The Alchemyst

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

S ophie. Wake up!

Sophie Newman s eyes snapped open. And then she squeezed them shut again and

pressed her hands against her ears. The lights were so bright, so vivid, the

sounds of battle so incredibly clear and distinct.

Sophie. Wake up!

The shock of hearing the voice again forced her to open her eyes and look

around. She could hear Perenelle Flamel as clearly as if she were standing

beside her, but there was no one there. She was lying propped against the

rough bark of an oak tree, with Josh standing beside her, a thick branch

clutched in both hands, desperately beating back terrifying creatures.

Sophie slowly pushed herself to her feet, holding on to the tree for support.

The last thing she clearly remembered was the bitter odor of rich green wood

burning. She remembered saying Fire! and then the rest was a series of

confused images a narrow tunnel, creatures with bird heads and cat

skulls that might have been dreams.

As Sophie s eyes adjusted and she looked around, she realized that they had

not been dreams.

They were completely surrounded by birds and cats: hundreds of them. Some of

the cat-headed humans lurked in the long grass and attempted to creep toward

them on all fours or on their bellies, spitting and clawing. There were

birdmen in the branches of the tree overhead, maneuvering to get close enough

to drop down, while others kept hopping in, jabbing at Josh with their

evil-looking beaks.

On the opposite side of the field, the Yggdrasill burned. The ancient wood

snapped and cracked, plumes of white-hot sap boiling up into the pristine air

like fireworks. But even as the burnt wood fell away, new growth appeared,

fresh and green, in its place. Sophie was conscious of another sound too, and

realized she was listening to the Yggdrasill. And now, with her incredibly

sensitive hearing, she thought she could make out phrases and words, snatches

of songs and fragments of poems within the agonized cries of the burning

tree. In the distance, she could see Hekate desperately trying to put out the

fires, but she was also fighting the Morrigan, the cats and the birds at the

same time. Sophie also noticed that there were no more nathair in the skies,

and very few of the Torc Allta remained to guard their ancient mistress.

Closer, Sophie spotted Scatty s bright red hair. She, too, was surrounded by

dozens of birds and cats. The Warrior was moving in what looked like an

intricate dance, twin swords flashing, sending the creatures howling back

from her. Scatty was trying to fight her way over to where Nicholas Flamel

was lying facedown on the ground beneath the claws of the most terrifying

creature Sophie had ever seen: Bastet, the Cat Goddess. With her incredibly

sharp eyesight, the girl could make out the individual whiskers on Bastet s

feline face, and she actually saw a droplet of saliva gather on the overlarge

fangs and drip onto the man below.

Flamel'saw Sophie looking in his direction. He tried to draw a breath, but it

was difficult with the heavy creature standing on top of him. Run, he

whispered, run.

Sophie, I only have a few moments Perenelle s voice echoed inside the

girl s head, shocking her to full alertness. This is what you must do. You

must let me speak through you .

Josh became aware that his sister was climbing to her feet, swaying slightly,

hands pressed to her ears as if the sounds were too much, eyes squeezed

tightly shut. He saw her lips move, as if she were talking to herself. He

lashed out at a pair of humans with mockingbird heads as they darted forward.

The heavy branch caught one of the creatures squarely on the beak, and it

staggered back, dazed and stunned. The other continued to circle Josh, who

realized that it was not coming for him it was trying to get to Sophie. He

turned and lashed out at it, but at that moment, a tall, slender man with a

tabby cat s head came bounding toward him. Josh tried to swing the branch,

but he was off balance and the catman ducked under the blow. Then it leapt

into the air, mouth gaping, claws extended. With a sour taste at the back of

his throat, Josh admitted to himself that he and Sophie were in desperate

trouble. He needed to get to his sister, he had to protect her and in that

instant, he knew he was not going to make it. He closed his eyes at the last

minute as the savage cat-headed creature slammed into his chest, expecting to

feel the sting of its claws, to hear its squalling roar in his face but all

he heard was a gentle purring. He blinked his eyes open and found he was

holding a fluffy kitten in his arms.

