don't make a sound,' ordered Sparkie, his face serious.

By now, they were slipping on the damp, decaying leaves as if they were amateur ice skaters. Watching their footing, they avoided the muddiest areas. Hiking a little farther through the woods they came to a large oak tree; a slanted gravestone rested against it.

'Here we are,' announced Sparkie.

'It's a gravestone,' observed Connor, unimpressed.

The cold gravestone was tilted forwards at a slight angle and covered in a soft green moss. Sparkie gave the gravestone a little push. It shifted a fraction.

'This is Tookar's secret hideout,' declared Sparkie. 'Tookar spends more time here than anywhere. Especially if he senses trouble.'

'I didn't know he had a secret hideout,' gasped Deana. 'Why didn't anyone tell me?'

'Because it's a secret!' groaned K.

Connor scratched his head. 'So, is he a vampire or something? I mean he doesn't live in a coffin for specific parts of the day, does he? It would explain why he came after me in the dark.'

'No, he's not a vampire,' chuckled Sparkie.

'But how can anyone live here?' Connor wrinkled his face. 'I mean – it's not what I'd call a homely place, is it?'

Sparkie tapped the slab of stone. 'All in good time, Connor – K, help me. Time to put your muscles to good use.'

Sparkie stood one side of the heavy slab of stone, leaving room for K beside him. 'Push it upright. Stand back you two.' Sparkie waved his hand. Deana and Connor moved to watch the two men heave the gravestone.

The scent of burning fumes wafted through the woods, drying Connor's throat. Tentacles of smoke twisted feebly through the cluster of trees. Connor shivered. Eerily, the smoke resembled mist as it circled the old gravestone. Another prevailing scent in the proximity came from a semicircle of tall and dominating pine trees surrounding the old oak tree. Grunting with exertion, K pushed with all his strength, whereas Sparkie appeared relaxed and, although he looked to be pushing, Connor suspected the crafty old man simply rested on the stone, while K performed the majority of the work. His strength alone caused the slab of stone to move, as he heaved with effort. Deana gasped as the ground cracked open before them with a deep rumble. Gradually, the gap widened to such a width the entrance to a secret tunnel became revealed. Cobbled stone steps led deep below the ground vanishing in darkness.

'Yes!' cried Sparkie, excitedly. 'It's opened!'

'It would have opened quicker, if you'd assisted me,' K growled.

'I'm getting old – my muscles aren't like yours.' The old man slapped K on the back with such force, it sent him reeling into the dark chasm below.

'K!' Deana squealed in fright.

'You're strong enough to me,' K's voice echoed from the abyss below.

'Sorry,' called Sparkie. 'It was harder than intended.'

Grumbling, K rubbed a bruise on his arm when the others joined him.

'You poor thing,' cooed Deana.

'Hurry inside. Someone might be watching us. Definastine has spies everywhere.'

'But we're invisible,' Connor reminded him.

'We might be invisible – but the ground isn't,' Sparkie reminded him. 'Not to mention our voices. Come on. Let's get moving before we're found – though the enemy wouldn't get far in this place as these tunnels form a labyrinth, riddled with traps. Don't be scared, I'll be your guide. I know this place well.'

Connor froze. He wasn't keen relying on someone else for directions. What if he became lost? What if he came across one of those traps Sparkie had mentioned?

Sparkie yanked hard on a metal lever in the wall, which caused the ground to close with a rumble. Connor jumped as it sealed shut with a loud clank. His palms sweated. His pulse raced. They were now in complete darkness and a soft hand quickly clasped his – Deana. He held her tight. How much farther did they have to travel in these confined tunnels?

Sparkie stroked the wall. Small circular lights appeared from inside the walls, radiating enough light to guide them to where they were going.

Wide eyed, Deana quickly whisked her hand from Connor's. 'Sorry, I thought you were someone else.'

Connor laughed. 'Oh, and I thought you were concerned about me.'

Deana nudged him on the arm.

'Ow!'

'Serves you right,' she grinned.

'K, can you erase our footprints from this dusty soil? I broke Tookar's ancient broom last week. The one he bought several hundred years ago. After all we don't want to lead any unwanted strays after us, do we? With our footprints gone anyone following us will be trapped and lost down here forever,' Sparkie grinned wickedly.

Connor filled with dread not ever wanting to get lost in this place. A long bushy tail, sprouted from the bottom of K's spine, falling to the ground.

'This'll do the trick.' A broad smile appeared on his face.

Sparkie took charge, leading the way along the sloping tunnel. K swung his tail. They continued walking through narrow tunnels, passing many other routes branching off in various directions. Now and again, Sparkie took another path. The walls were made mainly from red rock with visible tree roots twisting – their strength having broken the hard stone years ago, which arched above their heads. Beneath their feet, a soft red soil scattered the ground, silencing their footsteps as they ambled warily, through the corridors filled with a strong musty, earthy odour.

It brought back the memories of when Tookar had come into his home, for his odour was the same as this passageway. Deana's nose also twitched as if remembering Tookar too. The lights quickly dimmed behind them. K remained at the back, religiously sweeping their footprints away.

It grew surprisingly warm in the tunnel. It wasn't long before they took off their coats and jackets – except for Sparkie, who already strutted in shorts and a T-shirt. K volunteered to carry Deana's thick winter coat. She blushed when she passed it to him and when Connor suggested K should carry his jacket as well, he mumbled, 'No way. Carry it yourself.'

They'd descended for fifteen minutes, when the tunnel twisted upward. This claustrophobic feeling made Connor remember the occasion when Uncle Dorcus had locked him in a cupboard for the afternoon. He buried the memory. The odour in the tunnel reminded him of a room full of mushrooms – and of Tookar.

It wasn't long before the tunnel opened into a circular section. They had a choice of ten other darkened paths. Connor didn't have a clue which one to pick. Luckily for him he didn't have to. But before Sparkie made the choice, he halted and knelt, scanning the ground with his eyes. He stroked the soil.

'Oh no!' whispered Sparkie.

Connor walked to the other side of Sparkie and noticed strange blue patches soaked into the dusty soil, creating damp clumps of mud. A pile of ashen remains also lay a few feet away. Near one particular passageway, something deep had scratched into the soil, indicating something had been dragged along the ground.

'Good grief! There's been a struggle. Tookar's been injured,' Sparkie rambled. 'We must hurry on our way!'

So the pace quickened. K whisked his tail so fast they became overcome with red dust. It reared and pursued them along their trail.

Gradually the tunnels decreased in width and height. They had to bend either their heads or their knees – K, being a lot taller than the rest of them, did both.

Tension grew in Connor's neck, creating an uncomfortable ache. He too had to bend his knees as the burrow decreased in height. His under-used muscles quivered with effort, causing him to hobble.

After winding through further complicated networks of passageways, where at times they appeared to go round in circles, the dragging imprint in the soil vanished. But another print had been stamped into the dirt – small footprints from a creature with three toes on each foot. One footprint dragged along the ground. So why were they pursuing this creature? They'd surely be better off heading in the opposite direction.

At this point, further blue spots stained the earth, appearing prominently along the last stretch of passageway.

The air had become stuffier. The huffing from laboured breathing became more noticeable. Connor didn't know how far they had travelled but he wanted to rest. He needed to stop due to dizziness. The dust caused them to cough and clear their throats.

Sparkie mumbled in a world of his own, not talking to anyone in particular. Connor envied his nimble feet as he walked skilfully in front. Minutes later, they came to a small wooden door, designed for a tiny person – possibly a child.

Sparkie rapped with a rhythmic tapping and waited. No one came to the door, so he turned the handle and pushed it open. A ray of sunlight greeted them.

'What the?' Connor gasped, peering through the doorway?

CHAPTER TEN

The Guardian of the Starstone

They crawled through the doorway, entering a colourful world, deep beneath the ground.

'Close the door,' ordered Sparkie.

'How is this possible?' whispered Connor, spellbound.

'This room is a hologram of Tookar's home planet,' explained Sparkie. 'He takes it anywhere he travels so he doesn't get too homesick.'

Connor cocked his eyebrows. 'You mean he can pack and go?'

'Exactly,' Sparkie answered. 'The technology on his planet is far beyond ours.'

Connor felt the sunlight warming his skin and as air filled his lungs, he looked in bewilderment. The sun shining deep underground defied logic. Yet two suns shone, instead of one. The tunnel with its restrictions had vanished beyond the little magical door. They were free in a place full of wonder and mystery, on a typical warm summer's day.

'But before we go any further, you must stand still.' Sparkie held a device, similar to a peashooter. Giving them no time to react, he fired at each individual. An electric blue light rippled through the air at lightning speed, striking each person, delivering a shock so powerful they fell to their knees. Lastly, Sparkie fired it at himself.

'What did you do that?' Connor's leg still twitched from the after effect.

'I've made us visible again,' he explained. 'It's a new method I've been working on and it works.'

They looked at each other and rolled their eyes their heads, but couldn't stay angry for long, with far too much to explore. Bizarre insects with massive stings buzzed in the air, travelling from one flower to the next, creating an impressive pile of nectar. The insects weren't the ordinary insects; some of them were the size of a fist. But the large, ugly one was the size of a football. It had a long beak, a massive wingspan and several wriggly, black hairy arms with small hands on the end. A large pointed needle poked from under its bottom. It had huge reflective black eyes and a habit of staring rudely at them, whilst hovering in mid-air, before buzzing angrily and waggling its bottom at them.

Sparkie snapped. 'Bill-Chew. Where is Tookar? Is he still alive?'

Bill pouted and shrugged.

'Answer me, Bill-Chew!' demanded Sparkie. 'It's important we find him before he dies!'

Pointing his beak towards a large tree, he flew off with his beak high in the air, wiggling his sting in a show-off manner. But Bill-Chew didn't go far; remaining near but out of sight.

'Don't concern yourself with him. He has an attitude problem,' Sparkie explained.

'What is it?' Connor exclaimed.

'He's from Tookar's planet. He's a right little mischief-maker if you ask me. But he's loyal to Tookar,' Sparkie expressed. 'He tends to be a bit sensitive at times.'

In delight, Deana became immersed in the different flowers surrounding them, in awe of the gigantic petals: especially one particular flower with pink and white petals. She stroked and sniffed it. Luckily for her, K pulled her away in time, as a head from the harmless flower she'd been sniffing, sprung from the plant, baring fierce green fangs.

Deana screamed and fell into K's arms.

'It's a guard plant,' K explained. 'Keep your hands to yourself.'

She straightened herself and fluttered her eyelashes. 'So, does the rule apply to you as well?'

'Come on.' K, too tense to appreciate her humour, pulled her in the direction Sparkie had gone with Connor.

'I hope we're not too late,' Sparkie mumbled.

A large tree, resembling a willow with long dangling branches, stood proudly before them. Covered with thin yellow leaves, it seemed perfectly ordinary. Taking them by surprise, overhanging vines fell from the massive tree, with vines entangling their bodies, binding tightly their legs and arms. The friends were powerless to break free. No matter how hard they struggled they became more entangled. The vines continued to squeeze tighter, lifting them off the ground.

Being whisked off their feet and held upside down caused blood to rush to their heads, reddening their cheeks and where an uncomfortable pressure built in their noses. The tree creaked as the vines parted for a brief instance to reveal two large brown eyes blinking on the tree trunk, studying the wriggling bunch. The vines immediately swung back to their previous position covering them once more.

'What now, Sparkie?' shouted Connor, ignoring Deana's squeals of fright.

'For goodness sake Jomkim – put us down!' Sparkie demanded. 'This is no way to treat visitors. I taught you better than that.'

'Sparkie!' spoke a slow, joyous voice. 'Bill-Chew said me you were strangers.'

'I should have known,' grumbled Sparkie. 'Let's continue this conversation on the ground.'

'Oh... yes... sorry,' apologised Jomkim.

The hanging vines lowered and released them a couple of feet above the ground. With a thud, they landed in a heap.

'Jomkim – next time put us on the ground before you let go!' scolded Sparkie.

'Oh, I'm sorry! Mo much has happened today. I'm can't think straight. Tookar is wounded and I'm at my wits end!'

Staggeringly, this tree could talk and move and possessed intelligence. As they rubbed their aching limbs and sore heads, the friends watched the vines open gracefully to reveal the source of the deep resonating voice. A large friendly face appeared on the bark of the trunk. The same golden brown eyes Connor had previously seen were now staring straight at them. The facial features protruded beneath the bark, as if the bark were made of cling film.

'Tookar is hiding in the cave below me. You'll have to move further back!' Jomkim warned them.

His face quickly disappeared, sucked back into the trunk. They did as they were told, moving several feet back from their previously location. Deana held on to K's arm. A moment later, the soil shifted with a tremor. On the roots of the tree, lay the strangest creature with a small blue body the size of a toddler, with its eyes closed, wheezing with each breath.

'Oh, Tookar – what happened to you, my friend?' Sparkie lifted Tookar from Jomkim. As he did, Jomkim withdrew his roots back beneath the ground, sealing it once more.

'Sparkie?' Tookar whispered in a croaky voice. Peering through swollen eyelids, he saw Sparkie and reached his frail arm towards him. 'My friend, I knew you'd come.'

Sparkie grasped hold of Tookar.

'Definastine himself couldn't keep me away!' Sparkie quivered.

Tookar cried in agony, gritting his teeth. 'You have... Connor with you.'

Deana's cheeks became soaked with tears at seeing Tookar's swollen and bruised eyes. A trickle of blood gently seeped from the corner of his mouth. His nose consisted of two small holes in the side of his neck with two flaps of thick skin protecting it. His two long pointed ears were torn at the top of his head and flopped. He also had two short antennae, which curled upwards at the highest point of his forehead. Although they were bright orange, at times they changed to a yellowy hue.

'Raider... caught up... with me,' croaked Tookar. 'He won't... bother anyone... again. He's dead... now.'

Sparkie stroked his friend's forehead. 'You old fool.'

'I'm dying... my life is... draining away. I have so much...' gasped Tookar, 'to tell young Connor.'

'Shhh,' soothed Sparkie. 'You're not going to die. Connor has the Starstone inside of him. He can heal you.'

Tookar struggled to speak and took several deep breaths. 'He doesn't... know how to... control his powers yet.'

Connor had to do something. 'Let me try. You believe it'll work, don't you Sparkie?'

'Yes, I do.'

'Well let me try!' Without wasting more time, Connor knelt beside Tookar, conscious of the watchful presence of so many eyes.

What happened next came as a surprise, for the boy shrieked as an electric pulse bolted along his arm. He resisted the instinct to pull away, as the healing continued. Although uncomfortable, he knew he'd have to deal with it to save Tookar's life. His arm shook uncontrollably. At the same time, little specks of colour flickered in the air, tiny silvery stars visible to Connor. Swirling above Tookar's body they gathered speed until they were circling in a miniature tornado. They were spinning so fast, they merged into one great twisting beam of light.

A blinding flash of light took Connor back inside the tunnel, alone. It took him several seconds to realise his mind had travelled and not his body. This made the situation less terrifying.

He heard shouting and cautiously approached the din. Entering a circular chamber, a violent scuffle was taking place. Two creatures were fighting one another. He recognised Tookar in his human form, but the other – well, it was hideous.

It must be Raider.

Huge black eyes firmly fixed on Tookar. He didn't stand a chance, not when the creature was twice his body size – hunched and covered in thick black hair. It moved with frightening speed, as its tail whipped through the air. The hood fell back from Raider's head, revealing taut grey skin and a skeletal face.

'Don't do this!' rasped Tookar as Raider pounced on him. 'This isn't you!'

'You pitiful, puny creature!' Raider mocked. 'With the help of the consulting mirror, I knew where you were. At last my master will get the Starstone!' he laughed.

Snarling viciously, Raider clawed at Tookar, ripping his paper-thin skin. He brutally dug his claws deep into Tookar's body. Tookar screamed in agony as a flurry of wings fast approached.

Bill-Chew flew speedily round the corner, crashing into the wall. His eyes widened in horror. Pointing his beak he aimed directly at Raider. Moving swiftly, Bill-Chew dodged Raider's fists. Darting rapidly, he avoided every blow. Twisting his body adeptly he sunk his poisonous sting deep into his Raider's back, who flung his tail in the air striking Bill-Chew, sending him reeling through the air – his body slammed heavily against the cave wall. The damage had been done. The venom had took hold.

Raider bent forward.

'What have you done to me!' he screamed at Bill-Chew.

Without another word, he collapsed to his knees, screaming in agony. As the poisonous venom seeped into his veins, his body convulsed violently, falling to the ground, where it crumpled into a heap of black dust.

Bill-Chew limped towards Tookar, spitting on the pile of Raider's remains as he passed. Apart from the heap of ashes, nothing else remained of Raider, except for the lasting impression of his cruel eyes. Connor knew it would be a long time before he forgot them.

Bill-Chew snuggled close to Tookar, nudging him and stroking his face.

'Don't die!' Bill-Chew cried. 'Don't leave me!'

Tookar groaned helplessly in a pool of his own blood. A desperate urge to heal Tookar overwhelmed Connor.

As if by magic, a light blasted from his body towards Tookar. Connor's spine arched violently backwards, as light surged freely from the centre of his chest, temporarily blinding the others as so much light surrounding him. When Connor opened his eyes, he laid next to Tookar, in the cooling shadow of Jomkim, surrounded by his friends. To his joy, Tookar's wounds were disappearing and the alien stared at him with a mixture of astonishment and deepest respect.

'I'm so glad to see you!' he smiled weakly.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Starstone Explained

Late on Thursday evening, four hours after the hospital episode, Connor's companions watched him with interest as they held him in the highest regard. The air silenced for he'd saved a life. But he hadn't done it. The Starstone had. Besides, the after effects weren't so special, especially as a migraine had appeared, rattling his skull, causing him nausea. The concept of saving a life hadn't sunk in yet, especially the life of an alien living amongst them.

'Oh, Connor,' breathed Deana. 'You did it!'

Sparkie's face changed dramatically for his gloomy expression became replaced with glee. Holding Tookar tightly, he shook his arm, while jabbering fast.

'Tookar! I can't pretend I know what's happened but you've been miraculously healed.'

Connor watched Tookar, whose silvery pupils shone brightly at him.

'I didn't believe you could do it,' remarked Tookar, honestly. 'The Starstone chose wisely for you are the child with a pure heart. Thank you, for healing me.'

Connor was momentarily lost for words. When he did speak it was barely louder than a whisper. 'You're welcome. Perhaps you can answer some of my questions.'

'Of course, I can. Let's celebrate and eat. I'll get a table prepared for us.'

Tookar clicked his fingers and watched as several different insects flew to him. Communicating in a strange language, the insects hovered and listened. When he had finished speaking, the insects squeaked ecstatically and quickly flew off.

'Now, I've made our dinner arrangements, you must please excuse me while I change.' Tookar walked off and returned a second later transformed into his familiar human appearance, wearing a smart silvery grey suit and tie for the occasion.

'Well – what do you think? I scrub up well, don't I?'

'I must admit, I've haven't seen you so... smart,' grinned Sparkie.

'It's hard not to be exuberant when you've been given the gift of life,' Tookar beamed at Connor.

Connor bit his lips nervously. He remembered how rude he'd been to him, when he'd appeared in his house. Embarrassed by his previous lack of manners, he flushed.

By midnight they sat on massive blue mushrooms with a purple stalk, as soft as velvety cushions, at a grand wooden table, so yellowy in hue it resembled solid gold. Dark grains swirled in patterns across the wood. They were feasting in a clearing in the middle of a forest where beautifully coloured birds, similar to parrots, made soft panpipes sounds. The sun shone brightly in this strange world, despite it being nigh time in the real world.

Tookar insisted Connor sit next to him and repeatedly slapped the boy on the back after every joke he made. Bill-Chew pouted and spat his tongue at Connor from the shadows of a nearby tree, keeping his distance from the crowd.

Many large insects entertained them by politely serving them fruits during their feast. The smaller insects, did the opposite. Secretly diving into bowls they nibbled the fruits and occasionally were eaten by accident. But since the fruits were delicious, no one noticed the odd taste of a straying insect.

'Come on, Bill-Chew! Join us in our celebration. You helped to save my life too!' shouted Tookar, spying him in the tree. 'Without you, Raider would have finished me off once and for all.'

Bill-Chew joined them reluctantly. Puffing his red furry chest he hovered close to Tookar. He didn't take well to strangers and wanted to play no part in their discussions. Humans were ugly creatures, especially the boy with the scruffy hair. The one with the pure heart... humph! What an idiot! Bill-Chew stuck his head in the air and blew a quiet raspberry at the boy.

On the table juicy fruits of every colour occupied every available space. Juice dribbled from the guest's mouths and occasionally sprayed the person next to them. Sweet, delicious berries overflowed wooden bowls, except for the foul one Bill-Chew sneakily dropped into Connor's bowl before flying off again, which tasted of a sweaty armpit. Bill-Chew giggled as Connor spluttered and spat it onto the grass.

Tookar scolded Bill-Chew, knowing what he'd done. Embarrassed, he flew off with his sting between his legs, blaming Connor for his master's firm words.

Tookar's gaze followed Bill-Chew. 'I apologise for Bill-Chew's behaviour. He's suffering from a bout of jealousy.'

'He's jealous?' quizzed Deana.

'Yes, ever since the Starstone has chosen Connor for his host, he's been upset. He enjoys being Mr Popular, and now Connor had arrived, he's unhappy. It's difficult to make Bill-Chew understand when he's in a mood.'

Connor had grown accustomed to people not liking him and accepted Bill-Chew had problems. Swiftly forgetting the incident he attempted to rid his mouth of the foul flavour by devouring more fresh fruits.

Pink-looking bananas, tasting of strawberries did the job nicely, followed by a turquoise toffee-tasting melon, which they scooped in the same way as ice cream and spiky oranges reminded Connor of kiwis. Small fruits resembling necklace beads burst in his mouth with a loud popping sound as they touched his tongue.

Tookar waited until he'd finished eating before explaining anything to his guests. Their problems felt temporarily lessened with so much delicious food in front of them. Connor had eaten until his stomach became uncomfortably tight.

'I realise when you first met me, Connor, I unnerved you, but it is in my best interest to dress shabbily at times. As you have learnt previously, I'm an alien. My race of people is called the Tinxshian, and I'm known as the Guardian of the Starstone. I readily adopt different disguises to hide my true identity. Acting as a wandering hobo has served its purpose nicely. Mind you, I've played different parts to survive and stay alive.'

'You wouldn't believe what he's had to become to survive,' Sparkie grinned. 'Tell them when you became the Pope, or the time you became King, or what about the time when you became a religious leader...'

Tookar silenced him. 'None of it is relevant and can be told another time. Anyway, it's been my longstanding duty to protect the Starstone religiously until a certain child turned twelve to become its host. That child is you Connor.'

'Why me?'

'I'm not entirely sure. It may have something to do with you being in a certain place at a certain time,' suggested Tookar. 'In time you'll be able to answer the question yourself. I ask myself why I had been chosen to be the Guardian of the Starstone for this length of time too.'

To their surprise, a small misty globe appeared in front of Tookar. He closed his eyes briefly and blew hard on the misty sphere, like a birthday cake with a hundred candles. Immediately, images appeared in the middle of the table from Tookar's memories. Speaking with clarity, Tookar's voice changed subtly, sounding softer. They hushed and ceased eating as he used the images to illustrate his story.

'My people came across the Starstone purely by accident. We were forced to abandon our planet when a great meteorite struck, leaving us homeless. It caused a magnitude of destruction making our planet uninhabitable. Luckily, we were able to flee in our ships before it collided. Otherwise we'd be dead.

'Our search for another home proved difficult at first. We suffered food shortage, when we were snatched into a dimensional portal.'

Connor gasped as a fleet of magnificent circular spaceships sped through space before being sucked into a shimmering, black glassy dimensional gateway.

'Call it luck or something else. I can't explain our good fortune. But we came across another galaxy filled with uninhabited planets. On our quest for a new home we found one planet abundant with life and early life forms, mainly small unnoticeable creatures... where we agreed to stay.

'We didn't realise it at the time but something else lived on the planet with us. Something so magnificent, I believe it gave the planet energy to grow and transform.

'The planet we discovered teemed with wondrous life, while other neighbouring planets were barren. By accident I stumbled across a hidden cave. Through a complex maze of tunnels riddled with dangerous booby traps, I found the Starstone. Don't ask me how or why I didn't die but something guided me so I wouldn't be harmed. I foresaw the traps and avoided them, as if the Starstone had wanted to be found.

'I first saw the Starstone on top of a gigantic plinth, pulsating and circulating with a will of its own. Not wanting to disturb it, I left it alone, observing it for several hours.

'Another duplicate plinth next to it, dulled in comparison, as if something should have been there, especially as the pictures I'd seen drawn on the walls depicted two balls of light, instead of the one before me.

'The place intrigued me with beautiful paintings decorating the walls. Strange creatures I can describe as blue kangaroos occupied the main diagrams. They were obviously an incredible race of star-spirits, which had once thrived on the planet, but whatever happened to them is unclear. They'd seemingly vanished without trace.

'More cave dwellings were discovered amidst the rainforest, that I assumed had once been their homes. But their mysterious abandonment left a disturbing impression. Had the same fate befallen those creatures, come to pass on us too?

'We remained for hundreds of years, making the planet our home, before we encountered any other star-spirits. After the sun had set one evening, I went for my usual walk.

'I arrived close to where the cave dwellings were when the droning of many spacecraft hummed above the planet. Confused at first, my curiosity overcame my fear and, transforming my shape into the fastest creature I knew, I ran to where the spaceships landed.'

An image appeared in the sphere of a black creature with a long narrow nose, four long skinny legs and a slim body, galloping fast through the forest, pausing frequently, before raising its two front legs. Its long pointed ears were twitching as it listened intently. It resembled a child's drawing of a stick horse.

'I had no idea who had arrived on the planet but when I was close enough, I transformed into my true form, remaining hidden. I heard screaming in the distance.

'The tortuous cries were terrible, and I headed towards the commotion where I first saw Definastine.

'He stood dressed in a black cloak, towering above a cowering figure kneeling on the floor. Hundreds of shadows moved among the trees, surrounding them. I moved closer. The figure shrunk in fear and looked like the blue kangaroos in the drawings on the walls. She was a female called Lairia.

'Where's the Starstone, Lairia?' Definastine spoke.

Kneeling defeated, with her head hung, she said nothing.

'Tell me where it is and I'll let you go!' Definastine growled.

'You have killed my children, my family and my people. What use to me is my freedom now? The Starstone will remain free, as it has always been,' she hissed, struggling to her feet. I knew she would die, no matter what Definastine promised. But I won't forget her telling him that he'd spend his entire life searching for something that he would never have! For the true ancestor of Kimcara would be able to claim the Starstone.'

Definastine had been amused by her words. But her weak voice gathered strength which I know it unnerved him for he retreated slightly.

'I call upon the Starstone,

To fight back when the time is right,

And when our King is on the throne,

Fight with all your might!'

'King? There are only a few of your kind left!' he mocked. Definastine's laughter erupted into the night and as his servants joined in, the noise became deafening.

'I wanted to help her, but I couldn't. When Definastine stopped laughing. The noise from his followers subdued at once. He struck her repeatedly, until she fell back towards the ground. He grasped her head and... such a monstrous thing...' Tookar paused and took a deep breath. No one interrupted or made a sound. 'I was outnumbered

and unable to help.'

Deana moved closer and gave him a hug, still saying nothing. If Tookar had noticed her reassurance he hadn't moved. When he next spoke his voice became bitter.

'Thin black wires extended from Definastine's fingertips. They moved towards Lairia and entered into her head. She screamed for mercy. When he'd finished with her, she collapsed - dead. He'd murdered and tortured her.

'I have the information. The Starstone is in the caves to our west. I shall send troops to retrieve the Starstone and bring it back to me!' ordered Definastine.

'A misty apparition formed in front of me. Lairia needed my help. She beckoned me to follow her, so I did, through a secret entrance to a cave. Pressing the rock she told me to do the same. To my surprise the stone parted leading me into a passageway which appeared to be blocked. Again she touched an area of the facing rock. I repeated her action and watched as the rock disappeared before my eyes. I repeated this several more times until I entered a chamber with the Starstone. She'd led me along a safe concealed route. Lairia beckoned to the Starstone and it floated towards her. She stroked it as if it were a loving pet, before giving it to me and telling me to hide. She promised when the right time came, it would be called upon.

'She led me from the cave and I returned to my people. I explained to them what had happened and how I must leave with the Starstone. With their help I managed to flee unseen. I had no idea where to go or what to do. I didn't know how long it would be before the Starstone would be called upon.

'I haven't seen my people since. Thankfully, throughout this lonely time, the presence of Lairia remained with me. She took control of the spacecraft and directed me to Earth, where I've been ever since.'

'It's the first time I've heard the story of the Starstone,' muttered Sparkie. 'And now I know why.'

'Definastine desires the Starstone to destroy other galaxies. He wants to increase his power,' Tookar explained. 'I have no doubt if he'd found the Starstone before now, he'd have destroyed Earth by now.'

'Did Lairia come from the planet you were living on?' Connor inquired.

'I believe so.'

'Were there others?'

'No. And if I'm not mistaken your next question will be, where did she come from.'

'Are you a mind reader?' smirked Connor.

'No. It's the same question I'd asked two thousand years ago when I witnessed the terrible fate of Lairia. I'm afraid I can't tell you. Definastine must have kept her prisoner but I can't be sure. She may've been hiding on another planet until he discovered her.'

Nervous Connor asked a question he wasn't sure he wanted the answer to. 'If Definastine catches me again, will I be killed?'

'What do you mean by again?' Tookar's brow knitted.

'He tried to kill me and Deana at the hospital!' explained Connor.

'What!' he boomed.

Sparkie informed Tookar of what had happened to them.

'So, he sent Razor after you,' Tookar grumbled, not taking the news too well. 'We'll have to leave soon. The AAA has been tracking Definastine but he managed to sneak pass them!'

'He's after me!' panicked Connor. 'I could die!'

'You're not going to die. I haven't been stranded for two thousand years to watch Definastine triumphant in his quest for absolute power,' muttered Tookar.

'He knows of Connor's whereabouts through the consulting mirror,' explained Deana.

'And if he can create a doorway into any world anywhere, are any of us safe?' mumbled K.

'I need some fresh air.' Connor stood from the table.

'I'll come with you.' Deana rose from her comfortable seat.

'No, I want to be on my own, thanks.'

Although this bothered Tookar, he allowed the youngster to go. 'Don't go too far. It's not safe. Nowhere is.'

Many questions Connor wanted to ask Tookar, especially of his parents, but he needed time alone, so continued walking along a narrow path.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Gift

After walking for twenty minutes, Connor arrived at a small stream trickling peacefully past the roots of a tall tree. The sunlight's reflection glittered on the water. For the first time in ages, his tension eased in this calming this place, which reassured him.

