Benotripia- The Complete Trilogy Read online

  “Where’s Astro?” Roseabelle asked. Jessicana’s face paled.

  “He’s not with you? I thought training was over,” Jessicana said, panicking.

  “Don’t worry—we’ll find him,” Roseabelle soothed.

  At that moment, a “Look out below!” came from the roof. There was a loud crash and then silence.

  “Astro!” Jessicana and Roseabelle cried out at the same time. Roseabelle dashed out the door and leaped upward. Her hands clasped on a panel of wood, and she began to slide down. Roseabelle scraped at the wall, searching for a crack that she could hold on to. There were none and she began to fall. Roseabelle spotted the kitchen windowsill and lunged for it. She missed and started to plummet downward.

  She pressed all her weight on the wall, and much to her surprise, her fall was halted. Roseabelle looked up. Astro was dangling from the roof, his hand clutching hers.

  “Astro,” Roseabelle gasped. “What happened?”

  “Save the questions for later,” Astro said as he pulled Roseabelle up on the roof. “Roseabelle, something fishy is going on, and I don’t like it. I’m a little worried. Okay—make that really worried. I need to tell you something. I saw—” Astro began, but he was cut off by a pineapple soaring through the air straight at him.

  He snatched it by the leaves and flung it away. “I—” Astro started again, only to see a jagged piece of silver zooming toward him. He simply grabbed it from the air and pocketed it.

  “As I was saying—” the lightning boy tried again, but a porcelain bowl headed toward him. He shot a lightning bolt at the bowl and it shattered.

  Astro sighed. “Never mind,” he said.

  “What was that?” Roseabelle said, gaping.

  “Uh, nothing,” Astro said conspicuously. “Let’s just forget about it, okay?”

  Roseabelle studied her friend carefully. Astro looked extremely twitchy and nervous, like he wanted to tell Roseabelle something but couldn’t.

  “Um, all right,” Roseabelle said uncertainly.

  “Good,” he said.

  “How do we get down?” Roseabelle asked.

  Astro shook his head. “I was going to ask you,” he stated.

  “Great,” Roseabelle groaned. “This is just great.”

  “Well, can’t you shadow tumble or something?” Astro questioned.

  “Yes, but you wouldn’t be able to,” Roseabelle answered.

  “You could catch me.”

  Roseabelle looked at him incredulously. “Yeah, like I could catch you.” She chuckled. Then she stopped. “Oh Kinetle’s cloak!” she exclaimed. “I guess I could.”

  Before she knew it, Roseabelle had plunged into a shadow, pictured the brass door, and stomped her foot on the roof. She felt herself glide through the air and then land on the wooden platform next to the door. She climbed down the ladder and took a deep breath.

  She knew what Astro wanted her to do, but she was extremely nervous. It, of course, had to do with her Meta-Mord, being another unusual power: fur beam.

  Yes, it often sounded ridiculous—but the power actually came in handy at times. On the underside of her elbow was a sickening yellow spot. When she exposed the spot to the sun, her body would sprout fur. She would become stronger, more muscular, and fearsome.

  Roseabelle truly disliked to perform fur beam, but right now she had no choice. Roseabelle twisted the spot to the sun and watched as a beam of light hit it. She felt herself twist upward and grow taller. She saw strands of brown hair grow on her arms and she hoped that no one besides Astro and Jessicana were watching. Her whole body ached, but Roseabelle just gritted her teeth—which had now grown a little longer. Roseabelle looked down at her legs. She was hairy!

  “Astro,” she growled. “Jump!” The boy jumped from the roof and Roseabelle caught him with her now large hands. He gave a lopsided grin.

  “I thought I would never see you like this,” he said as he gave a mock sigh. In return, Roseabelle set Astro down and revealed her furry elbow in the sun. She felt her fur, teeth, and body shrink back to their normal size.

  A few minutes later, Roseabelle was completely normal. “Whew,” she said. “I’m glad that’s over.”

  Astro bit his lip, obviously trying not to laugh.

  “Hey, you guys, come on up! We have some matters to discuss,” Jessicana called from above.

  Roseabelle climbed up the ladder and reentered her home. Astro followed. When they were all inside, sitting at the barkmade table, Jessicana spoke up.

