Atlantis in Peril by T. A. Barron

Author:T. A. Barron
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2015-04-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

The Chase

In a flash, Kermi leaped onto Promi’s shoulder, and the young man jumped into the air. Just as they left the cloudfield, black sparks, sizzling and crackling, sprayed the spot where they’d been standing.

Both mistwraiths shrieked angrily and leaped after them. Hurtling through the swirling mist, they rippled with rage, leaving two black swaths behind. Like a pair of dark comets, they pursued their intended prey.

Promi soared through the clouds, feeling Kermi’s tail wrapped around his neck. He weaved and swerved, zipping through mountainous clouds and under darkening rainbows. Yet nothing he did gained any distance from the mistwraiths. In fact, they seemed to be drawing closer.

“Er, manfool,” whispered Kermi into his ear. “This would be a good time to show some speed if you’ve got any.”

“I’m trying!”

“Then try harder. Or else we’ll end up like those flower worlds back there.”

Promi swerved sharply and plunged into a cloud tunnel of howling winds. The winds jostled them furiously, making Promi’s long black hair fly in all directions. Kermi’s whiskers flapped against his face, while his round ears fluttered against his head.

They shot out of the windy tunnel. Right behind them came the mistwraiths, crackling with sparks. Behind them, twin trails of blackness blotted out the waning light.

Promi careened into an especially dark cloud. All around them, vapors pressed as thickly as seawater. Both Promi and Kermi held their breaths.

The companions streaked past thousands of glowing bubbles that were floating through this watery realm. Each bubble held a luminous world of its own, full of colorful places and bizarre creatures. Despite floating in the same waters, though, each bubble was destined to remain always separate, always apart.

Bursting out of the dark cloud, they flew into a wide expanse of brightly colored, cube-shaped crystals. Even as night fell across the spirit realm, shrouding all its worlds in darkness, these crystals radiated yellows, greens, purples, and reds. Wherever they came together, new colors appeared, tinting everything around them.

From each crystal came a strange sound, like a note from an airy flute, but more rich and resonant than any flute Promi had ever heard. Weaving together across the cloudscape, those sounds made a wildly unpredictable symphony—sometimes loud and cacophonous, sometimes quiet and melodic, always surprising.

One day, thought Promi, I’d like to come back and explore this place.

“First you’ll have to survive this day,” Kermi reminded him.

Glancing behind, Promi saw the mistwraiths were still there—and gaining. Putting on a new burst of speed, he vaulted upward into a spiraling storm cloud. Lightning flashed all around, while thunder boomed.

Zzzzappp! A searing blast of lightning sliced past, barely missing them. Then another zapped even nearer—so close Promi felt it singe the hair on his head.

He veered to the side, bursting out of the storm. Now they were flying over a dark blue sea of clouds, a region where liquid worlds washed over one another constantly. From the waves below, a pair of golden eyes shaped like diamonds poked above the surface and watched them pass. Then the eyes rose higher, revealing a huge head covered with turquoise scales.

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