Massive roots, stemming from a thick trunk, entrenched beside the stream. Tilting his head, Connor watched a small flock of birds, with incredibly long tails, sweep across the sky. Meanwhile, insects busily flew in the air, humming as they passed.

He relaxed by the stream; relieved no one had followed him. Taking off his trainers and socks he dangled his feet in the water, gently lowering them in. Through the clear water miniature fish swam haphazardly in short sharp bursts of movement. Surprisingly, the water wasn't shocking cold but warm and pleasant. Exhausted, Connor relaxed by the stream reminding himself how much he needed a decent night sleep. Leaning back on his elbows, he closed his eyes to fall asleep. But a large insect flew from the sky, swiftly changing direction before twisting and tumbling uncontrollably, shattering his peace.

'Aahhhh!' it yelled. 'It's too heavy! I can't stop!' The plump insect landed right on top of Connor, winding him in the stomach. Choking, Connor shoved the creature off.

'What the–?' He came face to face with Bill-Chew, who quivered under his gaze. 'What are you doing?'

'Sorry! That wasn't supposed to... happen!' Bill-Chew froze, staring at Connor. In a small squeaky voice, he pleaded. 'Please don't tell Tookar what happened! I can't do anything right lately.'

Connor rubbed his stomach. 'You need flying lessons!'

'Tookar gave me this box to give to you. It's from your parents.' Bill-Chew searched the area.

'I've heard of air mail but this is ridiculous and I can't see the box,' commented Connor calmly.

'It's in the water,' gasped Bill Chew, waddling to the edge of the riverbank and stretching his neck as far as it would go so his head entered the water. Repeatedly, he ducked his head in the water. 'It's gone!' he squeaked, breathlessly. 'Gone!'

'Is this it?' Connor accidentally touched something hard beneath him. He lifted a strange little wooden box, curious to know what it contained, but didn't open it straightaway due to sheer stubbornness.

'Brilliant, you found it. I could kiss you!'

'Well don't!' Connor snapped, holding the curious box.

Bill-Chew carefully tested his small transparent wings; fluttering them so fast they became invisible. 'Good, they still work. See you later!'

'No, don't go!' pleaded Connor. 'I don't mind you staying.'

'Really? I haven't been too kind to you. Why would you want me to stay?'

'Because you're funny and I actually like you.'

'Well, stranger things have happened I suppose.'

Connor rested on the riverbank holding the box as Bill-Chew plonked next to him, shaking his wet head.

'Urgh!' groaned Connor, wiping his face. 'Did you have to do that right next to me?'

'Sorry,' muttered Bill-Chew. 'But a little water can't harmed anybody.'

Connor ignored him and stroked the smooth wood.

'What's inside it?' buzzed Bill-Chew, after an awkward silence.

'Don't know,' Connor whispered.

Still holding the box, Connor examined it more closely. It had a small catch. A simple flick and it would open. What had his parents sent him? He wished they had given it to him personally. How long would it be before he met them? The box trembled in his palms, so slight at first.

'It moved,' he lifted the box.

'Boxes don't move.' Bill-Chew thumped the lid with his small fist. 'It's made from wood and wood doesn't move!'

'Jomkim does. He's a tree with a personality,' Connor added.

'True, but if you don't mind me saying so – you're nuts!'

Connor rolled his eyes at Bill-Chew, when the box swiftly lightened in colour.

'Fly!' screamed Bill-Chew, flapping his wings and dancing on the spot as if he were jumping on hot coal. 'It's going to explode. It's a bomb!'

White-faced, Connor threw the box on the ground and jumped back several feet with his heart lunging. The box sprouted thick little legs with knobbly knees and sprinted towards Connor through the grass. Screeching, Bill-Chew flew higher, landing on a branch of a neighbouring tree. Connor clambered after him.

With eight chunky legs moving frantically, the bizarre wooden box flipped open its lid and catapulted a small object, which landed neatly on Connor's lap, before it fled for cover beneath the dense vegetation.

'Oh!'

'Argh!' screeched Bill-Chew.

So, instead of a wooden box, Connor had a harmless glass marble in his lap, with a chain attached to it. He scooped it up and saw it had been sliced in half.

'My parents have sent me half a marble! They abandoned me and sent me a stupid necklace!' Connor's disappointment turned to anger. 'They could have sent me something more interesting – perhaps an apology for leaving me!' He remembered the shrouded letter he'd received from his parents and his cheeks burned, for his parents had already apologised.

Connor's first instinct had been to throw the necklace away but having second thoughts he placed it in his pocket. Climbing to the bottom of the tree and scratching his knees, Connor noticed Tookar strolling into the clearing.

'Ah! You've received your parents gift.'

'Yeah, it's great,' mumbled Connor in sarcasm as he straightened his clothes. He strolled to the riverbank to retrieve his shoes and socks. His feet were slightly damp as he struggled to put his socks on. 'The best present ever!'

'Are you not happy?' Tookar watched him wit interest.

'Happy? Far from it! It's hard to get excited about a stupid necklace!'

Tookar chuckled. 'Your parents thought the same thing when they first had one. It's a communication device.'

Connor brightened. 'A what device?'

'It's a communication device. It will allow you to speak to your parents,' Tookar explained. 'Hold the flat surface for a few seconds. If your parents are wearing the other half you will have direct communication with them.'

'Are you kidding me?'

'No.' Tookar looked deadly serious.

'Why would my parents have this? Why didn't they visit me?'

Tookar sighed. 'Let me explain. Your parents aren't on this planet. Dangerous times threaten to overshadow us. They are needed elsewhere at this present time.'

'I need them too!' cried Connor.

'Yes, I know you do. But it's impossible. I've known your parents for years, Connor. I helped train them when they first came to the academy. They were gifted individuals; I knew it the moment I met them. They worked extremely well as a team and were star pupils in the making. They became the best we have. You remind me of your parents a great deal. You possess qualities from both of them.'

'I do?' murmured Connor, shyly.

'Strong willed, stubborn and determined; all, I must add, are great qualities. I became more than a teacher to your parents. I became a close confidant to them both – a close friend indeed. I witnessed your birth and your parent's tears of joy when they first set eyes on you and I was with you when they made the hardest decision in their life – to give you up.'

'Why didn't they visit me?' whispered Connor.

'They did, from a distance. They would mingle with a crowd and watch you from afar. So many times your mother wanted to tell you they were alive and loved you dearly, but she didn't want her visions coming true. She desperately wanted to protect you –'

'What visions?' interrupted Connor.

'Now is not the time to tell you. Right now your mum and dad have been called away in an attempt to prevent another war. They're protecting a fragile planet from Definastine's servants.'

'If they spend time protecting other planets, how can they be desperate to protect me, their own son?'

'They believed they were protecting you by keeping your identity a secret.'

'Well, they didn't stop my uncle from beating me when I accidentally spilt his coffee or stop him locking me in a cupboard for an afternoon when I'd been ill in bed and late preparing his breakfast!'

Tookar's face paled. 'I didn't realise it had been so bad for you.'

'Well it was much worse living it, believe me,' cried Connor, fighting the hot tears. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He hadn't talked openly of his uncle's treatment. before 'So tell me – who were they protecting me from, because it wasn't from my aunt and uncle.'

Tookar lowered his gaze, sorrowfully. 'Definastine. They've been trying to kill him ever since they became involved with the AAA.'

'I know.' Bitterness surged through his body, having lain dormant for many years.

'Whatever has happened in the past cannot be changed. Your parents love you. Use the necklace to talk to them. You'll feel better when you do.'

'Please tell me about them?'

'As I mentioned before, they were extremely gifted individuals. The AAA had been glad to recruit them. Your parents, being incredibly hardworking, made their way to the highest rank and are now the best detectives we have. But they'd wanted to break free from the AAA after your mum became pregnant with your sister. They'd wanted to give her the best chance they could. After the birth of your sister, your mum suffered a terrible time when the doctors said she wouldn't be able to have more children.

It took months for her to recover. She'd wanted two children. They moved into a lovely house, a hundred miles north, where I visited regularly with K.' Tookar smiled at the happy memory. 'To her surprise, ten years after giving birth to her first child she gave birth to you. You were her little miracle and they loved you so much.

For twelve years your parents didn't work with the AAA. Your mum wanted to be a mother and your dad became self-employed running his own shop. But as Definastine became increasingly powerful and created large armies more children were going missing and when several disappeared at once we suspected Definastine. Finally, when a close friend of your parents had their child abducted, your parents returned to work.

They had no choice, but to help prevent more children from disappearing. After all, they had children of their own and they didn't want the same fate befalling you or your sister.

But they didn't leave you entirely alone. They requested me to watch you from time to time. I slept on the ground outside your house, disguised as an insect.'

As Connor's anger slowly dissolved, hot tears appeared. Tookar held him close.

If it weren't for Sparkie calling their names, they might have remained all day. Connor had no idea when a father figure had ever given him a hug. Although he had parents, he felt closer to Tookar, who'd been keeping an eye on him for years.

'So now you know why I won't let anything harm you again.' Tookar released him. 'I've known you since your were born. Your relatives won't ever lay a finger on you again. Do you hear me? Come and dry your eyes. Sparkie sounds as if a dracline is running after him.'

'A dracline?' sniffed Connor.

Bill-Chew came to join them. 'It's a small green pig with two bottoms instead of one and smells worse than sewage.'

Rushing into the clearing, Sparkie grew upset. He pulled Tookar to one side, wanting to speak to him in private. Connor and Bill-Chew pretended not to listen as they listened.

'A message came from the AAA,' wheezed Sparkie. 'There's been an accident... Jeremy's dead.'

'Dead!' exclaimed Tookar. 'Good grief – this is terrible news, such terrible news. What happened?'

'Two UFOs were spotted an hour ago on the outskirts of Wislington Town. They collided with each other. The AAA have already retrieved the two spaceships and have taken the prisoners to the AAA establishment. Jeremy died a few minutes ago but Marion doesn't yet know.'

'Who occupied the other spacecraft?'

'A crew of Armatripe. They've been captured, but the dark hounds on board managed to escape – fifty of them by all accounts – on the loose.'

Tookar's expression swiftly changed from concern to distress. His voice lowered to a bare whisper. 'Go and be with Marion. You must let her know. How is K coping?'

'Not too well.'

Tookar squeezed Sparkie's shoulder. 'Be careful. Wait for me at Marion's. I have a few jobs to finish before I join you.'

Puzzled, Connor left Tookar and followed after Sparkie, who mumbled and blew his large nose on a handkerchief, until it reddened.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jeremy

Following the conversation, Connor grew curious about Jeremy. By the time he reunited with Deana and K, the table of food had been cleared. Deana, red faced and teary eyed, sat close to K. In between loud sobs, she explained to Connor what had happened and who had died.

Fifteen minutes later they arrived outside K's home in Sparkie's van. Lights shone brightly within the house. Knowing his mum would be waiting for them, K braced himself

'It'll be okay,' Deana reassured him, lightly brushing K's cheek with her fingers. 'I'll be with you every step of the way.'

K nodded, unable to speak. Deana's large eyes watched him sadly. Connor knew how much they meant to each other, especially at this time of sadness. Feeling like an intruder, he averted his gaze.

What an awful night this had become. Connor had his own problems to contend with, but amidst the maze of events, K's father had been killed. Had it been an accident? But K had hinted more than once of his father being the best navigator on earth.

'Thunderbolt must've been malfunctioned!' he kept repeating.

'Thunderbolt?' Connor quizzed.

'Dad's spaceship. Its defence mechanism is able to deliver a bolt of electricity so powerful it can blast other spacecraft's.' His voice quietened as he stared ahead.

No one spoke for a while.

Sparkie left the van and immediately clambered back in, shivering.

He wrapped his arms. 'Brrrr! It's freezing tonight. I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed. Would someone please pass me my coat in the back of the van?'

K blinked with a start and tugged heavily at what first appeared to be a dead animal. Grunting with effort, he hauled a dark grisly fur coat into the light.

'Urgh!' Deana made a face. 'What is this?'

'My coat!' snapped Sparkie, looking hurt. 'Don't worry. It's not real fur. I made it myself. It's an imitation.'

'Hope you didn't make any more,' mumbled Deana, examining the shabby coat, covered in grey bald patches.

Sparkie left a second time, while the others braced themselves for the cold wind.

K's face paled. No longer the gallant fighter, K walked to the door, his legs stiff and heavy. The idea of breaking the news to his mum weighed heavy on his mind. Deana stroked his back in support. In the last fifteen minutes, he'd aged ten years and for the first time in his life took to biting his fingers nervously.

'I don't know how to tell her.' Clearly anxious, he stepped back.

'Don't worry, you'll know what to say,' Deana soothed. 'Remember we're with you.'

The detached cottage, covered in overgrown ivy, rested on the top of a sloped driveway. Two smaller buildings were adjacent to the cottage where evergreen trees and shrubs gave the cottage shelter, giving it absolute privacy from the road. An uneven cobblestone pathway led straight to the front door.

In the night sky, several small black bats swooping past the outdoors light and circled it repeatedly.

Heavy hearted, they trundled to the cottage.

'I can't do this!' K panicked. 'I can't tell her. It'll break her heart!'

'Calm down, K. Listen to me!' Sparkie held K firmly. 'You have to tell your mum. You have to be strong for her. She needs you right now.'

K's eyes were wide. Nodding slowly, he faced the door a second time, his expression more apprehensive than ever. Sparkie's words had done little more than increase his panic. Sadly K ran his fingers across a wooden plaque next to the front door. Engraved were the words, 'Castaway Cottage.'

'Dad made it.' A lump formed in his throat. 'He'd joked about being a castaway on this planet. He'd been here a hundred years before he met my mum. He called himself Robinson Crusoe.' He pulled a key from his pocket and breathed in deeply, preparing himself for the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. He placed the key in the lock but the door unexpectedly flew open.

Connor peered between the bodies in front of him. With butterflies in his stomach, he watched nervously as a cuddly, old woman appeared at the door with outstretched arms.

'K. I've been worried sick!' she cried. 'I thought something terrible had happened to you. You were meant to ring me an hour ago.'

Her rosy cheeks and warm smile flowed with a mother's love. A plain blue apron, covered in flour stains. Her grey blue eyes were full of concern until she saw her son. Wispy grey hair fell softly about her face, highlighting its roundness, and her speech took on an excited tone.

'Where is young Connor? You did bring him, I hope,' she beamed.

Connor shyly stepped forward into the light. 'Hi!' he croaked, his mouth as dry as sandpaper.

'I'm so pleased to see you, young man. Come here so I can give you a hug.' On the doorstep, Connor became encased in her plump arms and lifted off the ground. She winked at Deana. 'My, oh my – how you've changed. You're so handsome. You look like your parents, don't you? You must break a lot of hearts now.' She pinched his cheek gently. 'Come in, my dear child, you're safe for a while.'

Connor tried to say thank you but he coughed instead, dying of thirst.

'Well, come on in.' She opened the door wide and stepped inside. 'It's too cold to be talking on the doorstep. Whatever is it you're wearing, Sparkie?' She caught a glimpse of his coat and wrinkled her nose in distaste. 'It won't bite, will it?'

Sparkie rested his hand on her shoulder. 'No, but if you're not careful, I will.'

Chuckling, Marion led them into her large homely kitchen. She walked to the far end and placed the kettle on the stove. Freshly baked sponge wafted through the hallway, but no one paid it much attention. Burdened with terrible news their appetites had long since disappeared. A large stove occupied the far end of the kitchen, with dry herbs hanging from wooden beams. Chairs squeaked loudly as they were dragged across the tiled floor from under a large wooden table, where they sat.

Marion continued chatting easily in her cheery voice, while K remained ghostly white and tongue-tied.

'So how did the rescue from the hospital go?' she breathed. 'I must admit when you hadn't called me, I thought the worse, but you made it so it must've gone better than planned. I except you'd love to have a hot drink inside you. It can't be easy being out in this weather. Welcome home, K,' she pinched her son's cheek affectionately and headed back to the cupboards, using her best china cups and saucers. Placing them on the side, she hummed a tune whilst filling a teapot with several teabags.

'I hope you want your tea strong.' She glanced at Deana a second time. 'Are you okay, love? You look a bit upset, although I understand given the circumstances. I mean – what with Connor's rescue and knowing he's safe with us now. And I should have known K would be fine if you were with him. You're a good influence on him. You and K are meant to be together.'

Deana blushed, any other time she'd have laughed, but not today.

'Why, you're a quiet bunch, aren't you,' Marion chirped. 'It's the weather. Makes people gloomy. My sponge will put a smile on your face. I've been cooking all day. Give it another ten minutes. It's your favourite, K – you know, the one with the chocolate filling.'

While Marion made the tea, Sparkie whispered to K. 'You must tell her. You can't put it off.'

'Mum –' he began, but broke off.

Marion's gentle eyes watched him curiously. Then, as if sensing something wrong, a furrow appeared between her brows.

'What is it dear?' she walked towards him and touched his forehead. 'Well, your temperature is normal, which is good. I hope you're not coming down with something.'

'It's not me, mum – it's dad!' K blurted.

Marion fell silent, her bubbly mannerisms vanishing in a fraction of a second. The spark in her eyes disappeared instantly.

'What is it? What's happened to your dad? He's okay, isn't he?'

'You'd better sit, Marion,' Sparkie rose from his chair and guided her to a chair. 'Something's happened to him, hasn't it?' She flitted her gaze from one person to another. 'Well, don't keep me in suspense. Tell me!'

'Dad's been in an accident, mum,' K whispered, placing his hand on top of hers, pausing briefly before speaking again. 'He died an hour ago.'

'No! Tell me it's not true!' She clutched K and searched his distressed face. 'There's been a mistake. Mistakes happen all the time. What about that security guard – what's his name?'

'Arnold,' recalled Sparkie.

'Yes, Arnold. They declared him dead, didn't they? He'd been paralysed for two weeks by a hideous alien. And no one knew – prepared his funeral and nailed him in a coffin. Luckily for him, he banged on the lid as they were lowering him into the ground.'

K's eyes filled with tears. 'I heard a short while ago myself.'

Marion's face drained of colour as she comforted K. 'Don't fret, love. This has to be a mistake. I'd know it in my bones if your father were dead now, wouldn't I?'

Sparkie wore a grave expression. 'Marion, I'm sorry but his body has been taken to the AAA, and a car will arrive to take you.'

Marion shook her head. 'No – he can't be dead. He can't be.' She tightened her lips in disbelief. Gradually as the shock took its toil, her body shuddered. 'I didn't think for one moment your father could be in danger. He's so careful. It doesn't make sense. I asked him not to go, but you know him – he's so insistent.'

'Before he left did he tell you where he was going?' enquired Sparkie.

'You know Jeremy. He doesn't mention work – says he doesn't want to involve me – he kept wrapping me in cotton wool. But I must admit he hasn't been his usual self – kept distant from me – I even had to ask for a kiss before he left tonight. It's strange. I know something has been troubling him ever since the portal to Dramian had been discovered. He's been edgy – kept saying sorry. I haven't a clue why. When he left tonight, he told me he wanted to check the area. I told him not to go, because Connor was visiting. I knew how much he wanted to meet him. So what happened?'

'He collided with another spaceship operated by the Armatripe,' K explained, another lump forming in his throat making it difficult to swallow.

'Your father hasn't crashed Thunderbolt in his entire life. He knows his spaceship so well. It makes no sense...Do you think he suffered?' she whispered, tears appearing as the news sank in.

Sparkie held her hand. 'No, he died instantly by all accounts.'

'Is it meant to reassure me?' snapped Marion, touching her throat. 'I'm sorry... I...'

Understanding her raw emotions, Sparkie remained quiet and patted her hand. Several times her expression changed as she stared in distress at Sparkie. As the words made their impact, her body trembled.

'NO!' she cried, shaking her head. 'Not my Jeremy! He can't be dead! He can't be!'

Sobbing, as she repeated her husband's name, K sprung from his seat and hugged her. The grief in the room affected everyone.

Through teary eyes, Deana pulled Connor from the room. 'Let's leave them for a while.'

If Connor had ever met Jeremy he had no memories of him. Feeling awkward, he gratefully welcomed Deana's interruption and followed her through the hallway into a small cosy living room, where a blazing fire greeted them.

'It's best we give them some space for a while.' She lifted a poker and stoked the fire. A firework of sparks escaped the boundary of the fireguard. Deana leapt from her seat to catch them before they singed the carpet.

She slumped in the armchair next to Connor, exhausted. She sniffed several times and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her fur trimmed denim coat. Spotting a box of tissues on top of a piano, Connor retrieved them for her.

'Thanks.' She took one and blew her nose. 'Marion's right. I saw Jeremy yesterday and he did act bizarre. He gave me this ring and told me if I were to marry K, it would be with his blessing. Why would he say that? Sparkie told me earlier that Jeremy wouldn't allow him access to his cellar. Maybe he's been working on something. I'm going to check it,' she decided, springing from her seat to catch another flying ember. 'That's the trouble with open fires, you can't leave them alone... not if you want to avoid another fire. I won't be long.'

'Can't I come?' he pleaded.

'No. Keep an eye on the fire and tell the others where I am in case they want me.'

'Fine,' grumbled Connor. 'But tell K what you're going to do? He might want to come with you.'

'What? In his state? Playing detective isn't going to be on his mind right now.'

Deana buttoned her coat. Giving Connor the thumbs up, she darted the back door. Connor relaxed back in the chair, opposite the fireplace, becoming captivated by the flames. The events of the past few days whizzed by in a blur and his eyes drooped. He sank deep into the soft armchair and stretched his legs in front of him.

A tall brass lamp in the corner swathed the room in a soft light. Creamy lace cloths were draped on the chairs and a larger one laid neatly on a two-seated sofa, occupying the edge of the room. A bold brass frame enclosed a magnificently painted picture of a landscape, which hung above the fireplace, showing a world where trees were blue and the sky as a mixture of pale oranges and reds.

The house came alive with different sounds, the hissing and crackling firewood, crying, the dimmed voices from the kitchen and an annoyingly squeaky sound on the window as a branch scraped against the pane. The wind had increased tenfold, causing havoc outside.

Five minutes later, Deana's re-entered the cottage with windswept hair, looking more agitated as she scrapped her loose hair back off her pallid face.

Connor jumped off his seat. 'What's wrong? What is it?'

'It's awful!' she cried.

'What is it? Tell me!'

'I'm not sure.' She flung her arms in confusion. 'I saw body parts lying on the ground – it was frightening!'

'You must tell someone!' urged Connor.

She paced the room, nervously. 'I'll tell Sparkie – he'll know what to do.'

The door creaked opened. Sparkie stood in the doorway, taking off his coat. His expression strained with tension.

'A car has arrived to take K and his mother to the AAA headquarters. If you're going with them, Deana, it's now time to leave. Young Connor and myself will wait for Tookar.'

'Okay, I won't be a minute.' She waited for Sparkie to leave the room. 'Connor, I must have a quick word with Sparkie before I leave. Will you be okay with me going?'

'Of course I will.' Connor put on a brave face, despite hating the idea of her leaving him.

She ruffled his hair and gave him a hug before dashing from the room. He watched solemnly from the window, as K and his mother hastily left the house.

A short time later, Deana ran outside to the black car, her hair flapping wildly across her face, despite trying to hold it in place. She waved before disappearing into the back of the car with K, who waved as well. Connor waved back, feeling helpless to help. Despite his amazing powers, he couldn't bring people back from the dead.

The car roared into the night taking his friends away. As Connor entered the hallway, Sparkie bolted the front door securely.

'I've been speaking to Deana,' Sparkie frowned. 'She's upset, almost hysterical I'd say. She said she saw body parts in Jeremy's cellar. I can't believe Jeremy has been murdering people for a hobby. Still – I'd better check.'

'Shall I go with you?'

Sparkie shook his head. 'No, go upstairs and make sure the windows are shut.'

'Why? Are we expecting trouble?'

'Possibly. I'll have the van ready in the master bedroom in case we must make a speedy getaway. We'll survive if we keep our wits about us.'

Sparkie entered the hallway to check the windows were closed on the ground floor. When he'd finished he left by the back door, closing it with a loud click.

Connor climbed the wooden staircase into the darkness. With no light on the upstairs landing, he half-expected someone to spring from a hiding place and scare the pants off him. Thankfully, he flicked the light switch with a soft click to illuminate his surroundings.

Flowery wallpaper covered the walls of this old fashioned house. Checking the windows, Connor went from one room to another. He entered a master bedroom with an ensuite attached to it, two smaller bedrooms, a bathroom and a separate toilet. Connor came to the last room and the light from the hallway flooded the smallest bedroom, where a single bed had been prepared with layers of blankets neatly tucked under the mattress. Connor closed the small window, which had been left open to air the room. He closed the curtains, noticing the wooden furniture: a bed; wardrobe; dressing table; chair and side cabinet, made from antique oak. An oval mirror, framed with patterned bronze, hung proudly on the wall. Connor observed his shadowy reflection and noticed a distorted image staring back.

He took note of the photographs hanging next to the mirror and a large, wooden wardrobe with two cardboard boxes on top. He switched on the light and saw more photographs in the room. The one beside the mirror caught his attention as he recognised Marion and K as a youngster. A tall man stood next to her. He assumed it must be Jeremy, though his eyes shone with kindness and not those of a murderer. Another couple sat with a young child on a bench eating ice cream. They seemed familiar but before he investigated it further, a disturbance on the landing made him jump. Peering round the door, he spotted Sparkie dashing into the master bedroom. By the time he reached the door, Sparkie had lifted a rug and worked on a floorboard with a screwdriver. As the wood splinted and lifted, a secret drawer was revealed under the floorboards. A large padlock barred it from opening. Sparkie struck it with the screwdriver, a hungry desire in his eyes.

Connor walked into the room. 'What are you doing?'

'Trying to get this locked drawer open.'

'Why? Has it something to do with what you saw in Jeremy's cellar?'

'Yes. Deana saw bodies in the cellar,' Sparkie gabbled excitedly. 'Poor thing. She had the wrong end of the stick though. Jeremy hasn't killed anyone. He's made clones of himself and made another Jeremy.'

'A what?'

'He's made a replica of himself.'

'Why?'

Sparkie passed Connor a photograph from his pocket. 'I have an idea but I must get this drawer open first.' Again he tugged at the drawer, chipping and denting it.

The photograph looked similar to K but on the back was another name – Daven.

'I know! You do it!' Sparkie's frustration was replaced with hope.

'What me?' Connor was doubtful. 'I don't know how to unlock it.'

'You know more than you realise. Will you try something for me?'

'As long as it won't hurt.'

'Come. Open this lock for me.' Sparkie grew more excited than ever. 'Close your eyes and imagine the lock releasing.'

'Sparkie – you're acting crazy, you know.'

'Forget how ridiculous it is and get on and do it,' he snapped.

Connor knelt beside him. 'Fine. I don't know what you expect to happen, though.'

'I expect the drawer to open, Connor!' he beamed. 'And I believe the Starstone is going to help you do it.'

'This isn't a trick, is it?' Connor peeped.

'Not at all, dear fellow.'

Again Connor closed his eyes and imagined the drawer opening. After a short time, something clicked and the drawer pushed against his palm.

'What the –'

'By Jove! Jumping butterflies! You did it!' Sparkie thumped him on the back. 'It's opened!' He proceeded to jump excitedly.

Had he opened the locked drawer? Shaking his head, he suspected Sparkie had used a key or something.

Sparkie wasted no time. Rummaging on his knees, he tugged the drawer upwards, tipping the entire contents on to the floor – photographs and documents sprawled in a pile. After a manic five minutes hunched on the floor, Sparkie waved a piece of paper.

I've got it!' he cried, holding a certificate of some kind.

'What is it?'

'A birth certificate,' Sparkie remarked. 'It belongs to K's brother – Daven.'

'I didn't know K had a brother.'

'Nor does he!'

Sparkie searched for further evidence and came across an envelope full of photographs of Daven, pictures of a young boy whose name had been written on the back of each one.

'By Jove. Jeremy has planned a rescue!' whispered Sparkie. 'The old devil!'

'What? But Jeremy's dead!' Connor reminded him.

Sparkie shook his head. Gathering the items he placed them into the drawer. 'It makes sense now.'

'Not to me,' grunted Connor. 'What's going on?'

'I'll explain later. First I must do something.' Sparkie covered the secret drawer with the heavy patterned rug and left the room, leaving Connor more puzzled than before. He returned a moment later. 'Oh, I nearly forgot. Marion wanted me to show you something.'

Intrigued, Connor followed Sparkie to back to the small bedroom he'd been in previously.

Sparkie folded the birth certificate and placed it in his pocket. 'Your life is like the missing pieces of a jigsaw. Marion wanted you to see some photographs of when you were little to try and help you remember your past.'

'She has photos of me?' Connor's mouth fell wide.

'Yes, and since you can't remember the time when you were a little mischief-maker, I'm to show you the photographs. Do you know what, I'd love to eat a wholesome apple pie right now. Maybe I'll meet a generous woman one day who makes good pies.'

'I know one,' grinned Connor, picturing Mrs Rosebud and Sparkie walking arm in arm along the road, while wearing the ridiculous metal hat.

'Well, perhaps you can introduce us one day.'

'Have you ever been married?'

'No. I've pursued knowledge for I love it more than I love eating wholesome pies. But times change and I won't be working for the AAA forever. It's time for me to settle down. Travelling to other galaxies takes its toll on a man.'

'I can't imagine travelling to other galaxies.'

'You will. By the way, in case you're wondering, you stayed in this bedroom as a child, when Marion and Jeremy babysat for your parents. Marion thought it'd be nice if you slept in this room again. She had hoped to be able to go through the boxes on top of the wardrobe with you. They're filled with photographs of your family.'

'Really!' With an excited expression, Connor hurried across the room to drag a wonky old chair from a dressing table to the wardrobe. Sparkie stopped him.

'Why make life difficult for yourself?'

'But I'm not.' Connor itched to look in the boxes.

'Let's see how strong your powers are. Use your mind to move them.'

'Use my mind? I'm not sure what you mean. Wouldn't it be easier to use my hands?'

'Yes, but let's try this first. If you can't, don't worry. Call it a trial experiment. Use the power of your mind,' Sparkie explained. He lifted his head and peered down the end of his nose, whilst adopting a matter-of-fact voice. 'You'll learn more about it at the AAA. They have useful training courses. Focus and believe in yourself. Concentrate clearly on what you want to do and it will happen. Visualise the boxes floating across the room and landing on the bed and it will happen.'

'You make it sound so easy.'

Although Connor wasn't a hundred per cent convinced he opened the drawer, he'd managed to heal Tookar, not to mention a hospital ward full of children.

'Quickly lad!' urged Sparkie.

Connor tried to remember the appearance of each box as he closed his eyes. He tried to visualise them in his mind's eye. It took a while before this happened but once he pictured them, he willed them to lift off the wardrobe and land on the bed. Could it really be so simple? At some point between the boxes leaving the wardrobe and travelling to the bed, Connor opened his eyes a fraction. Perhaps if his eyes had remained shut, the boxes would have landed safely. But as he peeped at the boxes floating in the air, he gasped in surprise, lost his concentration and watched \ as they fell with a thud right on top of Sparkie.

