The Eternal Flame Part 3

RICK RAIDER #2

THE SEARCH FOR THE ETERNAL FLAME

(Part 3)

Chapter Nine: ON TO ZAXXONIA

"Let me go!" Sally cried, fire in her eyes as she tried to squirm from the Zaxxon soldier's grasp. "You're hurting me!"

"Get your freakin' hands off her!" Blazingly angry, Rick pushed his way between Sally and the soldier. "You have the wrong girl. She is not Princess Athena!"

The band had suddenly stopped playing and every eye in the room was on Rick as he glared angrily at the enemy soldier.

"Don't tell me my business, sonny." The big Zaxxon gave Rick a withering look and shoved him aside. "I know the Princess of Olympus when I see her!"

"You'd better take a chill pill, Bozo," Charlie fumed. "You can't do that to my bud!" With that, he leaped through the air and crashed into the soldier, knocking him to the floor. Charlie and Sally both toppled onto the stupefied Zaxxon as Rick gaped wide-eyed at them.

The next moment, the entire club was in an uproar. The young Olympians, angered by the presence of the enemy soldiers in their canteen, surged forward. Shouts and cries echoed throughout the room, tables and chairs were overturned, and the Zaxxon soldiers were pummeled by a flurry of flying fists.

"Free Olympus!" angry voices cried out.

"Down with the Zaxxons!" The singer on stage shouted through the microphone. "Olympus rules! Fight for the cause!"

Rick found himself in the middle of the brawl. He hurried to pull Sally up from the floor . The soldier she and Charlie had fallen on sqirmed away from the group of kids pounding on him and whipped out his gun from its sheath on his side.

"Watch out, Connors!" Rick shouted to Charlie who had rolled off the Zaxxon and onto the floor. Then he leaped over Charlie and kicked the laser gun from the soldier's hand. It went flying into the crowd and slid across the floor.

Rick hurried back and grabbed Sally's hand. "Let's get outta here!"

Charlie had jumped to his feet. "You said it, man. Let's split. This place has gone wild!"

Charlie grabbed Princess Athena, who had been watching the melee with a stunned expression, and he pulled her along. Rick led the way as they shoved through the crowd. At the edge of the dance floor they found ABL089, who was bobbing up and down in a frenzy.

"Good fortune!" the robot squealed. "The young people of Olympus are really giving it to those Zaxxons!"

Charlie's chest swelled. "You bet, after Rick Raider and Company shows them how!"

"And while they're keeping the Zaxxons busy," Rick added, his eyes darting around the room, "we'd better hit the road."

Princess Athena pointed ahead. "There's a back door down that hall by the bathrooms. We can slip out that way."

"Great!" Charlie dashed along with the others as they hurried to the hall through the maze of overturned tables. "I have to stop at the men's room for a quick visit."

Rick grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him along. "No time for that, buster. We gotta get out of here!"

Charlie fumed. "Sheez! You guys are too much. You won't let me eat. I can't even go to the bathroom. Interplanetary travel is rough enough without having to deny bodily functions!"

Sally threw an amused glance at him. "Don't worry, in Zaxxonia we'll find you a nice McDonald's or Burger King with comfortable rest rooms."

Charlie mumbled something along the lines of "Don't I wish!" as they ran out the back entrance and found themselves in an alley that ran behind the establishments of the town's main street.

"Whew," Sally shuddered as they hurried along the alley. "That was a close call. Can you believe that soldier actually thought I'm the Princess of Olympus?"

Princess Athena chuckled. "Well, you are wearing my clothes, I noticed. And we do look quite a bit alike. I'll remove this wig and make-up when we get to Zaxxonia, and you'll see."

She untied one of the scarfs around her neck and handed it to Sally. "Here, put this on to cover your hair so the soldiers on the street won't mistake you for me."

Sally tied the scarf on. "They didn't on our way into town. But after what happened in the canteen, I feel like I need a disguise too."

Charlie rolled his eyes heavenward and shook his head. "Humphh! Hang around with girls and there's always gonna be trouble."

Princess Athena looked at him and giggled. "Well, I see the guys on Earth are the same as those here on Teutron."

Sally nodded. "Charlie loves to tease, but it's his darn fault we're in this predicament. He was the one who couldn't resist exploring the spaceship back on Earth."

"I don't recall having to twist your arm to get you to join me," Charlie shot back.

Rick had only been half listening to the conversation for his mind was on what lay ahead of them. As they reached the side street, he said, "Knock it off, eh? We all should have known better. In fact, my dad warned me not to go on the ship. But we did, and we're here now. And we've got to make the best of it."

ABL089 nodded vigorously. "Right. It's on to Zaxxonia for now."

"And the oracle Medusa," the Princess said.

Charlie grinned. "She's one character I can't wait to see. We sure could use a little of her magic right now. Like maybe some chow and a toilet."

Rick let out a low chuckle. "C'mon, Connors. This is an adventure. You read all the Hardy Boys books when we were kids. All those adventures they had - did they ever stop to go to the bathroom?"

Charlie frowned. "Not that I remember."

"Come to think of it," Sally put in, "Nancy Drew never went to the bathroom either." She turned to Charlie with a teasing smile. "If they didn't have to go, either do you."

Charlie snorted. "You have fiction confused with real life. This is real! Even though it's getting to the point where we just gotta be dreaming!"

"Tell me about it," Rick couldn't help but agree.

"You guys!" Princess Athena laughed. "You three are really funny."

"They're just about as whacky as can be," ABL089 agreed. He patted Charlie on the back. "One of the benefits of being a robot is that I don't have to worry about bathrooms. But there are public restrooms in this park we're approaching, and you young people can avail yourselves of them. There doesn't seem to be any Zaxxon soldiers right here."

"Cool!" Charlie was off in a dash for the small memorial park on the corner ahead.

Rick and the girls made use of the restrooms too while ABL089 stood guard in the park in front of an old war memorial that looked like a Grecian ruin.

"This is a memorial from The Great War," Princess Athena told them moments later when they reconvened outside. "As you can see, it's falling into ruin. The names of all the Elysians who perished in the war were engraved on the marble walls, but the centuries have worn them away. Every town in Olympus has a similar memorial, but they are very old now."

"But, just like on Earth, there's still war here," Sally said sadly.

"And we're right smack dab in the middle of it," Rick reminded them. "Let's book."

They moved on, trying to keep within the shadows as they made their way through town. In this manner they avoided the soldiers who were patroling the streets and they arrived at the public corral without any further trouble. The horses, rested and refreshed, were very excited to see them.

"We'd better take off right here," Rick said as they mounted the Pegasi. "I don't want to chance riding by any of the soldiers. We're a lot more noticeable on these horses than on foot."

"No problem," Princess Athena told him, guiding her big white stallion into the center of the corral. "Just follow me!"

"Up, Starfire!" she commanded, pulling on the reins.

The horse tossed its head and whinnied, flapping its powerful wings. The other horses followed suit and seconds later all five Pegasi ascended into the night sky. The mighty beating of wings thundered in the riders' ears as they flew in formation high over the resort town.

"Is it a long flight from here to Zaxxonia?" Rick shouted to ABL089.

"Not very long. We should be there in about an hour." He urged his horse ahead to take over the lead from the Princess. "My sensory apparatus will guide us to the Windy Regions. The only problem we might encounter is stormy weather over the strait. Let's hope we don't!"

The others heartily agreed, and the land below soon disappeared as the Pegasi flew over the waters of the Strait of Neptune, the lights of Elysia dropping behind them.

"Hey," Charlie started to laugh. "To Zaxxonia or bust!"

Sally pulled the scarf from her head and let her blonde curls blow in the wind. "Right! To rescue Prince Apollo and get back the Eternal Flame."

"Freedom for Olympus!" the Princess joined in, caught up in the excitement of the moment.