  “After I left you, I traced Asteran through Benotripia. He made some interesting stops. He traveled into Bird Song Jungle. There was a little wooden shack next to a palm tree, and he slipped inside. I followed him. It led to an old bar that served a lot of delicacies like coconut soufflé and banana cream pie.

  “I was a little amazed by the special treats when the pub was in the middle of the jungle and totally rundown. Asteran sat down and ordered some food. He ate it both exuberantly and hastily.

  “After he paid the bartender with a few bronze hadhadile coins, he set off.

  “Asteran wound through the jungle and took a shortcut I had never noticed before. It led out of Bird Song and to a dirt path. He walked with quick steps to a small clearing with a large boulder. He trotted out, and I went after him. But the clearing led back to dense underbrush.

  “I searched and searched, but I couldn’t find him. I checked back in the clearing—even behind the boulder—but it seemed like he had disappeared. I went through the underbrush nevertheless and found myself on Bright Shore Beach. There was no sign of him. Disappointed, I went to your house and waited on the branch, and here I am!”

  “Nice adventure, Jessicana, but may I ask, what’s with the raven feather?” Astro questioned.

  “Well, while I was tracking Asteran, this fell out of his pocket,” Jessicana answered.

  “Can I have a look?” Roseabelle asked. Jessicana handed the feather to her. Roseabelle took it. She quietly pored over it with great care. When she felt the middle of it, she cringed and moaned. Her entire body went rigid, and Jessicana watched in horror as Roseabelle squirmed out of her seat and fell to the floor.

  CHAPTER 3

  The Dream World

  WHAT’S GOING ON?” JESSICANA CRIED. ASTRO LEAPT to Roseabelle’s side and saw that she was clutching the feather tightly. His eyes quivered with fear, and he reached for the feather. Roseabelle rolled over.

  Astro tried to snatch it a second time, but Roseabelle violently kicked her legs in the air. Her eyes were now closed and she was completely out of control. “Kinetle,” she groaned. “Kinetle.”

  * * * * *

  WHEN ROSEABELLE TOUCHED THE CENTER OF THE RAVEN feather, she instantly felt nauseated. Her head was light, and she had only the slightest idea of her surroundings. She saw Jessicana’s expression turn fearful, and felt herself slip and land with a thud. She tried to get back up, but she didn’t have the strength. Roseabelle was beginning to black out now. The last thing she saw was Astro bending over, his eyes full of concern.

  * * * * *

  “WHO’S KINETLE?” JESSICANA WONDERED OUT LOUD.

  “I don’t know,” Astro replied, still struggling to get the feather.

  “Darvonians, Darvonians,” Roseabelle muttered. “Darvonians.”

  “Did you hear that?” Astro asked as he lunged on top of Roseabelle to get the feather. Jessicana nodded. “Well, if we’re ever going to get this feather out of her hand, you’re going to need to help,” Astro said.

  Jessicana bent down and said, “I have an idea.” She whispered something in Roseabelle’s ear. Roseabelle paused for a moment, giving Astro the opportunity to grab the feather from her. Roseabelle began to open her eyes.

  * * * * *

  SOMETHING AROUSED ROSEABELLE FROM HER FAINT. SHE WAS lying on the ground on a rocky shore. By the looks of it, the land did not seem to match up with Benotripia. There were mountains, caves, boulders, and pieces of sharp rock. A figure with a black cloak st
rode to her. “Rise,” a harsh voice commanded.

  Roseabelle struggled to her feet. “Have you got her?” the figure asked.

  Roseabelle was confused. “Um, what do you mean?” she asked.

  The man took in a quick breath. “Imposter!” he bellowed. “Do you not know who I am?” Roseabelle, a bit frightened, shook her head boldly.

  “I am Ugagush, son of Kinetle, and leader of the Darvonians!” Ugagush shouted. “And you will not escape. Never shall you leave this state.”

  Kinetle? Roseabelle had heard about her. She was merciless, greedy, and cruel. Her son must be equally so. Roseabelle had to get free.

  She turned to run, but an invisible wall blocked her. She heard Ugagush howling with laughter.

  Suddenly she heard a voice: “Roseabelle you are in the dream world. Don’t worry—we’re coming.” It was Jessicana’s voice. Roseabelle was comforted, and she stopped struggling and trying to run.

  Then everything began to black out again. The last image before she became unconscious was Ugagush shrieking, “Noooo!”

