The Secret of Ashona (19 page)

Baskania got a glint in some of his eyes. “You are telling yourself that you are not ready to handle the scepter yet. But that is not true, Erec. You are ready. You are ready to use your scepter right now.”

That was exactly what had to be said to bring it back—did Baskania know? In a flash, the golden scepter appeared in Erec’s hands. Its power instantly overwhelmed him. As a human, touching the thing gave him a feeling of warmth and security. Using it created electric waves of power. But as a ghost, holding it was exhilarating. He could feel his own power amplify by multitudes. It was as if he and the scepter were one, it had become a part of his being. There was nothing he could not do now.

Baskania’s eyes widened in shock, and then greed. “That’s a good boy, Erec. You listened to me, then, and called your scepter here.” Baskania had no idea that it was he himself who called the scepter to Erec. With his magnified power, Erec could see through Baskania easily. He had all kinds of plots and ideas, and he was so obsessed with them that he was always in a kind of pain. From where Erec sat now, holding all of the power in the world in his hands, Baskania seemed like a lost little boy.

The Shadow Prince frowned. “I can’t see what you are thinking
at all now, Erec. But I’d like to hold that scepter for a minute, okay? I really admire it.”

“No!”
Erec pulled it close to his chest. “I just got it back. I need to keep it for a while.” He knew that he would never let it part from him again. Why had he given it up before? It was rightfully his. Of course he was ready for it. Why not? They had things to do together. So many things . . .

“I see.” Baskania looked thoughtful. “Would you like to show me what you can do with that beautiful piece of gold? I think I’m a good audience.”

“Sure.” Erec wanted to try something impressive. “Watch this.”

Fire,
he thought. Fire was striking. He would turn himself into a blazing fire.
Scepter, do as I command!

Before Baskania’s eyes, Erec burst into flames. He grew larger and larger, orange, yellow, and red melding together into an inferno that was roughly the shape of his body. The ceiling was not an obstacle in his way—he burned right through it and up several other floors of the fortress, making people run, screaming. It felt so good to be back again, he thought. This is what he was meant to be—free and on top of the world.

Erec tilted his head back and laughed, fire streaming from his mouth. It shot out of his fingertips, and he slashed at the building around him. The destruction felt wonderful—a release of all of his tensions. Why hadn’t he tried this before? It took a moment to realize that he felt so good that he might never return to his normal form again. Why not stay a permanent blaze of fire? But that didn’t seem right, somehow, so he forced himself to appear as a boy again, and made the fire stop.

Seated again, Erec looked around in amazement at the devastation. Had he really done this? It hadn’t seemed to matter when he was made of fire, but he felt concerned. He should fix it again.

But with the whirl of a finger, Baskania had already restored the fortress to its original appearance. His eyes were gleaming. “Did you see that? I can’t believe the power I will have.” He closed his eyes and took a breath.

An intense feeling of trust for Baskania took over Erec. They were best friends. There was nobody who cared about him except for the Shadow Prince. It would always be the two of them together. The sentiments that he had had before paled in comparison to what he felt now. Baskania and Erec would be together, against the rest of the world, forever. And it felt so
right
. So much more right now that the scepter was back with him again.

Erec could feel something change inside of him. This feeling was too good, too intense, to ever forget. This was what he would always want now. To rule, with Baskania, his ally, at his side. Together, they would never be stopped.

CHAPTER TEN
The Hinternom

“T
HAT WAS WONDERFUL.”
Baskania was rubbing his palms together. Erec could tell that he was practically drooling for the scepter. “Can I try something with it now?”

“No, you can’t.” Erec caressed the gemstudded gold. “It’s only for me. But I can do things for you if you want my help.”

“That’s nice.” Baskania cocked an eyebrow. “I like to hear that, friend. I could use a helper like you. It would also be nice to try using
it myself—just once. How about that, Erec? Would you share it with me one time?”

A wave of kindness and trust overwhelmed Erec, and he felt happier than he could remember. He was here with his two best friends ever—Baskania and his scepter. It was like a big, happy family. Because of how he felt, he was even moved to be generous. “I will share it with you. Once. But not now. It might be a few weeks before I am ready.”

Baskania looked questioningly at the Shadow Demon who was still hovering in the air as a snake behind Erec.

Erec did not care anymore what the Shadow Demon said to Baskania. He was stronger than both of them put together. He could see that Baskania was asking for help, that he wanted Erec’s scepter for himself. Well, who wouldn’t? Erec wasn’t angry with him. As powerful and connected with the Substance as he was, Baskania was still only human. Erec had far surpassed that now.

Poor Baskania. Just like a child, Erec thought. Baskania was ashamed to have to rely on the Shadow Demon; he wanted to be in control by himself. But Erec was too powerful. Erec wanted to take Baskania under his wing and help him feel better. He would give him anything that he could, really. Just not the scepter. Not yet.

The Shadow Demon snake did a few somersaults in the air, and then morphed into a replica of Baskania, wearing the identical black cape and business suit. “Well, you see, it’s like this,” the Shadow Demon Baskania said to the other who was seated behind the desk. “Things are not as they seem. The reason that this . . . thing in front of you does not have dragon eyes is—”

“—It’s not Erec!” Baskania shouted. “How could I not have seen that? Erec Rex would never be this powerful. But who could it be, then? And how did it get Erec’s scepter?”

The new Baskania shook his head. “Not so simple. This is not
someone else. It is still Erec, in a sense. But not in the sense that you think.” The Shadow Demon seemed to enjoy playing with Baskania.