"On that you can compute," ABL089 agreed. "And may good fortune be with us!"

Rick looked down at the dark waters below, a thrilling sensation of adventure coursing through him. He had little idea of what might lay ahead of them, but his every nerve was tingling at the thought of what was to come. But then, as his eyes moved upwards to gaze at the glittering night sky, the excitement of the moment seemed to fade.

The big moon Urania had risen high above them and its silver rings sparkled like ice. Billions and billions of stars twinkled overhead, and Rick knew that somewhere out there in that eternal void spun the Milky Way galaxy, and deep within it the planet Earth.

He frowned, knowing that the only way he and his friends could ever return home to Earth was through the successful accomplishment of the perilous quest they were now undertaking. Prince Apollo and the Eternal Flame must be found, and Olympus must be freed from the oppressive hand of the Zaxxons!

Rick forced a smile, refusing to allow himself to be overcome by the feeling that their quest was an impossible one. He told himself they'd do it, one way or another. He knew that where there's a will, there's a way. And his will was sure as heck working to the mega max!

"Awesome, isn't it," Sally said, pointing up to the heavens.

"Yes, it's breathtaking," agreed the Princess. "I never tire of gazing at the stars. My Uncle Orion used to practice astronomy before his retirement. I often visited him at the observatory in Olympia, and he'd let me view the heavens through the big telescopes. I'm really worried about him now. He went to Zaxxonia all alone! I wish he'd taken someone along."

"Orion is quite capable of taking care of himself," ABL089 told her. "You needn't worry about him."

Princess Athena frowned. "But he's an old man now, Abey. His powers aren't as strong as they used to be."

Rick turned to her. "His powers? What do you mean?"

"My uncle is a wizard."

"What?" Charlie looked across the horses at her. "A wizard?"

"Yes. Is that so surprising?"

Charlie shrugged. "Well......like, yes! Sorceresses and now wizards. We don't have characters like that on Earth."

Princess Athena looked surprised. "Really? You don't?"

Rick nodded. "It's true, Princess. But legends tell that at one time there were wizards, sorcerers, and other workers of magic on our planet. But that was ages ago. Magic no longer exists on Earth and few people believe it ever did."

"Well it certainly must have existed at one time," the Princess said. She gestured up to the heavens. "Look at the stars. Just imagine the great power that keeps it all working in such exact perfection. The universe itself is magic, and magic has survived on Teutron throughout the ages because the people of the planet have continued to believe in it."

She thrust her hand beneath the neckline of her tunic and withdrew a golden amulet which hung around her neck on a beautiful gold chain. The amulet was the size of a large coin and in its center was a glowing red stone.

"My Uncle Orion gave this to me," she said. "The stone in the center is a rubiand, a magical stone that exerts a force strong enough to keep me safe from most dangers I might encounter. But it can't protect me from humans. It doesn't have that power. That's why I have to flee the Zaxxons. The amulet can't keep me safe from them."

Rick, Charlie, and Sally stared in awe at the magical amulet. The rubiand in its center glowed brightly, reflecting the starlight.

Charlie whistled. "Groovy! I'd like one of those for myself. Where can I find a rubiand?"

Princess Athena laughed. "They are nowhere to be found, Charlie. The rubiands are gems of great magical power that have been handed down through the ages by wizards and magicians. They can make the stones do almost anything! Even harm other people. My uncle gave Apollo an amulet just like this one, and my brother and I are the only two people outside the Brotherhood of Magic to possess rubiands."

Sally smiled happily. "Well I feel much safer knowing we have some kind of magic on our side."

ABL089 chuckled. "You Earthlings have your own kind of magic. And it hasn't failed to help us throughout the day."

"And it better not," Rick added grimly. "I have a sneaky suspicion that we just ain't seen nothin' yet!"

********

With the waters of the Strait of Neptune rolling far below them, the five riders covered the distance between the two continents of the planet Teutron. To their advantage, the weather remained calm. No treacherous storms stirred in the heights above the strait, and soon the dark shadow of land loomed on the horizon.

"Land ahoy!" Charlie shouted.

The Princess pointed ahead. "There's Zaxxonia!"

"Are those the Windy Regions we're approaching?" Rick asked, looking at the great range of mountains along the shore.

ABL089 nodded. "Indeed they are. My sensory apparatus tells me that we're directly on course. Those mountains are known as the Howling Hills, and within them is the sanctuary of the oracle Medusa."

"How will we find her?" Charlie wanted to know. "Those mountains cover a lot of territory."

The robot turned to look at him. "When we land, I'll speak to the Groks. They know where the oracle dwells."

Rick grinned expectantly. "Oh no. Who or what are the Groks?"

"They are subhuman creatures who inhabit the Windy Regions," Princess Athena explained. "They somewhat resemble men, but are covered with shaggy fur. They are very hostile in nature and ugly to look at."

"Great," Charlie muttered. "And we thought the Zaxxon robots were gross!"

"What if they try to harm us?" Sally asked.

"My amulet will protect us, Sally. It works real good on animals and subhumans. And Abey can talk to them. He knows all forms of communication in use on Teutron."

Rick gave Charlie a knowing look. Things were just going to get weirder and weirder, and a lot more dangerous, as they followed their quest. "These Groks sound pretty gruesome," he said to the Princess. "Get that amulet ready. It sounds like we're going to need it!"

Several minutes later, the waters of the strait gave way and they flew over the shore of Zaxxonia. ABL089 led them to the foothills of the mountain range. Below, the land was dark with forest, and here and there could be seen the glow of fires.

"Those must be the campfires of the Groks," the Princess noted. "Where shall we land, Abey?"

Just then, as they neared the first big mountain, great gusts of wind buffeted against them. The Pegasi whinnied in alarm and beat their wings wildly.

"We may as well land right here," ABL089 shouted. "The winds are booming tonight over the Howling Hills. Follow me!"

The horses needed little urging to fly down to the ground, and soon the party had landed in the dark murky forest. They hitched the horses to low-growing trees, unstrapped the backpacks from the saddles and slipped them over their shoulders, and then crept through the gloom towards the light of a nearby campfire. The winds howled all around them and the tall dark trees swayed menacingly.

Sally shivered. "What a spooky place!"

"It's weird all right," Rick agreed.

"Like, it's okay to visit," Charlie gibed, "but I sure wouldn't want to live here!"

"Well, we won't stay long," ABL089 promised. "Just long enough to speak with the oracle and find out what we need to know."

Princess Athena pulled out her amulet and held it up in her hand. "This should be an experience. I've never seen a Grok before. Just pictures. They can't put them in the zoos because they're subhuman, not animals. Take a deep breath, everybody."

Moments later, they arrived at the clearing around the campfire.

"Get a load of those characters," Rick whispered.

Hunched around the fire were a number of man-like creatures with long shaggy fur covering their bodies. Their faces were ugly, like those of gorillas, but even moreso, and their beady eyes reflected the dancing flames of the fire. The Groks were of various sizes, and the community was apparently composed of several families.

"Far out," breathed Charlie. "They look like the Big Foot."

"Eeew! They give me the creeps," Sally shuddered.

"They aren't very nice," the Princess warned, holding the amulet out like a shield. "This will charm them somewhat, but we must still be cautious."

"Here goes nothing," ABL089 said in his relentlessly cheerful voice, and he led the others out of the trees and into the clearing.

Startled by the unexpected intruders, the Groks jumped to their feet, many of them shrieking in fright. As the little ones clung to their mothers, several of the large males rushed forward, grunting in low guttural tones.

"The natives are restless tonight," Charlie muttered, as ABL089 pressed forward. "Imagine the irony of them screaming at the sight of us."

The robot raised his hand in salutation and emitted a series of grunts sounding similar to those of the Groks. At the same time, Princess Athena raised her amulet high with an unwavering steady hand. The rubiand in its center reflected the flames and glowed like fire.