  ROSEABELLE SAT UP. SHE WAS BACK IN HER HOUSE WITH ASTRO and Jessicana kneeling beside her. “Whoa,” she muttered. “That was weird.”

  “Roseabelle!” Jessicana cried out. She embraced her friend. “What in the name of Danette happened?”

  Roseabelle told them all about the sensation with the feather, what happened, who she saw, and how she ended up back here.

  “I’ll say that is quite an adventure,” Jessicana remarked.

  “Jessicana, what were you talking about when you said the ‘dream world’?” Roseabelle asked.

  Jessicana’s expression turned grave. “Roseabelle,” she said, her tone quavering. “It’s an ancient myth. Before I didn’t believe in it, but now I do. According to the legend, the dream world was created by an IB.”

  “What’s an IB?” Astro asked.

  “IB stands for Imitation Benotripian,” Jessicana answered steadily. “And they are as rare as Meta-Mords. They are born into the Darvonian race, but they look nothing like their parents and could easily pass for a Benotripian. IBs are very intelligent, and so far, none of them have been on the good side.”

  Astro and Roseabelle were staring at her openly. “How in Benotripia’s Beauty do you know all this?” Roseabelle asked her.

  Jessicana blushed and shrugged. “Just research in the library, I guess. Anyway,” she continued, “the dream world was a sort of place where Darvonians communicated with their own kind. They also trapped Benotripians into a terrible motionless state.”

  Jessicana paused, waiting for a reaction. Astro was looking eager for her to go on, but Roseabelle was sitting on her chair, keeping her gaze on the floor. “Roseabelle, what’s wrong?” Jessicana asked.

  Wordlessly, Roseabelle went to the door. She traveled down the ladder and walked as if in a trance to Bright Shore Beach. Astro and Jessicana shared a look and then scrambled after her. At the beach, Roseabelle squatted down and touched the flower that she had pushed back earlier.

  She pushed it back again and called, “You guys, over here!” Astro and Jessicana came to her. “When you were gone this afternoon, I heard a scream. It sounded familiar, but now I know exactly who it was. My mother is in trouble. I came to the beach and checked the bushes. Stay here. I’m going to see again,” Roseabelle said.

  Astro looked worried as did Jessicana. Jessicana put an arm on Roseabelle’s shoulder. We’re coming with you,” she said firmly.

  Without another sound, the threesome crept into the bushes. It was dense, and Roseabelle could barely see. She tried hard not to stumble blindly. When they had gone a long distance, Roseabelle stopped in her tracks.

  In front of the auburn-haired girl were footprints. Three pairs, in fact. One was sleek and elegant, one was heavy and clumsy, and the other was thin and long. Roseabelle studied the sleek pair. It seemed like those footprints were uneven, as if the person they belonged to had been dragged.

  The footprints continued for a few short paces, then vanished. The other footprints kept going. Roseabelle noticed apricot juice dripping from a leaf. She picked up the leaf, and her eyes widened. She nudged Astro and Jessicana. “Look,” she whispered. It was an intricate, delicate message written in apricot juice!

  “Read it,” Astro urged. Roseabelle cleared her throat, then, “Help! This is Danette, leader of the Benotripians. The Darvonians have kidnapped me, and I don’t know where they are taking me. If you are reading this, warn my people and tell them to prepare for the enemy’s invasion. Do not come after me. Tell my daughter, Roseabelle, to look inside the place where only she will know what I mean. Remember what I say. Tell Roseabelle that Shelby is a—” Roseabelle read. “It stops there,” she said quietly.

  No one spoke for a while. Finally Jessicana broke the quiet aura in the trees. “Danette kidnapped? This isn’t good, Roseabelle. We have to do something. What does she mean the place where only she will know what I mean? It could help us.”

  Roseabelle didn’t reply.

  “A—are you all right, Roseabelle?” Astro asked. Roseabelle lifted up her face.

  Tears were dripping from her eyes. She hastily rubbed her face on her sleeve and turned to the beach. “Astro, Jessicana, the thing that she wants me to know. It’s at my house. Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Fight for the Pouch

  WHEN THEY ARRIVED BACK AT HER HOUSE, Roseabelle leapt up the ladder and opened the door. She ran in the house, up the stairs, and into her room.