“What do you mean?” Baskania was getting impatient, but did not want to raise his voice to the Shadow Demon.

“Simple.” The Shadow Demon laughed. “This is his ghost. Erec Rex is dead.”

Baskania’s eyes widened. “Of course! How could I not have seen this before?” He looked Erec over in wonder. “This is amazing. Perfect! Where is the body?”

“Right here.” Before Erec could read Baskania’s mind, his own body appeared on the floor before him, perfectly preserved. In his arms lay the scepter—an identical version to the one in Erec’s hands. Erec was confused for a moment. Two scepters? But it seemed like they were the same one. . . .

In a flash, the scepter was out of the arms of his dead body on the ground and in Baskania’s grasp. At the same time, the one in Erec’s hands disappeared.

Baskania held the gold scepter, stroking it and gazing at it with wonder. “This is wonderful. Much better than Pluto’s scepter. We are going to be such good friends, you and I.”

Erec’s jaw hung open. How did that happen? He was holding his scepter tight—how could it disappear from his grasp like that? Baskania’s mind was completely unreadable now—although Erec was sure he knew what his enemy was thinking. He would be reveling in the same power that Erec had felt just moments before. Except with Baskania’s strength, the power of the scepter would be magnified even more.

What had he done? He had handed the most powerful object in the world to someone who would use it for destruction. If only Erec still had it . . . he would use it for good. In fact, right now he
would lock Baskania up in a place he could never escape from.

But a horrible thought occurred to Erec. When he did have the scepter, he hadn’t used it for good at all—had he? What had he done with it? Not create food for the hungry, or even rescue the spirits locked away in the Hinternom. Instead he turned himself into fire and ruined the fortress. And he enjoyed it too.

The scepter was going to make Baskania far more destructive than he already was. And Erec was helpless now to stop it.

Baskania tore his eyes from his prize and walked to Erec’s body on the floor. “Where did you find this thing?”

The Shadow Demon Baskania yawned. “It was in one of the Diamond Minds’ pits in Argos. Erec had been keeping it there, in case he ever made it back alive again.”

Baskania giggled with delight. “How perfect! I’ll take those dragon eyes now. Then I’ll have everything!”

There was a tugging feeling, and then everything in the room got a little darker. Erec could still see—but he realized that was only because he was a ghost. The eyes that had been in his dead body were now gone. Baskania pulled an eye patch off of his face, revealing a deep pit. “I’ve kept this waiting, because I just knew I would get what I wanted some day. Now is the time!” He pushed the dragon eye into the hole, and looked around the room with it. “Wonderful! It’s attaching already. I can feel the power in it—and it’s even stronger because I have the scepter. Nothing can stop me now!”

Erec was horrified. He had made this happen by coming here. How stupid had he been? What conceit! In a single swipe, Erec had ruined—no, ended—the whole world. Baskania would surely devastate everything now.

As Erec watched in horror, Baskania grew larger, at least a foot taller and wider. Erec had a bad feeling that it was not something he was trying to do—he could have easily changed his size before. More
likely it was a side effect of the enormous strength coursing through his body now.

Baskania’s voice reverberated through the room. “Thank you, Erec Rex. I could not have asked more of you.”

Baskania kicked Erec’s dead body. Something jiggled around its neck, and Baskania stooped over it. “Wait a minute, here. What’s this?” He held up the Amulet of Virtues. “This annoying thing has got in my way one time too many. It will be mine now.” Baskania tried to remove the Amulet without success. At least that was one thing that he would not be able to take—a powerful spell kept it on its wearer.

Baskania snarled. “This thing is no match for us!” He tipped the scepter toward it and in a moment Erec’s Amulet of Virtues was in his hand. “And look at this.” He poked at the Twrch Trwyth—the small glass boar-shaped vial with the three Awen left hanging on it. “This is my lucky day! How many more gifts will I receive?” In a moment, both the Amulet and the Trwyth vial hung around his neck.

Erec’s heart sank. This was the worst mistake he had ever made. As a spirit he was no wiser than he had been when he was alive. In fact, he felt like a complete idiot. He deserved something horrible to happen to him.

There had to be some way to fix things. Was there anyone else who could get the scepter, dragon eyes, and Twrch Trwyth away from Baskania? No—there was no match for the Shadow Prince. Erec would have to warn his family that they had to go into hiding. Not that there was anywhere to hide now.

The damage was done, and there was no fixing it. He had to move on and find the Hinternom in the atmosphere—even though he had completely messed up, he still had a mission. He would search for a way into the thing, and maybe even crack it open so he could save the poor, trapped spirits inside.

Baskania laughed with glee. “I don’t think so, Erec Rex. You will
never escape. You are my guest now. I owe you so much for all of these wonderful gifts that you have given to me today. I’ll repay the favor by putting you somewhere safe, where nothing will ever harm you again. In fact, it’s exactly where you want to go.”

He cackled, pointing in the air. A fine silver net dropped over Erec. Erec tried to move, but the net held him still. It seemed ghost-proof. Was this how Baskania had forced the other spirits into the trapdoor that led to the Hinternom?

“On your way, then, Erec.” Snickering, Baskania pointed his scepter at Erec. Erec jumped to his feet. On their own, his knees shot up high, one at a time, and he marched himself out of the room, the net still around him. Leaving behind Baskania and the Shadow Demon who looked like him, Erec marched like a puppet down the hall and up several flights of stairs. He knew where he was heading—and there was nothing at all that he could do about it.