The advancing Groks stopped. The wild expressions on their faces changed to placid ones, as if they had been mesmerized.

One of them, apparently the leader, stepped forward and clumsily raised his hand in imitation of ABL089.

Sally giggled nervously. She whispered, "Monkey see, monkey do!"

The hulking Grok towered over ABL089, and the robot stepped back a pace as the creature spoke to him in a series of grunts. ABL089 responded readily, smiling at the Grok while speaking to him in the primitive method of communication. The others could not understand what was being said , for their sensor rings could not translate this subhuman speech.

Again the shaggy beast spoke, and when he was finished ABL089 turned around.

"I explained our mission to this fellow," he said, "and he agreed to show us the trail that leads up into the Howling Hills and the oracle Medusa's sanctuary."

"Excellent," said Rick. "Let's get going."

The Grok turned and gestured to the forest on the other side of the campfire. As they followed him across the clearing, Princess Athena kept the golden amulet held high and the other Groks all stepped back, gaping at the intruders as they passed.

The leader of the Groks led them into the woods and through the underbrush until they arrived at a well-trodden path. He pointed ahead, grunting vigorously, and then looked at the five friends with wide curious eyes. Then he turned quickly and dashed back into the trees towards his camp.

"Weird sort of fellow, isn't he?" Charlie muttered, as they started up the path.

"He definitely wasn't my cup of tea,"said Sally. "I don't think they'd let him sing with the Back Street Boys!"

Rick laughed. "I have the feeling we would have been his supper if it weren't for Princess Athena's amulet."

"Speaking of supper........" Charlie drawled.

"Let's not," Rick quickly returned. "We'll have plenty of time to eat after we see the oracle."

"The Grok was afraid of Medusa," ABL089 told them. "He said she dwells near a waterfall some distance up into the hills, and that we must be careful along this trail. There are many dangerous beasts in these woods."

"Figures." Charlie looked warily into the shadows. "You'd better keep that amulet held high, Princess."

"I intend to," was her quick reply. "I've read about the dangers of the Howling Hills, and they are of the worst kind."

With this troubling thought in mind, the party hurried along the trail. As they climbed into the higher regions, the winds howled even more mournfully and, if it were not for the big moon Urania lighting the trail, they would have been caught in a terrifying darkness.

From deep in the forest came roars akin to those of lions and tigers, and now and then they heard a movement close by in the underbrush. Once they spotted a gleaming pair of eyes but, whatever it was, the beast turned and fled when the Princess pointed the amulet in its direction.

At length, they came to a point in the trail where a stream rushed alongside it. Ahead could be heard the roar of falling waters.

"I hear a waterfall," ABL089 said excitedly. "We must be approaching the oracle's sanctuary."

"There it is." Rick pointed ahead as they rounded a bend in the trail that led into a small narrow canyon.

A hush seemed to fall as they walked through the narrow entry. On the far wall of the canyon a torrent of water rushed over a rocky crag down into a large pool. The moonlight silvered the misty waters and reflected on the rock of the canyon walls. It was a beautiful place, peaceful and quiet.The howling winds could scarcely be heard in the confines of the canyon.

They hurried towards the pool of water, anticipating the sight of the oracle Medusa.

"What do you have to do?" Charlie asked. "Call out her name or something?"

At that same moment, before anyone could even answer, the water in the center of the pool heaved up into the air as if by magic. Suddenly, the giant head of a lizard-like beast shot up above the surface, water gushing from its fang-lined mouth.

"What in the world.....!!" Rick blurted, as he and the others shrank back in terror.

"Great Andromeda!" Princess Athena cried. "It's a Gilasaurus!"

The mammoth reptile saw them. With a mighty roar it stood up on its hind legs, and its long tail slashed the air like a giant whip.

The next moment the gruesome beast was thundering towards them!

Chapter Ten: THE ORACLE MEDUSA

Splash! Crash! Boom!

The Gilasaurus stormed through the pool, the earth shaking all around them.

Sally grabbed Rick's arm. "It's going to attack us!"

Rick turned to the Princess. "The amulet! Aim it at that thing before it's on top of us!"

Princess Athena's hand trembled as she raised the magical amulet in front of her. But it seemed to have no effect on the beast, for it lumbered on, its long tongue darting in and out of the fang-lined mouth. It reached the edge of the pool and heaved itself onto the bank. Then, in all its fury, with a great roaring and slashing of its tail, the Gilasaurus thundered towards them.

Charlie was totally astounded. "For cryin' out loud, it's Godzilla!"

Princess Athena pulled the amulet from around her neck and held it at arm's length towards the creature. The giant reptile stopped and, for a moment, it eyed them warily. But any magic the amulet had exerted was brief, for the next moment the Gilasaurus roared again and surged forward.

"The amulet isn't powerful enough," ABL089 screeched. "What are we going to do?"

"We gotta get outta here!" Rick shouted. "Let's go!"

"I'm already gone!" Charlie grabbed Princess Athena by the hand and turned to flee.

But, before any of them could move, an ear-splitting crash of thunder shook the entire canyon. Then, just as suddenly, a crackling noise resounded around them. A flurry of lightning bolts streaked through the air from the vicinity of the waterfall.

The sizzling bolts struck the Gilasaurus and it reared up, bellowing in outrage as the sparking electrons coursed through its monstrous body. A blinding light completely surrounded the writhing reptile.

Then again, so suddenly it was almost unbelievable, there was utter silence. The Gilasaurus stood petrified and unmoving. The vivid light surrounding it faded to a soft glow.

Charlie's mouth dropped open. "Holy dinosaurs! It's been turned to stone!"

Rick gaped at the petrified beast. "Incredible!"

"Totally," Sally agreed, her voice trembling. "But what happened?"

"Oh .... look!" Princess Athena pointed across the pool.

The waterfall had parted and now, on a ledge halfway up the cliff, a woman stood between the two torrents of foaming spray.

"The oracle Medusa!" Rick breathed.

"Yes! It is she!" ABL089 squeaked.

The others were speechless as they gazed at the ancient sorceress. Never had they seen anyone like her before. She was very beautiful, dressed in a loose-fitting silver garment that fluttered around her in the breeze, and she looked at them with eyes that glowed like those of a beast in the night.

Crowning her head was a cluster of hissing snakes which coiled and writhed in every direction!

The oracle addressed them in a harsh voice. "Intruders upon my sanctuary! Why have you come here?"

ABL089 lurched forward, bowing awkwardly.

"You're most powerful Highness," he croaked, his big blue eyes bulging. "We have come to ask a great favor. We ..........."

"Silence!" Medusa's voice echoed throughout the canyon. "Do you dare tell ME why you have come? I who know everything that has been, and all that is yet to be?"

ABL089's mouth dropped. "But you ......."

"Enough!" Sparks emitted from the oracle's outstretched fingers. "Do not arouse my wrath, or I shall turn you all to stone as I have done to the beast!"

They glanced apprehensively at the petrified monster, but the menacing words of the sorceress did not intimidate Rick and his friends.

Charlie frowned at her impatiently and was on the verge of flinging an angry retort when Rick grabbed him by the arm to silence him. They exchanged glances and Charlie bit his lip, keeping his mouth shut.

Then Rick stepped forward. "We have come in peace," he said. "You know what we seek and also that you are the only one who can give it to us."

Medusa's voice lessened in its harshness. "You are a fearless young man," she said to him, "and you and your companions are not frightened by me and my powers. I truly admire courage, especially in those so young, and also your insight that I will not use my powers to harm those who come to me in peace and goodwill."

She then bestowed a dazzling smile upon them, and Sally sighed aloud in relief.

"Step forward," Medusa requested, her voice soft and melodious now, "the other two of you who have come from the planet Earth."

Without hesitation, Charlie and Sally stepped up abreast of Rick.