  On her dresser was the little leaf pouch Danette had given her. She grabbed it and jogged back downstairs. Roseabelle scampered on the sand back to her friends and showed Astro and Jessicana.

  “Open it,” Astro said.

  Roseabelle was about to lift the green flap when a deep voice growled “Stop right there.” The three friends whirled around.

  Three figures in black robes were standing in front of them, armed with different weapons. One beefy man held a Trapita, a long rod with three sharp blades on the sides. One man bore a Thepgile, a round disk with spikes on the edges and a wire attached to the middle. The other end of the wire could be clipped on your wrist. The last figure looked female. The figure was clearly the leader and was clutching a Dragocone Ray.

  Dragocone rays were part fire, part sunlight, and part magic. If you got hit by one, you would be knocked down with the force of a wild animal and experience some painful burns. The only substances they didn’t affect were silk and latick, a kind of precious metal. You had to wear silk gloves to safely hold the weapon.

  The third figure was wearing silk gloves. “Darvonians,” Roseabelle whispered.

  “Hand over the pouch,” the first man commanded.

  “Umm, let me think about that,” Astro said. “How about this: no way.”

  It happened so fast that Roseabelle and her friends didn’t even see the Darvonians coming.

  The Darvonian with the Dragocone Ray swung her ray and charged the three friends. The other two figures went after her.

  Roseabelle’s first instinct was to use one of her powers. But which one?

  She turned to look at her friends. Jessicana was still, her face pale. Astro was like stone for one second, then just as the dark ones closed in, Astro lifted a finger, and a sharp lightning bolt erupted from it.

  It knocked into the cloaked man with the Trapita and sent him flying. The other uninjured figures didn’t pause for a second.

  The Darvonian with the Dragocone Ray reached Roseabelle first. She tried to snatch the pouch, but Roseabelle quickly dove under her arm and backed away. The Darvonian headed for her again, this time raising her Dragocone Ray.

  Roseabelle remembered the dark figure with the Thepgile and whirled around just in time to see the weapon spin right to her. Roseabelle sidestepped it and yanked the wire where it was attached to the deadly weapon. Her movement sent the Thepgile zooming into a tree trunk.

  Roseabelle quickly turned back to face the sinister figure. S
he was just in time, for the Darvonian had just wound her ray and the weapon was inches away from her arm that held the pouch.

  Roseabelle immediately decided that now was the time to use some of her powers. She turned to the Trapita that the Darvonian had been holding. It now lay untouched beside the large man. Using one of her more common powers, Roseabelle performed telekinesis. In a quarter of a second, Roseabelle lifted the weapon with her mind and levitated it into her waiting hand.

  Roseabelle turned to block the ray. She was in time to stop the ray from hitting the pouch, but she couldn’t stop it from hitting herself. The ray hit her shoulder instead, and Roseabelle was sent tumbling right into Jessicana. The blow was so great that Roseabelle lost her vision for several moments.

  She saw Astro shooting lightning bolts at the two figures before them. Since the man was so large, the bolt hit him easily, but the leader was a more difficult target. Astro shot bolt after bolt, and finally one of the lightning bolts hit the third figure’s arm.

  The now-crippled Darvonian cried out in anguish and the ray flew out of the third’s hand. Roseabelle was able to stand. She ran to the ray and took the third’s gloves and slid them onto her own hands. She picked up the ray and turned to the third trespasser.

  “Besides the fact that there are multiple Benotripian homes in close range that I can signal for help, you and your men are injured. I can assure you that Benotripians will not tolerate your presence here. Go while you still have the chance. Leave.”

  The figure gave her a piercing, withering, defeated look. The leader growled. Roseabelle looked the dark Darvonian in the eye.

  “Go,” she commanded.

  The Darvonian made a series of grunts and growls, then stood and pulled her henchman up with her good arm. Together they limped to the beach.

  “Jessicana, make sure they leave, will you?” Roseabelle asked. Jessicana transformed into a parrot and flew off.

  “That was generous,” Astro commented.

  “Astro,” she replied, “they’re our ticket to reach Darvonia. They probably need to get a boat, right? I suspect they got here on a one-way trip. Perhaps the pouch provides transportation. Anyway, they’ll have to build or take a boat. Either will take some time. We open the pouch, get prepared, and go after my mother.”