Kilenya Series Books One, Two, and Three (37 page)

Jacob grabbed another piece, heating it until the seam disappeared with a flash of light. He was used to that by now, but Kenji jumped, staring at him.

“Give me that,” he said. He inspected a section, his expression turning thoughtful. Then surprise crossed his face. “That’s . . . unexpected. Not only have you made it into one piece—as if it’d always been this way—but you’ve recharged the Rezend, making it new again, and probably stronger than it was before.” He looked at Jacob. “How’d you do that?”

“I’m not sure,” Jacob said. “It didn’t feel any different from the other times I’ve molded something.”

The ground trembled, and everyone paused to look toward the entrance.

Early reappeared. “The army is coming!”

“Don’t stop—hurry, people, hurry!” Kenji called.

Jacob raced to put more wood together, but he struggled to keep up with the constant supply of broken boards. He was the only one doing this, and there were many people chopping.

He did his best not to pay attention to the others who urged him onward. How could he force himself to go faster when it took time for the wood to heat up before he could seal it together? His hands started to blister, and he bit his lip in frustration. Why’d he have to be the only one who could do this sort of thing?

He breathed a sigh of relief when Kenji told him to stop, but the frustration poured over him again like hot oil when the Makalo had him start another sheet so they could double up the covering for the entrance.

“We can’t take any risks. Two will be better than one.”

“I can’t keep up,” Jacob said, jerking his hand back when a large sliver pierced his skin.

“Do your best—and hurry.”

The ground shook again. Harder this time.

A flurry of activity surrounded Jacob as everyone hurried to complete their tasks. He darted around the growing slab, piecing it together, no longer able to feel the wood he molded. His speed at warming up the grain increased—perhaps because he was so focused on the task, or maybe he was imagining it.

Questions raced through his mind. What would happen if they were too late in covering the tunnel entrance? He didn’t even want to think about that. He jumped up to grab several boards, tossing one away when part of it crumbled in his hands.

The ground quaked much more forcefully, and Jacob fell to his hands and knees. He glanced at the tunnel—the diseased forest again visible—and found himself enchanted by the motion of the trees. They were bending away from the entrance. Horrible memories jumped to his mind as he remembered the last time that happened. The trees had been trying to reach the female Lorkon. Was she on her way? Was she part of the attack? His hands became cold and clammy, despite the heat, as he thought about encountering her again. He doubted he’d get away this time.

Another tremble—this one violent and lasting several seconds—knocked everyone to the ground, and they all turned to face what was coming.

Chapter 3. Bright Pink Lipstick

Nothing happened—at first. Then everyone gasped when hundreds of long, thick, snake-like arms started to appear—zipping quickly through the trees. The hands latched onto trunks and other solid objects. Seconds later, the trunks bent away, as if they were being pulled. Several were ripped from the ground and disappeared in the forest.

The sharp whip of leather bands reached Jacob’s ears and he looked at Matt in fear. The ground trembled again. With a roar, huge, magnificent beasts crashed through the trees, propelled forward by the strength of their grip on the trunks near the entrance. Their legs seemed to struggle to keep up. Hundreds of much smaller creatures clung to the scales on their sides. Molgs rode on top, bearing bull whips, which they flicked at the beasts, causing more ear-splitting roars and ground tremors as the beasts reared up on their hind legs and landed again.

“Sindons!” one of the Makalo men shouted. “Kenji, they’re here!”

The Sindons pulled themselves to a location only twenty yards from the canyon wall. The beasts were amazing. Thirty feet tall, at least, and they resembled hippos—their jaws stretching as they roared, with teeth at least four feet long flashing in the light. Their four thick legs were sturdy, and they each had at least ten of the long arms on their chests.

The army holding onto the sides of the Sindons jumped to the ground and formed around a Molg which appeared to be the leader.

This Molg was incredibly large—over six feet tall, maybe seven, with swords strapped to his back. He had six-inch-long teeth growing downward and out from his jawbone. His face had bright red diagonal streaks across it—paint. He pulled out a sword, lifted it in the air, and the army around him roared in excitement.

“There’s no time to finish!” Kenji called. “Put the planks on top of each other. Jacob, seal them together!”