"You are three strangers in a strange land," the sorceress said to them, "far away from your home and with little hope of ever returning there. Yet you are willing to risk your lives for the freedom of this planet's people. The Zaxxons now know of your presence here on Teutron, and they are alarmed. They fear you may have strange powers."

Medusa smiled again. "They have reason to be afraid, for even I cannot give you greater powers than you already have, those of your unyielding faith and courage."

She turned her head to gaze upon ABL089. "You, mechanical man! You have the great advantage over mortal men of having been programmed to think and act in a positive and constructive manner. You are noble and brave because that is how you were made to be. To you, also, there is nothing I can give."

Medusa focused her attention on the Princess.

"And you, Princess Athena of Olympus. Your brother has been kidnapped, your parents have been taken captive, and your nation has been conqured by the enemy. Yet, in the face of all this, you have retained your faith and courage and it equals that of the Earthlings and your robot servant."

"So you see," she continued, now addressing them all, "there is nothing I can give you for you already have that which is most important, the faith and courage to succeed in your quest."

"You have come here to ask me where Prince Apollo and the Eternal Flame have been taken, but that I will not tell you. The great deeds of man are done by his own will and actions, by the magic which he himself creates. You must achieve your goal on your own. To impart my knowledge to you would be wrong. The freedom of the people of this planet are at stake, and that freedom must be won by deed, not by the magic of an oracle."

The five friends exchanged glances, but their expressions were not ones of disappointment. They were smiling, for they understood the truth and wisdom of Medusa's words: there is no easy way in which to accomplish a difficult deed. It must be achieved through faith and courage, and the strength to persevere until the goal is won.

As they looked back to Medusa, the cascading waters surrounding her turned into a rainbow of vivid color, and the writhing snakes upon her head changed into long golden tresses which fluttered gently in the breeze.

The beautiful sorceress now bestowed upon them a benevolent smile and said, "Good fortune will be with you!"

The next moment she was gone. The waters tumbled over the crag as they had before, and it was as if Medusa had never been there at all.

Sally blinked. "She's gone!"

"And so is the Gilasaurus!" Charlie exclaimed.

The others looked to the spot where the stone beast had stood. Now, there was nothing there.

"It was all like a test," Rick said, a knowing look in his eyes. "Medusa knew all along that we were coming to see her. She wanted to test our courage and so she made the Gilasaurus appear."

"And by turning it to stone, she showed us how great her powers are," Sally added.

"Right," Princess Athena agreed. "But when she threatened to use her powers on us, we were not afraid."

"You better believe we weren't," Charlie grunted. "We're totally cool, brave enough even to face being turned to stone."

ABL089 nodded. "And if we can face that, it's not likely anything will stop us from succeeding in our quest."

"Medusa said that good fortune will be with us," the Princess reminded them. "I trust her. I believe we'll find the way to my brother and the Eternal Flame."

Rick smiled confidently now. "We'll find them. We'll just have to figure out where they are. Like Medusa said, we must peresevere until the end."

"Well, gang, I think old Medusa is one for the books," Charlie said with a big grin. "She's way to the max. And now, if you don't mind, I wanna eat! I must be getting really tired. My backpack suddenly seems totally heavy."

"Good idea," Rick agreed. He glanced around the small canyon. "We may as well camp here for the night. Medusa would never let anything happen to us in her own sanctuary."

ABL089 nodded. "You can compute on that! We'll build a fire by the pool, and I'll keep watch while you sleep."

Several minutes later, after having gathered up twigs and branches from the edge of the woods along the canyon walls, a cheerful fire was blazing and the weary travelers were seated around it.

"I'm afraid you won't like the rations I brought along," ABL089 said to Charlie as he unzipped his backpack. "They are tablets of condensed food and, although thoroughly nourishing, I doubt they will satisfy your hunger."

Sally chuckled. "That'd be nothing new. Charlie's hunger is never satisfied."

Charlie groaned when he saw the packets of tablets and other food supplements the robot withdrew from his backpack. "What grody stuff, man. They look like vitamins."

ABL089 shrugged his shoulders and pulled out a metal cannister. "I also have the brownies and cookies Sally baked aboard the spaceship."

Charlie brightened. "That's better. But what I need now is real food. Mass quantities of it."

Rick grinned at him. "We'll just have to go hungry a little, Connors. Unless you want to go out the canyon and bag us one of those Zaxxonian lions to roast."

"No way," Charlie demured, throwing himself down on his backpack, using it as a pillow. "What I need now are some burgers and fries. And I'd give my left big toe for a cafe mocha."

"Sounds good to me," Princess Athena agreed, smiling mischievously. "Shall we go to the nearest fast food restaurant, Charlie?"

"Oh sure. And where's that, may I ask?"

But Charlie didn't hear Princess Athena's reply, which was the Zaxxon city of Troy, a day's journey by Pegasi from the Windy Regions. Nor did he hear the others' laughter at this remark, for a familiar aroma had caught his attention and he was sniffing animatedly at his backpack.

"What in the world are you doing, Charlie?" Sally asked, as they watched him sniffing like a hungry hyena.

"Wahoo!" he suddenly whooped, squirming around and unzipping the backpack.

As the others watched curiously, Charlie thrust his hands inside the backpack and pulled out two large paper bags.

There was a crazed look in his eyes as he blurted out, "Man! Nitro! Burgers and fries!"

The aromas coming at them from the bags were unmistakable to the other young people, and they surged upon Charlie as one, crowding around him as he pulled cardboard containers out of the bags that held hamburgers, cheeseburgers, onion rings and french fries.

"My god!" Sally cried, totally amazed. "The bags and containers even have golden arches on them!"

"Yow, look at this!" Charlie had just pulled out paper cups obviously cointaining hot beverages. He pulled the lid off one and took a sip.

"Man, oh man! Totally cool wild! It's cafe mocha!"

Rick sat back on his feet, astounded at what he was seeing. Then, suddenly, he realized what had happened.

"Charlie, it was Medusa," he said. "Medusa put this food into your backpack."

Charlie nodded, slurping down the cafe mocha, and he turned to the waterfall, raising a clenched fist into the air. "Way to go, Medusa baby!"

ABL089 leaned forward curiously. "Do you really think she did it?"

"Well I sure didn't." Charlie unwrapped a cheeseburger and bit into it. "Yo! Just like at home. This stuff is great. You can throw that condensed food away, Abey!"

"Delicious," Sally agreed, sampling a hamburger. "Hey, this is a real treat."

"And these fries are awesome," Rick added, eagerly devouring a handful.

"I guess Medusa did give us something after all," Princess Athena said. "And what we needed the most, too. A good meal!"

"Yeah, she's one oracle who really knows her stuff," Charlie said fervently.

The four teenagers devoured the food given to them by the oracle as ABL089 watched, amazed at their hearty appetites. Afterwards, they passed around the brownies and chocolate chip cookies and washed them down with the cafe mocha from the bags with the golden arches.

Princess Athena was pleased that Sally had baked the cookies and brownies for her. "Mmmm! I'm sure chocolate flavoring would become a favorite here on Teutron," she said, after Sally had explained the recipes to her. "But I've never heard of such a thing as cocoa beans growing on our planet."

Charlie, satiated and happy, stretched out on the ground. "Well at least you have burgers and fries. Knowing that, it won't be so bad if I have to spend the rest of my life here."

Sally's brow knit in thought. "Medusa made the cafe mocha, obviously knowing Charlie liked it. But would she know about chocolate if it doesn't exist on Teutron?"

"Good question, " ABL089 countered. "Maybe it does exist here somewhere, or else she was able to read Charlie's mind so well that she could make the stuff out of her own magic."

Charlie laughed. "My mind's an open book for any gal who wants to feed me!"

But then his face grew serious, and he looked at the others questioningly. "So what are we gonna do about finding Prince Apollo and the Eternal Flame? Where do we go from here?"

