2 City of Light

CHAPTER Two City of Light The three friends scrambled through the cave as fast as they could. Grrr! Grrr! Whatever was behind them was following swiftly. "There's light up ahead!" Julie called back. "I'm there!" said Neal. "Last one out is a rotten egg!" Eric cried. They hurled themselves out of the mouth of the cave and into the light. Bright light. And green grass. And flowers.

They tripped over a low wall and tumbled down a short slope to a wire fence. "We're trapped!" Neal yelled. Suddenly, the kids heard laughter. They sat up and squinted through the fence. Standing behind it were Princess Keeah and her father, King Zello. "Welcome to Droon!" the king boomed. They looked back at the cave. The red eyes blinked and disappeared into the darkness. Eric jumped to his feet. "You mean… we're safe?" "Very," Keeah said with a giggle. "You just looked funny running out of the wolves' cave." Neal gulped. "Did you say… wolves? Man, I hope we never go back into that cave!" Keeah and her father opened an iron gate and helped the three kids outside the fence. "The red wolves of Droon are famous," King Zello said. "They protect our city!" The king was a tall man with broad shoulders. He wore a helmet with horns and carried a wooden club. Princess Keeah had long blonde hair. She wore a green tunic and leather boots. "Welcome to Jaffa City," Keeah said. "Jaffa is the royal city of Droon!"

The princess led them out to a stone courtyard that was larger than a baseball stadium. At one side was a busy marketplace. Men and women strolled and shopped at colorful tents. Their children played happily by a beautiful fountain nearby. "Wow," said Eric. "I had bad daydreams about Sparr. But things look pretty okay here!" On the other side of the square rose giant buildings of white and silver and green and pink stone. In between grew flowers and bushes, and birds sang in white-blossomed apple trees. A soft breeze blew across the vast open space. "It sure is beautiful," Julie said as they passed the fountain. The children of Droon waved to the three friends from the Upper World. "Friendly, too," Neal said, giving the kids the peace sign. "And someday Keeah will rule over this city as well as all the villages outside," the king said. "Just like her mother, Queen Relna." Keeah's mother was a wizard who had been transformed into a white falcon. In that shape, she had helped the kids fight Lord Sparr. Now she herself needed help to become human again. "But for now, Keeah," the king said, "you must get ready for your magic lessons. Galen will be here soon. Max will

come, too, of course." Galen was a powerful old wizard. Max was his spidertroll assistant. The king beamed with pride and said, "Galen tells me that in some ways Keeah's powers are greater than his own. When the time is right, her true powers will be revealed." Eric's eyes went wide. "Powers? Cool!" Keeah made a face. "More like lukewarm. So far, I've broken seven clay pots, one bowl, a chair, and two clocks." "Three clocks," her father said, smiling. "But Galen will teach you. And look, here he comes!" A thick blue mist rose in the middle of the square. Sparks of light streaked through it. An instant later—zamm! A bearded old man in a long blue robe stood there. Next to him sat a large spider with four arms and four legs. He had a round face, a pug nose, and orange hair that stood straight up. "Galen! Max!" Eric said. "Good to see you again!" But the wizard did not look happy. "What's wrong?" the king asked, gripping his wooden club tightly. There was fear in Max's eyes as he spoke. "Terrible!" he chittered. "Lord Sparr! He's coming!" "I fear the worst," Galen said. "A curse has been sent by the evil one. We've tracked it across the plains. Now look!"

Galen pointed to the skies above them. A vast black cloud passed quickly in front of the sun. The entire courtyard fell into shadow.

"It is a curse!" Max muttered.