'OW!' yelled Sparkie, raising his arms in defence. He slumped to the floor, disappearing beneath a pile of photographs.

'Sparkie!' Connor called urgently, pulling the boxes off him. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it – they fell – I couldn't stop them from falling. I'm so sorry. Are you all right?'

Groaning loudly, Sparkie woke, a drunken grin on his face. He blinked his eyes several times.

'Don't fuss lad. It's my fault. First time I've had stars spin past my eyes though. I shouldn't have made you try something so ambitious. It's okay. I'll live. It's nothing a cup of tea can't put right.' Connor helped Sparkie to stand. 'But I must admit, I wasn't expecting you to do that. I know the Starstone contains many powers, but you're coming along in leaps and bounds already.'

'I'm such a jerk!' Connor fumed.

Sparkie chuckled. 'Let's say, a few lessons wouldn't go amiss at this stage. I'm going to the kitchen. Would you like a drink?'

'No, thanks and I'm really sorry!'

'I know you are.' Sparkie had a mischievous glint in his eye. 'The Starstone chose you!'

Connor watched the door close, leaving him alone in the room. Sparkie's words rang loud and clear. Something good must be inside him that the Starstone favoured, but he didn't know what. He tidied the photographs and stacked them neatly into the boxes. When he'd finished, he hauled the boxes on to the soft bed, searching for more clues to his past. Rummaging inside the boxes were the missing pieces of his early childhood, where he had known love and security. Somewhere over the years he'd lost both. Now he had a chance to recapture some traces of his past and he wasn't going to waste the opportunity.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Dark Hounds

Connor spent the best part of an hour exploring the impressive pile of photographs. Excited, he lost track of time. Dusty photographs emerged of Connor as a cute baby and a daring toddler. Many were highly embarrassing and thankfully Marion hadn't enlarged them and for display with the others.

The photographs had snapped moments in time: they'd caught him running nude with food smudged round his mouth and peeing on the flowers in the garden. His favourite photos were the ones of his sister, who had endearing freckles and long blonde hair. She seemed familiar, as if he'd seen her before. But of course, he'd seen her in his dreams.

Hoping Marion wouldn't mind, he kept four of them. He'd chosen one of his parents wedding with them pictured outside a quaint flint church, looking happy. Judging by the amount of flowers in bloom, they'd married in the summertime. He'd selected one of his sister smiling and cradling him. He'd liked the photograph of a typical family portrait of his mum and dad, sister and himself, standing as a real family.

He later found a small creamy coloured photo album at the bottom of the box, full of snapshots of him with various animals. He had ridden a horse, stroked a Great Dane, patted a crocodile, cuddled a python, been lifted by an elephant's trunk and cleaned the teeth of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. At first he assumed the photographs had been taken in a zoo, but he later discovered the photographs were genuine. Written on the back of each one it mentioned those in the picture, where and when it had been taken. K had been the animal in each photograph, having shape-shifted into the form of different animals to play with him.

Connor asked Sparkie about the photo. 'Each summer, you'd go north to a secluded holiday camp managed by the AAA. Harlingfield had been purpose built for human families and stranded aliens, who were connected to the establishment. Perfect place to enjoy the countryside whilst being safe, if you ask me,' Sparkie had explained to him. 'Since you were K's favourite playmate he'd change into an animal to make you chuckle. You'd beg him to change over and over again.'

He selected a fourth picture of sleeping between the massive paws of a lion, licking his face. Written on the back were the words, 'K and Connor, friends forever!'

Eventually, Connor climbed sleepily into the bed Marion had prepared for him Two o'clock in the morning before. Lying on the bed quietly, he heard movement in the kitchen, along with the unmistakable sound of the kettle boiling on the stove for the umpteenth time. K had mentioned how Sparkie drank tea when he fretted.

Surprisingly, despite his bottom sinking in the middle of the mattress and his feet in the air, he fell asleep easily, dreaming of the good times he'd had as a youngster.

Two hours later though, he woke and shuddered. Something had disturbed him. He left the cosy bed and dressed, listening to the wind causing havoc outside. Windows rattled throughout the house with a vengeance.

At four o'clock in the morning he headed to the kitchen to make a mug of hot chocolate, thinking how his life had changed in the last few days. Had it been a week ago that he'd lived the life of a slave with his aunt and uncle? Crazy!

Trees creaked and groaned, casting ferocious black shadows across the walls, fighting with one another as if they were angry black monsters. The radiators clumped and banged, putting Connor on edge.

The television flickered and Sparkie lay in front of it snoring loudly. The kitchen resembled a bombsite for Sparkie had used a clean mug each time he made another drink. Connor boiled the kettle, rinsed a mug (since Sparkie had used all the others), and heaped an extra spoonful of hot chocolate powder inside.

In the living room, more empty cups were stacked on the table beside Sparkie. Sitting in the empty armchair he decided to concentrate his mind on changing the channel. Focussing on the television, without blinking, the screen flickered slightly before an interesting film appeared concerning good cops trying to expose the corrupt ones. For several minutes it absorbed Connor's attention, whilst he finished his drink.

He felt guilty having enjoyed his evening going through old photographs. He wished Deana had been with him to share those special moments, for she'd have been pleased for him and he missed her. And what the significance of the birth certificate Sparkie had found earlier. Why didn't K know he had a brother? Why would his parents keep it from him? It made no sense. And Sparkie had been acting weird ever since. He'd chuckled throughout the entire evening, when nothing apparently funny had transpired.

Connor added another log to the fire and listened to it hissing before warming to a reddish glow. A large lump of soot collapsed from inside the chimney. Connor jumped nervously, spilling what little drink he had left on his trousers. He sprang to his feet, making sure no embers had fallen on to the carpet. Wrinkling his nose, he watched as a large red ant scuttled from the flames on to the rug.

Connor watched it darting hastily under the fire screen. He lifted his foot to squash it when it rapidly changed shape.

'Ahhh!' yelled Connor, falling back in the chair.

Sparkie slept on.

The ant increased in size, distorting its shape until Tookar stood in its place, horrified. 'You were going to kill me!' Tookar rubbed his head where Connor's foot had made contact. His face crumpled in disbelief. 'You almost had me. Your foot hit the top of my –'

'I'm s-sorry, I thought you w-were an ant!' Connor stammered.

'I was!' replied Tookar, 'but that's no excuse. Disguising myself as a fire ant seemed a safe way into this place, but I was much mistaken. What are you doing at this time of night, anyway? It's not safe!' He glanced with disapproval in Sparkie's direction.

'Not safe?' Connor quizzed, following Tookar into the kitchen.

Tookar promptly filled a dirty mug with water. In the living room, Tookar threw the entire contents at Sparkie's face. He woke instantly, spluttering and cursing. Before he could demand an explanation, Tookar spoke.

'We must leave immediately. Fifty dark hounds have surrounded the house!'

Hairs prickled uneasily along Connor's spine as he peered through a small gap in the curtains. Trees were blowing forcibly and rain drummed loudly on the single glass pane. Nothing but dark silhouettes could be seen. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, a movement suddenly caught his eye; dark shadows crept across the lawn towards the cottage. Connor gasped as the ground moved with a thick mass of bodies.

'Keep away!' growled Tookar, dragging Connor from the window.

'Upstairs! Quick!' shouted Sparkie, leaping from the seat.

They raced into the hallway and caught sight of a long, thin, snout poking through the small gap in the cat flap, sniffing frantically.

'Smell my foot!' Tookar yelled, kicking it hard.

A high-pitched howl screamed into the night as they sprinted upstairs.

'I hope your van is ready to move!' cried Tookar.

'Yes!' panted Sparkie, adding in a mutter, 'I'm getting far too old for this!'

As they entered the master bedroom, glass shattered on the ground floor.

Tookar slammed the door shut and locked it. 'This won't stop them for long.'

Many paws ascended the staircase, scratching and slipping on the smooth hallway floor. Seconds later, howls erupted on the other side of the door. The door banged heavily from the other side. Something threw itself against it. The hinges shifted

in the wooden frame. Desperate clawing splintered the door. More dark hounds charged and battered against it: their bodies thumping against the door whilst growling.

Huge powerful claws appeared through the door, ripping it to shreds as if it were made of cardboard. Through a splintered gap in the door Connor had glimpsed a dark hound, paralysing him in terror. Tookar shoved him inside the van, swinging the door shut.

Connor kept his eyes closed, unable to escape the horror he'd seen. The lasting memory of four huge fangs, drooling with saliva, remained with him, locked in his consciousness. It had the slanted black eyes of a monster. Dark hounds didn't describe the fierce predators. They had thin long snouts and wide snarling mouths, filled to the brim with dagger-sharp teeth. Matted black manes and raised hackles ran along the length of their hunched spines. Bald patches were most apparent as if they were suffering from a horrible disease.

Sparkie hastily put on his metal hat. He pressed a button and pulled back a lever. A dark hound twice the size of a Great Dane tore into the room and pounced six feet into the air towards them. The van gave a jolt and abruptly vanished.

After the sighs of relief, Connor opened his eyes.

'Phew! That was a close shave. Where are we?' Tookar peered through the window.

Sparkie, taking a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his forehead. 'We're a hundred miles north from K's home and a hundred yards above an empty field in the middle of nowhere.'

Connor's legs still trembled. 'What...did they want?'

'You,' said Sparkie, grimly.

'Typical!' Connor hugged his knees to his chest. Was this nightmare ever going to end? 'They were so scary. Where did they come from?'

'Definastine's home planet, Dramian,' Sparkie explained.

'Definastine has a lot to answer for. He is able to snare animal souls keeping them prisoner for eternity,' growled Tookar.

'Don't underestimate him, Connor. His mind is so corrupt and evil,' Sparkie warned. 'His dark hounds are vicious, able to rip a human to shreds in seconds...'

'Yes, thank you for scaring the living daylights out of him,' Tookar broke in. 'Most of Definastine's servants have a weakness though. They can't survive daylight. So between dawn and dusk they will have to stay hidden somewhere.'

'How does a person get to Dramian?'

'Why, Connor? Do you want to go?' Tookar laughed. 'Well, you can't take a bus. Since it's in another dimension we'll travel through a portal.'

'A portal?' Connor gasped. 'You mean some kind of magic hole?'

'Yes. The gateway is hidden and opens on the night of a full moon. For thousands of years it has remained concealed but recently we learned of its existence. And now for the first time we'll be able to rescue the lost children – if any have survived.'

'The lost children?' Connor gasped.

'A rescue party leaves for Dramian tomorrow night,' Tookar mentioned.

Sparkie's shoulders drooped. 'Oh, I didn't know.'

'Didn't think you'd be interested. You've been bending my ear lately on how you're getting too old for this type of thing. So take the opportunity to rest. Don't want you overdoing it now, do we,' grinned Tookar, enjoying himself.

'Yes... well, it would have been nice to have been invited,' Sparkie grunted.

'Are you going?' Connor asked Tookar.

'I hope so.'

'Well, I won't be,' cut in Sparkie. 'I'm going to retire soon. I can't handle stress like I used to. I don't care what you say. I'm getting older. My bones seize too quickly nowadays.'

'You're becoming a goose!' laughed Tookar, nudging Connor's arm.

'I'm not!' snapped Sparkie. 'I'll have you know my nerves are still as strong as ever. It's my body which betrays me.'

'Keep your hair on, old man,' Tookar grinned. 'You don't want to lose that as well, do you!'

'Old man! Pah! Anyway if we're talking of age you were born a few thousand years before me,' said Sparkie peevishly.

'Perhaps, but I still feel young.'

'I'm not doing too badly either for someone born in 1831,' remarked Sparkie, raising his eyebrow slightly.

'1831?' quizzed Connor, not believing it for one moment. 'Impossible!'

Tookar smirked. 'It's true.'

'But he's human! Humans don't live that long.'

'No, you're right. But I did spend some time in another galaxy where time slows,' Sparkie explained. 'I was born in the Victorian era when Queen Victoria was on the throne. During my early thirties I met a fantastic young man who changed the course of my life.'

Tookar pointed to himself.

'You!' gasped Connor.

'Yes. Tookar mended his crashed spaceship. It allowed him to travel so fast it sliced through the dimensional fields to other worlds. He took me with him once. A few days had passed, but the actual time on earth had whizzed by. It was 1961 by the time we came back and Queen Elizabeth was on the throne. I still looked the same as ever but a hundred years had passed.'

'What happened to your family and friends?' Connor whispered.

'They died,' Sparkie remarked sadly.

'How awful!' Connor shook his head in disbelief.

'But it's life, dear boy. The unexpected can change the course of our lives. Meeting Tookar happened to be the greatest thing I've ever done and the saddest. We've been damn good friends ever since. I'll tell you my first space adventure one day.'

'Where are we heading now?' Connor wiped the condensation from the window, trying to forget about the dark hounds.

'Not sure,' Sparkie confessed.

'To be honest, nowhere is safe, not if Definastine has the consulting mirror in his clutches,' Tookar reminded them. 'Ask it the right questions and it'll tell you what has happened in the past to this present moment. He might be watching you this instance.'

'The best thing we can do is destroy it so it won't get into the wrong hands again,' added Sparkie. His voice changed and his brow furrowed. 'I've received a distress signal from somewhere. I'll share it with you.'

He pulled a loose wire from underneath the dashboard and connected it to his hat. A concealed speaker in the van transferred the message. It wasn't clear at first but crackled with interference. Sparkie twisted the wires on top of his hat and a distressed female voice came through.

'Help me! Please help me!'

'Good grief!' gasped Tookar.

'Please help me!' the voice continued. 'I haven't much time. I'm being held prisoner. Please, someone help me!'

According to his tracking device, the person in distress is twenty miles north. Sparkie immediately instructed his van to travel to the destination. In no time, they were in an area of dense woodland. With no sign of life, no lights, no movement, no nothing, it meant one thing.

'The signal is coming from underground,' announced Sparkie.

'It might be a trap,' warned Tookar. 'Don't do anything rash.'

'I agree. It's strange, especially after our recent episode with the dark hounds. But what if it is someone who needs our help?'

Connor listened to the two men talking, but his head started to throb.

'I feel terrible,' he whispered, clutching his stomach. His eyes played tricks with him as a white spiralling mist circled his legs.

'Connor, what's wrong?'

'Do you see it, Tookar?'

'See what?'

'That's answered my question.'

An opening appeared beneath his feet and a strong sucking force pulled him towards the floor.

'Help!' cried Connor, sliding off his seat, screaming hysterically as he plummeted through the bottom of the van, while yelling and kicking his feet. Instead of falling through the air towards the ground, he swept along a sparkling tunnel with his ears popping. He travelled at a speed you'd expect from jumping from a helicopter a hundred feet above the ground. In the distance, Tookar and Sparkie called his name, though their voices faded, leaving Connor alone with his beating heart. Spat from the glistening hole into a heap on the other side of the chamber, he held his spinning head.

'Huh?' he groaned.

Connor studied his strange surroundings and dusted his bottom. The dreadful feeling had passed. Perhaps knowing he wasn't alone helped. In fact, he hadn't been lonely ever since the Starstone had nested deep inside of him. The box-shaped chamber was made from thick metal including the door.

A thick, green blanket covered a large object one side of the wall. Curious, he lifted the coarse material, where it loosened and fell on him. Escaping the thick claustrophobic fabric, Connor staggered backwards as a large, oval mirror stood before him, at five-feet-high and three feet wide. The surface moved delicately as if made of liquid. Connor's disconcerted face stared back at him.

He gasped in delight, admiring the relic as he stroked the smooth silver frame, decorated with the strangest symbols.

'Sparkie and Tookie would love this,' he mumbled, wondering what they were doing since he'd gone missing.

He jumped when his reflection disappeared. Slowly the mirror shimmered and rippled in waves. When the image changed, he retreated and saw Sparkie and Tookar coming into focus, sitting with ashen faces in the van.

'Where's he gone?' cried Tookar.

'I don't know!' flustered Sparkie. 'He fell through the floor!'

'I'm here!' called Connor, but they couldn't see or hear him.

With immense pleasure, he stood in front of the consulting mirror: the same mirror Definastine had used to his advantage to track the Starstone and him.

Made from a special grey, silvery liquid compressed between two panes of transparent glass material, it hung on the wall where the liquid continued moving with a will of it own. Connor recollected what he'd heard. It revealed events, which had already taken place but couldn't foretell the future. Excited by his discovery, Connor chose to ask it a question. But Sparkie's voice came to haunt him. 'We should destroy it so it won't get into the wrong hands again.'

Surely it wouldn't hurt to ask a question or two though. Many questions streamed through his mind, until one question repeated itself above all others. Connor faced the mirror. 'Show me where my sister is.'

A white room with four people sitting in it came into view and the mirror acted as a window to the room. Connor saw Marion, K and Deana talking to a young nurse with long blonde hair. Stunned to see his sister, a nurse, comforting his friends, he smiled in recognition at the same blonde hair.

'Show me the nurse.' He approached the mirror and touched the face of his sister. Her flawless skin had no freckles, and Connor assumed make-up covered them.

'Surely it's a mistake, Jenny,' quizzed Marion. 'What do you mean?'

'The man brought here, isn't your husband, Mrs Fallow,' the nurse informed them.

'Well, who is he?' asked K.

'It's hard to say at this stage, but the DNA samples don't match despite his appearance. We'll have to run more tests. But don't worry, we'll keep you informed,' answered Jenny.

'But if my dad isn't here, where is he?'

'I have no idea, but it's not him lying next door on the table,' insisted Jenny.

'But it doesn't make any sense,' remarked Deana, a faint tremor in her voice.

'No, it doesn't,' Jenny agreed.

Connor decided to ask the mirror. 'If Jeremy isn't dead, where is he?'

An image, revealing a small boy huddled on the ground with his face resting on bent knees, came quickly into focus. He seemed to be in a small dark room.

'Is it Jeremy? What is this place?'

The mirror revealed a dark planet, surrounded by stars.

'I don't understand,' mumbled Connor. 'Where is it?'

Directions immediately appeared of flashing scenes of passing countryside, moving at least a hundred miles an hour. Confusing, it made Connor light-headed.

'Stop!' he called. 'You're going too fast. Show me on a map.'

A map appeared with an arrow pointing towards a great expanse of water and it didn't stop until a middle of an immense lake was shown.

'He must be on a boat,' murmured Connor. 'I don't want to destroy you mirror, but what should I do? I can't leave you; otherwise Definastine will use you to hurt people. If you were smaller, I could easily take you.'

Connor ran his fingers through his hair, thinking hard. Closing his eyes, he snapped them open, knowing what he must do. He would transform the mirror into a smaller version, the size of a watch. He closed his eyes and thought about it happening – the thought is the deed, he remembered. Imagine it and it will. For several minutes, he concentrated hard. But nothing happened. He tried again.

'Come on! Transform!'

Suddenly, something slipped on his wrist. He opened his eyes to see the bare wall bare and the mirror gone. Touching the strange little watch, its face had become the smallest of mirrors. He now possessed one of the most powerful items belonging to Definastine. How peeved would he be, once he'd discovered it had gone?

'Yes!' beamed Connor, walking to the door across the room, he tried the handle but it was locked. Where were his friends when he needed them most? In the van panicking, he recalled.

Well, it didn't matter. He couldn't stay for someone would surely enter the room to consult the mirror on his whereabouts. He hadn't a plan for what to do next, but suspected the distress signal had something to do with it. He had to recuse someone but had no idea where to start searching for the person. Driven by a primal instinct to flee the room, the prospect of what might be laying in wait for him (on the other side of the door) scared him. While he stood, contemplating his choices, something strange occurred. He seemed to be shrinking by the minute with the ceiling growing higher and the ground becoming closer. He peered at his feet and gulped for they had disappeared through the floor, but in actual truth they were dissolving on the spot into a blob of nothingness. Paralysed with terror, he couldn't move, for his legs had vanished causing his pulse to triple in speed.

He hardly noticed the warm sensations engulfing his body. At the same time, a light shone from his abdomen. Connor struggled as his navel dissolved. He tried to stop himself from disappearing by supporting the rest of his body on his arms but the moment his hands touched the floor, they dissolved too, leaving him more helpless than ever.

'I'm too young to die!' he wailed, his voice echoing round the chamber.

Something deep inside him had taking control of his body. His mind fought but his body surrendered. The Starstone, being more powerful than Connor, had become active, taking control of the situation. He gazed at his chest, watching it vanish before his eyes. He wanted to scream as he struggled in the nightmare. Thankfully, he suffered no pain as his chin faded, followed by his mouth and finally his eyes. Connor became an invisible sludge of nothingness when he received communication from the Starstone.

'We have work to do. We must save the girl and your aunt and uncle. I'll lead the way. Don't be afraid. I will not let any harm befall you.'

The words were soothing , yet at this time, Connor's emotions did not exist. The invisible slime trickled beneath the smallest of gaps in the thickened door, leading into a darkened corridor. It entered the next room occupied by two hooded creatures.

Connor continued soaking information through a blue transparent lens where he maintained vision and hearing. Resting a safe distance away from two gruesome figures, he witnessed the tension sparking between them.

'I chased after the boy but I failed!' the tall muscular figure raged, his powerful torso dwarfing his companion. As he shook his head with annoyance his hood fell back revealing a grey, bony skeletal face covered in deep ugly scars with purple tendons protruding on each side of his neck. Connor recognised him as the same creature who'd chased him across the hospital car park.

'Don't lose sleep,' grunted the shorter one. 'We can't change the past. Those other two will be our bait to draw the child closer.'

'And what good are they to us? Tell me, Ruben – I'd be enlightened to know how your brain works for the puny child won't find them. Definastine wants the child... and why... because he has the Starstone you dimwit!' Razor seethed, losing his patience and denting the strong metal wall with his fist. An angry echo vibrated round the room. 'Time is not on our side!'

Ruben pulled back his hood; his face similar to Razor's, but broader with higher cheekbones. He glared at Razor. 'Definastine has others searching for the boy. We are not the only ones after the Starstone.'

'But it is us he counts on!' Razor growled. 'Not those hair balls.'

'Don't ridicule his pets. His dark hounds are well known for getting the job done,' snarled Ruben.

'Pets!' laughed Razor mockingly. 'They're not his pets! They're his snacks. He eats them when he's feeling peckish. And he cares for them little more than he cares for you!'

'Don't sneer at me!' Ruben glowered. 'I'm as good as you are and you know it! You're the one who's slipping, Razor... you're not as good as you once were. You let your emotions get the better of you. In fact, it won't be long before Definastine chooses me to take command, since I'm more level-headed.'

Growling, Razor leaped forward, squeezing Ruben's neck tightly, until he choked. 'Don't count on it, you imbecile! You couldn't find your way from this room without my help.'

A deep growl erupted from Ruben's throat as he struck each side of Razor's neck with enough force to make him loosen his grip.

'Don't ever try to intimidate me again!' Ruben snarled. 'You're no match for me!'

Razor clenched his fists tight, before a thin smirk spread across his face.

'So you think you're better than me, do you? Prove it. Go on. Capture the child before I do. Since those mutts have failed tonight, it's up to you, and me,' Razor grunted. Slamming the wall for a second time he tore it as if it were a crisp packet.

Ruben narrowed his eyes. 'My plan will work. The boy will not want those two humans harmed. They'll be our insurance. At some point, he'll have to come for them and when he does, we'll be prepared for him.'

Razor laughed. 'You're so sure your feeble plan will work. You stay and wait while I search for the boy.'

As Razor opened the door, Ruben called him. 'Those men from the ACE must be reported to Definastine. We don't want them interfering with our plans. They were a little too close tonight for comfort.'

'You're scared!' He sneered. 'They were no threat. They remained outside the entire time while we entered the boy's house through the portal.'

Being second in command to Razor, Ruben couldn't do much without his permission.

'Don't tell Definastine anything,' Razor smirked.

'As you wish.' But Ruben doubted Razor's decision. 'And what of Raider? He hasn't yet been in contact with us.'

'Raider is dead,' Razor announced. 'Murdered. Three of us are left now.'

'What?' Ruben hissed.

'The consulting mirror showed me a tussle with Tookar and he died. We're better off without him. I'm going to ask where the boy is. Care to join me?'

'Does Definastine know he's dead?' Ruben gasped.

'Yes.'

'Yet, it wasn't important to tell me!' Ruben glared. 'Raider is our brother, for pity's sake.'

'And now he's dead!' Razor glowered.

'I must speak to Raven and inform him of what has transpired!'

'Do what you must!' Razor left the room, slamming the door hard.

Connor followed, squeezing through the gap beneath the door, leaving Ruben alone in the room. He headed in the opposite direction to Razor. Moving fast, he slithered along a wide corridor, up the walls and along the ceiling where it was quiet with no other signs of life. The occasional lamp dangled prehistorically from the ceiling with loose wires dangerously exposed. Several light bulbs flickered annoyingly; others didn't work.

Through the gloomy, smooth walled corridors he journeyed, until he turned a corner and came across a strong metal door being barred securely by two strange, ugly creatures. They resembled huge oversized insects. Black shiny armour covered their backs reflecting the little light. They stood seven feet tall. A malevolent glint in their eyes and a permanent surly smile added to their hideous appearance.

Unnoticed, Connor seeped between their feet into the forbidden dark room. A nasty odour greeted him in this pitch-black room. But it didn't affect Connor, for he had no nose. He could also see in the dark and recognised the two unconscious people on the sofa instantly – his aunt and uncle.

An unconscious girl, bound to the wall with heavy metal chains cruelly clasping her wrists and ankles, slumped forward. Her locks of long hair hung loosely, covering her face.

Connor changed shape, growing from the invisible ooze, his body twisted and jerked, stretching upwards until he appeared normal again. For a short time, he remained rigid with his arms hanging lifeless beside him in the darkness. He had to get back to the van and take his aunt and uncle with him.

A sudden idea sprung to mind. He closed his eyes and concentrated. A bright circular door appeared in the darkness, shimmering with a liquid effect. He opened his eyes in time. His aunt and uncle floated off the floor in a levitating sofa, which hovered towards the portal, where they disappeared without delay.

The portal illuminated her vulnerable body, showing the girl confined in thick metal shackles. Approaching her, Connor touched her arm. Her body shuddered and she slowly raised her head, her eyes fluttered open.

A faint smile appeared on her face. 'I knew you would come.'

Seeing her in such circumstances, made Connor furious and he wasted no time in snapping the chains as if they were made from brittle sticks. Her weak body collapsed to the floor, where he lifted her dainty frame in his arms and, without hesitating, leapt through the portal.

'Woahh!' He experienced the same flutter of butterflies as when he'd been sucked back through the rocketing passageway, clinging to the girl for dear life. He entered the back of the van where his aunt and uncle were. Their extra weight caused the van to shudder and lower.

'Goodness gracious me. You did it, Connor!' Sparkie and Tookar chorused. 'You're back!'

Later, Ruben and Razor entered the room housing the consulting mirror, with two Armatripe trailing them. They sniffed the air, frantically searching for clues of its mysterious disappearance.

'They've gone,' Razor observed, searching the empty room.

'But how?' Ruben quizzed.

Razor gave an impatient glance towards Ruben. 'I can sense some kind of portal dust in the air. Someone came to rescue them and not by the front door.'

'How the devil did they know where they were?' Ruben cursed.

'Perhaps someone told them. Did you?' accused Razor. 'How else did they know we had the consulting mirror?' His tongue, several inches long, stretched from his mouth like a snake, flickering threateningly towards Ruben. Many rows of brown stained, razor sharp teeth were now on show and his fingernails elongated into long knives. 'You were desperate to make sure my plan failed. Perhaps you sent them away somewhere.'

Furious, two long tentacles appeared from two flaps in Ruben's cheek, encircling Razor's tongue and causing him to choke. His dark eyes shone bright orange.

'I don't appreciate what you're implying,' Ruben hissed. 'Shall I squeeze you harder? Shall I cut your tongue?'

Razor choked, falling to his knees. Ruben released him. His strange alien tentacles slithered back into his face where a flap of skin covered them.

'Enough talk!' Ruben scowled. 'We've some explaining to do.'

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Rescued Princess

'Oh, my goodness!' exclaimed Sparkie, when Connor reappeared from thin air with his companions, holding the unconscious young girl. 'What happened? Where did you go? Who is this girl? Isn't that your aunt and uncle?' he quizzed. '

Exhausted, Connor felt weak and had no answers to the probing questions being fired at him. Sparkie ceased questioning him when he realised how distraught he looked.

Connor had no control on what transpired next. Gradually the light faded from his eyes and allowing the darkness to shield him, Connor fell into a deep sleep.

A day later, on Friday evening, Connor eventually stirred. His bed covers had fallen off the bed, leaving the cool air to chill his body. For a brief instance, Connor believed his recent experiences were nothing but a bad dream and he'd wake up in his old bed in Wislington, expecting his uncle to call him at any moment.

Opening his eyes with a start, he was far from home. A sudden excitement stirred within, not having to relive his previous life. A heavy snore beside his ear caused him to turn. Tookar, who'd been on watch for the night, had slumped on to the bed and appeared to have shared Connor's pillow. His hair had fallen across his face.

'Hey, Tookar,' Connor smirked. 'Wake up!'

But Tookar continued to snore, so Connor poked him several times.

'What? – When? – Who?' Tookar grunted. His bloodshot eyes flitted before focusing on Connor. 'Oh, it's you. I thought something serious had happened'

'How long have I been asleep?'

'A day,' Tookar stretched his arms above his head and yawned. 'You okay?'

Connor groaned. 'Awful. I feel as if I've been fighting a crocodile with two heads. Where are we?'

Tookar laughed gently, watching Connor with interest. 'It's a secret location deep inside a mountain, though I don't expect it to stay secret for long – not if Definastine consults the mirror,' muttered Tookar. 'While he has it, he has us running like headless chickens. The mirror is powerful and in the wrong hands totally destructive. I'd personally destroy it myself so we'd be safer – especially you, Connor. The AAA is unprotected. We've had problems with portals opening willy-nilly, with Definastine's servants rushing in and causing chaos before fleeing again. It's why we haven't been able to take you yet.' Tookar stretched his legs. 'Anyway, what happened to you back in the van? We didn't know what to do when you disappeared through the floor.' Tookar leant back in his chair, rolling his head to loosen his neck. 'You performed one crazy exit.'

Connor, not wishing to keep secrets from Tookar, wanted to tell him of the consulting mirror, but was torn in two. If he mentioned he had it, Tookar might destroy it, but Tookar's friendship was more important than a mirror. Trust was a difficult thing to establish and easy to lose with a single lie. The choice was easy. Between friends, truth wins hands down. 'I found it.'

'Found what?' quizzed Tookar.

'This.' Connor folded his sleeve, lifting his wrist with the small mirror on it.

Tookar took his time to examine it. 'What is it?'

'The consulting mirror.'

'No! It's much bigger!'

'I know, but I shrank it instead. So you don't have to worry about Definastine having it anymore.'