Sophie! He turned around and stopped in awe.

Sophie s aura had flared pure silver around her body. It was so dense in

places that it even reflected the sunlight, making it appear like a medieval

suit of armor. Silver sparks crackled through her hair and dripped from her

fingers like liquid.

Sophie? Josh whispered, elated. His sister was fine.

And then Sophie slowly turned her head to look at Josh, and he experienced

the shocking, sickening realization that she did not recognize him.

The birdman that had been moving in to attack the girl suddenly darted

forward, beak stabbing at her eyes. Sophie snapped her fingers: tiny droplets

of silver spun away from her hands to splash against the creature. Instantly,

it folded and twisted in on itself and became a disorientated hermit thrush.

Sophie walked past her brother and stepped toward Bastet.

No farther, little girl, Bastet commanded, raising a clawed hand.

Sophie s eyes opened wide and she smiled, and Josh suddenly found that, for

the first time in his life, he was frightened of his own sister. He knew that

this wasn't his Sophie; this terrifying creature could not be his twin.

When the girl spoke, her voice was a harsh croak. You have no idea what I

can do to you.

Bastet s huge feline eyes blinked in surprise. You can do nothing to me,

little girl.

I am no girl. You may be ancient, but you have never encountered anything

like me. I possess the raw power that can nullify your magic. I can use it to

return the birds and cats to their natural forms. Sophie s head titled to

one side, a gesture Josh knew well; his sister did it when she was listening

intently to someone. Then she stretched out her hands toward the Dark Elder.

What do you think would happen if I were to reach out and touch you?

Bastet hissed a command, and a trio of huge catmen raced toward the girl.

Sophie flung out her arm, and a long, whip-like, snaking coil of silver

energy flowed from her hand. It touched each of the cats, crackling across

their haunches and shoulders, and they immediately came to stumbling halts,

rolling and twisting on the ground as they transformed into ordinary everyday

cats, two shorthairs and a ragged-looking Persian. The cats bounded to their

feet and streaked off, howling piteously.

Sophie spun the whip above her head, scattering drops of liquid silver in

every direction. Let me give you a taste of what I can do . The silver whip

cracked and snapped as she approached.

Scatty suddenly found that three of her adversaries had transformed into an

American robin, a house finch, and a song sparrow, while the exotic-looking

catman directly in front of her warped into a confused Siamese.

Sophie cracked the silver whip again and again, beating away their attackers,

droplets of silver splashing everywhere, and more and more of the cat-and

birdmen returned to their natural forms. Get away from Nicholas, she said,

her lips not moving in synch with her words, or we will find out what your

true shape is, Bastet, who is also Mafdet, Sekhmet and Menhit.

Bastet slowly stepped away from Flamel and raised herself to her full

towering height. Her slit-pupiled eyes were wide, her mouth tightly closed.

It has been a long time since anyone has called me by those names. Who are

you certainly no modern humani girl?

Sophie s mouth moved, the words taking a moment or two to follow. Beware

this girl, Bastet. She is your doom.

Bastet s fur was bristling and her bare arms dimpled with goose bumps. Then

she slowly backed away, turned and raced toward the burning Yggdrasill. For

the first time in millennia, she was frightened.

Nicholas dragged himself to his feet and staggered toward Sophie, Josh and

Scatty. He stepped up to Sophie. Perenelle? he whispered.

Sophie turned her head to him, eyes blank and unseeing. Her mouth worked, and

then, as in a badly dubbed movie, the words came. I m in San Francisco, held

in the basement of Enoch Enterprises. I m safe and well. Take

the children south, Nicholas. There was a long moment of silence; then, when

she spoke again, the words came quicker than Sophie s lips could move, and

the girl s silver aura began to fade and her eyes started to close. Take

them to the Witch.