Rick shrugged. "That's the big question, dude. Princess, where do you think the Zaxxons would hide your brother and the flame?"

The Olympian Princess folded her hands under her chin, looking very pensive and thoughtful. "Perhaps Troy?" she suggested. "It's the capital city of Zaxxonia, and it's not terribly far from here."

ABL089 disagreed. "They might take Prince Apollo to the capital, but I think they would hide the Eternal Flame in a secret place no one knows about, far away from the crowded cities. After all, everyone knew it was in the Temple of the Sun in Olympia, and that made it easy for the Zaxxons to steal it."

Rick nodded. "I agree with that, Abey. But something tells me they would hide the Prince and the Eternal Flame in the same place, so I guess we can rule out Troy."

Sally made a face. "Troy, Olympus, the Elysian Fields, the Pegasi, even an oracle named Medusa like the gorgon in Greek mythology. There are so many parallels on Teutron to the ancient Greek civilization on Earth! The next thing we'll hear is that there's a Labyrinth in which a Minotaur roams."

The Princess blinked, and ABL089 looked at Sally with arched brows.

"There is a Labyrinth on Teutron," he said.

Sally's eyes widened. "Really? This is too much! Is it for real, or just a myth like the one on Earth?"

"It really exists," the Princess said, as Rick and Charlie hunched forward in interest. "It's located in Zaxxonia, to the south of here in the Blasted Lands. Within the labyrinth lives a beast called the Minotaurus. It is said to be half man and half bull."

"Incredible," Charlie said. "It's the same story as the Labyrinth in Greek mythology."

Rick could feel a chill tingling up his spine. His intuition told him that they had hit on something.

"You said it's in a place called the Blasted Lands?" he asked the Princess.

"Yes, far southeast of these Windy Regions. The Blasted Lands were once known as Halcyon, a lovely tropical district where the barbarous Zaxxons lived in great walled cities. But that was ages ago, before the Great War. The bombs destroyed Halcyon and its cities, leaving it a ravaged land of steaming craters and fetid swamps. Now it's inhabited only by jungle creatures. Some of the most horrible beasts known to man live there, and they have taken over the land."

Rick's voice had an urgent ring to it. "Do you know the location of the Labyrinth?"

"Yes, it's right outside the ancient city of Crete," the Princess replied. "It's said that the Labyrinth was not destroyed by the bombs, but no one really knows for sure. No one goes into the Blasted Lands anymore. Not even the Zaxxons. It's too dangerous."

"What are you thinking, Rick?" Sally asked, noticing the intense expression on his face.

"The Labyrinth, Sally. That's it! What better place to hide something of such great importance as the Eternal Flame? An endless maze of caves guarded by a terrible beast."

"Dude! You're right," Charlie agreed. "No one goes to the Blasted Lands because it's so dangerous there. But I'll bet some Zaxxon soldiers did recently. And I'll bet all the burgers and fries Medusa could whip up that they brought Prince Apollo and the Eternal Flame with them to hide in the Labyrinth!"

"Good fortune! I think you boys have hit it right on the old button," ABL089 said excitedly.

"It's the perfect place," Princess Athena said with great enthusiasm. "But it never would've occurred to me. Oh, thank you, Sally, for thinking of it!"

"Then we'll go there in the morning," Rick said decisively. "Abey, do you know how to get to this ancient city of Crete?"

"Just the general direction, Rick. That part of Zaxxonia is so ancient and uninhabited it's not mapped any longer. But my sensory apparatus will guide us. We'll find it, one way or another."

"Excellent!" Rick stretched his long frame out on the ground. "And now, gang, it's time to get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Talk about a big day," Sally laughed, resting against her backback. "I've never in my life done so much in one day."

"For sure," Charlie agreed. "Home was never like this."

"Home.........," Princess Athena sighed, gazing up at the ringed moon Urania.

The four young people each had their own pleasant thoughts of home as they drifted off into exhausted deep sleep. ABL089, his sensory apparatus tuned to high frequency, grinned happily as his big eyes surveyed the canyon.

"By the rings of Urania!" he smirked in low tones. "This is all sorts of fun. In fact, I'm having a maximum good time!"

Chapter Eleven: IN THE BLASTED LANDS

When Rick awoke at dawn a hazy mist was swirling up from the water of the pool , and the canyon was suffused with a pink glow. ABL089 and the girls were gone, and Rick sat up with a start, looking around worriedly.

He was somewhat relieved to see the robot at the edge of the woods, picking fruit from a low growing tree.

"Abey, where are the girls?" he called.

"Good morning, Rick," ABL089 shouted to him. " Sally and the Princess went over to the waterfall to freshen up. Wake Charlie up and we'll have breakfast."

Rick rubbed the sleep from his eyes and turned to Charlie who was still sound asleep, his arms hugging his backpack as if it were a teddy bear.

Rick shook Charlie's shoulder. "Rise and shine, Connors!"

He opened one eye and looked at Rick disdainfully. "Lay off. After what we went through yesterday, I need a ton more ZZZZZ's!"

Rick shook him again, grinning. "Get movin', bud. We've got the old ball on the five yard line. One more play to the Blasted Lands and we'll score."

Charlie snorted. "Run the ball yourself. I'm sleepin'."

Rick grinned as he got to his feet. "Then we'll just go on without you."

"Oh no you won't!" Charlie shot up, stretching out his arms and yawning. "Think I'm going to stay in this loony place without the Princess' amulet? No way. Besides, you wouldn't last an hour without me. Hey, ......wow!"

His eyes, and Rick's too, had fastened on the girls who were returning from the waterfall. Princess Athena had cleansed the make-up from her face and removed the wig she'd worn the night before. Long golden curls now fell to her shoulders. The boys were pleased to see she was a very pretty girl who looked enough like Sally to be her sister.

"She sure is nice," Charlie whispered, wide awake now as he jumped to his feet.

"That's the fastest I ever saw you wake up," Rick said. "Wait till I tell Sally. She'll be jealous."

Charlie looked indignant. "Sally knows I think she's a hot babe." Then he smirked. "I just never tell her!"

"Good morning, boys," the Princess greeted, as she and Sally arrived at the campfire. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a log," Charlie was quick to reply. "And you, Princess?"

"I slept very well, thank you. Abey said that the night passed without any disturbance. Medusa's sanctuary is a safe refuge in this land of dangers."

"Good day! Good Day!" ABL089 joined them, carrying an armful of fruit. "Shall we eat and then be on our way?"

The others agreed, and the boys then went over to the waterfall where they bathed in a shallow pool behind the screen of falling water.

"This is the life," Rick said, slipping back into his tunic. "Even the top InterTell agents never had a case like this. Not on another planet! Beats going to school, doesn't it?"

"Completely," Charlie agreed, strapping his sandals back on. "This is some mondo adventure. The folks back home won't believe it when they hear about the things we've run into on Teutron."

"No doubt. And I'm sure there's much more to come," Rick added, as they set off around the waterfall to return to camp. "Who knows what lies ahead?"

ABL089 and the girls had washed the fruit, and they all sat down to eat. Charlie grimaced as he chewed one of the condensed food tablets the robot insisted they eat.

"Yuck! It tastes like chalk. I need some brownies to wash it down."

They ate the fruit and the remaining chocolate chip cookies and brownies. After finishing the meager meal, they doused the campfire, cleaned up the area, and started back down to the camp of the Groks.

The howling winds of the night before had died down and, in the morning sunlight, the woods did not seem as dangerous and forbidding as they had in the dark. The only animal noises to be heard were the happy chirpings of the birds.

"Now to face the Groks again," Rick muttered, as they left the trail and struck off through the underbrush.

Princess Athena held the amulet in front of her as they stepped into the clearing, and the Groks once again became mesmerized. ABL089 spoke briefly to the leader, and then they crossed the clearing, the Groks watching them and grunting amongst themselves.