Tookar gave a hearty laugh before ruffling Connor's hair. 'You're one brave kid! It's safer if we kept this to ourselves for now, but of course tell Sparkie.'

'Okay.' Connor rolled down his sleeves, grateful Tookar hadn't ripped the mirror off his wrist and crushed it beneath his boot.

'Did you ask it anything?'

Connor grinned. 'I know who my sister is.'

'Did you?' Tookar laughed. 'I bet came as a surprise to you. I don't suppose speaking of her now will cause any harm.'

'She's similar to the photograph I have of her.' Connor pulled a picture from his pocket. 'See.' He pointed to the young girl cradling him as a baby.

'Yes, it's her. Not much of a resemblance to now though. Her freckles are the same, but since she's been dying her hair to fool you, it's now a different colour.'

'What are you talking about?' said Connor. 'It's the same.'

Tookar made a face. 'Oh, she's probably dyed it again. Though I don't see how she'd have the time.'

'At least I know her name is Jenny,' Connor continued.

'Stone the crows!' declared Tookar, chuckling. 'Your sister is...'

Suddenly Sparkie burst into the room holding a drink for Connor. 'How's the hero?'

'Tired,' confessed Connor. 'But I'll live.' With suspicion, he surveyed the bubbling glass of green liquid.

'Drink this. It'll get rid of any grogginess you might be experiencing.' Sparkie looked far too happy.

'It looks disgusting!' moaned Connor, sitting and sniffing the glass. 'Like washing-up liquid.'

'Now, now, don't be so hasty to judge. Appearances can be deceiving. Come on and drink it. It won't harm you,' Sparkie encouraged.

Connor reluctantly took a sip. He swished it inside his mouth before swallowing. Tookar and Sparkie grinned at his hesitation, but the first gulp was lush– delicious in fact with its light bubbly fruity flavour. Bubbles were still gently exploding inside his body a few seconds later. With each sip, immense strength came flooding back, easing his aches.

Connor licked his lips. 'It's the most amazing drink ever. What's it made from and can I have some more?'

Sparkie tapped his large nose. 'Can't tell you. It's my own special secret formula. 'Has the hero mentioned anything as yet?'

Tookar scratched his head. 'Not much.'

'Good! I've arrived in time.' Sparkie pulled a chair close to the bed.

'I suppose you want to know what happened? You're not going to believe me...' Connor murmured. 'I don't believe it myself.'

'One minute you were with us and the next – poof – you'd gone!' Sparkie grew excitedly, sitting on the edge of his seat in direct contrast to Tookar who had adopted a more relaxed posture, leaning back and listening carefully.

Connor explained in detail what had happened, from falling from the van through a strange tunnel, to taking the consulting mirror. He spoke excitedly of his experience as a dissolved body and the conversation he'd overheard between Ruben and Razor, not to mention how he'd come across his aunt and uncle. Sparkie and Tookar listened intently, with astounded expressions on their faces.

Connor enjoyed the attention 'I recognised them at once. They were still on the sofa. The place stank with no windows in the room. The girl had been chained in the same room as them. It's bad enough being kept a prisoner but kept in the same room as my aunt and uncle... urgh! If that's not cruelty, I don't know what is.'

Connor explained how a bizarre light entered the room, whisking his aunt and uncle away. 'So I tore the chains off the girl and jumped through the light too.'

Tookar smiled. 'The Starstone is a living consciousness, with powers beyond our comprehension. If you put your mind to it, you can do anything. You've been blessed with magical power!'

'So why do I feel so awful afterwards?'

'Using the Starstone the way you did – opening portals – becoming an invisible sludge– rescuing three other people – it must've drained you,' said Tookar.

'I'm not a sink!' grumbled Connor.

'I meant to say it drained you of energy – not dirty water.'

'Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you...I'm so confused. One day I'm an ordinary boy and the next I've developed strength like Superman and being hunted by a great evil.'

'Don't worry, lad.' Sparkie tapped his hand a little too enthusiastically for Connor's liking. 'It's amazing – absolutely amazing. What a gift you have – can't believe it. A boy with super strength and powers – can't believe your luck. The possibilities opened to you are mind-blowing, I must say! Glad you're on our side!'

Mildly amused by Sparkie's response, Tookar switched his attention to Connor, leaving Sparkie so excited he bounced round the room, talking incessantly.

'Believe me, this will be nothing more than a memory one day, something to tell your grandchildren,' he smiled.

Connor doubted. 'I don't know. I might not live long to have children. By the way, what happened to my aunt and uncle?'

'They've been taken to the AAA and will be treated and cured of their... err... weight problem.'

'Good! What happened to the girl?'

Tookar smiled. 'Princess Kia is safe and well, thanks to you. She'd been kidnapped a few days ago and brought to this planet. They didn't take you into consideration though, did they Connor? Definastine wanted her taken to Dramian tonight, to extract information from her.'

Terrifying images of mad men, wearing white coats entered his imagination, waving sharp instruments: scalpels, knives and scissors as they danced in preparation for Kia's mind extracting operation.

Tookar continued: 'Needless to say, it's a process, which would have killed her. You're the hero in her eyes. She 's been talking about you ever since she arrived. You saved her life as you did mine.'

'I'm glad I had the chance to rescue her. Did she tell you about those hooded creeps, Ruben and Razor?'

Tookar's eyes darkened. 'Yes.'

'I found something concerning Jeremy too,' added Connor.

Sparkie's eyes widened. 'What is it, lad?'

'He's alive after shape-shifting into a child on a boat somewhere.'

'I knew it!' erupted Sparkie, swinging his arms. 'I knew the old fool was up to something, didn't I? I knew he'd planned a rescue. He couldn't wait. The dimensional gateway to Dramian lies at the bottom of the Great Lake. Jeremy learnt Definastine's spies wait for the portal to open. It's a full moon tonight. He'll be on Dramian now, trying to rescue Daven. I've done some digging – he'd been kidnapped years ago and Jeremy's gone to rescue him. He faked his death to give himself a chance to flee undetected.'

A knock on the door startled them and a small elfin-shaped face peered round it. 'Hi, may I come in?'

Sparkie greeted her. 'Of course you can. We'll leave you to have a little chat before we leave.'

'Leave? Leave where?' Connor's face wrinkled.

'We'll be leaving for Dramian in the next hour or so. It's a full moon tonight and the gateway is open. I've decided one more adventure won't hurt me before I retire,' Sparkie grinned.

'Shall I come with you?' gasped Connor, his chest tightening with anticipation.

'Yes. It'll be your first trip to another dimension.'

Connor hadn't travelled abroad, let alone travel to another dimension.

'Hi.' Kia perched in the same chair Tookar had occupied. Her long golden tresses shone brightly, sweeping to her waist. As if by magic, her hair changed colour. Little lights sparkled delicately and decorative flowers and jewels were strung on to neat plaits.

'You okay?' she asked.

'I'm fine. And you?'

'Much better.' Her face had become much rosier than when he'd rescued her.

'I hear you have a habit of saving lives.' When she smiled it revealed pale lilac teeth and lilac eyes, glowing bright blue from the centre. 'Thanks for the rescue.'

Connor gasped. 'You're not human!'

Kia giggled. 'No – I'm a Stanchy.'

'I haven't met a Stanchy before.'

'And I haven't met a human boy before, either, so I guess we're even.'

A silence before they both spoke at the same time.

'Do you live...?'

'Do you mind...?'

They laughed.

'You go first,' said Connor.

'A rescue party is travelling tonight to free the lost children. Sparkie's meeting them and helping me rescue my ship. Are you going too?'

'To be honest, this is the first I've heard about it,' confessed Connor.

'You've been asleep for ages,' Kia reminded him.

'I've been sleeping a lot lately.'

Kia giggled. 'Sparkie's kind and wants to help me get my ship back. Without it I can't get home.'

'Can't he take you back in his van? It's amazing!'

Kia giggled again. 'I have a great distance to travel. I don't know the way back home. My ship has a navigation map, which will help me travel back safely. Otherwise I can't get home to my people... and my family. I can't stay stranded forever. Not when I have a chance to get home.'

Connor wanted to help her, but did he have the nerve to go to Dramian? Wouldn't he want help if he were in her shoes? Given his present situation, he did have people helping him.

'Your English is perfect,' Connor acknowledged.

'Thanks. Tookar helped me to learn it.'

'You learnt it? How can you learn a new language in such a short time?'

'It's my gift. Stanchies have the power to learn any language they want. I simply touch the brain to absorb your language and understand it in seconds.'

'Wow!' gasped Connor. 'But how did we hear you calling for help, before we met you?'

'I was using telepathy. Telepathy is a universal language, where people can communicate with one another, despite speaking different languages.'

Kia laughed at Connor's expression. 'You remind me of my brother!'

'Why, is he good-looking too?'

Kia placed her hands on her hips. 'You both have the knack of getting into trouble!'

'Ha, ha!' grunted Connor sarcastically. 'So why did Definastine have you kidnapped? What does he want from you?'

'Why does anyone ever want to take what doesn't belong to them! He's greedy. Dad says a mixture of greed and power drives a star-spirit mad. What do you know of Definastine?'

Connor shook his head. 'Not much.'

'Well, I can tell you the little I know. He's thousands of years old and had once been a good star-spirit, named Daa. But his problems began when he befriended a greedy and destructive personality called Yamar. He believed he could change him and make him kinder. But Dad says a star-spirit will only change when they want to, and not when someone else makes them. Yamar had been too powerful and Daa's plan backfired. He slowly changed from being a peaceful and gentle giant into a hideous beast instead.

Dad says Yamar needed an apprentice to do his dirty work for him and Daa became known as Definastine. But Yamar's plan backfired as well. Dad says, those who live for the darkness will die by the darkness. Definastine recently killed Yamar in his search to become the ultimate master. If you ask me, I believe Definastine is rapidly coming closer to fulfilling his dreams of controlling the universe. Well, that's what dad says.'

'Tell me about Yamar?'

'I can tell you what others have told me. His race lived peacefully on a small planet. They lived a simple life and wanted for nothing. Dad says Yamar had been born a bad apple from birth. Wherever he walked the ground would darken and plants died in his presence. But his mum was blind to the truth and helped him escape. On the day of judgement to decide his future, which meant certain death for Yamar, his mother sent him far away in her spaceship, to live another life somewhere else. Her love for her son has caused many deaths to others. He came back one day to revenge his people, killing everyone including his own mother, whom he blamed for everything,' Kia finished.

'He needed serious help!'

'Now Definastine is loose, with no reins to hold him back.'

As Kia shifted in her seat, Connor saw her dainty wings, glittering with different pastel colours.

'Are those wings?' he gasped.

Kia picked a flower from her hair. 'Yes. Female Stanchys can fly. Have this for saving my life.'

Connor appeared awkward. 'I don't wear flowers.'

'It's not an ordinary flower, but a gift from my father. It takes many years to grow and won't die... unless...' she paused.

'Not unless what?' Connor took the flower looking at it with interest.

'It will die if Definastine himself touches it, or comes close to it. He's similar to Yamar, he has the power to destroy beauty wherever he walks.'

Connor placed the flower in his T-shirt pocket. Speaking at great length, the two of them chatted. Time had a habit of speeding when you are enjoying yourself and soon Tookar knocked on the door, announcing they had ten minutes before they left for Dramian.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The Gateway to Dramian

Sparkie and Tookar had organised the supplies. They'd filled the back of the van with numerous warm blankets and several large cardboard boxes of tinned food. A little gas cooker with an extra bottle of gas rested in the back next to Sparkie's woolly mammoth coat. Other boxes were filled with weapons, which Sparkie had retrieved from the AAA, during the time Connor had been sleeping.

Sparkie placed another spare blanket in the back on the van. 'Your aunt and uncle are now being cared for at the AAA. They were still unconscious when we arrived but don't worry, they'll be fine.'

Annoyed at the mention of the two people who made his life a misery, Connor changed the conversation. 'How long are you planning to stay on Dramian?'

'As little time as possible, but if we can't get back before the gateway closes, we must survive and be prepared.'

Connor relaxed in the back of the van with his new friend, Kia. His chest rose as he tried to relax, but images of being pursued haunted him.

Talking quietly between themselves, Sparkie and Tookar were discussing the various options. The distinct sounds of buttons being pressed increased Connor's anxiety. Why had he agreed to such a foolish idea? It wasn't so bad in the hideout. But now, with the van positioned above the immense water at the Great Lake, Connor tightened his grip on the edge of the seat, looking despondent.

'I can't believe I'm doing this,' he mumbled.

'It'll be okay.' Kia sounded far too cheerful for Connor.

'The secret gateway to Dramian lies below this massive lake,' Sparkie indicated, eyes wide. 'Who'd ever have guessed?'

The landscape appeared calm and the silvery water on the lake remained still. This area had never attracted campers; it appeared people knew to keep away from the place.

'It's a quiet place for sure,' he remarked.

In the distance, an orange glow from a nearby village lit the sky to the north and hundreds of stars sparkled. The dark silhouette of the trees against the sky reflected in the lake.

Connor gasped. 'It's like the ocean.'

'The area is approximately forty by fifty miles. We'll enter it close to the edge and work our way beneath the water as not to miss the portal.'

The full moon watched them from above, showering the lake with a silvery light. Hovering inches above the surface, the van lowered.

'Won't someone see us?' uttered Connor.

Sparkie smiled. 'No, and if anyone does, we'll be yet another statistic for an alien sighting. Ooh – someone's happy.'

The fish in the van bustled with excitement: tails and fins were flipping wildly, creating masses of bubbles. Connor closed his eyes experiencing the gentle swaying of the van, comfortable at this stage. Then it fully submerged beneath the water, causing soft, noiseless ripples to spread wide across the lake. With a smooth motion, the van glided underwater like a submarine.

'We'll be wearing a bracelet on Dramian,' indicated Sparkie.

'Forget it!' Connor eyes snapped open. 'I'm not wearing a girlie bracelet!'

Sparkie smirked, as if predicting Connor's reaction. 'Thought you were sleeping.'

'Resting my eyes. Why do you want us to wear bracelets anyway?'

'The atmosphere on Dramian may kill us. We have no idea what the air is like and I'm not going to die finding out either. The bracelets will automatically shield us in an invisible force field when we exit the van, similar to huge bath bubbles.'

'Doesn't sound safe to me. Bath bubbles pop easily,' Connor replied.

'Which is why I was about to add, they are much tougher than bath bubbles,' Sparkie continued. 'I personally guarantee them not to burst.'

'Are you trying to be reassuring?' Tookar smirked.

Sparkie ignored him. 'The invisible shield provides several days' worth of oxygen and will stick tightly on to Dramian's surface, allowing us to move in any direction. It'll be fun, I assure you. You'll love it.'

Connor made a face as he peered at the white screen on the dashboard, but it showed a black and white picture with various tones of grey with no fish and nothing of interest.

Sparkie switched the headlights on after passing a certain point beneath the water but they revealed little more. Still it was strangely peaceful in the depths of expansive space and Connor relaxed. He hadn't experienced this before and stared as a solitary fish, twisted and danced in front of the van, reflecting the lights off its scales.

Connor hugged his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them, wishing to remain in the water forever where he felt safe - where no one would find him. It had to be better than going to Dramian. How many children would love to experience this? But it wasn't a day trip though and his future would be in danger until Definastine was destroyed. With the possibility of his own death, he grew despondent.

'Your planet is small,' observed Kia.

'It's big enough,' mumbled Connor.

'Our planet is at least ten times the size of Earth. And your trees are so puny to our huge trees and our lush lands are occupied with large creatures roaming wild and free. Our lakes many times larger than this one.'

'Sounds massive.'

'It is.'

Tookar twisted in his seat, causing it to squeak. 'Kia, why were you travelling so close to Dramian, when you were caught?'

'I... I...' she broke off. 'I did something my father distinctively told me not to,' she blurted, closing her eyes tight. 'I had to. I didn't have a choice.'

'We all have choices,' Tookar reminded her.

'I didn't. A star-spirit called the High Priestess Serena Iona shares our planet. Her people died after a terrible war with Definastine.'

'How did she survive?' Tookar rolled his shoulders to loosen them.

'She'd been travelling at the time. My dad – the king – gave her sanctuary and she showered us with her gift of life, giving us bountiful crops, so we wouldn't starve. Serena Iona is wonderful. She helped to make our planet more colourful than ever before. She's part of our family now. But something awful is happening. Recently our crops have failed and Serena has become terribly ill. Her skin has peeled and her light has faded. It's as if she is draining our own planet of life force. She secretly confessed one of her people must still be alive before I left. She believed Definastine had captured one of them and forced the person to the dark side with him. If this continues... Serena Iona will die as her people are closely connected in bodies and minds. What happens to one is experienced by the others,' she explained. 'I came close to Dramian to rescue the other Tria.'

'Tria?' questioned Tookar.

She faced Tookar. 'It's the name of her species. Serena Iona is a Tria, as you are a Tinxshian. Please forgive me, but I must locate my ship. It will make it easier for us once we get to Dramian.'

'Huh?' Connor made a face.

Tookar grinned at his confusion. 'She's going to astral travel to discover the whereabouts her spaceship for us, so we will know exactly where to go.'

Connor observed Kia and knew nothing about astral travelling. Sitting cross-legged on the seat, she'd closed her eyes. For a while her eyes appeared to be rolling beneath her eyelids, until they came to a rest. After a short while, Connor assumed Kia had fallen asleep.

'Found it!' she beamed, startling Connor. 'When we enter the gateway my Hyas transporter is ten kalameres away from it.'

Connor made another face and had no idea how she retrieved this information. 'Ten kalameres? What does it mean?'

Sparkie checked his appearance in his mirror and wiped his nose with a tissue. 'It's approximately three miles.'

Kia carried on. 'A team of Armatripe are waiting close to the portal. We'll be okay as long as we're in this van. We can fly to safety.'

'Now we know what to avoid, it won't be so difficult.' Sparkie amended his glasses and peered quizzically at Connor. 'What happened to your glasses?'

'I haven't worn them for ages. I don't need them anymore.'

'Oh, Lucky you!'

'I can't believe this.' Connor experienced a wave of panic. 'I can't believe what we're going to do! We must be mad! I must be mad!'

'But it's what people do for one another. We risk our lives to help save others,' said Tookar.

Connor agreed with Tookar and thought back to how he'd dreamt of being a superhero as a kid. It's strange that his dream had come true to some extent – he'd already saved the lives of Tookar, Kia, his aunt and uncle.

Travelling deeper into the heart of the Great Lake, Sparkie decreased the van's speed, as not to collide with any unexpected rocks. Situated at its lowest point, the depth of the lake measured three miles, which is where they'd find the gateway.

After a lengthy silence Connor spoke to Tookar. 'Who created the AAA?'

'Arbtu. He arrived from another galaxy and took the opportunity to create an organisation to bring different star-spirits together.'

'I remember Deana mentioning him.' A long fish sped in front of the van distracting Connor.

'Arbtu sought humane people throughout the galaxy. He could read people's minds, so no secrets were kept from him. If someone had foolish plans to betray him, he would know before they did,' explained Tookar.

'Does the government know of the AAA?'

'They have their suspicions but nothing is concrete. Luckily for us, our secret hideouts haven't been discovered.'

Sparkie became agitated at the mention of the word government. 'We're star-spirits and should treat each other, as we ourselves would like to be treated, with respect. While so many star-spirits are harmless, others are not. But what horrifies me most of all is to have one set of morals for humans and another different set for aliens. It's a crime knowing government officials experiment on aliens in their eagerness to know how their insides work. It's disgusting! They wouldn't treat humans so despicably.'

'Some do,' Tookar reminded him.

Sparkie ignored his comment. 'They're immoral.'

'Oh, I feel a bit queasy!' mumbled Tookar.

'We're a fair way beneath the lake and you're experiencing the effects of compression. But don't worry. I'll modify the settings in the van. You'll feel better soon.'

The lights in the van dimmed. Connor shivered. He hated the dark – safe to say this wasn't his favourite place right now and he breathed a sigh of relief as the van lights flickered.

'Sorry! I pressed the wrong button!'

Sparkie reclined in his seat, placing his hands on his head, leaving the van on autopilot. As long as he looked for obstructions, they'd be fine.

'I might as well give you your bracelets now.' Sparkie retrieved some items from the glove compartment – some brightly coloured bracelets for them each. 'Pull the clasp open and it'll fit your wrists.' He quickly demonstrated how to secure them.

'It's pretty,' Kia murmured and stroked it before she handed it back. 'I won't be needing this. My body adapts to any planet's atmosphere.'

'Lucky you,' remarked Connor.

Kia laughed at him. 'Is it so bad for a boy on Earth to wear a bracelet?'

'Yes! It's what girls wear.'

'Some boys wear them,' said Tookar.

'How strange. Boys wear bracelets on my planet!' she giggled.

'Why doesn't it surprise me,' Connor muttered.

It took a while for Connor to open the clasp on his blue bracelet and in the end Kia helped him. Her dainty fingers unlocked the clasp and, much to Connor's delight, she helped secure it to his wrist. Being too large fit, it could easily fall off. Yet, as Kia secured the fastener, it immediately shrunk to fit his wrist perfectly.

'Wow!' he gasped, mesmerised by the glowing red stone in the centre. 'Its magical?'

'It is!' laughed Sparkie.

Keeping the yellow one, Sparkie had given Tookar the green bracelet. Although they were different colours, each bracelet contained the same magical pulsating red stone.

'When you want to move in any direction, touch the red gem and move it in the direction you want to go. It's so simple,' instructed Sparkie.

Connor touched the warm stone, which rolled beneath his touch.

'Hang on! Prepare yourselves for a bumpy ride,' cried Sparkie. 'Land ahoy!'

The van decreased in speed and with a heavy thud, rebounded off the bottom of the lake, disturbing thick layers of mud. They held on tightly. Pulling back a lever, Sparkie eased the impact by helping the van to levitate off the ground slightly. The van continued disrupting the grimy layers below as it swept passed, while floating a few inches above the bed of the lake. Yet it made little difference to the already dark and murky view.

'The gateway is further to the north.' Eagerly, Kia pointed her finger ahead, almost poking Sparkie's eye when he swung round. Luckily his glasses saved him. 'Oh, sorry,' she giggled nervously.

Wiping the mark off his glasses where Kia's finger had made contact, Sparkie consulted his compass. He changed their direction slightly, whilst pressing his nose close to the screen. It reminded Connor of driving in thick fog.

A short while later, Kia cried, 'Stop the van!'

Sparkie jumped and instantly pulled back a lever before touching his heart. The van shuddered to a halt.

'Kia pointed in distress. 'Over there!'

'Huh?' Connor scrunched his eyes but saw nothing.

Squinting, they stared at the white screen. As the murky water settled, hazy movements were seen and as their eyes adjusted to the dimness, large black creatures burst from what appeared to be another large lake at the bottom of the Great Lake.

'It's the gateway!' cried Kia. 'They're coming from Dramian. What are they doing? Are they coming after us?'

Sparkie shook his head. 'Those monstrous brutes! This is where those young children have been disappearing. Definastine is sending those creatures to go after them.'

'What are they?' Connor blinked hard.

'Atropertries.' Tookar's expression darkened. 'How many of them, Kia?'

'At least fifty,' she counted, watching the last one swim away.

'Thanks to you. Have you x-ray vision or something?' said Connor.

'No, but it seems to be better than yours.'

Sparkie became frustrated. 'I'm searching for a gateway, but I still can't see anything.'

'You won't. The gateway is beneath the shimmering liquid,' explained Kia.

Sparkie pushed a lever forward and the van lowered, passing through the thick green liquid. It emerged on the other side in a pocketful of clear colourless water with a whirlpool of light illuminating the surrounding area. Large and flat, it shimmered with three swirling tones of yellow mixing together, creating a brilliant pattern. Roughly fifteen feet wide, the van could enter it easily. The water sparkled like expensive champagne.

'Isn't it beautiful!' Kia murmured.

'Yes, indeed!' chuckled Sparkie.

Spellbound, Connor gasped. 'It's amazing! So this is the gateway to Dramian. How can something this beautiful lead to a place so horrible?'

'That, my lad, is what we're going to discover. Strap yourselves in,' ordered Sparkie, and the clinking of seatbelts immediately followed.

Connor passed Kia a nervous glance.

'Don't worry. You won't feel sick for long.'

'Huh?' Connor's eyes widened. 'What did you say?'

Before she answered, Sparkie prepared for launch.

'Let's not waste any more time. Are we ready?' he cried.

'Yes,' cheered Tookar and Kia in chorus.

'No,' whispered Connor.

'Let's go!' announced Sparkie. 'Dramian, beware! Here we come!'

The van moved gradually, descending towards the swirling lights, when an uncontrollable force sucked them into the brilliant sphere. With a life of its own, the van tumbled with speed through the large dimensional avenue. Rocketing, it soared into the unknown. Streaks of blue and white light enveloped the van as it passed through the twisting tunnel. At this point, Connor realised what Kia had meant.

Several seconds later, they were spat from a large circular ring. Sparkie pressed a button and a huge rubber ring, filled with compressed air, appeared under the van, absorbing most of the impact, though the van still crashed heavily, scraping several feet across the ground before grinding to a halt. Squeals of terror were replaced with silence. Sparkie recovered quicker than anyone and spoke first.

'Well – we're here!' he announced in a croaky voice, sounding like a tour guide.

The fish instantly vanished when Sparkie flipped a switch.

'What have you done to them?' cried Connor.

'They've simply been miniaturised,' Sparkie explained.

The van had become transparent, leaving them no place to hide in the middle of a terribly bleak landscape. The source of light on the gloomy planet came from a full moon, the twinkling stars and the headlights from the van. Sparkie switched them off.

'Bit late,' whispered Tookar. 'They've spotted us!'

Connor shivered. Outside unfamiliar plants with skeletal branches grew wild in the hostile environment. The ground was strewn with hard rocks and stone. High in the sky were displays of shooting stars. Occasionally one exploded. The large full moon watched them peacefully, offering little comfort to the foreigners on foreign land.

Tookar looked grim. 'We'd better move. It's not safe.'

Sparkie attempted to pull a lever but it jammed. 'I can't budge it!'

Connor bit his fingers as smoke and jets of steam poured from the front of the van followed by a loud hissing.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The World of Dramian

'Great!' glared Tookar, frowning heavily towards the smoke and steam, which continued to rise from the engine along with sizzling sounds.

'I'll go outside and check the damage,' Sparkie growled, annoyed. Reaching towards the door, a strong pressure held him back, preventing him from leaving.

'No, you won't!' Tookar yanked him on to the seat with a thud. 'You're staying put!'

Kia panicked. 'The Armatripes have surrounded us! Let's go!'

Kia possessed powerful vision and could see further than any of them. The Armatripes circled them, advancing slowly towards them. Their marching footsteps vibrated the floor of the van. Great hulking bodies moved stiffly through the darkness with glinting swords elevated in mid air. They were trapped. Connor trembled, reliving each moment leading to this predicament they were now in. No one escaped the intense gloom of despair, mounting from this dangerous situation.

Sparkie panicked, swinging his arms, missing Tookar's face by an inch. Jabbering, he continued pressing buttons and jiggling stubborn levers. But no matter how desperate he wanted his van to respond, it remained still.

Meanwhile, Tookar scrambled into the back of the van, hastily rummaging in one of the cardboard boxes when Sparkie collapsed on the seat exhausted.

'Oh, dearie me!' croaked Sparkie, his glasses falling lopsided on his face. 'Whatever have I done?'

'If we're in trouble grab a weapon! Dad says, one mustn't quit until the battle is won.'

'Your dad is perfectly right, of course. Great minds think alike.' Tookar had already armed himself with a massive gun, which needed to be supported on the shoulder. 'You two grab the smaller ones. While you're still alive, you might as well help.'

The Armatripe were closing in. Sparkie, sensing the change of mood, pulled a black umbrella from the glove compartment. 'At least I have this!'

'We're facing war... and you're concerned about... rain?' Tookar growled, shaking his head.

Sparkie gaped. 'What? Who said anything about rain? This, my friend, is a weapon!'

A weapon? It didn't resemble a weapon from any angle.

'Another one of your amazing creations, no doubt,' muttered Tookar.

Sparkie hastily pressed a small button on the roof. It slid open with ease. 'At least this still works!'

A soft gush of air rushed into the van, before an invisible dome-shaped shield sealed shut across it. Connor welcomed the burst of fresh air, since the atmosphere in the van had become stale. The refreshing air appeared to be harmless – perhaps oxygen or something similar.

Standing on the back seat and wearing his shaggy mammoth coat, Sparkie peered through the invisible shield, exposed above the waist.

'If you open the roof again, I'll shoot them from above.' Kia's eyes blazed with fire as she held two small black guns.

'Are you sure you want to do this, Kia?' Tookar held her arm.

'Yes. I want to help you.'

'It'll be dangerous.' Sparkie gave her a brief hug. 'Keep safe!'

'This material above prevents anything entering. But you can fly without a problem.' Sparkie poked his finger through the strange matter to demonstrate his point.

With lightning speed, Kia flew into the night sky.

Sparkie shifted his position. 'Tookar, come and stand on this seat and protect my back!'

The Armatripe were less than ten feet away. Every second crucial.

'Be sure to point the weapon outside the bubble when you use it!' Sparkie warned.

Tookar positioned his heavy-duty weapon on to his shoulder. With a slurping sound he exposed the end of his weapon through the protective matter. Both the men could be seen above the roof but protected within the shield.

Connor crouched into a tight ball with his weapon held tightly, until his palms became sweaty and his knuckles whitened.

'Don't aim high!' shouted Sparkie. 'I don't want Kia being hit.'

They fired the moment the first Armatripe made contact with the van. Huge pinchers slammed heavily against the van from every direction. The black armoured Armatripes glimmered in the light of the moon. Surly faces watched Connor, cold black eyes made him shiver. They reminded Connor of massive beetles. He huddled in the back and closed his eyes, shuddering. The van rocked back and forth, yet luckily for them it remained intact. He covered his ears to block the awful sounds. But eventually curiosity overcame his fear.

Sparkie's unique umbrella repeatedly blasted powerful lights and when it fired, it cracked loudly. One by one the Armatripe fell.

Tookar's weapon fired as fast as a machine gun and appeared to do little damage. Connor realised each pellet acted like a small explosive device. Once it became embedded inside the enemy, it blew them to pieces seconds later.

'Gottcha!' yelled Sparkie.

The Armatripes were relentless and their motions slow. They appeared strong and undefeatable, not to mention noisy with their boisterous war cries and marching steps stampeding on the land.

Tookar handled his weapon adeptly as if it were part of him. In truth he'd killed twice as many Armatripe than Sparkie. At one point, Tookar ceased firing and looked across at Connor.

'Quickly, pass me one of those small cardboard boxes!'

Connor passed the closest one to Tookar, whose forehead dripped with sweat. He tugged the lid open, taking a small cartridge of ammunition from the box and placed it into a compartment at the side of the weapon.

The thick wall of Armatripe cleared. Although losing, the last remaining Armatripes still approached relentlessly.