The group of Makalos ran to Kenji’s side and lifted one slab on top of the other. Jacob jumped forward and sealed the edges of the wood, finishing right as the first line of the army charged, passing the huge Molg and the Sindons.

“Everyone, carry the wood over to the entrance!”

With much grunting, the group raised the boards, pulling them to the mouth and covering the tunnel just as several of the Molgs reached the other side. The creatures raced forward and pushed, trying to get through. The wood shuddered and shifted several inches.

“We can’t hold them, Kenji!” one of the Makalos yelled.

“There’s no choice. Use your Rezend!”

The Makalos’ left ring fingers began glowing blue and the wood shook. Jacob prayed his work wouldn’t be undone. Matt joined the Makalos in holding up the sheets of wood, and Jacob watched helplessly, not knowing what to do. The panel started to tremble violently as forces from both sides pushed against it.

With a grunt, a huge Molg, at least six feet tall and much, much bigger than the one Jacob had fought in the cave, squeezed through. He fell to the ground in his rush, and the Makalos slammed the wood back into place before more could come through.

Jacob’s jaw dropped when the Molg got to its feet and stared him in the eye. It roared, lifted a huge ax, and rushed forward. Jumping back against the canyon wall, Jacob wrapped his arms around his head to protect his skull against the advance. Right before the Molg could swing his ax, two Makalo men stepped into the path of the Molg, holding large sticks, joining the fight.

Kenji yelled through the noise, pointing at each Makalo as he commanded them: “You, stop the Molg! You, hold the board down. Jacob, get over here! Seal the panels!”

Jacob ran for the canyon entrance. He could hear Matt and the Makalos fighting the Molg behind him. He pressed his palms on the wood where people weren’t already touching, willing the heat in his hands to go through both layers. The Makalos struggled to keep the thing in place.

The wood shook, knocking almost everyone to the ground, and Jacob realized something he wished he’d thought of earlier. The panels wouldn’t be effective unless they were attached to the walls of the canyon!

But now only Jacob and two other Makalos were holding the wood in place. His legs started shaking, barely holding him up now. One, two more Makalos joined him. Then there were five.

Jacob yelled when his legs were whipped out from under him. He fell to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. The Molg started dragging Jacob away from everyone and he fought for air, unable to do anything.

Matt jumped forward and hit the Molg across the head with a board. With one swipe of its hand, the Molg knocked Matt several yards away, then grabbed Jacob’s shirt, lifting him off the ground and closer to its face.

Jacob kicked and punched as hard as he could. He squirmed, trying to get away, but was unsuccessful.

Suddenly, the Molg released Jacob and fell backward, revealing Matt, wielding the Molg’s ax. He dropped to his knees, gasping. “It’s not dead,” he said. “I knocked it out.”

Jacob jumped to his feet. Makalos were unconscious everywhere, and those who weren’t, struggled with the panel he had formed, trying to keep it in place.

Racing to the tunnel, Jacob pulled dirt and loose rocks away from the board, trying to find a solid surface on the canyon wall. His hands throbbed—he doubted they’d ever be normal again. The barrier shook so violently, some of the Makalos were forced to let go, and the wood slipped. Jacob helped lift it back up again, scrambling to continue pushing debris aside. Finally, he moved enough dirt out of the way and found solid stone.

He warmed up both surfaces, hoping it would work. What happened then made him and everyone else jerk away. It was like the snapping of a Lego. A huge flash, and the wood suctioned onto the stone, stilling the vibrations. Jacob, seeing spots before his eyes, jumped forward and sealed as much of the rest as possible.

All the edges now in place, the group hesitantly pulled away. A roar of frustration on the other side let them know they’d been successful, and all the Makalos cheered.

At Kenji’s instructions, one of the men stretched out his hand. The Molg disappeared as the Makalo began to pick it up. Jacob sighed in relief. How awesome that Makalos could shrink things! The man held the Molg—still unconscious—in his open palm.

Kenji had Early bring him a cage, much like the one he’d used on the Rog when Jacob first came to Eklaron, and put the Molg inside. Then he had four of the strongest men set up camp near the entrance, and called September, one of the Minyas, to come stay with them in case they needed to send for help.