The Pegasi whinnied and pawed at the ground excitedly as their masters approached. The horses had rested well during the night and fed on the grasses growing around the trees. Eager to be free again, they beat their wings in anticipation.

"The horses are as anxious to get away from here as we are," said ABL089, as they strapped their backpacks to the saddles.

"I don't know," Charlie muttered as they mounted. "From what you told us about the Blasted Lands, we may soon be wishing we were back in this funky old place."

Several minutes later, after having ridden the horses to a clearing and taken off, the travelers were soaring high over the Howling Hills in a southerly direction. To the west was the Strait of Neptune, the blue waters sparkling in the bright morning sun, and to the east was the great expanse of the continent of Zaxxonia.

ABL089 looked at the sun, now rising high in the western sky. He closed his eyes and the others heard the familiar whirring noise from inside his head.

"We're on course now," he said after opening his eyes, "and we should arrive in the Blasted Lands about midday."

"I guess we don't have to worry about getting lost with you around," Charlie told him. "I'd sure like to have a compass and mapping system in my head."

Sally let out a peal of laughter. "Since your head is so empty, Charlie, there's plenty of room for them."

"Aw, take off, will ya?" Charlie flashed her one of his nastiest looks. "If I had Medusa's powers, I'd turn you to stone!"

"Great Andromeda!" ABL089 croaked. "Sometimes one would never know you two are friends."

Rick grinned. "They tease each other all the time, Abey. You'll get used to it."

Princess Athena smiled at Charlie. "I don't think you're empty-headed at all," she said. "In fact, I think you're one of the coolest guys I've ver known."

Charlie's eyes lit up. "Hey..., groovy!"

"And when we return to the city of Olympia with my brother and the Eternal Flame," the Princess went on, "I'm going to have a Royal Ball before you return to Earth. You can be my escort, Charlie."

"All right!" Charlie enthused, grinning proudly. He looked across to Sally with a smug expression. "See that? Some girls have really good taste, and the Princess is one of them!"

Sally shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose I wouldn't mind having you escort me to a ball if I knew you were going to leave the planet afterwards."

The others laughed at this remark, but Charlie just rolled his eyes and shook his head, as if to say, "I just can't win!"

As the winged horses bore their riders over the rugged terrain, Rick, Charlie and Sally told the Princess and ABL089 some of the fables and myths about royalty popular on Earth.

"Oh, that's a good one," Princess Athena said, after Rick had finished telling her the fable about the prince who had been turned into a frog. "I must tell it to Apollo. He'll really enjoy it."

"What's your brother like?" Sally asked her.

"Apollo's a terrific guy, an excellent student and athlete. He's studying ancient history at the University, and he's won several medals at the Annual Games. We're twins, you know, but we don't look anything alike. Apollo has dark eyes and black hair like Rick, and he's about the same height and build."

Sally grinned, stealing a glance at Rick. "Then I'm sure I'll like him."

"Prince Apollo is also quite fearless," added ABL089. "If I know him, he's enjoying his kidnapping as if it were an adventure."

The Princess frowned. "I hope he's all right, Abey. I hate to think of him in the clutches of Egron the Terrible."

"Egron the Terrible?" Rick repeated. "Who is he?"

"He's the King of Zaxxonia," the Princess said. "It was Egron the Terrible who led the Zaxxon militia into Olympia in a surprise attack on the Temple of the Sun. His men stole the Eternal Flame and then moved on to occupy the Royal Palace and take my parents captive. I was out near the stables when they came. And it's a good thing! I was able to saddle Starfire and escape."

"Egron the Terrible is an enemy of the worst kind," ABL089 said gravely. "Since he became King several years ago, his goal has been to conquer Olympus and learn the secrets of Quantae space travel. I have no doubt he'll have our scientists tortured until they tell him what he wants to know."

"Then he'll lead the Zaxxons into outer space to conquer other worlds," Sally reasoned. "I sure hope we don't run into him. He sounds totally bad to the bone."

"No need to worry about that," said the Princess. "He's probably at his palace in Troy celebrating victory over the Olympians. We can be sure that the King of Zaxxonia will not be in the Blasted Lands."

Rick pointed ahead. "Look, over there. An airship!"

Some distance ahead, a lone airship could be seen flying towards the horizon.

"I wonder if that's my Uncle Orion's ship," the Princess said excitedly.

ABL089 leaned forward in his saddle and peered ahead. "I don't think so. That's a much larger craft than your uncle's. It's either a commercial airliner on its way to the cities of the far south, or a Zaxxon military ship."

"Just so its pilot doesn't spot us," Charlie said. "I'm not in the mood to be chased by an airship again!"

The craft, however, kept to its southerly course and was soon lost to sight in the vast distances towards the horizon. As they flew on, the terrain below began to change to one of verdant jungle riddled with swamps and marshes from which foul smelling mists and fumes rose high into the air.

In many areas the results of the devastation of the Great War were clearly evident. Massive craters yawned below where the jungle had been blasted away, and steamy vapors oozed from their depths. The ruins of ancient cities could be seen; the crumbled buildings, viaducts, and upheaved roads laying waste in the hot sun.

"I can see why these are called the Blasted Lands," Sally said, voicing their thoughts. "The nuclear warheads really destroyed this place."

The Princess agreed. "When this land was known as Halcyon it was a tropical paradise. Now it's nothing but a monument to the horrors of war."

"Could one of those ruined cities down there be Crete?" Rick asked.

ABL089 shook his head. "No, the city of Crete is located on the shores of a great inland sea. We should be approching the sea soon, I hope, for we now seem to be in the heart of the Blasted Lands."

It was not long after that when Rick spotted the blue glimmer of water to the east. They flew the horses in that direction, over a range of low mountains that had been blasted into ruin thousands of years before. At length, the hills rolled down to the shoreline of the inland sea. It was so vast that they couldn't see the opposite shore.

"It looks like Lake Erie," Rick said, his eyes sweeping up the shoreline. "Hey, look over there. The ruins of a walled city!"

A short distance up the shoreline was a large area free of the jungle growth. Within it were the fallen ruins of numerous buildings, and surrounding them were the remnants of a large encircling wall.

"It must be Crete!" Princess Athena said excitedly. "Oh, I hope we'll find Apollo there!"

"Don't worry," Rick said with a fierce determination. "If he's there, we'll find him."

They flew down to the tree tops and soon landed in a clearing on the banks of a foul smelling stream. Steam rose from the water, and it was hot and humid in the tropical forest.

"Ugh," Charlie grunted, after they had hitched the horses to branches of the trees. "This is so not cool. It's like the Florida Everglades, and then some!"

"It certainly is hot," Sally agreed. "Abey, you were right when you said Teutron is a warm planet."

The robot chuckled. "I don't feel the heat at all. That's one of the benefits of not being made of flesh and bone."

Princess Athena held her amulet in front of her as they pushed their way through the undergrowth, but no dangers beset them and they soon arrived at the crumbling wall surrounding the ruined city.

With Rick leading the way, they scouted along the wall until they came upon an aperture large enough for them to climb through. Rick peered through the crack at the ruins ahead. A dead silence hung over the old city.

"The coast is clear," he whispered.

"Press on, dude," Charlie urged, and Rick squirmed through the jagged opening in the wall.

The others followed and they emerged into a debris-strewn open area. A hundred feet ahead were the ruins of scores of buildings, and beyond them spread the blue waters of the inland sea.

Sally shivered as they crossed the clearing. "It's weird here. I feel like we're being watched."

"Don't be so paranoid," Charlie needled her. He looked around boldly. "It seems to me that this old burg is deserted."

Just then, there came a shrill cackling laugh from the ruins up ahead.

The Princess gasped. "What was that?"

Once again a chilling shriek of laughter cut the silence.

"Someone is here!" Sally said, looking around furtively.

