8 Prisoners!

CHAPTER Eight Prisoners! Clomp! Clomp! The children were marched to a room at the top of another tower. A dozen Ninn warriors in shiny black armor surrounded them. Clang! The iron door was bolted shut. They were prisoners. Lord Sparr paced back and forth before a thick blue curtain that covered one of the walls. "Princess Keeah," he began. "You and your friends spoiled my plans to attack Zorfendorf Castle. And Galen discovered my little raid on Jaffa City. No matter. Having

you as a prisoner is far more valuable. Besides, you have something that belongs to me." The princess backed away. "Let us go, Sparr. My father is on his way here right now." Sparr laughed. "Neither your father nor your mother will ever see you again." "My mother died," Keeah said. "And my—" The sorcerer smirked. "Your mother is—" Then he stopped. His eyes flashed. "That leather pouch on your wrist…" "What?" Keeah said. Sparr grabbed the pouch from Keeah. "My mother gave me that!" she cried, trying to take it back. But Sparr held it high. His fins turned inky black. He began to shake. "O jewel, if it be you, show me now your shape so true!" At once, the pouch began to shrink in Sparr's palm. It shriveled to the size of a small egg. Then it turned very smooth. Then it turned red. It began to glow. "No…" Keeah gasped. "No… no!" Sparr howled. "The Red Eye of Dawn! You had it all along! Now I have it. The First Power is mine once again!"

"Give it back to her, you smelly fish head!" Eric yelled. He rushed at Sparr, but one of the Ninns grabbed him and pushed him roughly into Julie and Neal. Then the sorcerer spoke words that made their blood turn to ice. "I… know… you… three…." "What?" Julie said. "How could you—" "You are from the Upper World. You have found the stairs. My stairs." Sparr pointed at Eric. "They are… in your house!"

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Eric shuddered. "How do you know that?" "I know many things about you," Sparr said. Then he reached back and tore the blue curtain aside. "Uh-oh," Neal whispered. Behind the curtain was a tall display stand. On the stand was a round black-and-white object. "Our soccer ball!" Julie exclaimed. "I have learned much from this object," Sparr said, hovering over the ball. "But not as much as I shall learn… when I am done with you." Suddenly, a voice cried shrilly from the window. "You are done right now, Sparr!" Everyone turned to see a mop of orange hair scurry down the wall. "Max!" Julie cried. "The one and only!" Max jumped to the floor and quickly spun a sticky web of threads around the Ninns' feet. "Haha!" he chittered. "G-g-g-guards!" Lord Sparr sputtered. "Take them all to the dungeon!" His red warriors lunged at the children. And tripped on Max's gooey web! "All right!" Eric cried, leaping for the soccer ball and tossing it high. "Neal! Your famous bad kick! Just like in my basement!"

Neal grinned. "Heads up, everybody!" He jumped at the ball and kicked it hard. "Akkk!" One Ninn groaned. "My nose!" "Serves you right!" Julie shouted. She snuck up and kicked the ball again. This time, it went straight for another Ninn's stomach. He fell back into two others, knocking them to the floor. "Score!" Eric said, diving for the ball. "I'll get the Red Eye of Dawn!" Keeah cried. But Sparr spun around and raised his fist. Kla-blam! A bolt of red fire shot from his hand. He staggered backward as the fire blew past Keeah, punching a hole straight through the wall to the hall outside. "We'll get the Eye later!" Eric shouted. "Everybody out!" He jumped through the hole in the wall with Neal and Keeah. Julie and Max ran after them. They all rushed down the hall. But the Ninns were right on their heels. "This way!" said Eric, tumbling through a narrow door. He tossed the soccer ball to Julie and slammed the door behind them. "Uh-oh," said Neal as he looked around. Dim light from a high window showed that they were in a small room. A very small room.