'Why aren't they running away?' whispered Connor.

But the war wasn't finished yet, no matter how much Connor wished it to be. The Armatripes continued to tread clumsily on the great wall of their dead comrades, with faces of fury and little black eyes full of menace.

Relieved, the enemy were losing and large, obvious gaps appeared between their ranks as the last line of attack became defeated. Not one Armatripe remained standing. Seconds later, Kia entered the van, tired. The battle ended in a matter of minutes, though Connor's heart continued pounding for minutes afterwards.

An odd silence had descended after the tremendous war cries and crackling gunfire. A dreamlike quality followed the aftermath of the battle. Needless to say, dead bodies covered the ground.

Voices celebrated above him. Tookar and Sparkie stood on the seats, while Kia stood on the van roof throwing her head back and laughing. Connor tucked his weapon inside the waist of his jeans and zipped his jacket to conceal it. Although he hadn't used it, he believed it might come in useful later.

'Kia, good tactic!' Sparkie cried excitedly. 'You took them by surprise, didn't you – fantastic work, young lady!'

'Come on,' Tookar smirked. 'Miniaturise this van.'

They departed the van by the doors instead of the roof as Kia had done. Once outside, Connor had another surprise. Sparkie instructed him to press the stone in the centre of his bracelet and when he did a blue tinted bubble surrounded him. Slowly, with a plop, the bubble bounced from the step of the van to the ground. Gravity didn't exist in the bubble and Connor had no control. No matter what he did his feet wouldn't go where he wanted them to go. So he floated weightlessly inside the transparent bubble, which stuck fast to the ground. His legs insisted on floating apart in two separate directions – north and south. Levitating clumsily like a circus clown, he endured Kia laughing at him, until she struggled to fly due to the cramp in her stomach.

'You're so funny!' she squealed in delight.

Connor ignored her. Although he'd experienced a bad start, it didn't take long to get the hang of it. He experimented with somersaults.

Meanwhile, Sparkie floated like Superman with his arms outstretched. He'd miniaturised his van to matchbox size and carefully rolled his bubble towards the dinky vehicle. Once positioned on top, he gently, so as not to burst the bubble, reached through the protective surface to collect the van. Once he secured the van safely inside his pocket he signalled the others to follow him.

Kia flew with her wings gently humming and her hair trailing long as if immersed in water. Connor envied her being so at ease with her legs neatly together and her arms relaxed by her sides.

Although having improved slightly, Connor clumsily moved his arms and legs. He floated facing forwards, sometimes somersaulting. Tookar adopted a more practical position; he levitated cross-legged like a genie on a magic carpet.

'Okay, time to go!' Sparkie indicated. 'Touch your bracelets and move forward!'

And thus, their journey began.

'Urgh!' Connor groaned, queasy after seeing the dead bodies of the Armatripe.

But to their surprise, the dead bodies shrivelled and vanished, leaving the ground bare with no trace of a battle having happened. Perplexed, Sparkie scratched his head and muttered, 'But Armatripes don't disappear when they die.'

They cautiously progressed a short distance along a smooth matt path, which shone vividly in the light of the moon. Wild, jagged, unpredictable country lay on each side of the path. However, tempting to continue their journey along the level path to the massive stronghold in the distance, given the other choice of the wilderness. But to take the path would be equivalent to waving a neon flag and telling Definastine they were coming.

'Urgh!' Connor pouted, when he touched the boundary of the invisible shield, it felt as gooey as bucketful of cold slugs. He sharply withdrew his hand where it made a squelchy sound on removal.

They gingerly made their way through a rough path, barely wide enough for each of the bubbles to pass through. Kia navigated them through the winding routes, since she had the advantage of foreseeing their direction. She flew a short distance in front making sure she kept her friends within vision. To avoid the various obstacles, including dense skeletal plants and huge boulders of rock, they were forced to travel twice as far. Their movements were dramatically delayed, as the path they proceeded along proved hazardous. The spiky fingers of the branches, grey and pale in the light of the moon, proved most difficult to pass.

The novelty of flying inside a bubble wore off and the journey grew wearisome. At first the air seemed fresh but Connor worried of suffocating in the shield meant to keep him alive. Confined in such a small space, he hoped to be free of it soon. And if it wasn't bad enough, his ears blocked.

A range of mountains shadowed the land to the west, varying in height. The dark ground below, indicated a vast pit. They'd learnt the world of Dramian had a mixture of different temperatures varying from freezing to boiling point due to the presence of underground boiling larva. Boiling liquid at various points beneath the surface flowed continually. Bubbling eruptions spurted unexpectedly from the ground, taking them by surprise. In other shaded places, the crust had frozen hard in ice.

At various intervals through the rugged rocks, the smooth wide path could be spotted. But they avoided the path as if it were a poisonous snake and opted reluctantly for the jagged land. It would take them longer but they had little choice. The huge boulders, often blocking their path, were a hindrance, but they also provided shelter from various groups of Armatripe, who marched along the wide strip towards the dimensional gateway. Thankfully, Kia warned them of any fiends as they remained hidden until the enemy passed.

Occasionally a shy lizard wandered across their path, scuttling into the undergrowth with its bottom wobbling furiously. To the east bubbling brooks spurted red-hot liquid high into the sky, varying in height. The piercing heat would be enough to destroy their bubbles and them. Connor shuddered.

'That's where we're heading!' Kia shouted, pointing ahead.

After making their way through a network of large stones they stood at the edge of a large pit, fifty feet deep. It appeared to be a large defensive ditch of some sort. The way forward involved crossing a small path two feet wide, and Kia had led them directly to the small crossing.

Tookar raised his eyebrows. 'What now?'

'We don't have a choice.' Sparkie took the lead once more. 'We must go on.'

'Follow me, Connor,' indicated Tookar.

I don't want to go anywhere, Connor wanted to scream. Leave me alone. Come back for me later! But being a coward wasn't an option, because being left didn't appeal to him either.

They slowly progressed in single file along the narrow track above the gorge.

'Must be at least fifty yards.' Connor tried to judge the distance left to travel before they were safe.

Sparkie skilfully maintained their previous pace, whereas Connor and Tookar had difficulty keeping pace. To make matters worse, this narrow section was visible from the main path.

Suddenly, Kia screamed. Sparkie had disappeared. Kia continued to scream. Tookar appeared to be struggling with something. His body was jerking. He was bellowing. Without any warning, Tookar vanished in front of him. In disbelief the path disappeared. He tried to move backwards, but not quickly enough. The path beneath him vanished too and he plummeted into the great ditch.

'Nooo!' yelled Connor, tumbling. Beyond the sound of his own terror erupting from his throat, he heard Kia calling their names.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Rock Dwellers

They fell weightless inside their bubbles. Connor's comfort came from knowing Tookar and Sparkie were falling in the pit with him. It happened so fast. As he neared the ground the bubble continued to spin but Connor flipped onto his back.

His bubble slammed into the ground, rippling and shuddering lightly from the pressure before it popped with a squelchy sound. His back collided heavily on to the rocks from where he'd previously been floating three feet in the air. He tilted his head forward, to avoid banging it, allowing his back to absorb the majority of the impact. It wasn't a conscious decision, but more of a survival instinct. He hurt but apart from serious bruising, nothing had broken. Now his shield had been destroyed, he lay for several seconds waiting to die – expecting a shadow to blanket his eyes. Inhaling a last breath, Connor looked upward. Death hadn't claimed him and he was still alive. The shields had been unnecessary.

Connor lay in shock, but not for long. A commotion a short distance from him, caused him to raise his head. Groaning uncomfortably, he lifted his upper body and rested on his elbows in time to see Tookar unconscious and being lifted away by little grey men, who wore nothing but loincloths. They carried him into a darkened doorway inside the rocks.

Connor panicked. The little grey men, with their massive black eyes and wrinkly skin, were the same intruders he'd fought in his bedroom, when they'd sliced his skin with their sharp daggers. They were short compared to him, standing at five feet in height and stooping gently. They were gentle with Tookar and carried him away carefully as if he were a prized possession.

'No!' Connor yelled, drawing unwanted attention.

Another gang of wrinkly men eyed him curiously. They scrambled towards him with crooked knees. Wincing with pain, Connor staggered to his feet. Tugging the gun from the waistband in his jeans, he armed himself. The adrenaline surged through his body putting his pain on hold.

He walked backwards until his body slammed against the steep wall enclosure. The little bald men approached him cautiously, wobbling their long noses.

'Come any closer and I'll shoot!' he threatened.

Strangely, they didn't appear too harmful until Connor waved the gun at them, then their expressions transformed into sneers. The little creatures were confused and communicated to one another in a gabbling alien language, creating an annoying grunting sound. With suspicious faces they surrounded Connor, pulling the familiar shiny daggers from their belts and pointing them at him.

'What do you want with us?' he shouted. 'Where have you taken my friend?'

They spoke. One of them came closer, poking Connor in the chest with the sharp tip of his blade. Connor knocked it away with the gun and fired. The grey creature fell instantly and a second later it disappeared into dust.

They stopped talking and watched him nervously. In a frantic response, they scrambled away to distance themselves from Connor. On the other side of a rock came a faint whimper. The rock dwellers cocked their heads at the sound and spied Sparkie emerging. The little grey men danced excitedly, temporarily forgetting Connor.

'Ow!' Sparkie groaned, glancing towards Connor. Whatever else he wanted to say say died on his lips when he caught a glimpse of the strange little men. He shook his head in fear as the creatures turned their attention to him.

The little grey creatures ran towards Sparkie, lifted and carried him through the same doorway into which Tookar had disappeared minutes earlier.

'No!' Sparkie screamed.

Connor ran after them as they passed through the door. He fired his gun and shot another two creatures. He didn't dare shoot the others surrounding Sparkie, in case he missed.

As the last creature disappeared, the doorway immediately vanished. The opening inside the hard stone had once more become solid rock. The red stone shone and in some areas sharp as glass. Connor stroked it and sliced the tip of his finger, blood pouring freely from the wound.

'Ouch! What the –?' he mumbled. 'Sparkie! Tookar! Can you hear me?' He thumped the hard stone with his fists. Questions of why he'd been left alone confused him. Why didn't they want him too? He ought to be glad they rejected him. 'Give me my friends back! Let them go!' he screamed. 'Let me in!'

He stood alone in the empty pit, screaming for Kia, until his voice turned hoarse. But she didn't come. What should he do next? He paced the edge of the pit, circling it until he grew in frustration and anger. He kicked the loose rocks beneath his feet, stubbing his toes on an extra large one.

'Ouch!' he cried, hopping on the spot.

He stared hopelessly at the stars. He wasn't afraid to scale a fifty-foot wall but this one appeared impossible. He held his finger tightly, trying to stop the flow of blood. This wall, spiked with rock able to slice his skin like the sharpest blade, trapped him.

He kicked at the ground again in frustration. Something cracked beneath his foot. He jumped backwards in surprise as something white flashed on the ground. He bent to examine it, lifting it and acknowledging the smoothness along its length. In a fright, he gasped and released it, a lump forming in his mouth.

In shock, he trembled, for the spot where he stood was covered in bones. Human remains lay strewn on the ground. Connor had stepped on a long bone with nodules at each end, roughly the size of a thighbone, snapping the demur clean in half.

His stomach tightened. Why hadn't he noticed them before?

'Oh, no!' he gasped, afraid to move in case he stepped on more. His eyes scanned the area, lit by the moon revealing so many strewn on the ground.

'It's not safe,' a small voice whispered.

Connor spun round, losing his balance. His heart pounded with adrenaline but he had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide or escape. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching. Had the person walked straight through the wall?

'Keep away... f... from me!' Connor stammered. 'Keep away!'

'Shhh!' whispered the boy. 'They'll hear us. You should go now. It's not safe.'

The young boy appeared nervous, so wiry and thin his ribs protruded from his skin. He appeared no more threatening than a wilting daffodil. His eyes however, though wide and scared, clearly held strength and shone an amazing colour blue. His nose wasn't huge and wobbly but small in comparison to the other rock dwellers.

'Who are you?' Connor stepped back to avoid standing on more bones.

The boy had a smooth head and kind eyes. 'I'm a rock dweller. Come, you must leave now!'

'Not without my friends.'

'No time to argue. Your friend Sparkie has already called for assistance. He wanted me to help you. Your friends are alive but you must go quickly. You are their last hope of escaping, but if you're caught their hopes will be dashed.'

'You know Sparkie?'

'Yes. He and the other man have been taken to a cell on level three. I've been speaking to him. Now escape while you can. I don't want you trapped. You're a boy and I won't help my people capture you.' The boy's face saddened. 'I have to be cleansed tomorrow. My time has come. My fate is sealed but yours isn't – you can still leave. Go now, while you still have the chance. You can't fight the rock dwellers alone.'

'But my friends!' whispered Connor, but his words died on his lips as the boy touched the stone, which shifted to form a ladder up the wall.

'Th-thanks,' stammered Connor, staring at the boy in awe. 'Thanks for helping me. Are you sure you can't help my friends?'

'I'll doing what I can.' Clearly agitated, he glanced in all directions. He pointed upward, 'Go!'

Connor wasted no more time. Forcing his legs to move, he slowly climbed as the boy vanished through the rock.

With sheer determination and strength Connor made it halfway up the steep wall.

He paused. His arm muscles ached, but he'd reach the summit, if it was the last thing he did.

But a commotion below startled him. The bottom of the pit was moving with angry rock dwellers swarming the area below and screaming at him in their strange language. Once he reached ten feet from the top, a thick rope fell beside him with a loop in the end.

'Put your foot in the loop and I'll pull you,' a gruff male voice called. 'Hurry!'

Connor had no idea whom the voice belonged to. But with nowhere to run, he had little choice but to trust it. Still holding on to the stone ladder, he nervously placed his foot inside the loop. He grasped the rope and prayed whoever held the other end wouldn't deliberately let go of it.

The rock dwellers below placed their palms on to the rock face and the ladder immediately vanished. Connor clutched the rope for dear life, praying he wasn't going to be released to the hungry mob below.

But whoever held the rope continued to heave him up. Once hoisted to safety, he collapsed to the ground, exhausted and confused.

'My friends!' he cried. 'I must help them!'

His saviour didn't speak. Instead he walked towards the edge of the cliff and fired. Many rock dwellers were scaling the rock surface like spiders, but with a single shot they fell and died. The others on the ground scattered, vanishing through the walls.

The stranger touched Connor's shoulder and as he did so, the boy became engulfed with the strangest sensation. Like a fire extinguisher calming a roaring fire, he felt calm. His saviour communicated to his body, warming and reassuring him. For the first time since he'd arrived on the planet, Connor felt safe.

He lifted his head as a huge beast knelt on the ground beside him, with a length of rope slung across its shoulder. Its body, covered in a short layer of soft brown fur, thinned on its face. Metal armour clung to its body, gleaming in the moonlight as if it were a mirror. Wearing black leather trousers with massive black boots it appeared strangely human.

'You!' gasped Connor. 'I know you!' Reawakened memories came to the surface of his mind. He knew this beast in front of him, but the person he'd remembered as a hairy-faced man wasn't human.

'I didn't expect you to recognise me. It's been a long time, aye, a very long time indeed. And you were a toddler at the time.'

'You were the one who took me from my parents,' blurted Connor.

'Yes I did. It seemed right, since I'm one of your Star-Lord fathers.'

'What?' gasped Connor.

'I'll explain later.'

Connor rubbed his face and leaving a trail of blood, from the open wound on his finger. 'Thanks for helping me.'

The beast grimaced at the sight of the wound. He pulled from his pocket a piece of cloth and a small leather bag. Inside the leather bag, he took a tub of thick, white cream, which he dabbed with the cloth and applied to the wound. 'Keep still, this won't hurt.'

As he tended to Connor's wound, the ointment's cooling effect penetrated deeper than skin level, soaking into his sore muscles. The tip of his finger instantly stopped bleeding and the throbbing eased. He wiped Connor's face gently to clean it.

'What's that?'

'Flutis – it's a healing ointment.' The beast replaced it in his pocket. 'Come. We've work to do.'

'But I don't know your name,' said Connor.

'Bromie.'

'I'm Connor.'

'I know.'

When Bromie stood, Connor gaped. The giant, seven-feet tall, gathered his rope and slung it on his shoulder. 'Sparkie told me to keep an eye out for a boy with scruffy blond hair.'

Connor gasped. 'You saw Sparkie?'

'Yes. He still has his corbee with him.'

'Corbee?' questioned Connor.

'It's a communication device, similar to a mobile phone but much more advanced,' Bromie explained. 'Others from the AAA are working their way through the tunnels now. It's why I could help so quickly.'

'Oh! How's Sparkie? Did he mention Tookar?'

'They're okay for now. But rock dwellers eat humans. Apparently Tookar and he are on tomorrow's menu, in aid of a cleansing ritual for a young rock dweller named De-ma.'

'I met him.' Connor explained how a young rock dweller had saved him and provided a ladder to escape the pit. 'He mentioned a cleansing ritual, but he wasn't happy about it.'

'Nothing good can happen when someone interfere with your brain,' muttered Bromie. 'Tomorrow the goodness from his soul will be stripped away, leaving him changed forever.'

Connor gulped. 'We must help him too – but why didn't the other rock dwellers take me away?

'You're stronger than them and they sensed it. Besides you have a gun. Rock dwellers don't enjoy fighting. They enjoy killing their prey quickly and easily. Come. Enough talk. We're going to the stronghold.'

Bromie helped Connor on to his feet. They walked in the same direction Connor and his friends had earlier taken. Connor followed Bromie, thinking of Kia and hoped she'd survived.

'I don't suppose you noticed a flying girl? She's missing and I haven't a clue where she's gone.'

Bromie paused, with worry. 'Kia's gone missing too?'

'You know her?'

'Well, Sparkie mentioned her.'

'The last time I saw her before we fell into the pit. So what shall we do now?'

'Meet the rock dwellers and try to bargain with them.'

'Bargain with them? What with?'

'Their own lives,' Bromie grinned.

In the far distance, magnificent mountains framed the horizon, where a warm glow from a fiery beacon could be seen on the tip of a huge monument far away. A few feet from where they travelled, a bubbling pool spurted thick, muddy lumps making rude noises as it did so. Another small lizard, scampered close to the pool, sinking its bright orange skin beneath the soft muddy ooze. Another one followed it.

'Nice place,' muttered Bromie.

'It reminds me of planet Earth in the future, if people don't stop destroying it with pollution, greed and power,' mumbled Connor.

'It's a bit deep and serious for now.' Bromie kicked a large stone similar in size to the one which Connor had painfully stubbed his toe and it bounced like a football.

'I read a book once at school. I feel as if I've stepped on to the page as the artist ha drawn a world like Dramian.'

'Maybe possessed the power to visualise places without visiting them,' Bromie suggested.

'Maybe.' Anything seemed possible after his recent experiences.

They trudged for a mile and a quarter before they came to rest at a cluster of leafless trees. Bromie squatted, to spy through the large gaps between the branches.

He lowered his voice and pointed. 'Look!'

A gang of Armatripe guarded the entrance to the stronghold. Their backs were covered in black armour and glistened as if they'd been polished for hours. Adding to their grotesque appearance were six crooked arms, complete with claws. Two skinny crooked legs with huge flat feet supported their large bodies.

'What are they? Deformed dung beetles?' muttered Connor.

Bromie grinned. 'Or fried giant cockroaches. We must get past them before we can enter the place.'

The colour drained from Connor's face. 'What? You want us to go in that place?'

'You want to rescue your friends, don't you?'

'Yes but...do you have a plan?'

'No, do you?'

The night sky buzzed with activity. A loud humming noise hovered overhead. Bromie pushed Connor further between the trees to hide him. They remained crouched and hidden. The sky teemed with streaks of colour from hundreds of flying aliens strongly resembling stingray fish, illuminated by an eerie blue light. The strange decorative lights passed overhead, shooting and zigzagging through the blackness towards the stronghold. The persistent humming noise continued until the creatures had passed. They were protectively guarding something in their group but he couldn't see it clearly enough.

'They're beautiful!' Connor whispered.

'The whizzers are dangerous!'

'And fast.'

'Shhh! Keep still!'

They watched the whizzers drop something to the ground in front of the entrance. The Armatripe picked the limp bundle. Connor narrowed his eyes to focus. When an Armatripe slumped the object on its shoulder did Connor realise what they had been guarding.

'It's Kia!'

But Bromie shushed Connor for the whizzers retreated the way they had come. The low flying, deafening cloud flew above them, reminding Connor of an engine of a small flying craft.

'I hope she's okay,' mumbled Connor.

'At least we know where she is. I'm calling for help.'

He took a small round metal disc-shaped object from his waistcoat and flipped the lid. As he dialled numbers into the device a three-dimensional hologram image projected from it. A large transparent head appeared floating above the device, similar to Bromie but wearing a black eye patch on its right eye.

'Where the devil have you been?' came an agitated voice.

'I'm going to rescue some of our men but require help.'

'Give me your co-ordinates and I'll see you in a jiffy. Do you have your bridge with you?'

'Yes.'

Bromie reeled off numbers and their conversation ended.

'What's a bridge?'

'It's a way of travelling from one place to another by using co-ordinates. Now we have the co-ordinates to this forsaken country we'll be able to visit any time without waiting for a full moon.'

'Is it a spaceship?'

'No. A bridge is a small device which has the power to transport you in seconds to a place a million miles away.'

When Connor came face to face with a nine-foot giant who held weapons in both hands and wore a patch, he patted Bromie on the back in shock. The giant wore leather trousers, tied with a buckled belt, and a matching waistcoat. Speechless, he watched as Bromie greet the stranger.

'Connor, meet Obi, my brother.'

Connor trembled. 'Pleased...to meet you.'

The giant roared with laughter as he shook Connor's hand. 'I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope my brother has been looking after you.'

'He saved my life,' he whispered.

Obi roared so loud the Armatripe near the stronghold spotted the giant's head sticking from the tree. He didn't try to hide.

'Cooeee!' Obi waved to the enemy.

Needless to say the whizzers swung back at once to attack Obi, who laughed with pleasure, while Connor remained concealed.

Obi bellowed louder than Mr Piggott ever did, swiftly swatting one whizzer after another with a weapon resembling a tennis racket. At the same time he poked a large metal rod with a clear crystal at the end towards another whizzer. It zapped and disappeared.

The tennis racket knocked the whizzers and the metal rod made them vanish. One by one, they flicked their tails at the giant as if trying to sting him but despite Obi's size, he moved with adept skill and speed. Fascinated, Connor huddled within the branches of the trees, watching him zap the creatures and make them disappear altogether. After a chaotic five minutes the whizzers had vanished.

'Easy peasy!' Obi laughed victoriously.

Three Armatripe charged towards the commotion. Gripping his massive sword, Bromie leapt the tree to fight on the other side from where Connor lay concealed. He landed nimbly for someone his size and positioned his legs wide for combat. These Armatripe were armed with the same powerful swords as the ones, which had ambushed Connor and his friends earlier and moved slowly in comparison to the giants. By the time they lifted their swords, Bromie had already swung his weapon above his head to slice the grotesque creatures in half.

'What a party!' Obi laughed. 'I haven't caught so many whizzers for a long time.' He helped Connor onto his feet. 'Are you okay?'

'I'll live.' Connor wiped the dirt off his clothes.

'One sting of their tail and you're paralysed for hours! Good job you stayed hidden,' Obi grinned. 'But they won't sting me!'

'How come?'

'The giant howled. 'I'm too fast for them, that's how come!'

Connor took an instant liking to Obi.

Bromie cleared his throat. 'Thanks for helping, Obi.'

'It's what brothers are for,' he grinned. 'If it means destroying anything belonging to that over-sized pinkly-doodle-pop, I'll willingly do it.'

'He means Definastine,' Bromie explained.

'Why, that oversized-pee-pot-brain!' Obi carried on, still referring to Definastine. 'He won't get away with it!' He thrashed his rod in the air. 'I'll track him and tear him limb from limb.'

'You would?' gasped Connor, marvelling at his confidence and strength.

'No. He'd probably turn me into a giant jam buttie before I got anywhere near him. So where to now?'

Bromie pointed to the structure in the distance. 'The stronghold.'

Relaxed, Obi took the lead, strolling confidently with massive strides. Connor ran to keep pace.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Screams of Despair

Confidence oozed from Obi. Connor felt calmer and more reassured in his presence. Having a nine-foot giant on your side in battle made him more optimistic. Bromie appeared more relaxed too. He relinquished his leadership role and seemed content to let Obi make the major decisions.

'He's my older brother,' Bromie explained, chopping a thorn bush for Connor to pass. 'Where I come from first born are taller than the rest.'

'And he's the runt of the family,' Obi grinned broadly, pointing his thumb towards his brother.

When they arrived at the exterior of the fort, it appeared unnaturally quiet, causing Obi to slow and signal for the other two to stop. The moon watched them quietly. Its silvery light shone brightly above, revealing shadows shifting near the stone enclosure.

Obi shook his head and laughed aloud.

'Fools!' he sang. 'We can see you!'

The secret ambush had been a waste of time and Connor and his new friends stood outside the stronghold, as the place became utter chaos. Whizzers charged with speed from around the corner. The deafening noise sounded like a thousand bees trapped in a small metal container with a microphone pressed to it. Obi yelled insults at the enemy as he struck them. Meanwhile, Bromie grasped hold of Connor, placing him behind his body to protect him.

Whizzers flew, seemingly occupying every available space, but with his sword, Bromie sliced them in an instant as if they were nothing but apples, lying dead on the ground as the lights faded quickly from their bodies. Bromie acted fast, each action precise and deliberate, destroying anything close to them.

Connor gaped in admiration at Bromie's skill. He held the weapon he'd concealed earlier beneath his jacket and much to Bromie's surprise began shooting. A few shots strayed but Connor soon mastered it and shot with accuracy. With so miss when so many of them were in the sky.

Obi had since disappeared beneath a blanket of whizzers but a grunt and a deep hearty laugh reassured his comrades he still lived. An occasional remark such as, 'Come little buzzies, I want to tickle your tummies!'

Obi became smothered in a thick blue sparkling cloud, continuously ducking and diving and spinning round quickly not to give the whizzers a chance to strike him. Whizzers were being whacked and zapped, flying at different angles before darting back for more. Obi swatted them as if they were gnats, with accuracy and perfection. By his sheer skill alone the flock of whizzers decreased and Obi laughed victoriously. When the last one had been eradicated not a drip of sweat could be seen on his furry brow.

But they had more to fight.

Several towering Armatripe were now rushing towards them with black ugly faces contorted in fury and bellowing with open mouths, showing their rotten brown teeth. They were slow, Obi mock yawned. At the last moment, when they were almost upon him, did he jump, engaging himself in battle. At this point the two brothers rushed forward, fighting side by side, leaving Connor safe.

Obi jumped and crashed his hefty weight on to the Armatripe he'd knocked on the ground, squashing them flat as pancakes. Connor shuddering at the sounds of cracking bones. More Armatripe followed the first clump, then another and another. He defeated them with a swift bang to their head and to make sure they wouldn't rise again, Obi continued jumping in the air before squashing them.

Bromie too, dealt with them in his own way by slicing their heads off with a single motion of his sword. Strangely enough, Connor remained calm. The Armatripe were hideous giant insects and resembled nothing human.

Meanwhile Obi had created a new game. Lifting an Armatripe he threw it towards the others, knocking them as if they were skittles. The aftermath of the battle saw dead Armatripes laying sprawled on the ground as if they were sleeping but others were as flat as pancakes with eyes bulging from their sockets. Some were headless. Connor pressed himself close to the wall, watching the last few remaining Armatripes get beaten.

While the brothers were preoccupied they failed to notice an Armatripe sneaking towards Connor. The boy sensed the creature. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled uneasily and, spinning round fast, he came face to face with a hideous creature. It moved stiffly, appearing older than the Armatripe already engaged in battle.

The creature pulled him harshly, its voice deep and crackly.' You! Come with me!'

Connor moved quickly. Holding his jacket securely with its pinchers, the foul creature dragged him away, but the boy wriggled and fought against a superior strength far outweighing his own.

'Get off me!' he screamed, pointing the gun at the Armatripe's face. 'I'll shoot!' The Armatripe gave a nasty grin and tightened its grip. 'I warned you!' snarled Connor, pressing his finger on the trigger.

He fired immediately. The Armatripe's face exploded into thousands of pieces and a fountain of green grunge rained over him. The leftover debris of the alien ooze covered his face.

'Urgh!' Connor cringed. Its rancid odour was worse than a stink bomb. 'Gross!'

'Connor!' Bromie ran towards him.

Connor face turned green. Clutching his stomach, he leaned forward and gagged.

'You did well. I was too far away to help you but I saw what happened,' Bromie paused briefly. When he next spoke he sounded disappointed, though not with Connor but more with himself. 'I should've been watching you!'

Connor puked a second time.

'You did well, lad.'

His lips quivered as he leant his body forward to heave for a third time.

'Better clean you up, lad.'

Bromie led Connor towards Obi. 'We've got a casualty.'

Obi jumped on the spot from one foot to the other, full of energy, and revitalised after his battle. Waving his weapon in the air like a racket, he seemed more like a tennis champion than a warrior. Next to him was a pile of squashed Armatripes. He made a face at Connor.

Obi twisted the head of a large flask of water and poured over Connor's head. The freezing cold liquid immediately washed the green gunge from his face, helping Connor recover.

Obi slapped his back a little harder than Connor would have preferred. 'So, you killed your first Armatripe, did you? You did well, Sir. You're one of us now.'

Until today, he hadn't killed anything in his whole life apart from the odd spider when he'd been too young to know better, now he'd killed a rock dweller and an Armatripe. He tried to make excuses for what he'd done. He tried to convince himself he'd killed a cruel beast, which had destroyed and harmed others. Surely it wasn't a bad thing. But deep inside no matter how he tried to disguise it, he'd killed and from experience he knew killing was wrong, though it couldn't be avoided.

Whistling jovially, Obi stepped through the entrance to the stronghold where they came across a large, flat roofed building. The building's square perimeter, made entirely from stone, had metal doors barring the entrance. Bromie appeared more attentive than Obi at this time but it wasn't the case. Although he was whistling, Obi's senses were heightened to the constant threat of danger.

Rubbing his palms, with his one good eye he eyed the massive doors.

'How come your brother wears a patch?' Connor whispered quietly to Bromie.

'He lost his eye in battle a few years back,' Bromie explained.

'How awful.' Connor wondered what it looked like beneath the patch.

'Leave this to me.' Obi's muscular leg kicked the doors, causing an echo to reverberate beyond the doors, enough to deafen anyone standing close to it. Once he'd made a sizable gap, he ripped the doors off their hinges and threw them above the high wall like paper aeroplanes.

'Wow!' murmured Connor. 'Nothing can stop him!'

Bromie grinned.

Deep inside the entrance a flurry of activity roared below in the tunnels.

'More whizzers. Stay clear.' Obi braced himself for another onslaught. 'It's playtime again.'