"Someone or something," Rick muttered. "And it sure doesn't sound inviting."

"There!" ABL089 pointed ahead to a low stone hut. "It's an old woman. No, two old women!"

The others' eyes riveted upon the hut. In the doorway were two hunched forms swathed in dark flowing garments. One of then pointed a bony hand at them, and again the high-pitched cackle resounded through the air.

Charlie gulped. "What are they, witches or something?"

"Now you're the one who's being paranoid," Rick gibed. "Come on, they're just two old ladies. Let's ask them if this is Crete."

"Oh sure." Charlie shook his head as they wound their way through the debris. "Just two old ladies. Humphh! Nothing on this crazy planet is that simple. They probably specialize in eating Earthlings!"

"Who are you? Who are you?" cried one of the women as the group approached them.

Rick was just about to answer when his mouth dropped open in surprise. The two women were like none he had ever seen. Their faces, shrouded by black shawls, were hideous to look upon. The aged, wrinkled skin was a putrid shade of gray.

Even more incredulous was the fact that the one who had spoken to them had only one eye, the other socket in her face only an empty indentation. The other hag had no eyes at all. Both sockets in her face were empty!

"Ooh, gross!" Sally cried, shrinking back in revulsion.

"Who are you? Who are you?" the crone with the eye repeated, stepping out of the doorway and squinting at them.

The other followed her. "Sister! Sister! Let me see them. Give me the eye!"

"Oh, all right!" the old woman grumbled. In a quick movement, she pulled the eye from her head and handed it to the other who placed it into one of her own empty sockets.

"By the rings of Urania!" the Princess exclaimed. "Abey, these are the Gray Sisters of Halcyon, the ones who were given eternal life by the ancient wizard Hypno."

"You're right, Princess," the robot agreed. "Hypno took three of their eyes so that he would have five of his own to mesmerize men with. In exchange, he gave the sisters eternal life, but they had to live with only the one eye to use between themselves. And I thought the story to be only a myth!"

"I hear you! I hear you!" cackled the old hag who now had the eye. She squinted at them. "Ha! We even outlived old Hypno. At least we think we did. He never comes around here anymore. No one ever comes to Halcyon since the days of the Great War."

"There's just us and the jungle creatures," added the other old crone. "Give me back the eye, Sister. I want to see them again!"

"But you just gave it to me. You never let me keep the eye. You always want it for yourself!"

"Oh, man. Totally beyondo," Charlie groaned, watching the bickering women. "Talk about far out."

Rick Raider shook his head in disbelief. For a moment he wondered if the intense heat was causing him to see things. The Gray Sisters of Halcyon seemed too fantastic to be true. But then he reminded himself that almost everything on this planet seemed and was too fantastic to be true.

He cleared his throat to get the women's attention, and then he said, "Please! You must help us! Is this the old city of Crete?"

"Crete?" croaked the hag with the eye, pushing away her sister who was trying to grab it from her. "This isn't Crete. You are in the old city of Halcyon."

"Halcyon?" Rick repeated. "But then where is Crete?"

"I'll tell you!" cried the other woman. "Make her give me the eye and I'll tell you."

Rick frowned impatiently. Addressing the sister who now had the eye, he requested that she give it to the other.

"Oh, all right," she relented bitterly. "The first time in hundreds of years that someone comes to town, and I can't even look at them!"

She took the eye from its socket and handed it begrudgingly to her sister who eagerly placed it in her own head and said:

"There now, I can see you! I hate to talk to someone when I can't see them. Not that we get to talk to anyone around here anymore. This eternal life crap is really boring! Now about Crete. Yes, I do believe it's further down the shore to the south. Isn't that right, Sister?"

"I don't remember," the other one pouted. "I haven't been there since I was a little girl. And that was a long, long time ago."

"You're just being stubborn," her sister reproved. "You remember as well as I do."

She turned back to Rick and said, "Crete is about a half day's journey by foot through the jungle. Our father used to take us there every summer to attend the Annual Games. Those were the days! Halcyon was a wonderful land before the Great War. Not like now, with only this constant silence and the horrible jungle beasts......"

The old gray hag stopped speaking. A low rumbling sound, like that of thunder, was coming from the other side of the ruins. They all turned in that direction, and a cloud of dust could be seen billowing over the tops of the ruined buildings.

"Sister!" cried the crone with the eye. "Eeek! The Centaurs are coming!"

"The Centaurs!" the other one wailed. "Oh, let's hide. I hate those horrid beasts!"

The Gray Sisters turned and rushed into their hut, and the old wooden door slammed behind them. The sound of a bar being shoved into place could be heard by the others.

Princess Athena took her amulet in hand, as they all gazed at the approaching billowing dust cloud.

"We must run," she said. "The Centaurs are vicious creatures, and half human. I don't know how well the amulet will protect us from them."

The rumbling noise grew louder.

Rick pointed to the wall. "Come on, let's get back into the jungle!"

They raced back towards the stone wall, but before they could reach safety a large herd of galloping beasts thundered from the ruins emitting wild shrieks and cries.

The Centaurs had bodies of large horses, and torsos and heads of men. Their faces were ugly, with slanted eyes and fang-lined mouths, and long shaggy hair covered their heads, chests, and arms.

"Shoot! We can't make it," Charlie fumed as the creatures surrounded them.

The Centaurs shrieked and cried, panting heavily, and leered at the humans and the robot with fiendish expressions.

"Oh my God! They're so disgusting," Sally cried, stepping back inbetween Rick and Charlie.

"Stay close together," Rick said tersely, putting an arm around Sally and pulling ABL089 next to him. His pulse quickened. "Try the amulet, Princess!"

With a trembling hand, Princess Athena raised the amulet high. Slowly, the Centaurs stopped their advance. Their gleaming eyes began to take on a mesmerized look.

Sally sighed in relief. "It's working!"

Charlie shook his fist at the beasts. "Get lost you creeps. Sheez! And I thought those Groks were ugly customers."

"Cut it out, Connors," Rick hissed. "Let the amulet take care of them."

And then, from above, there suddenly came a series of loud piercing shrieks. As one, the five friends and the Centaurs looked up to the sky. Descending upon them in a wild rampage was a monstrous flying creature with a large hooked beak and outstretched claws.

ABL089's eyes looked about to pop out.

"It's a Harpy!" he cried.

Charlie groaned and hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. "This is slam dunk crazy! What next?"

Then, all pandemonium broke loose. The Centaurs, frightened by the flying beast with its giant flapping wings, began to shriek in terror. Some of them reared up and pawed at the air in panic. Then they turned and fled, galloping thunderously away through the ruins.

"Into the jungle!" Rick cried, the huge bird-creature almost ontop of them, its claws stretched out in anticipation.

They raced to the wall, Rick taking up the rear. He could feel the stirring of the air caused by the furious beating of the Harpy's wings.

"Hurry!" he urged as the others squirmed through the crack in the wall.

Rick was just about to fling himself into the aperture when he felt the vice-like grip of huge claws wrap around his body.

"Unnngh!" he grunted, feeling as if the life was being squeezed out of him.

He heard Sally scream, and he saw Charlie's horrified expression, and Abey's ever-smiling face with its now bulging eyes. The Princess flung her arm out to him, the amulet in her hand, its rubiand glittering in the sunlight.

But it was too late. The giant bird was winging back up to the sky with Rick in its grasp.

The ground rushed away from him at an incredible speed, and Rick saw his friends gaping up at him in horror.

Chapter Twelve: THE AMULET OF APOLLO

Rick Raider clung to the talons of the Harpy as it winged its way high into the sky. He could hear his friends shouting down below. They had run back into the clearing and were calling out to him, gesturing frantically. But he knew it was useless to even try to answer back; the distance between them was increasing every second. In anguish, he looked away from them and up to the giant bird.