Jacob’s legs almost refused to carry him anymore, and Kenji ordered Butch and Matt to help him walk by offering their shoulders as support on either side. They hurried back to the village. No one said anything. Even Matt had nothing to say, though Jacob was sure he had a lot of questions after seeing a Molg get shrunk.

Kenji thanked the group, asking them to go home to their families, then invited Jacob and Matt to the top floor of the tree. They found Brojan there, watching through a telescope.

Brojan sighed in relief, turning to Jacob and Matt. “That was . . . alarming. And a close call. Good work, boys. I doubt that is the last we’ll see of this army, but at least the entrance will stay sealed this time.” He passed a hand over his eyes. “All the creatures were united in the attack. Even the female Lorkon from the forest came. She only stayed for a moment, however, before going back to her manor. It appears the rest have given up and are now heading back to Fornchall.” He motioned to the telescope. “Would you like to see what you were dealing with?”

Jacob stepped forward. The height of the tree still amazed him. The fact that it was tall enough so he could use a telescope to look over the canyon wall was pretty awesome, and he found himself wondering at the strength of the spells that kept the tree invisible to Mendon.

He peered at the valley on the other side of the canyon wall. It took him a moment to focus the telescope, but when he did he shook his head in wonder. How’d they ever get the entrance sealed in time? The Sindons were the freakiest creatures he’d seen since entering Eklaron—their long arms zipped forward, through trees and across hills, and latched onto earth at least 200 yards away. The beasts propelled themselves forward so fast he had a hard time keeping the telescope on them, and he didn’t know how their thick legs kept up.

The Molgs’ whips were just a blur, and he could see the Sindons’ huge mouths open in perpetual roars. Occasionally, all the Sindons would rear up on their hind legs at the same time, and when they landed, Jacob felt the tremors, even from this far away. They were like dinosaurs! They barely noticed the army attached to their sides, clinging to their scales.

Matt jabbed Jacob’s shoulder. “My turn.”

Jacob moved away from the telescope, turning to Brojan and Kenji. “How long will the seal on the entrance last?”

“A lot longer than the original,” Kenji said, and Brojan nodded. “With your abilities, it’s most likely foolproof. The temporary seal we put up a few days ago didn’t last even a minute against their spies.”

“Wow—spies? What happened to them? Did you guys have to kill them?”

“They were Yoons. The trees took care of them.”

“Yoons?”

“Creatures about a foot tall who have no use but to find their way into magically sealed locations. Their own magic breaks down barriers, allowing much larger creatures to enter. They were all but extinct twenty years ago. We think the Lorkon found them, though, and used the little things to get through the entrance when they stole the Key.” He sighed. “But, as I said, they won’t be able to get past what you’ve done. I doubt anything can.”

Matt pushed the telescope aside and put his arm around Jacob’s shoulders. “It’s going to take some getting used to—this whole business about my little brother having superpowers and all.”

Jacob shrugged off Matt’s arm and scowled at him.

Matt laughed, holding his hands up defensively. “Besides basketball, of course.”

Kenji smiled. “You have no idea. And we’re almost certain more gifts will surface, especially after what happened at the castle.”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about that.”

“And the ability to find weakness is a great power, but it isn’t something the Lorkon would risk everything to get. There are other things still lurking in your brother.”

“Like what?”

Kenji shrugged. “We’re not sure.”

Jacob smiled at Matt, and Matt pushed him playfully. “Well, get a move on!” he said. “Figure things out!”

“It’s not like that,” Jacob said, laughing. “They come when they want to come.”

“Okay, fine.”

Brojan led them out of the tree and toward Kenji’s place. Jacob was lost in thought, grateful his legs were able to hold him up now. The ability to make weak things strong was wonderful, but it sure exhausted him. He hoped his other powers wouldn’t be so tiring.

They entered Kenji’s house, and Jacob asked a question he’d been entertaining for a while. “Why doesn’t anyone just climb over the canyon wall? I mean, the tree is tall enough so you can see over the wall to the lands on the other side. It shouldn’t be that difficult.”