He dashed inside the building.

'Be careful, brother,' Bromie called after him.

The passageway inside the entrance sloped to where a tremendous racket erupted. Roars echoed through the tunnel. Connor covered his ears as the noise blasted from the doorway. They waited in silence for Obi to emerge a few minutes later.

'Well, I got them,' he cheered.

'You're getting old, brother,' Bromie jibed.

'I am,' he agreed. 'But there's still a lot of life in the old dog yet. Be careful where you step – it's messy inside and I didn't have time to clear up.'

Terribly dark and damp in the passageway, Connor shivered as he slipped on the remains of some dead creature but thankfully remained on his feet. Obi led the way down the slope, avoiding the slippery, dead whizzers in his path. Further along the passageway green lamps glowed gently, lighting their way. Being unventilated in the massive corridor and Connor coughed to clear his throat. The rancid odour made Connor cover his nose with his jumper, relieved to whiff the homely scent of Marion's home, sparking recent memories of the place. How were they coping? Did they know Jeremy was still alive on Dramian and trying to rescue his son Daven? But what if Daven had already died? What if they don't find Jeremy?

'This is a large room!' said Obi.

They entered a circular room, filled with a mysterious blue light, with a magnificent domed ceiling beautifully carved from stone. Pale blue stone seats occupied the boundary of the room and in the middle of the floor, a pinhole of blue light shone from the ceiling.

'This room is positioned directly below the moon so it shines when its at its highest. It's a meeting place of sorts.' Bromie examined the seats.

With one doorway to enter, goosebumps appeared on Connor's arms as gaze rested on a magnificent stone carving of a massive bear with huge teeth. Its piercing eyes shone on yellow stone.

Bromie thought deeply. 'This bear must be important – too many references to suggest otherwise.'

Most walls had a carving of a bear, standing tall and mighty with a double row of thorns along the length of its spine.

'It's creepy,' whispered Connor. 'Do you think this is where Kia's ship had been taken?'

Obi ran his fingers along a circular ridge in the ground, as round as the room. 'Ah huh! I'll bet you anything this floor is a lift. Search for a button or lever of some kind. This lift will take us down.'

'I saw something in the wall as we came into the room,' Connor pointed to the wall with regret. Was he mad? Did he want to descend to a bottomless pit, overrun with rock dwellers which enjoyed chewing the bones of humans?

Obi secured the lever. 'This must be it! Good work, Connor! Stand in the middle of the floor.'

Rooted to the spot, Bromie held the boy's shoulders and pushed him forward.

'Don't freeze on us now,' he said gently. 'Remember as long as you possess the Starstone no harm can come to you.'

Nodding, Connor firmly gripped his weapon. The Starstone might be powerful but he didn't know how to use it and the gun proved to be a more reliable method of protecting himself at this moment.

'Here we go!' Obi warned and gripping the lever he yanked it in one fell swoop. A deep throbbing sound immediately came from within the walls. The ground trembled. Obi ran back to join the others, jumping lightly towards the descending floor.

Clanking metal on metal sounded somewhere, as the ground rumbled. Connor hadn't encountered an earthquake before, but felt similar to this. The ground wasn't secure anymore. The deep sound of a metal chain rattled in time with Connor's pulse as the ground lowered slowly.

They were fifteen feet below the room level and another minute later they were another fifteen feet down.

At that moment, Connor saw a grey creature leaning over the edge of the room above them, peering with wide eyes. 'We have company.'

Several other rock dwellers had now joined the first.

'As long as they don't join us, we'll be fine,' muttered Obi.

The creature's contorted faces filled with panic as they gabbled incessantly. Unsure of what to do they threw a couple of daggers, which narrowly missed Connor's feet. The blade sparked the stone before breaking clean in half. The others held their weapons and their voices becoming louder. Several of them disappeared.

'They're going!' cheered Connor.

Bromie squinted, thinking hard. 'But why?'

'They want to stop us!' growled Obi. 'Let's hope they're too late.'

When the ground abruptly came to a standstill, it became clear what the rock dwellers had done. They'd halted the lift, leaving them stuck in-between levels in an enclosure with smooth slippery walls. Escape would be tricky.

'They want to starve us!' panicked Connor, his mouth dry.

'Well, you know what they say – where there's a will, there's a way!' Obi inspected the two-inch gap surrounding the lift, as if the wall had vanished beyond it. 'We're here! This is the level we were coming to. Stand back and watch for any more flying daggers.'

He pulled his sword from its sheath behind his back and lifted it high into the air, as a rock dwellers threw a dagger.

'Watch out!' Bromie cried, leaping forward.

The dagger threw so fast Bromie didn't have time to push his brother free from its path. It whizzed straight through the air and sliced through Obi's skin and muscle, embedding itself in his shoulder.

'Ahhh!' Obi cried, grabbing the handle and tearing it, causing blood to seep from his wound. A cheer of victory erupted above them. Grimacing angrily he flicked the blade with speed back from where it had come, slicing into the heart of a rock dweller and causing it to fall below. Its body slammed heavily on to the huge stone slab, its bones snapping. Connor closed his eyes. The rock dweller crumbled into dust. Above, the others hushed, retreating.

Bromie stood by Obi, urgently applying healing ointment on the deep gash. Obi remained still while his brother continued to nurse him. His clothes were soaked in blood, but at least with the ointment, the wound had stopped bleeding and had started to heal. In another hour the wound would be as good as new.

'You evil fiends!' Bromie snarled at them and watched them retreated.

'Thank you, brother. Let's go!' Obi grumbled, lifting his sword once more and striking it hard at the stone slab.

Connor gasped as the sword shimmered in the air and became more astounded to see the blade remain intact as it crashed on the bloodstained stone. What sword could possibly be stronger than rock? Slinking away the rock dwellers disappeared. Relieved, Connor saw them flee with their tails between their legs.

A large crack appeared in the surface of the rock. Obi stamped his foot at the edge and a chunk gave way, into the chasm below. The lift could descend further, but this was the level they were getting off at. The hole in the floor was wide enough for Obi to climb through. He shuffled on the edge of the hole with his legs dangling below. He struck his sword into the wall.

'Hold my sword before lowering your body. Make sure you swing to make the jump. Otherwise, you'll fall.'

Connor's jubilation had long since vanished. Scared, he thought they'd plunge into the chasm below. What if the sword gave way? Obi believed it would work and if the sword could withstand his weight, then Connor would be fine, as long as he didn't let go of the sword.

Obi grabbed his sword and lowered his body through the large gap. Lifting his legs forward he swung his body back and forth a few times before making the jump.

'Hurry!' he urged.

Bromie looked at Connor. 'Go on, you go next!' You'll be fine.'

Shaking, Connor tried to grab the sword, but it was too far.

'It's no good,' he said. 'I can't reach it.'

Bromie leaned forward. 'Hurry! Grab hold of my hands and I'll lower you through the hole and swing you instead.'

Connor might have resisted this idea if he hadn't witnessed Bromie's earlier display of strength when he'd managed to lift him from the crevice with ease. Trusting Bromie, he held on tightly to his large hands, roughened by years of hard work. Bromie gripped his wrists and lowered him gently until he hung above a bottomless shaft. Once his body slipped through the gap, Bromie swung the boy several times.

'I'll catch you!' Obi called, his voice echoing. 'Swing him a little bit more. That's great. Now after three let him go. One... two... three! Go!'

He flung Connor towards Obi, who caught him and laughed at the child's terrified expression. He released the trembling lad. But after the initial fear had faded, the boy grew courageous. He'd faced many trials and thankfully survived them. He became invigorated, believing after such an experience he could face anything.

'Stand further back!' Obi urged Connor. 'Bromie's going to make his jump.'

Connor waited several feet from the edge as Bromie prepared to lower himself.

'Hold on, brother!' Obi called.

Through the hole they watched Bromie's feet dangle before the rest of his body came into view. With a single kick, he swung with ease like his brother before him and landed safely. Relief swept across Obi's face with his brother now safe. Standing on tiptoes, Obi retrieved his sword from the rock.

This area had a small passageway leading from the room.

'I guess I'll have to make it bigger,' Obi lifted his large sword, brought it crashing into the rock. The huge chunks of collapsing rock broke on impact. He kicked the huge boulders away as if they were empty cans and continued to break the walls until he was able to pass through the gap. Despite the deafening noise, the place erupted with shrieking screams of despair and hopelessness. The small group stopped dead in their tracks listening to the harrowing sounds coming from somewhere in front of them.

Obi eyes darkened with concern. During this time no one uttered a word. He elevated his magnificent sword high above his head and continued to sever the rock. It fell apart as if it were tree bark. Haunting cries rose above the racket of falling slabs crashing to the floor. Obi sweated. Screeches and wailing moans made Connor's blood curdle. He shivered with a face of pure terror.

Previously he'd come face to face with Definastine, his dark hounds and rock dwellers, yet these screams without a face were something else entirely, more terrifying and soul destroying. They had a way of entering your body uninvited, frightening every cell and atom in the process.

Connor jumped.

'The lost children!' Bromie whispered, appearing equally affected by the haunting din. 'We've work to do.'

'The lost children?' Connor gulped with shimmer of excitement. If they'd found the lost children, they'd find Jeremy too.

Putrid and foul, they'd entered what appeared to be the heart of a sewage system. Connor gagged and covered his nose and mouth at once. Pulling a couple of sweet scented handkerchiefs, Bromie tied one round Connor's nose and tied one across his own. Obi did the same. Like bandits they entered through the widened doorway into a massive corridor lined with beautiful decorative pillars. Eerie green fungus shone dimly from the walls, lighting their way. Obi moved carefully along the strange passageway when a shrill cry erupted on the other side of the wall, causing them to turn sharply.

Doors were unnecessary, as rock dwellers didn't use them, yet on the other side of each wall persistent cries rained. Banging vibrated through the walls as people thumped it from the other side.

They walked the entire length of the fifty-foot corridor, but there were no doors. Occasionally Connor jumped as dampened wails erupted from the wall beside him. The screams were hallowing.

Obi turned to the others. 'These are cells but they have no entrances.'

Connor explained to Obi how the rock dwellers were able to manipulate rock and move it in certain ways. He mentioned how they had made a doorway disappear and how a young rock dweller had made a ladder appear in the rock to enable his escape. Bromie confirmed his story, having witnessed it himself.

'So the rock dwellers must have sealed them!' finished Connor.

Obi raised his eyebrows. 'That explains it. We'll let our troops know our position.'

He took a small black device from his pocket and flipped the lid. It gave a loud beep. 'Sampras, send our men in to these co-ordinates. We've located the lost children.' He reeled off several different numbers, which meant nothing to Connor. After ending his call he looked at Connor and Bromie. 'There's one way to deal with this situation.' He grinned as he lifted his sword. It flashed in the green light. 'Stand back and watch the master at work.'

CHAPTER TWENTY

The Lost Children

After a lengthy pause, Obi hesitated and lowered his sword, his eyes thoughtful.

'What is your worry, brother?' questioned Bromie.

'Perhaps we'd better wait for assistance. We don't want to stir a hornet's nest.'

Connor's lip curled. 'Huh? You think it's a hornet's nest?'

'No!' smiled Obi. ' But something else, something evil. I don't want to release a demon alien species and have to fight them. We can't be one hundred per cent sure it is the missing children behind these walls.'

'Lets deal with one cell at a time. Together we can deal with anything,' smirked Bromie.

'Okay. It's agreed. Let's prepare ourselves.'

Bromie moved to the right of Obi, keeping his distance. With his sword, he widened his stance. When they were contemplating the next plan of action they were similar, but when it came to fighting they were like chalk and cheese. Bromie generally fought in silence with an occasional grunt due to effort, whereas Obi's voice fought alongside his sword, ridiculing those he killed.

With his decision made, Obi strode forward and pressed his ear to the wall. 'Stand back from the wall!' he shouted.

The haunting shrieks subsided at once. Obi lifted his three-foot sword in the air as he'd done so many times before and brought it down onto the hard surface of stone. The blade sparkled as a large crack appeared in the wall. The crack continued to the ground where the wall in front of them crumbled and collapsed into a heap of rubble. The deafening noise of bricks tumbling, caused the startled cries to turn to panic.

Connor protectively positioned himself at the rear. As the red dust settled the cries diminished and the corridor became deadly silent. It was unclear what was worse: cries of despair or an unsettling silence.

Bravely, Obi prepared for action. He peered inquisitively at the hole he'd made. He blinked his eyes free from dust and saw movement on the other side of the wall. Slowly emerging into view were five children: three boys and two girls, dirty and wearing nothing but stinky, torn rags. Their eyes were filled with distrust and bewilderment. They emerged wild with matted hair and their skin torn in places, covered in rags.

'The lost children!' gasped Bromie.

Obi immediately altered his warrior pose to one less threatening. He knelt so as not to appear too intimidating and replaced his previous expression with one full of empathy. Connor left his hiding place.

The larger boy placed the smaller children protectively behind him and spoke in a language they didn't understand. He tried again but Obi shook his head.

'It's no good. We don't understand.' Obi turned to Connor. 'I can speak several different languages but English from this planet. Can you speak any other language?'

Connor shook his head.

'Someone must speak English,' muttered Bromie.

'I do,' uttered a small voice from the back of the cell. 'I can speak English.'

Obi's eyes blurred with tears, to see scared children torn away from their families to a place offering nothing but fear.

Obi greeted them warmly. 'What's your name?'

A small girl stepped forward towards him. 'I'm Debbie. Have you come to help us?'

Obi widened his eyes. 'Yes, we've come to take you home.'

The little girl looked distraught. 'My mummy will be angry I chased Scampi, my puppy. He ran away and then the birds brought me here.'

'The birds?' quizzed Bromie.

Obi continued kneeling and talking to the youngster.' It's okay! Your mummy won't be angry. She'll be happy, trust me.'

The giant's voice had a calming effect and the children scrambled across the rubble for the first time since they'd arrived. For a giant to speak so gently, Connor suspected he could tame the wildest of animals.

The children clutched each other desperately, having formed a close relationship with one another. They were able to communicate largely by a method of sign language they had developed.

'How long have you been here, Debbie?' asked Obi.

'I don't know.'

'Can you remember a date when you were last at school?'

She bit her lip. 'I wanted to watch the fireworks but the birds took me away.'

So roughly three weeks, he calculated. Debbie's face was tearstained and muddy. 'Well, you'll be okay now. Don't worry. You're going home today and no harm will come to you. Do you understand?'

'Yes.' Debbie's dark brown eyes were trusting and when tears came to them, Obi scooped her in his arms where she sobbed, her little body shaking with relief. The other children came closer to Bromie and Obi wanting a cuddle too. Some other's were sobbing too.

Bromie turned to his brother. 'We must let them go straight to the AAA. They'll require medical help and besides the AAA will be able to track their families faster than the police can.'

'You're right.' Obi gently released one of his arms from the children and took his corbee communication device from his waistcoat jacket. 'Don't be scared.' He pressed a button and a second later a hologram image of a man's face appeared glowing blue. The children screamed.

'A ghost!' cried Debbie, shaking. She tried to run but Obi held her securely.

'No, don't be frightened. He's on our side. He's going to help us, to help you.'

'Agent Obi,' came the voice. 'How's the mission proceeding?'

'We've located the lost children,' Obi explained. 'The corridor we're in is filled with them. Open a portal to the AAA hospital wing. These children require help.'

'Give me your co-ordinates.'

Again Obi reeled off various letters and numbers.

'Good work team,' Arbtu congratulated. 'When your work is done make sure you get home safely. Any sign of Sparkie or Tookar?'

'Not yet, sir,' said Obi. 'But we're getting closer to them. I can sense it.'

'I wish you luck.' With that, Arbtu vanished.

Obi replaced his corbee in his pocket. A slight breeze filled the corridor. The children stiffened and tightened their grip on the adults. A small pinprick of light magically appeared in front of them. Slowly it grew to the size of a huge hula-hoop. It shone and shimmered a liquid-grey, mercury colour.

'Wow!' gasped Connor. 'It's amazing.'

'Go through now!' Obi urged. 'People are waiting for you on the other side. They will give you clothes and food.'

Debbie made a face as she glanced past the portal to the other side of the corridor. 'But there's nothing on the other side,' she whispered disappointedly.

'This is a magic doorway,' Obi explained. 'It'll take you to a special place where you'll be safe and reunite with your families.'

Debbie bit her lip.

'If you go first, you can help the others understand,' Bromie suggested.

Debbie faced her friends and beckoned them to follow her. One by one the children held each other's hands to form a link. She pointed to the portal and pointed to her stomach, pretending to eat. Their hunger drove them forward and was enough for any of them to take a blind leap of faith through a magic doorway. At the portal Debbie paused, the shimmering light reflected on her cheeks.

'Thanks,' she said, before vanishing.

As the children walked through the portal, they disappeared one by one. As the last child departed, Obi smashed the walls connected to the small dirty cells.

The corridor teemed with dust and rubble. The small hazy figures of children emerged from their confined cells, frightened and confused. Several of them were coughing as they struggled through the dust. For a second, they reminded Connor of chimneysweepers with their dirty faces and filthy, ragged clothes. More children appeared by the second.

They didn't know what was happening. Gradually, when they realised they were being rescued, their voices increased. The corridor filled with many different languages gabbling at once.

At the end of the corridor a collection of strange men appeared, wearing black leather trousers and waistcoats. Obi greeted them. It occurred to Connor, after noticing the bizarre appearance of these men, they weren't human – for one resembled a rhinoceros. After a brief conversation, the strangers charged along another corridor.

'This operation is larger than we first anticipated. It seems several more corridors are housing imprisoned children. We have five other groups operating on different levels to empty the other cells,' Obi explained to them. 'If Tookar and Sparkie aren't on this level, others will find them.'

Wasting no time, Obi inquired if anyone could speak English; several other children stepped forward. These children communicate to the others of the safe place waiting for them on the other side of the portal. In a massive line the children shuffled towards the shimmering portal. The younger children were hesitant. Fifteen minutes later, having watched hundreds of children pass through the portal, Obi sighed.

Unfortunately, his satisfaction was short-lived. A band of elderly people and younger adults were discovered huddling in their cells, refusing to leave. These people were the ones responsible for crying so insanely beforehand. Their eyes appeared blank – soulless and destroyed inside. Now and then they'd tilt their heads back, open their mouths and cry desperately. Moving in a zombie-like fashion, they had to be physically pushed through the portal. Otherwise they'd have remained where they were, staring into space and banging on the nearest wall.

Connor was nervous of the older people and watched Obi and Bromie assist them through the portal. The older people didn't have a clue where they were going. Connor's throat tightened. How long had those poor people been huddled and forgotten in this desolate world, becoming shadows of their former selves? With hunched backs and fragile movements, they shuffled through the portal like a herd of timid sheep. These were the last people to be sent through. Once completed, Obi communicated with Arbtu again.

'Mission accomplished,' he smiled.

'You've done an excellent job,' Arbtu praised them. 'Terrible business, absolutely terrible – poor souls. We'll provide them with rehabilitation. Thank goodness you found them in time. Ah – good to see you, young Connor!' Arbtu smiled. Connor tingled with pleasure. 'May the light guide you home safely.'

The communication ceased and the portal disappeared.

Bromie spoke first. 'Come on. We'd better continue on the lower level. We've exhausted all avenues.'

Obi nodded in agreement. As they were leaving the corridor, a small grey figure staggered round the corner. A deep growl rumbled from Obi's throat, who pointed his sword towards the creature and charged towards it. Panicking, Connor grasped the giant's arm.

'No, don't!' he urged. 'It's the rock dweller who helped me escape.' Connor ran towards the youngster.

'Careful. It might be a trap,' called Bromie.

But Connor threw caution to the wind, seeing how De-ma gripped the wall. His battered and bruised face, showed signs of weariness and his breathing was laboured. His body bore the signs of torture: deep whiplashes had cut deep across his back and shoulders, from where red blood poured freely. He staggered to Connor and collapsed by his feet.

'They knew...I'd helped you,' he rasped, 'and they punished me. I've come to warn you of a trap on level five... be careful of Sheen...she's powerful...and can control minds...don't make eye contact with her...or she'll control you.'

'Where are our friends?' asked Obi.

'On the next level. It's exactly...like this one. With as many prisoners...I've been helping them...as best as...I could....I've been secretly feeding the humans so they didn't starve...Definastine has destroyed my people...he made them cruel...he made them the way they now are.'

'Can you show us?' asked Bromie.

'I'm not strong enough...I struggled to come this far.' De-ma's voice faded. He pulled something from his pocket. 'I stole this...it's a map of this place. Use it to find your friends...help as many people as you can.'

Bromie used his ointment to sooth on De-ma's back. 'You did a brave thing helping us. Thank you, De-ma.'

'I'm glad you're saving the children...I only did...what was right,' he whispered, his eyelids closing. He took a last breath before his body fell limp.

'No!' cried Connor. He ran his fingers across De-ma's warm forehead.

'Come on, Connor. We have to go.' Bromie pulled Connor away, but he refused to budge.

He shook his head. 'No, I want to save him,' he insisted. 'He saved me.'

Ignoring Bromie's words, Connor held De-ma's hand and closed his eyes, half expecting to sense an electric shock, similar to the one he'd experienced when he had healed Tookar, but nothing happened. Connor opened his eyes. A bright light encircled De-ma's body accompanying his soul body as if left the physical one. De-ma's ghostly image floated upward towards the light above. Floating weightless, he smiled and waved to Connor before vanishing peacefully into the blinding brilliance.

A single tear fell and he wiped away. Unable to explain what he'd seen, he kept it to himself. No visible light shone in the corridor and no one else had witnessed De-ma's soul departing his body.

Tears filled all eyes for the child who lay before them. They barely knew him, but their grief wasn't lessened. This brave child had saved so many lives. He'd risked his own to save others. Connor was overcome with guilt. If De-ma hadn't helped him, he might still be alive. He wished he could repay him in some way.

'He's a brave little warrior,' Obi gave a little sniff. 'But he's gone to a better place now.'

'Better place?' whispered Connor. 'What do you mean?'

'He's returned home to the place where life is created – to the land of the spirit. To the place where we were born.'

'You mean heaven,' Connor corrected him.

'People call it different names,' replied Bromie. 'We call it the land of the spirit. The funny thing is, we fear death but it's our true home, from where we were born. We have nothing to fear and no one is excluded.'

Connor remembered the smile on De-ma's face and knowing the land of the spirit existed, comforted him – a place after death. Death wasn't the end, but a simple process people needed to pass through to travel to another dimension. Connor brushed away his tears.

De-ma had inspired him in so many ways. With utter determination, De-ma had struggled despite his pain, to offer them help. Ashamed at his own behaviour of shrinking away from helping those old people – the same people De-ma had been secretly feeding, Connor would try to make up for it.

Something stirred deep inside of Connor. The humble rock dweller had unknowingly provided Connor with an experience, which would help him grow into a more mature person. His own example now shone inside Connor.

Obi whispered a short prayer. The others closed their eyes briefly in respect. He finished with: 'May his journey into the light be complete.'

While Connor knelt by De-ma, Obi examined his gift – a small red sphere, with a yellow button. Obi pressed it and a map magnified to mammoth proportions in a hologram image in front of them. A red pointer flashed repeatedly, to mark their position.

'Let's not waste what precious time we have left.' As Obi spoke, De-ma's body decomposed, grew older by the second. They watched in silence as his body crumbled into dust.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The Queen of the Palamores

Descending the steep stone, spiral staircase proved especially awkward for Obi and Bromie, since their feet were huge. Cheering and jubilation sounded from various passageways, as Obi's comrades were helping other children escape.

Naturally alert for any further sign of alarm, their senses remained heightened to the environment. Ready for battle, they continued cautiously. Since the incident with De-ma, Connor had become more confident and sure of his abilities. He held in the forefront of his mind an attack, which could turn their enemies into stone, for he disliked blood so it seemed a reasonable way of stopping any opponent. He'd never done it before but it couldn't hurt to try.

But much to their relief, nothing prevented them progressing to the next level. Apart from their soft footsteps treading on the stone floor and an occasional grunt from Obi, as he slipped on the odd step, they journeyed in silence. They exited the stairs to another lengthy corridor.

Connor tightened the handkerchief. The stench increased the further they descended and the odd whiff stabbed his nose. On the verge of vomiting several times, Connor controlled it by holding his breath. This meant becoming dizzy but Connor hadn't much choice.

Obi ran ahead, shouting further warnings to give people a chance to move back, before lifting his sword and slamming it into the hard stone. Since De-ma had already explained more humans needed assistance, fear took a backseat in this repeated performance.

'Stand back! Get away from this wall!' The thick walls crumbled at his feet.

Connor and Bromie kept their distance as Obi moved to the next cell. They approached the first uncovered cell and watched as more half-starved people clambered from it, dazed and disorientated. They were much older than the younger children on the level above them but had the same wild appearance, as if they'd been in the cells forever. They walked hunched and it became obvious why – the ceilings of the cells were low, making it impossible to stand straight.

Some of the people weren't older than thirty years but they had grey hair, bald in places. Their faces were sunken as if they were old beyond their years, holding expressions of uncertainty and relief.

Bromie took charge of the corbee and a portal manifested near him. Bewildered faces watched the portal as if it were a threatening enemy. Gasps of disbelief and fear erupted from the freed prisoners, ranging in age from thirty to eighty years.

This time Arbtu sent linguistic star-spirits through the portal to help. These star-spirits were able to communicate by speaking different languages. Some of the people had lost the ability to communicate.

'I don't believe it,' whispered Bromie. 'These people have forgotten how to talk.'

Obi, Bromie and Connor continued to assist by helping people leave the cells and supported on the rubble. Now the linguistic star-spirits had arrived, children were going through the portal more quickly. They'd already grouped certain individuals and lead them through the portal. The star-spirits helping were a tall race of gentle people. The females had beautiful, long flowing white hair and wore long light-blue dresses. They were oddly out of place in the gloomy corridor and more likely to be seen in a place of worship. The men wore plain trousers and long baggy tops, draping past their waists. But the most amazing thing aura of light they possessed protruded an inch from their bodies. They held a certain presence of strength and appeared no more threatening than teddy bears.

'They're Palamores,' explained Bromie, giving them a wave. 'Very sweet people, I might add.'

Obi joined them. 'Where's Lidena?'

'Lidena?' quizzed Connor.

'Bromie's bride to be'

'You're marrying a Pala... a Pala...'

'Palamore,' grinned Bromie.

A single figure came through the portal, a woman with white hair flowed gently in a slight breeze coming from the portal – more beautiful than any other Palamore. Her face beamed as she ran towards Connor, but when she called Bromie's name, the boy realised his error.

'Bromie!' she cried, running towards him with outstretched arms.

Bromie rushed forward, grabbing hold of her tightly before lifting her into the air by her waist and swinging her round. Lidena's face shone with happiness.

'Can't you come home as yet?' she breathed.

Bromie stroked her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. 'Once we're finished, I'll see you at home.'

'Okay my love. Please be careful.' Lidena turned to the others. 'Take care of him for me. I want him in one piece if we're to be married.'

'Lidena, meet Connor,' Bromie promptly made the introduction, pulling her to his young friend. 'He's the one the Starstone has chosen.'

Lidena moved towards Connor, as if walking on air. Her voice possessed a dreamlike quality and she absorbed his attention. Her eyes had the power to grab his attention as they searched his mind with deep intent.

'I'm pleased to meet you, Connor. Well, I must say you're causing a stir at the AAA. You're the topic of conversation. So many star-spirits are relying on you at this present time. You are their hope of defeating Definastine. It's not fair and you doubt yourself from time to time. But the Starstone chose you for unknown qualities you do not know exist within you. Yet I see them clearly. You are a true leader. It's strange one so young should be chosen, but the Starstone has chosen wisely. Believe in yourself and don't doubt your newly found abilities.'

Connor, unaware of his surroundings, snapped of it when Obi roared with laughter to break the spell.

'So she had you under her charm as well,' he chuckled.

Connor grinned.

'Don't worry. She has that effect on a lot of people. She's a queen.'

'A queen,' whispered Connor. 'How come she's marrying Bromie? Doesn't she have to marry a prince or a king or something?'

'She doesn't have to but when they met, they fell in love straightaway. It's a coincidence Bromie is a prince too.'

'Bromie is a prince?' gasped Connor.

'So am I,' smirked Obi. 'You're mixing with royalty now. We'll take you back home with us one day when it is safe so you can see our home. You'll love it.'

An elderly man, chuckling madly, emerged from another cell, waving his arms sporadically. A couple of Palamores were struggling to help him without being hit. He had silvery white hair and a long beard. His clear blue eyes had no pupils for he'd been blinded in the year kept in darkness. As he passed Connor, he sang out of tune – but sang none the less. They watched as a Palamore guided him towards the doorway to the AAA.

Although tempting for Connor to jump into the gateway to a place of safety too, he knew his friends needed rescuing first.

Obi looked puzzled. 'Has Sparkie or Tookar been found as yet?'

'Not yet,' said Connor.

Obi strode to the end of the corridor, with Connor following. They came across two cells on either side, which had previously been overlooked.

'Keep clear of the wall!' Obi shouted. 'We'll free you in no time.'

To Connor's surprise, Obi released some small, round, fluffy pink creatures. They appeared to be heads without bodies, or were they bodies without heads? It wasn't clear what they were. Being gentle and cute beneath their pink matted fur, they captivated Connor. They were the size of footballs with limbs hidden beneath their thick unkempt fur. Huge golden eyes watched Connor with interest. Nervously at first, Connor stroked several of them at once, but realising they wouldn't hurt him his confidence increased.

Squeaking in a bizarre language, which increasingly became irritating to the human ear, they bounced off in the direction of the portal. Several gasps of delight came from the Palamores who cuddled and took them to the AAA.

'We call them Pinklepoppos,' explained Obi. 'They're as gentle as rabbits.'

In the last cell on the opposite side of the corridor, Obi discovered Tookar and Sparkie.

'Connor!' Obi called to him.

'Sparkie! Tookar!' cried Connor.

Tookar was first, shaking his head. 'Thank goodness you came in time. Those creatures took Sparkie away and when they returned an hour ago he was unconscious and hasn't woken since. I don't know what they've done to him, but he needs help.'

'Don't worry. We'll get him to the AAA as quickly as we can.' Obi ducked to fit into the small, cramped cell, appearing seconds later cradling Sparkie in his massive arms. Holding him securely Obi took gigantic strides towards the portal. Throughout this time Sparkie lay unconscious with his head rocking from side to side.

Tookar's face looked battered and bruised as he hugged Connor. 'I'm so glad you're alive. I knew if De-ma helped you, you'd survive. He did help you, didn't he?'

'Yes.' Connor remembered the fate of the innocent rock dweller.

Tookar wiped dust from his shirt. 'He promised he would. I wonder where he is now. We must help him leave this wretched place. He's different to the other rock dwellers, did you notice?'

'Yes, but he died a short time ago.'

'Died?' Tookar's joyful expression dropped. 'What happened?'

'He'd been punished for helping me, Tookar. They tortured him. You should have seen him. When I tried to heal him, it had been too late. But I saw him – I saw him leave his body and disappear into a strange, peaceful light. Do you want to know the strangest thing? He smiled and waved to me as he floated upwards to the light. Despite being dead, he looked happy.'

'You saw him going home,' whispered Tookar.

'Obi said the same thing.'

'It's true. But it doesn't make it any easier to accept though, does it? When a life has been taken against the will of another individual, when murder has been committed it is a terrible crime. No one deserves to die by someone else hand. We have the right to live a full life to progress as much as we can before our timely death arrives to claim us and take us back to the land of the spirit. People who've been murdered don't get the chance to fulfil their potential and level of learning.'

'But I'm a murderer. I've killed an Armatripe. Should I have let it live?'

'Connor, the Armatripes murder innocent people. They must be stopped. They are evil and continue to harm others. Killing those creatures will help end their terror they inflict on others. There's no other way. Light must defeat the darkness. You don't go killing innocent people who have caused you no harm, do you?'

Connor shook his head and turned his attention back to the Palamores standing near the portal. Many had returned to the AAA, since the rescue operation had been completed. The remaining few talked briefly to Bromie and Obi before disappearing through the portal.

Bromie said his goodbyes to Lidena and she waved to Connor as she left, and passed a small package to Bromie before the portal closed as soon as she passed through.

Bromie appeared tense after speaking with Lidena and adverted his gaze whenever Connor looked at him. His shifty behaviour unsettled the boy, who sensed the giant knew something, which involved him. He'd been so preoccupied by this, he hadn't noticed Tookar's transformation into a huge, grey wolf next to him where he jerked in fright.

'My hearing is greatly enhanced like this. I'll change back if it bothers you though, Connor.'

'No, it's fine.' As Connor familiarised himself with his friend's new form he soon forgot about Bromie's suspicious behaviour.

Tookar remained close to Connor, padding noiselessly along the corridor. His dark brown eyes fixed straight ahead and his ears constantly twitched on high alert.

Obi turned to the others. 'We've Kia to rescue now. De-ma said we'd find her on level five – another two levels below this one. Apparently a trap is waiting for us.'

Connor recalled De-m's words. 'He told us to be careful of Sheena and not to make eye contact with her.'

'Well remembered, Connor,' said Obi. 'I have no idea who Sheena is. I imagine her being a woman but she may be in the form of a grotesque beast.'

They followed Obi along another narrow flight of steps, not knowing what to expect. In Connor's mind he held the strong mental image of his stone attack in case they were ambushed.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Sheena

The stillness in the air became unbearably tense. Connor fidgeted with Tookar's fur, running his fingers through the soft mane in a subconscious way to relieve his tension, ignoring the raised hackles on Tookar's neck, standing prominent like a wire brush. A low growl rumbled from deep in Tookar's throat. The quiet atmosphere mimicked the calm before a storm as Obi consulted the map.

'Do you see this large chamber?' He pointed to a room at the bottom of the stairs. 'I believe this is where they are keeping Kia, so let's go.'

With a quick press of the yellow button, the map immediately vanished. Obi placed it back inside his pocket. Further down the steep spiralling stairwell, Obi stopped no less than eight times before proceeding again. Connor hadn't seen Obi so hesitant before. Something troubled him. He strained his ears to listen; yet heard nothing. Still they plodded on. Eventually, as they neared the end of the stairs to level five, Obi paused again, but this time he wasn't happy to move onward.

'Keep your wits about you,' he whispered. 'Prepare for battle.'

Wasn't this a bit drastic? Connor heard nothing and had no idea what to expect. To make matters worse, Tookar halted.

'They're waiting,' he growled. 'They're trying to trap us.'

Unexpectedly, a tremendous banging and crashing came from above and below them on the stairs. Obi growled, his magnificent sword poised ready to face the surge of bodies rushing up the stairs dressed in flimsy coats of armour.

'They're coming!' he yelled.

Bromie swivelled on his heel to deal with the torrent of bodies charging towards him. In seconds, the rock dwellers came into view holding glistening daggers. Their noses wobbled in fury and their expressions were fierce. Thus the battle began.

Two accomplished giants with massive swords kept the enemy at bay. Although Obi had grumbled several times of the stairwell being too narrow, he found it to their advantage at this moment.

Connor remained rigid between Bromie and Obi. He'd wanted to help by using his powers to turn the rock dwellers into stone, but since Obi nor Bromie remained still enough for long, it produced a high risk of turning them into stone instead. Occasionally Bromie and Obi staggered backward knocking into Connor but they moved quickly forward before harming him.

The rock dwellers had been monitoring them during this time and knew they'd try to save Kia – for they had used her, to draw them closer. The bodies continued to storm the small party.

The deafening sounds of metal crashing against metal made Connor cringe. With ear-piercing screams the rock dwellers were stabbed and killed as the sword cut through them. Whatever calculated plan the rock dwellers had, it wasn't working. The two giants overpowered them and remained victorious.

'You little maggots, I'll get you!' Obi bellowed.

More rock dwellers replaced their dead comrades but were struck by one of the mighty swords in seconds. Bromie fought upwards in a more difficult position, but he dodged and dived the reach of his shorter-armed opponents. His lengthy sword and long muscular arms were a massive advantage. Although the rock dwellers dressed in preparation for a battle their feeble daggers did nothing more than scratch an itch for Bromie. Soon, the remaining gang of rock dwellers fled and the clanking ended. Although dead bodies occupied the stairwell, they shrivelled and vanished into dust.

'Well done, brother,' praised Bromie, replacing his sword.

'Saves us from getting bored,' smirked Obi.

Tookar brought their attention to something. 'Did you notice their blank eyes?

They were under a spell of some kind.'

Connor shivered. If the rock dwellers were under a spell, could it be the same person they'd encounter on level five – Sheena. He hoped to be wrong. They encountered no further obstacles on their way, except for a massive block of stone barring the entrance to the large room.

'This won't stop us!' roared Obi.

Suddenly, Tookar vanished beside Connor.

'What the –?' Connor flinched, when a small voice whispered in his ear.

'Don't worry – I'm invisible.'

Obi smashed the door into a heap of rubble and dust after five massive blows.

'Connor, where's Tookar?' asked Bromie.

'He's invisible,' explained Connor.

Relieved, Bromie followed his brother through a gap. Connor followed reluctantly, not wanting to be left.

The large room they entered had blazing candles burning on decorative candleholders embedded in the rock walls. A huge silver object was situated across the room in the gloom with a crumpled figure sprawled next to the spaceship. With no sign of Sheena, they grew warily. Obi grasped Connor's top to prevent the boy from dashing to Kia,

'Careful,' warned Obi, searching the room for any sign of danger. 'De-ma warned us of a trap, remember.'

Instead, Bromie moved forward, shortening his stride as he ambled towards Kia. Unexpectedly, he crashed into something and staggered backwards, managing not to fall. An invisible barrier prevented him from getting closer to Kia, holding him at bay. He thumped hard on the invisible wall, experiencing it quiver under his hammering fists.

'It's some kind of defence,' he growled in annoyance.

'Keep back!' Obi swiped the transparent barrier with his sword, but to their horror the sword snapped clean in half. For a short time, the dumbfounded giant stared at his broken sword by his feet. In the past, he'd slashed through the strongest rock and metals – nothing had withstood his sword. 'It must be some kind of magic, it has to be.'

'It's an invisible force field.' Bromie stroked the smooth surface. 'Touch it. It won't harm you.'

As Connor touched it, a bizarre thing happened. Beyond the invisible barrier a loud, evil cackling erupted, echoing in the chamber. Connor jumped. In manifesting spirals of mist, a ghostly figure, eight feet tall, appeared from thin air and floated inches above the ground. As the mist thickened, the figure became more solid. A woman wearing a long black dress and a long cloak, which trailed along the ground, faced them with cold eyes, lined with thick, black eyeliner.

Her oval face had a sharp chin, with high angular cheekbones and mesmerising eyes. They penetrated into Connor's mind whilst searching for his weakness. Her mind tried to invade his, pulling the loose cobwebs aside as if her fingers had entered his head. Without realising, Connor staring hopelessly into the black pools of her eyes.

Long wavy, black hair flowed to her waist and fluttered gently from a magical breeze. This attractive woman mesmerised Obi and Bromie too as they stared powerlessly. Connor surrendered to her soft voice, caught in the magic of her weaving, twisted spell.

Luckily, Tookar had kept his wits for her voice sounded hard and shrill with as much warmth as a frozen pond. Seeing his friends trapped in her spell, standing frozen in time, he knew he had to do something. He approached Connor first, knowing the Starstone could help the boy.

'Connor!' Tookar urged, whispering into his ears. 'Stop looking at her. You must look away before it's too late!'

Hypnotised by her power, Connor had no intention of listening to Tookar, until something squashed his face, putting pressure on it as if his head was jammed in lift doors and forcefully twisting it to the point where his eyes broke off contact. He panted, released from the spell. He wanted to kick himself for behaving so irrationally. But it made sense – Sheena. He remembered De-ma telling him of her powers to imprison a person with her eyes alone.

What had the woman done to him to make him so mindless, including Kia who may be seriously injured? Sheena shouldn't be trusted. If he were meant to be under her spell, he'd still have to act, until he had a plan to outwit this witch. She'd fooled them with powers of enchantment and thanks to Tookar he'd escaped.

'Now, whatever you do, avoid her gaze!' Tookar warned him. 'She's working for Definastine and we can't afford to become his prisoners. For now pretend you are under her spell. Focus on an area a couple of inches below her eyes. It should help.'

'Hello child.' She tilted her head to one side, gazing at Connor. This time he avoided complete eye contact and focused on the gap between her eyes to make it more convincing. Despite the difficulty, he willed himself to do it. 'So you are the child people speak of. You have the Starstone?'

'Nod your head,' whispered Tookar.

Connor nodded.

'Excellent,' she drawled. 'The Starstone will make me more powerful than Definastine. He will become my servant, for I will control him. You must know by now he wants the Starstone for his own purpose. He wants to control the entire universe. But I will be happy controlling a planet of my own, similar to this one.'

So Sheena wanted to betray Definastine, as he'd betrayed Yamar. She tapped her long index finger to her lips, while thinking.

'It would be so tempting to disappear with the Starstone, while Definastine is preoccupied with war. Imagine my name – Sheena the Sorcerer – doesn't it sound delightful? And with this vehicle, I can take the girl and travel to another galaxy a million light years away. Yes, the girl will be useful for my plan to succeed. She will be my pilot. I need the Starstone.'

She waved her arms in a large circular motion and floated forward through the invisible barrier, which had now disappeared.

Connor sensed a movement behind Sheena and caught a glimpse of the tiara on her head when she had had been momentarily distracted. It had a black stone shining in its centre.

'Connor!' Kia called, rising from the ground. Sheena spun round. Kia awakening had taken her by surprise.

'Oh, so the little pixie has woken, you must want me to put you back to sleep,' snarled the woman, pointing her finger towards her, but shrieked when Kia vanished.

'Anyone who picks a fight with my friends, picks a fight with me!' called Kia's. 'Wake up, Connor!'

'Fair enough.' Sheena temporarily ignored Connor and floated in the air. 'Your stupidity will be your death.'

A snigger came beside him but he continued to stare straight ahead, blank and emotionless like Obi. Since when did Kia learn the art of invisibility?

'Connor!' cried Kia.

'They can't hear you, dear,' snarled Sheena, scanning the room. 'No matter how hard you try to wake them, you will fail. I know it must be hard for you but they love me and will do anything for me!' A heartless laugh erupted from her red lips. Connor shuddered.

'They don't!' Kia screamed. 'They're under your spell!'

Connor knew he'd have to come up with a plan double quick.

'Who are you?' Kia spat 'What do you want with us?'

'Ah, my dear, so impatient – but no, you're right of course, how rude of me not to introduce myself. My name is Sheena – personally chosen by Definastine to represent him, including his quest to capture the Starstone,' she smirked. 'I'm not playing his game any more. I deserve the Starstone for myself.'

'Now that doesn't surprise me, bog trotter,' Kia murmured.

'Pardon?' Sheena snapped her lips, her cruel smile disappearing.

'Where I come from we call a creature which dwells in the mud eating nothing but slimy insects – a bog trotter,' Kia's voice sounded from everywhere at once. Connor muffled his laughter when seeing Sheena's reddened face. 'It describes you perfectly!'

Connor bit his tongue. He hoped Kia had a plan for she played with fire and he didn't want her fingers to get burnt. He grew worried. Kia had no chance fighting Sheena alone. But she wasn't alone for Tookar was somewhere. But where exactly, Connor had no idea.

'Anyway my dear, I've had enough amusement with you, you must die now!' Sheena extended her arms into the air and screamed hysterically. Lightning crackled from her fingertips spilling into the room until a silvery spider web formed. She twisted about the room, frustrated.

A voltage ripped through Connor's body. The lightning was loud and ferocious. He quivered, annoyed by his own weakness.

Sheena ignored Connor, much to his relief. 'Where are you?' she hissed, but received no reply. She grunted and snapped her fingers. Slowly the web of light came back towards her and formed itself into a ball of blinding light.

'Daya Pickaro!' she uttered.

Slowly the ball of light changed its shape, twisting and contorting into a hideous monster made entirely from light. It grew four times the size of Obi, with fangs and a mouth able to swallow a human in the blink of an eye.

'Find the invisible girl,' she ordered.

The beast roared, searching the room. Its thick long tail narrowly missed whipping Connor and his friends as it passed them. For something made entirely from light it stomped heavily, with every step vibrating through Connor's legs, making him quiver. Shuffling on two massive legs, it swung its arms with amazing grace for a beast of such a size. But Connor knew without a doubt if the beast were to slam its fist hard on him, he'd disappear into the ground. Equipped with huge claws and massive fangs, it wasn't a beast to pick a fight with.

After a thorough search and failing to locate the girl, the beast returned to its master.

'Well?' Sheena snarled. 'Where is she!'

The beast roared, shaking its head.

'Aaaahhh!' Sheena snapped her fingers and the beast disappeared immediately.

Much to her annoyance Kia came close to her. 'Don't worry, I didn't go anywhere.'

'Grrr,' sneered Sheena slyly, reminding Connor of a cat ready to eat its prey after it has finished playing with it. Her long index finger, appearing much longer due to her extended black fingernail, pointed to Obi. 'Surrender or I'll kill this ugly giant.'

'No!' Kia shouted.

'You sound worried, my dear,' Sheena grimaced.

'Should I be? We could come to another agreement.'

'If you surrender I'll let your friends live,' she whispered, but with an increasing tone screamed. 'For when I have the Starstone, I shall dominate the entire Universe and mind control star-spirits so they succumb to me! Ha-Ha!' Sheena straightened her posture and smoothed her hair.

Without warning, Kia appeared in mid-air and flew towards Sheena, who yawned. Sheena aimed her hands at Kia as she flew through the air, where black smoke shot from her palms, sending Kia reeling to the far wall, where she fell on to the ground unconscious.

Connor jumped, hoping Kia was okay. He wanted to rush to his friend's aid but his feet wouldn't budge. Sweat developed on his brow. Something had to be done before someone else got hurt – but what? And where was Tookar?

At the darkness moment, the comforting voice of the Starstone spoke to him telling him what to do

Take her tiara and crush the black stone. This will release her from Definastine's grasp. Help set her free. If you break the stone, the power will be broken. Your thought is the deed.

Connor studied her tiara. In the centre of it the black stone was the size of a pea. What should he do? If Sheena was under Definastine's power, why did she want to betray him? More questions befuddled him as he worked through the best plan of action.

Ignoring Obi, Sheena focussed on Connor once again.

'Well, my little darling, come closer to me,' she purred and beckoned Connor. 'Come, let me study you.'

Connor moved closer to her, noticing her black painted lips and floating beaded necklace levitating an inch above her shoulders.

Landing on the ground, she stepped closer, taking her chance. As she approached, Connor snatched her tiara but two tentacles sprouted from two of the pearls in her necklace and held him in their grasp.

'Ahh!' he cried in pain as they tightened their grip.

'What!' Sheena screeched. 'How can you resist me?'

Connor imagined her tiara floating off her head and exploding in the air. Whilst she was preoccupied with Connor, she failed to notice the tiara rising from her head. By the time she became aware, she screamed.

'No!'

She flew into the air trying to grasp it, but it flew faster than she could fly. Kia had gained consciousness and caught it.

'Lost something?' she smirked.

As she held the tiara, the black stone exploded into fragments so small they became invisible to the human eye.

'NO!' Sheena screamed, falling to the floor. 'NOOO!'

Obi and Bromie slumped to the ground the same time as Sheena fell, groaning and clutching their heads. They were released from the spell and left confused. Slowly they scratched their heads in confusion.

Connor rushed to Kia and hugged her tight.

'We did it!' he grinned. 'We destroyed her.'

But to his surprise Kia closed her eyes and transformed into Tookar.

'Get off me,' he grinned. 'I fooled you, didn't I? It was me.'

Connor opened his mouth wide in astonishment. 'Where's Kia?'

'While Sheena talked to you, I hid Kia safely behind the spaceship and pretended to be her. The beast had been unable to find me because he'd been instructed to search for an invisible girl but I'd turned into an invisible man. It walked right past me.'

They rushed to the back of the spaceship as Kia stretched and yawned. Her body was covered in bruises but she was alive.

'Where am I?' She rubbed her aching limbs. 'What happened? I can't remember a thing.'

Grinning, Connor hugged her. 'It's good to see you're okay.'

'My ship!' she cried.

'What's being going on?' Obi staggered towards them.

'Sheena wooed you,' grinned Tookar. 'She fluttered her eyelids and you drooled.'

'I didn't!'

'You did! You must resist falling in love so easily, especially with one as evil as her.' He pointed to Sheena.

Bromie approached her unconscious body and checked her pulse. 'She's not dead. What happened, Connor?'

'I'm not sure. I destroyed the black stone in her tiara which had been controlling her.'

'How did you know?' Obi's brow furrowed.

'The Starstone told me.' Connor felt embarrassed for admitting to hearing voices inside his head, as it wasn't exactly a recipe for good mental health.

'Huh?' quizzed Tookar.

'Definastine had taken control of Sheena and when I destroyed the stone, she was released from his power.'

Acknowledging the Starstone had helped Connor; they discussed their own experiences, explaining to Kia the lost children had been rescued. With so much to say in the little time they had, Kia was keen to leave to return home. After a few minutes comparing stories, their conversations stopped abruptly when a golden light began to shine in the room.

'What?' whispered Kia.

They watched in awe as the light lifted Sheena into the air, rotating her body. Unconscious, she moved gracefully, like a swan on a lake. To their amazement, she transformed. Her black hair changed to golden locks. Her face filled and radiated warmth. Her eyes opened wide, revealing golden pupils, and her lips became as bright as oranges. Her black gown sparkled with golden stars, spreading until the blackness had disappeared. She lowered to the ground once more and collapsed on her knees, utterly distraught and depleted as she held her face and sobbed.

Kia stepped forward. Tookar wanted to stop her, but she shrugged him off. 'You poor thing,' she murmured, sitting next to her. 'You must be feeling terrible.'

She hugged the woman.

Sheena raised her head. 'I've been rescued from a terrible fate. How can I ever thank you enough, especially when I almost killed you. Definastine has killed my people. He slaughtered my friends and family. I am alone now.'

'No, you're not.' Kia's wings fluttered gently.

'Yes I am, dear child. I watched my entire race explode years ago – right in front of my eyes.'

Kia said, 'You're a Tria, aren't you?'

'Yes, but how did you know?' Sheena wiped her eyes.

'A Tria called the High Priestess Serena Iona, lives with us' Kia explained. 'She believed she was alone too.'

Sheena beamed. 'I know her well, but how did she survive? I watched helplessly as Definastine destroyed our planet.'

'She'd been travelling at the time and escaped. She's made a life on our planet now but unfortunately she's become ill.'

Sheena's face clouded. 'It's because of me. When a tria turns to the dark side it upsets the natural energy we share. Serena Iona must have been under tremendous stress because of me.'

'She knew you existed,' Kia explained. 'Well, not you exactly. But she knew another Tria must have survived for her to become so ill. I came searching for you – and my ship of course.'

'When Definastine first tried to control me, I proved too powerful. Now I know why. Since he assumed I was the last survivor, it would have been easier to dominate me. But because Serena Iona still lived she subconsciously helped me oppose him. But he persevered and I weakened under the pressure. Poor Serena Iona was fighting the darkness I struggled against. She's been ill because of me. I can't wait to reunite with her again. She'll be fine.'

'So what now?' asked Connor.

'It's time to go home!' Kia smiled at Sheena. 'And you're coming with me.'

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

The Family Pet

They pushed the Hyas Transporter to the surface of Dramian. Tookar had managed to get the lift working once more by shape shifting into a bird and flying to where the rock dwellers had sabotaged the lever. With the obstruction removed, the lift worked again, making their job a lot easier.

The air outside on their cheeks was a welcome relief. Connor removed his handkerchief as Sheena approached him.

'Do you know how strong you are?'

Connor shook his head.

'You resisted my power, which isn't an easy feat. Do you realise your powers are stronger than Definastine's will ever be? It gladdens me to know the Starstone is safe with you. Definastine will have a battle trying to defeat you. Do you realise the true extent of your gift? If not you must learn to control your powers and use them wisely.'

'He sure will,' Kia grinned, walking towards them. 'You're a hero, Connor.'

'I wish I could repay you, for saving my life and delivering me from the cruel grip of Definastine. Being so weak, Definastine eventually controlled me.'

Bromie approached the small party, preoccupied with something. 'It's time to go.'

Connor walked with Bromie to Kia's spaceship. 'How are you?'

Bromie pressed his lips. 'Yes, I'm fine.'

'I know something's wrong.'

'I'll tell you later. Let's say our goodbyes first.'

They joined the rest, to say their farewells.

'How far away do you have to travel, Kia?' inquired Obi.

'Through several different galaxies. Don't worry, I know the dimensional gateways to make it back safe. My ship has a map of them. My brother and parents will be anxious to hear from me. I can't wait to see them again. Thanks for your help. My family owe you a great deal.'

'Does it frighten you to travel alone?' Connor asked.

'No!' she laughed, flicking back her head of 140 ulti-coloured hair. 'I've been space travelling throughout this universe my entire life. It'll be fun to have Sheena as a companion to go home with me, the journey can be a little long and boring when you're on your own.'

'How old are you?' asked Connor.

'What a rude question to ask a young lady,' Sheena interjected.

'Oh, I didn't mean to be rude!' blurted Connor. They laughed.

'If you must know, I'm several hundred years old according to your time but it's still young on my planet,' Kia laughed.

'You're having me on! Really?'

'No!' she answered. 'It's a joke. I'm much older.'

'What?' he gasped.

'You've aged well,' smirked Obi.

'Why, thank you,' she beamed. 'Anyway, we must move on. We're sitting ducks for Definastine if we delay any longer – you'd better leave too,' Kia warned them. 'Thank you. I won't forget you.'

Kia hugged them, including Connor.

'I'm going to miss you. I wished my brother could have met you. Don't forget to carry the flower with you. Maybe it will save your life one day.'

When Kia touched her ship an entrance appeared. 'No one can open it apart from me,' she explained. 'Bye, I'm going to miss you!'

She entered the oval, bullet-shaped spaceship and Sheena followed, waving.

'Good luck!' shouted Connor as the door sealed shut. With a quiet hum the silver spaceship rose from the surface of Dramian and revolved before zooming off into space. It didn't have any spectacular lights as it blended with the night sky, disappearing from view.

'Where did they go?' Connor searched the skies.

'Back home, my boy – back home.' Tookar slapped him on his back. 'Which is where we're now heading.'

'Come!' Obi retrieved a pen-shaped object from his pocket. 'This is a bridge device. It'll connect us straightaway to the AAA.'

'Why don't we go through a portal doorway?' questioned Connor.

'Because they go to the segregation unit, to have their identities checked before going to hospital for a medical. When we use the bridge you'll be coming back with me to my quarters at the AAA. You'll be able to rest without people harassing you for your autograph.'

'Oh, it won't happen will it?' worried Connor.

'You wanna bet?'

He watched Obi twist the tip of the bridge where a blue doorway appeared in front of them. 'Come on, let's go!'

Connor held him back. 'But what about Jeremy? Has anyone seen him?'

'A person is found when they want to be.' Obi shrugged.

The four of them disappeared, unaware someone had been observing them – a figure slouched in the shadow of the stronghold walls, watching and listening to every word as he rubbed his palms excitedly. He muttered something before throwing a heap of dust onto the ground where a temporary portal appeared taking him directly to Definastine's castle.

Back at the AAA establishment, Connor entered a blue portal door into a chasm of blackness, where he balanced along a blue path leading towards a purple door. When he approached the purple light he passed through it and found himself in a strange room. 'Obi, what happens if you step off the path?'

'I don't know, it's hasn't happened to anyone I know. This is my apartment, so please make yourself at home, Connor.'

The room looked comfortable and full of surprises. It appeared Obi had a remote control for everything. Connor slumped on the leather sofa, emotionally exhausted. A massive five-foot television screen appeared as the walls parted opposite where Connor reclined on the sofa, tucking his legs beneath him to get comfortable. Others were talking near him, but their voices sounded far away as if they were in the next room. Connor closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to sleep in case he missed something.

Tookar left next. 'Thanks for the rescue. Keep an eye on Connor for me. I'll be back in the morning. I'm off to check on Sparkie now. He was in a right state when I last saw him.'

'Give Sparkie our regards and don't forget to take a rest too,' said Bromie.

A door slid open and closed again. It was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep and missing anything else that might have happened.

Several hours later, Connor woke to the mumble of a television, though much quieter than he remembered it from last night. Someone had draped a blanket on his body and placed a pillow under his head, as he lay sprawled on the sofa.

He stretched, groaned, and gave a yawn. Bromie had slept on another chair and opened one eye when Connor stirred.

'So, the hero has decided to join us,' he grinned, stretching.

'What's the time?' Connor's stomach rumbled.

'It's ten o'clock on Saturday morning. Are you hungry?'

'Yes, starving. Where's Obi?'

'He's upset his sword had broken, so he's gone to get another one made. He'll be back later.'

Connor rose from the chair when Bromie did. 'You were going to tell me why you were upset yesterday. Is it a good time to talk?'

Bromie smiled. 'Sure. It concerns you.' He passed him a shrouded letter from his pocket.

'Who's it from?'

'Read it.' Bromie placed a parcel on the living room table.

Connor flinched. 'It moved!'

'Yes, I know but read the letter first.'

While Bromie headed to the kitchen, Connor was cross-legged on the sofa, holding the letter curiously. He opened the envelope and held the blue tinted letter. As he held it the jumbled message unscrambled into readable words. Although he'd received a shrouded letter before it still astounded him.

The letter read:

Dear Connor,

Lidena passed on this letter and gift we wanted you to have. Be brave Connor. We're so sorry we're not with you now, but times are hard and unpredictable. Your father and I have been sent on an urgent mission to save a planet at war with Definastine. We've been requested to help them, so we've taken the best fighters to defend their planet. We love you so much.

We're thrilled the lost children are free at last to heal and return home. Well done son, do your best and don't be afraid. The Starstone will give you strength.

We'll meet again and that's a promise,

Loving you forever

Mum and Dad

P.S. We have sent you another family member. His name is Hank and although he tends to talk too much, he's loyal to his owners. Try not to upset him as he came become invisible and sulk (and don't leave him alone with food, he will eat you out of house and home in a couple of hours).

'Was this why you were upset?' asked Connor.

'Yes, because I know how much you've wanted to see your parents.'

'It's okay, 'said Connor surprisingly calm. 'I've waited a long time to meet them. I can wait a bit longer.

Bromie cheered in an instant. 'Really? Well, that's good.'

'Do you know what's inside the parcel?'

'I've a good idea. Most people have one in this place.'

'Do they?' quizzed Connor. 'It's a family pet which talks and becomes invisible.'

'It will appreciate being released. It must be hungry. While you do, I'll go and rustle something for you both to eat.'

Excited, Connor wanted to know what his parents had given him. He clutched the parcel and jolted when something stirred inside it. He wanted to drop it but curiosity made him hold on to it.

He tore the wrapping.

'Ahhh!' screamed Connor.

'Ahhh!' screamed a large hairball.

On his lap was a ginger and white striped, unrecognisable ball of fluff. Its mouth opened wide revealing four rows of thin razor sharp teeth. Its eyes widened in shock and surprise mirroring Connor's expression, or vice versa. They remained rigid in the same position screaming their heads off.

'What's happened,' Bromie rushed back into the room.

'There's a – there's a – thing on my legs,' Connor stuttered.

'A thing!' said the thing enraged. 'I'm not a thing! I'm a frump called Hank.'

'It talks!' Connor exclaimed.

'So do you!' it squawked back at him. 'I've no time for this lark. Are you Connor?'

Connor nodded.

'I'm your entrusted guardian.' Hank lifted his head in the air. 'I'm to guard you. Your parents sent me to stop you getting into trouble.'

'Well I'm in plenty of that.' He rubbed his forehead. 'Trouble has a way of following me.'

'Connor hasn't met a frump before,' said Bromie, 'so you'd better explain yourself.' He left them alone to continue with the food preparations.

'Your parents saved me from a nasty situation a few years ago. I was rescued from another galaxy. My owner enjoyed playing football with me!' Hank informed him sadly.

'But it isn't a bad thing. Boys at my school enjoy playing football with their dads,' Connor butted in.

'It is when you become the football. My owner had six legs and frequently enjoyed kicking me from one foot to another.'

Connor gasped. 'You poor thing.'

'I'm not a thing,' Hank reminded him.

'Oh yeah... sorry.'

Connor loved his present. Hank's eyes were the size of two marbles, with small brown pupils. His mouth had temporarily disappeared beneath his fur, a huge contrast to the previous piranha imitation. Since Hank had calmed, he resembled a guinea pig, being the same size and as cuddly. Without warning Hank plonked his bottom down and folded his arms.

'Don't think about it cowboy!' growled Hank.

'Don't think about what?' asked Connor, confused.

'Don't think about eating me!'

'I'm not!' Connor insisted.

'Your stomach is rumbling and you won't stop staring at me,' snapped Hank.

'I'm amazed!'

'Oh, talking about food – I love it. Is any going spare?' Hank grew excited.

Holding a tray full of peanut butter sandwiches, crisps and fruit, Bromie placed it on the table. As Hank dived in, Bromie held his small tail so he dangled in the air, kicking his legs.

'What happened to table manners?'

'When you're as hungry as me, you'd forget too! Don't forget I've been stuck in a box for an entire night!' groaned Hank. 'Now let me go!'

'Only if you sit and don't move,' ordered Bromie. 'I'll bring the food to you.'

Muttering, Hank sat reluctantly in the chair and waited impatiently for a full plate of food. When it arrived, he ate it in seconds, including the plate. Bromie shook his head.

'You'd come in useful at school dinner times. I haven't been often but I hate the food they give us, it's rubbery and cold but I bet you'd gobble it, including the squashy green peas they insist on piling on every plate.'

Excited at the prospect of going to school, Hank jumped from his chair and on to Connor's lap, pinching a crisp on his way. He climbed onto to Connor's shoulder and curled up, falling asleep as cute as a little teddy bear. A short time later, Tookar and Sparkie joined them. Bromie offered them some peanuts.

'His pride has taken a fall but he's okay,' Tookar informed them.

'I'll have you know there's nothing wrong with me that a wholesome pie couldn't fix. I regret not saying goodbye to Kia.'

'You weren't up to saying goodbyes though, were you,' Tookar smiled. 'If I'd known a pie would have woken you, I'd have fed you one immediately.'

'Blah!' Sparkie grumbled.

The doorbell rang and they glanced towards the door. Bromie pressed a button and a picture of Marion, K and Deana standing outside the room, showed on the television set. He pressed another button for the doors to open wide.

'Marion!' Tookar embraced her with a reassuring hug.

'My dear Tookar!' She kissed his cheek.

Something began bleeping in Tookar's pocket. 'Excuse me, but I must take this call.' He strode into another room.

Turning to Sparkie, Marion noticed his fragile state. 'Sparkie, whatever has happened to you?'

'It's a long story, and before you say anything, I've officially retired. How are you?'

'A lot better, thank you.' She turned to Connor. 'And how are you, dear?'

'I'm okay, thanks.'

K's hair was dishevelled. 'It's been a horrible night, until Sparkie informed us of Dad's plan to rescue my brother Daven. I didn't know I had a brother. It's amazing – except we haven't made contact with him. And none of the children brought back was Daven. So at the moment Dad and Daven are still missing. I tell you what, it's made me realise not to take my friends for granted and not waste the precious time we have. I wish Dad and Daven could witness me asking this wonderful woman to marry me.' He knelt on one knee and grasped hold of Deana's hand. 'Deana, will you please marry me?'

Deana pressed her lips as tears sprung to her eyes. 'Yes, of course I'll marry you!'

'Yippee!' K lifted and spun her round.

'Urgh!' grumbled Hank. 'Can't stand this mushy, lovey, dovey stuff!'

Ignoring Hank, Marion beamed and gave Deana a hug. 'I'll be glad to have you in the family. You and K are made for each other. You've been with us and supported us through our darkest day and now, as Jeremy would have wanted, you've lighted a candle in our lives.'

Tookar entered the room much happier. 'I've received some news concerning Jeremy. One of our men came across him by accident on Dramian. Jeremy wanted to be taken prisoner by the atropertries and had disguised himself as a child. He was brought to Dramian through the portal. Once he'd made it to the other side, Jeremy transformed himself into a monster and killed the creatures. Since then, he has shape-shifted into an insect. Apparently he'd heard about a young boy with amazing abilities being kept alive, for Definastine's entertainment. This boy is different from others as he's able to turn into different forms.'

'Daven!' cried Marion.

'It's likely,' grinned Tookar. 'But as this child isn't kept with the other children, Jeremy has gone after him. He passed on a message to you as well. He wanted to say sorry for the pain he put you through and wish to make it right by bringing Daven home earlier to ease your worry.'

'He'll find him,' beamed Marion, her eyes misting. 'My Jeremy will find Daven and we'll be a happy family again one day.'

Happiness filled the room as Marion spoke to Connor. 'Since your parents have been called away you'll want somewhere else to live now. I was wondering... would you come and live with me? I'd love your company.'

'Really? You want me? But I'm a liability now – what with the Starstone. Bad luck keeps following me – and I've got Hank too now!'

Marion chuckled. 'Most people suffer from bad luck from time to time and this little frump will be too much of a problem. But I mean it, Connor. I'd love you to come back home with me.'

Connor hugged her. 'I'd love to come and live with you. I would. I can't believe you're asking me.'

'You'll be doing me a favour too,' she chuckled, nodding towards K and Deana. 'Can't imagine K wanting to live with me much longer, can you?'

Connor laughed and shook his head.

'Besides, you'll be able to keep me company while Jeremy is away. I hope nothing awful has happened to him. Do you like apple pies?'

'Yes,' smiled Connor.

'Good, because I make the best ones in town.'

Marion smiled at her son. 'I'm ready to go home, dear, will you take me back?'

'But mum, you know we can't go back home.'

'Oh, I know. While you were getting a drink earlier with Deana, someone came and told me our new home is ready and waiting for us, somewhere in a place called Hampton.'

K looked surprise. 'I didn't realise anyone had told you. Are you okay about it?'

'Son I've been living with an alien-husband for thirty-six years, who went missing yesterday. It's him I miss, not the bricks and mortar. I would have left the cottage years ago if I had my way. Anyway they've taken our belongings to our new home. I want to settled in now.'

'It's time to say goodbye,' whispered Bromie. He took the ointment from his pocket and gave it to Connor. 'Take this. It might come in handy one day. Perhaps I'll see you soon – don't forget me.'

Connor gratefully took the ointment and placed it in his pocket where he absentmindedly stroked the necklace Tookar had given to him from his parents. How strange to have forgotten until now. The communication device allowed him to make contact with his parents. He vowed to speak to them the moment he'd some space.

'Thanks Bromie. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown when you did.'

'It's a pleasure.' Bromie ruffled Connor's hair. 'Take care of yourself kiddo. You might as well arrive at your new home by using my bridge. I'll dial the co-ordinates right away.'

'How lovely of you, Bromie,' smiled Marion. 'After a hectic night, I could do with getting home quickly.'

'Before we go, I'd like to visit my sister, Jenny,' said Connor.

Deana choked. 'Your sister Jenny? Jenny who?'

K laughed, while Hank squeaked loudly.

'Who's Jenny?' Hank glanced at Deana and made a face.

'He asked the consulting mirror about his sister,' Tookar explained, smirking. 'Tell them who you saw, Connor.'

'It showed me a room, where Deana, K, Marion and Jenny were. When I saw Jenny's blonde hair, I knew she was my sister. I have a photograph of her.'

Deana looked amused. 'And the mirror showed you her?'

'Yes. Well, not exactly.' He remembered how he'd specifically asked the mirror to focus on Jenny without using the word 'sister'.

'Ask the mirror again, Connor. Ask it to show your sister's face.' Tookar requested.

Connor rolled the sleeve of his jumper, revealing the watch-sized mirror.

'It's beautiful,' gasped Deana, examining it closely. Hank jumped on to Connor's shoulder, his little claws digging gently into his skin.

'Ouch!' Connor glared at Hank. 'Show me the face of my sister.' He lifted his wrist, but since Deana stood so close to it, her reflection stared back. 'You're standing too close.' He moved from her.

Deana giggled.

Her face peered at him from his wrist. He tapped it several times.

'Please show me the face of my sister,' he repeated, but again Deana's face stared back at him. 'It's not working. Is it broken?'

Marion, standing furthest away stepped forward. 'Someone put him out of his misery...please!'

As the words died on her lips, he glanced at Deana and then at the small image on the consulting mirror. Time had come to a standstill. Her face shape, her freckles, her eyes were undoubtedly the same as the photographs he'd seen of her in her younger days. It explained why the girl in the picture had been so familiar. He'd been foolish not to make the connection until now. For although her hair colour had changed, her face hadn't changed much. Not to mention how relaxed he felt in her company when he'd first met her. He felt he'd known her his entire life and now he knew why. She was his sister.

His body tingled, filling with warmth. An unspoken truth had finally came to light. Deana had proven on more than one occasion she'd been prepared to sacrifice her life for him. She hadn't been doing her job; but she'd been protecting him too. But it was more than that – she'd been keeping an eye on him, because she loved him.

They looked at one another and Connor welcomed her arms, holding him tighter than ever.

Kissing his head, Deana whispered, 'You silly sausage. Fancy thinking Jenny was your sister. Don't worry. I'll be here for you...always.'

Safe and secure, Connor closed his eyes and smiled. The room came alive with cheering. Connor, grinning broadly, finally had hopes of a better life and this time with his sister. They would be no more demands from his aunt and uncle, no more demeaning tasks. Connor quickly buried the dangers he'd encountered yesterday, in the back of his mind. All thoughts of Definastine were temporarily filed away. But as Deana cuddled him affectionately, he couldn't ignore the niggling doubts clawing away inside his body, constantly reminding him that dangerous times were far from over, for Definastine was still at large and wanted the Starstone. As long as Connor had it, his future was at risk.

End of book 1

Connor Clover

and the

Slaves of Dramian

PROLOGUE

Humming loudly like a swarm of angry bees, a fleet of alien spacecrafts tore across the sky, releasing strange rounded objects onto the ground.

Giant beasts stopped to stare at the bizarre sight, having never seen anything like it before.

Bang! The first bomb exploded.

Scared and confused, the creatures stampeded across the land, in a fruitless attempt to escape the horror.

Inside the largest spacecraft, a tall hooded figure sat and watched. His name was Definastine.

'We'll take refuge in the mountains,' he commanded.

The fleet of ships continued bombarding the land below with toxic bombs and gases. Within minutes, the land was filled with wide lifeless craters. Fire flowed through the forests and the water had blackened. In a single morning the land was destroyed.

'Must destroy the sun next,' Definastine said. 'It's ruining my complexion.'

In the afternoon, Definastine's servants lowered a divine crystal, as large as a house, into a deep hole in the ground. Standing next to it, Definastine raised his staff to the sun. He called out in a strange ancient language. The mystical words carried power.

From the sun came a great shaft of light. It cut through the sky and struck the crystal. The sun's life force was being drained. As the crystal got brighter the sun became darker. Soon it was robbed of life, looking like a huge lump of coal.'

'Perfect,' whispered Definastine. 'A new planet – a new beginning.'

CHAPTER ONE

The Launch for War

Definastine stood in his small viewing chamber. Beneath his hood his expression was fierce. His claw-like hands, somewhat deformed, rested against the stone arch of his window. It was plain to see that the fingernails on his right hand had rotted away. The host of the Starstone had been responsible for that: somehow, during his first contact with the boy, his fingernails had withered and his skin had bubbled and blistered before turning black. On each stump was a lumpy scar to remind him of the boy.

That had been three months ago when the Starstone had been within his grasp. He stretched out his leg. It had mended well after the young woman had shot him. In fact, since the operation, it was probably stronger than ever.

The wind howled loudly outside, gently stirring the robes he wore. A deep rumble sounded from the hooded figure. It travelled from the pit of his stomach to the back of his throat. He growled again, like a beast. In truth he was a beast. He had certainly never been human.

For thousands of years Definastine had made Dramian his home. He could recall every contour of the land and those who inhabited it. He had recreated a world where his created servants could exist. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

He sensed a new era beginning, a time in which he would have more control. His dream was to become the ultimate ruler of the Universe. Power at his fingertips. His red eyes widened, power hungry. It was his destiny.

He had been inactive for too long. Today was the turning point.

But things weren't all going to plan. He slapped the cold slab of stone impatiently. The weather, over which he had no control, was playing a game with him.

For the past few days a cool breeze had stirred restlessly. Today it had increased tenfold. The howling gale was now terrorising the landscape. Ripping skeletal plants from the surface it blew them away into the darkness. Small tornadoes swept up the mountains, leaving an icy residue in their wake. The wind whistled shrilly, echoing through the thickest of stone walls. These winds could last for weeks.

Definastine growled impatiently. He had no power over nature to stop this intrusion.

'You will not prevent me from leaving,' he whispered to the winds.

He wrapped his cloak about him as he walked from the room. Descending a short flight of spiral steps he entered his chamber. He sat down in his high-backed chair filled with cushions. On the floor, lying close to his feet, was a glowing object.

'Oh, Heartstone. Why do you play such games with me?' he asked, leaning forward and peering down at the object.

Imprisoned within a large crystal rock was a small person, no taller than four inches. She was sitting with her legs crossed, looking extremely annoyed and frustrated. She was glowing orange.

'I like playing games!' she replied, tightening her lips.

'But you're trapped,' he smiled cruelly. 'You've nowhere to go. Surrender to me. Become one with me. We'll be powerful together.'

'You may have me trapped but you'll never use my powers! I won't let you!' She may have been small but her voice was strong.

'Perhaps I can persuade you to change your mind.'

'Never!' she cried.

'When the time comes, you won't have a choice,' he spoke slowly.

It sounded like a threat. Or was it a promise?

The tiny creature looked horrified. She slowly stood up. Her delicate hands touched the crystal.

'What are you planning to do with me?'

'Now, that would be telling,' he laughed coldly and stood up too. 'Let's just say, I'm keeping you in suspense.'

'What are you planning?' she cried desperately. Her small fists banged hard against the crystal. 'Tell me what you plan to do!'

Definastine laughed, drowning her cries. Picking up a piece of cloth, he flung it over the crystal to conceal her. Then he walked from the room, shaking his head in amusement.

Definastine's castle was brightly lit. However, the torches at the entrances could not withstand the menacing winds. One by one the lights flickered out. Without the torchlight it was difficult to see where the blackened sky met the shadowy mountains as they merged into one dark mass.

Definastine's chamber was situated in the highest peak of the tallest mountain. At this moment three figures were hurrying along the grand stone corridor. They passed the elegant pillars rising upward to the arched ceiling. Seated by the walls were hundreds of ugly stone gargoyles, with short muscular arms and legs. They had fat curling lips, which seemed to snarl at the three passing figures.

'It gives me the creeps walking along here,' mumbled the larger of the two Armatripes. 'I'm sure those things are alive. They can probably hear everything we're saying.'

Like giant beetles the Armatripes possessed hardened shells over their backs, forming natural body armour. But although very strong, Armatripes can be incredibly stupid.

'Nah,' replied the second of them. 'If those things were alive they wouldn't let me hit them like this!' With that, he lifted his hands and began to hammer his fists on the nearest gargoyle, laughing gleefully.

'Stop it!' snapped the short stooped man in front. His head was scarred and lumpy, with tufts of grey hair poking out from it. 'This is no place to speak of such things!'

The Armatripes glanced at each other, shrugged and said no more. The crippled man too remained silent. His eyes were busy watching the dumpy gargoyles. The Armatripe was right. The stone ornaments did carry life within them but not many servants knew this. They acted as Definastine's eyes and ears whenever he had use for them.

The man, who was known as Krydon – remembered many occasions when Definastine had told him to remain in his chamber. Peering through the keyhole he had noticed one or two gargoyles squatted outside his door. Like guards. Were they there to protect him? Or keep him imprisoned in his room? He had never dared to ask. Now, without turning, he could feel the lingering eyes of the gargoyles burning into his back. It was only when they turned right up the servants' stairs, out of their sight, that the sensation stopped.

They hurried up the long winding staircase, panting nervously at the top. Then they walked briskly along another corridor, which eventually led to a large double door.

Krydon spoke again.

'Wait here,' he whispered, taking a deep breath. He knocked hard on the wooden doors.

While he was waiting for a reply, the Armatripes had noticed another stone gargoyle, seated on a shelf above the arched doors.

'He sure is ugly,' the smaller Armatripe observed.

'Hideously so,' said the other.

Krydon knocked again, louder this time.

Suddenly the gargoyle opened its eyes and glared down at them.

'Oh, it's you,' it sneered in a superior manner. It began to gather up some loose stones. 'His Highness is expecting you.' With that, it began pelting the stones hard at the astonished Armatripes, who quickly rolled themselves into two balls. The stones bounced off their toughened backs. 'I'll give you ugly!' it screeched.

When the doors swung open, the crippled man wasted no time in hobbling into the darkened room. He was vaguely aware of the Armatripes anxious whispers behind him – about how they'd never heard a gargoyle speak before, let alone one that threw stones.

'I'm here, Master,' Krydon spoke. 'Master?'

When the doors slammed shut behind him, he jumped.

He waited near the door for a reply. His hunched shadow flickered behind him from the glare of the fire, which offered no warmth. He glanced nervously about the large, cold chamber. He tried not to breathe too deeply for a foul smell occupied the air. Apart from himself, no other living creature appeared to be in the room.

Realising Definastine wasn't in the main chamber he allowed his focus to wander. It came to rest on the bright light in the corner of the room. It was half covered by a cloth, wine red in colour. He stepped closer, curiosity fuelling his courage.

Was that what he thought it was – the ensnared Heartstone? He gasped in awe or was it terror? He desperately wanted to see her. Legends spoke highly of her and her twin – the Starstone. The two of them were supposedly the first beings ever created in the entire universe. Whether or not this was true was another matter. Krydon had only learnt of their existence through the whisperings amongst Definastine's devoted servants. Almost in a trance, he reached forward to take a look, but stopped dead in his tracks.

There was enough light in the room to illuminate the shadows of small lifeless creatures hanging on hooks about the room. Krydon cringed. He slowly backed towards the door. His desperate urge to uncover the Heartstone had gone. If Definastine had caught him his curiosity would probably have cost him his life.

He heard footsteps approaching from a back room. 'Krydon? Is that you?'

'Yes, Master,' he answered quickly – perhaps too quickly, he thought. I must remain calm. 'The preparations are complete. The Armatripes you sent for are outside the door waiting on your word to continue.'

There was a pause. Definastine's piercing red eyes studied him for a while before replying in his usual coarse tone, 'Yes, very good, Krydon. You're not on your usual form today. You seem – on edge. Is there something you want to tell me?'

'No, Master. Nothing at all. Everything is well. Extremely well.' Krydon bowed his head low, trying to hide his anxious expression.

Another pause.

'So be it.'

Stepping slowly from the shadows, the mysterious shape of Definastine came into view. A loose hooded robe fitted snugly over his form. In all the time Krydon had served Definastine, he had only once seen his face.

It had been a mistake. Krydon had arrived to see Definastine, as arranged. The gargoyle had opened the door and said his Majesty was expecting him. So Krydon had entered the room. He hadn't realised Definastine was snoozing in his chair by the fire until it was too late. He walked to the front of the chair, accidentally knocking back his master's hood. It had slipped, revealing his grotesque features in the dancing flames of the fire. Krydon had wanted to scream. Instead he had run straight out of the door, making hurried excuses to the gargoyle.

For days it had plagued his mind. His master was a hideous beast, neither living nor dead. That was the only way to describe what he had seen.

Meanwhile, Definastine strolled across the room to retrieve his staff. Krydon kept his gaze low, knowing his master detested anyone looking at him directly.

Then, in a much sharper tone, Definastine snapped. 'Well, don't just stand there – you fool. The time has come!'

'Yes, Master,' Krydon replied, bowing in deepest respect.

'Get those fools in here now!' he shouted. With a loud crack his staff slammed on to the floor.

'Certainly, Master.' Krydon bowed. He hurried backwards, colliding clumsily with the doors. He spun round sharply. He heaved the double doors open using all his strength.

The Armatripes stood attentively, having heard Definastine's booming voice through the door. They entered the room, bowing their heads. Their body armour was dusty. The gargoyle looked oddly satisfied.

'She's over there,' growled Definastine. 'Raise her up gently. She's feeling temperamental this morning.'

The two guards nodded. Approaching the lighted object their expressions began to change. They had finally caught a glimpse of the Heartstone, looking very upset. She sat cross-legged, refusing to look at anyone.

Definastine lowered his voice to a whisper: 'I've waited so long for this moment and I won't let anyone spoil my big day now.' He stood still for several long seconds with his face turned towards the Heartstone. 'You will help me, my little pixie.'

The Heartstone stuck out her chin and raised her head high. 'Humph! That's what you think!' she squeaked.

There was further silence as Definastine narrowed his cruel eyes. No one dared breathe or move a muscle. The silence became unbearable. Krydon wanted to clear his throat but he knew better than to interrupt his master. He struggled to remain quiet. When Definastine spoke, it made Krydon shake. It was like a knife slicing through his body.

Definastine's attention turned to the guards. His voice was loud. 'Take her straight to my ship, and remember – whatever you do, don't drop her. For if she escapes I'll have your heads!'

Trembling slightly, the two Armatripes secured their grip on the crystal. It was surprisingly light. Once the object was firmly held between them they hurried from the room.

Definastine spun round sharply, his robe twisting about his legs. He pulled a lifeless creature from one of the dangling hooks and took a bite from it, as if it were a chocolate bar.

Krydon cringed.

With a firm grip on his staff, Definastine exited the room hastily. Krydon followed close behind him, struggling to keep pace.

Their footsteps echoed loudly on the stone-tiled floor. They travelled through winding stone corridors. Krydon's hips were now starting to hurt. He hadn't walked this far for ages.

The route brought them to a large metal door. On seeing Definastine, an Armatripe bowed and quickly unbolted the door. No words were spoken.

On the other side of the door was a small glass-like lift. They stepped inside it. Suddenly the scenery changed like magic. They had transported to the next mountain.

Definastine never usually discussed his plans with Krydon; it was quite a surprise as he now began to do so.

'I wanted the Starstone. Until now it was not to be, but I haven't given up trying to trace its whereabouts. Today I have sent one of my servants to join forces with the boy's parents. When I have them, the boy and the Starstone will come to me. But for now, the Heartstone will help us destroy the home planet of my old enemies the Stanchies. I will not be defeated by them!' he roared. 'She escaped once but I shall capture Princess Kia again. She will be the first to fall, followed by her father – King Lomair. He will not know what has hit him when I arrive with the full force of my army. The Kingdom of Galareem will soon be mine forever!'

'And what will become of me, Master?' Krydon asked.

'You'll stay here and not leave the southern tower. Is that clear?'

'Yes, Master,' Krydon replied, turning his gaze to the floor. From this angle he was able to hide the relief on his face.

Definastine studied his servant's face, reducing the harshness in his voice. 'You are special to me. Think of your time here as a holiday while I am away.'

'Yes, Master.'

'I have left Ruben in charge to carry out my wishes. You'd do well to stay out of his way,' Definastine warned. 'Razor and Raven are still away, trying to locate the human boy.'

Krydon wanted to laugh. Keep out of Ruben's way? He'd been doing that for years. Ever since Definastine had the ghastly man brought to their homeland, Krydon had avoided him like the plague. It was clear, from the very first moment they met, that they couldn't bear the sight of each other.

Four long years ago, Definastine had kidnapped four agents from Earth, who worked for the AAA – Alien Agents Alliance. They had wanted to capture Definastine. But unfortunately their plans had backfired. Definastine caught wind of their plan and abducted them instead. They were never seen again.

For his own warped pleasure, Definastine had made the men the subject of his latest experiment. They were transformed into his strongest team – known as 'The Four'. The men were only part human by the time the experiments had finished. Their minds and bodies had been mutated beyond recognition, and to destroy all memories of their former lives a microchip had been inserted inside their brains.

Raider had been killed three months ago; now there were only three of them left: Ruben, Razor and Raven.

Definastine wondered if the humans would try coming back while he was away. The last time they were here they had freed all the children including the most powerful one of all – Sheena. He smiled cruelly. He was content with the knowledge that if a battle were to commence then his secret army would awaken.

Definastine couldn't wait to travel to Galareem. It was the biggest and most successful planet of all. He was looking forward to destroying its three suns, so darkness could reign across its lands. If all went to plan he could destroy the planet in a single day.

'I will first make a detour to collect my vast armies from the other planets now conquered. When all my armies are together, I'll lead them to the Stanchies' planet,' he whispered.

Krydon shivered.

They travelled swiftly to the launch site of his ship. Armatripes lined the corridors as they passed. One – who was standing out of line – was immediately hit hard on the head by Definastine's staff. Immediately the ranks straightened like a wave along the corridor.

Soon they entered the huge chamber, harbouring the gigantic spaceship. By now a thick line of Armatripes were following behind. Red circular lights lay along the length of a wide, black platform, leading towards the ship. The chasm on either side of the platform was so steep you couldn't see the bottom, whereas the ceiling rose upwards like a giant dome made from a strange metal material, much like the walls.

Up ahead Krydon could see the Heartstone disappear into the massive mouth of Definastine's metal ship. Lines of Armatripes were patiently waiting along a wide platform leading to the ship entrance.

'Follow me, Krydon,' Definastine ordered. 'I have much to discuss with you on the way.'

Definastine's black cloak billowed behind him. Krydon's legs were burning with weariness.

Definastine stopped to gaze upon his magnificent ship. Several Armatripes collided into one another, falling off the side of the platform to avoid bumping into him.

Definastine shook his head, growling softly. But it didn't matter: Armatripes were easily replaced. He resumed his walk along the platform with Krydon hobbling at his side.

'I am going to bring back more slaves and have access to greater technology!' Definastine rejoiced. He lowered his voice, turning to Krydon. 'Stay out of trouble and remember this – for if I ever find out you have betrayed me your life will not be worth living. You are forbidden to go down below the ground level of the castle. I have dangerous pets down there that may kill you on sight. Heed my words well, Krydon. I wouldn't like anything nasty to happen to you.'

An Armatripe sniggered. His laughter ended quickly. Snarling angrily, Definastine pointed his staff at him. A fraction of a second later, a blast of light exploded from its end and the Armatripe vanished into a cloud of dust. A deadly silence followed.

At that moment, a huge creature flew through the arched door towards them.

'Master!' a breathless voice called. Definastine turned abruptly. 'We've received news... of the two human spies... that you sent your faithful frump, Clay... to capture.'

'Well!' roared Definastine. 'Spit it out! Can't you see I'm going somewhere!'

A huge black bird, slightly smaller than Definastine, swooped down to land and bowed its head before him. 'They've been captured.'

'Good!' snarled Definastine. 'Take them to the dungeons. I'll meet up with them when I come back.'

'But... well...' the ugly bird muttered uncomfortably. 'Clay's gone.'

'What do you mean, "Clay's gone"? I told you to destroy him! How could he have gone?'

'He broke his pact and turned himself invisible,' the bird explained nervously.

Definastine scowled with fury. 'I want him caught and brought back here. I'll deal with him personally when I return. Do you understand?'

'Yes, Master.' The bird bowed its head and immediately departed through the same door by which it had arrived.

Definastine turned abruptly, leaving Krydon behind. The Armatripes took their positions. They marched up the sloped platform, disappearing into the huge metal spaceship.

Finally, as the door of the spaceship was sealed shut, Krydon sighed with relief. He smiled for the first time in ages, though seeing Raven glaring at him from the other side of the platform, he quickly hid his delight.

As the spaceship fired its engines, a sudden idea struck Krydon. At first he thought he must be mad. He tried telling himself that he shouldn't think such things. But try as he might, he couldn't rid himself of this particular idea. It dominated his thoughts, until he began to believe that it actually might be possible.

Definastine was leaving. This would be a perfect opportunity for Krydon to flee the wretched place. There would be no one now to hold him back. He gasped with excitement. Then a niggling doubt crossed his mind. His smile faded. No, he must never leave. What if Definastine caught him? His life wouldn't be worth living. Then, as if a light had come on in his mind, it dawned on him his life wasn't worth living now.

As the grey reflective spaceship rose upward, huge metal spikes sprang out from the rounded vessel. It resembled a curled up hedgehog. The top of the mountain shifted. A deep thunderous noise rumbled as the walls gradually moved apart. As they opened to their maximum width, the ship accelerated into the darkness overhead. It was suddenly gone, leaving nothing but a ringing in Krydon's ears.

Ruben immediately advanced towards him.

'You'd better keep out of my way!' he growled, pulling out a dagger and pressing it uncomfortably close to Krydon's throat.

Krydon raised his head as the pointed tip of the knife threatened to pierce his skin. He looked away.

Ruben growled menacingly. 'The master's not here to save you now. If it weren't for him wanting a crawling parasite as a pet, I'd have killed you a long time ago.'

Ruben replaced the blade in its sheaf, gathered his cloak and stormed off, shaking his head in annoyance.

Krydon was shaking like a leaf. How much more of this could he take? Ruben always robbed him of any strength he had. But his grew soon turned to anger. At first he was angry with himself but then with Ruben. A small seed of courage had been planted and began growing inside him.

The room was now empty, apart from a small creature resembling a furless spider monkey, which was watching him intensely. The Simiana – for such it was – slowly approached Krydon. When it spoke it sounded wise and knowing.

'It's predicted to be a long slow journey before they reach the Stanchy planet,' it said. 'For no matter how much power Definastine has at his disposal, he has neither the technology nor the materials to create a faster spaceship. But if his plans succeed, this will all change. As I understand it, with the unwilling assistance of the Heartstone, he will soon be reaping his rewards – however unjust.'

Krydon stared at the small creature speaking so disrespectfully of his master and tried to remember who it was. What was its job here? As the innocent creature continued looking at him, a curious smile spread across its face. Krydon felt his cheeks warming with embarrassment when he realised the Simiana must have witnessed his humiliating experience with Ruben.

'What are you looking at?' Krydon snapped, feeling suddenly insecure.

'I'm looking at someone who does not know his true self, someone who does not know who he really is,' it replied.

Krydon stared hard at the creature. It spoke with warmth and its little black eyes shone with purpose. 'What are you talking about? What do you know about me?'

'I know you were once much more than you are at present,' the creature told him, bowing its head in respect. 'For you should be a prince – possibly a king by now.'

'I've no time for riddles.' Krydon dismissed the creature by waving his arms in the air impatiently, hobbling away. 'You know nothing about me.'

'Ah, but I do,' the creature replied, springing after him. 'I saw you when you were first brought here.'

Krydon was forced to stop, as the Simiana blocked his path at every turn.

'I saw you before Definastine gave me orders to change your appearance forever,' it continued.

'What are you talking about?' Krydon whispered. 'Definastine didn't change me. I've always been like this.'

The Simiana was shaking its head slowly as a look of sadness slowly spread across its face. 'No, he created you. I saw you as a baby, as you really were, before Definastine ordered your transformation. You were born to be one of the greatest grimphs that ever lived,' it replied.

'Grimph?' puzzled Krydon. 'What's a grimph?'

But the Simiana didn't appear willing to discuss it any further. 'Come, follow me. There's much to talk about, but not here. Too many eyes could be watching us.'

As the Simiana lightly moved towards the door, Krydon found himself hobbling after it. He didn't understand anything the Simiana spoke of. It didn't make sense at all. He was a human, not a grimph. But why would the Simiana say anything different? Funnily enough it didn't worry him too much; just having someone speak kindly to him lifted his spirits. Especially when that someone had called him a prince. Could it be that he had finally found a friend in this wretched place after all?

End of sample

Other books by the same author

The Series of Pilly-Pod (ages 4+)

The Story of Pilly-Pod – Book 1

Pilly-Pod and the Pirates – Book 2

Pilly-Pod and the Missing Girl – Book 3

Pilly-Pod and the Two-headed Bear – Book 4

The Starstone Trilogy (9+)

Connor Clover and the Lost Children (Book 1)

Connor Clover and the Slaves of Dramian (Book 2)

Connor Clover and the Starstone's Quest (Book 3)

A Wish for Marcus (age 8+)

The Amphiblets (11+)

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this first book. I really hope you enjoyed it.

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