Blue-green feathers covered the creature's body and white ones outlined the edges of the big powerful wings. The long neck twisted as the bird flew, and the hooked beak opened and closed as it squawked shrilly.

Rick gulped, his heart pounding. He wondered what his fate would be in the clutches of the frightful monster.

For a moment, the Harpy hovered over the ruined city, squawking noisily, and then it turned towards the south and started to fly along the shoreline of the inland sea.

Rick gasped for air, scarcely able to breathe, so strong was the grip of the claws around him. He fought the feeling of total panic which was threatening to overtake him, and he closed his eyes, waiting for the thudding of his heart to ease. He wondered what the bird would do next.

He groaned aloud, knowing the Harpy would take him to its nest.

"This big canary wants to have me for supper!"

The sound of Rick's words flew away in the rush of the wind. He shuddered at the thought of what was to come. He knew he had to escape, but there didn't seem to be a way. Even if he could somehow squirm from the iron grip of the claws, he'd only fall to his death below.

"It's impossible!" he growled in desperation.

But then a surge of hope welled up from deep within him. He remembered what he'd told his father that dark night last winter in the Yukon when they had met unexpectedly in the deep snows of Bonanza Valley - that he and Charlie had already been doing the impossible and sure as heck intended to keep on doing it!

"Never say die, Rick Raider," he shouted, his dark eyes narrow slits as he angrily watched the bird above him. "Sometimes the only thing to do IS the impossible!"

He scowled at the Harpy defiantly, ready for whatever was to follow. He knew he'd give it his best shot to escape the fate the creature had in store for him. He knew there just had to be a way he could escape!

Rick shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun as he was carried down the shoreline. He squinted, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ancient city of Crete. He consoled himself that they were at least flying in the right direction.

"If I do get away from this crazy bird, at least I'll be close to where I want to be!"

It was several minutes later, after having covered a distance of a few miles, that they came upon a ridge of mountainous cliffs looming high above the waters of the sea. Rick grew even more anxious as the Harpy turned and flew towards them. He knew his end would soon be near if fate wasn't on his side. One more glance at the big hooked beak told him that nothing short of a miracle could save him.

"Man, oh man, do I ever need good fortune now!"

The rocky cliffs rushed to meet him. Rick saw a large nest on the very top of a pinnacle-like peak that jutted out into the water, three sides of which fell straight down to the sea.

"Good night! Even if I can escape, how the Helsinki can I get down from there?"

The giant Harpy approached the nest, beating its wings in a fury to check its downward plunge. For a brief moment it hovered over the nest, and then the vice-like grip of the claws loosened and Rick fell from the bird's grasp. He landed in the nest with a thud, sprawled on the twigs and branches. The Harpy squawked and screeched above him, blocking out the sun as it eyed Rick hungrily. Slowly, the bird descended, opening its claws to perch on the rim of the nest.

His body shaking from pumping adrenalin, Rick scrambled to his feet and looked wildly around him. In front of the nest and on both sides, the cliff fell precipitously to the sea. Behind him the decline was not so steep. He knew he could get down it if only he had the chance!

"I've got to make a dash for it!"

The Harpy perched onto the nest. The long neck descended and the big head with its huge eyes and beak closed in on Rick.

He reached behind and gripped the rim of the nest. His heart hammered in his ears as the Harpy's beak opened. Rick turned slowly, trembling, yet determined to make an attempt to escape, no matter how futile it might be.

Then, just as he was about to fling himself out of the nest, a glittering gold object in the twigs below him caught his eye. He stared at it dumbfounded, not believing what he saw. And then, with a wild shout of triumph, he thrust his hand into the tangle of twigs and branches. He grabbed the object at the same moment the Harpy surged to attack.

"Yo!!!" Rick shouted, grinning savagely as he thrust the golden object towards the attacking bird. "Not so fast, you freakin' fowl!"

He held in his hand a golden amulet, identical to the one Princess Athena wore!

The Harpy screeched maniacally, and there was a sudden furious beating of wings. The long neck jerked back and the big head flew up as Rick inched forward, holding the amulet with its glowing red rubiand in front of him.

"You asked for it, baby," he spat at the frightened creature. "You sure messed with the wrong dude, Mr. Bird!"

The Harpy sprang from the nest and flapped around above it, screeching in alarm. In a flash, Rick slipped the gold link chain around his neck and jumped from the nest. He began to scramble down the grade behind it, but the enraged bird followed.

The Harpy swooped at him, its mighty talons extended. Clinging to a jagged rock, Rick grabbed the amulet and held it up towards the bird. The Harpy shrieked again, beating its wings as it backed off again in fright.

Rick knew it was frightened by the amulet, but it was too powerful a creature to be mesmerized. He braced for a touch and go battle all the way down the mountainside. It wasn't going to be easy descending the rock-strewn grade while being attacked by an enraged giant bird!

"Keep on keeping on," Rick Raider told himself. "When the going gets tough, you better just get tougher!"

Slipping and sliding, he plummeted down, grabbing onto rocks and boulders for support as he used the amulet to ward off the attacking Harpy. Then, suddenly, when he had climbed about a quarter of the way down, another Harpy appeared on the scene, streaking down from the sky.

Rick gaped at it, astonished.

"Not another one!"

But his great chagrin at seeing the second Harpy ceased immediately. The big bird, having spotted the one attacking Rick, swooped down upon it to steal its prey.

Rick shrank behind a rock formation as the two awesome creatures clashed above him. There was a furious beating of wings and a clamor of shrill squawks and screeches as they fought with beak and claw. A flurry of feathers fell upon Rick as he watched the savage birds battle. Suddenly, in a quick rapid movement, the second Harpy fastened its beak on the neck of its foe and bit into it with all its might.

The bitten bird squealed in agony. Its wings stopped beating and it began to fall. But as it tumbled down, it hooked its claws onto its attacker, pulling the other down with it. Both monstrous birds crashed against the side of the pinnacle-like peak. Then, tumbling over and over each other, they plummeted down to the frothing waters below.

Rick watched the Harpies crash into the sea, his mouth agape. Then he let out a wild laugh and thrust a clenched fist into the air.

"Awwwrrright! That was exactamundo what I needed!"

He turned and hastened down the cliff and ran into the dark jungle. He leaned against the trunk of a tall vine-covered tree to rest, panting heavily, totally elated that he'd been able to escape the fate to which only minutes ago he had seemed doomed.

"Now if I only knew what happened to my friends," he muttered. "Did they go back to the horses and fly on to Crete?"

Rick was sure he was near the old city now and that he could get there on foot through the jungle. And he hoped he'd find his friends there. He knew they'd be worried sick about him, but he also knew that wouldn't stop them from continuing the search for Prince Apollo and the Eternal Flame.

He pulled the amulet from around his neck and looked at it. The golden talisman with its glowing rubiand was the exact same size and design as the one worn by Princess Athena. He knew it had to be Prince Apollo's amulet! The one his wizard uncle had given him. That meant the Prince had indeed been taken to the Blasted Lands, just as they'd suspected. But how did the amulet get into the Harpy's nest? And where was Prince Apollo now?

Rick's eyes narrowed with worry. Had the Prince escaped from the Zaxxons and then somehow lost his amulet? Was he safe now, or had he become a victim of the very same monstrous Harpy?

He ran his fingers through his hair, tense and anxious and wishing he knew the answers to these questions. Then, as he was about to put the amulet back around his neck, he sensed a movement above. Startled, he looked up and saw a large snake coiled around the branch directly above him. As he shrank back in surprise, the serpent uncoiled and its big head shot down with bared fangs and darting tongue.

But just as quickly as the snake had moved, so did Rick. He squirmed back around the tree and thrust forward his hand holding the amulet.

The slithering reptile hissed and jerked back. Rick held his ground, training the rubiand at the snake's glassy eyes. A moment later, the serpent ceased its writhing and hung motionless from the branch, as if in a trance.

Rick looked around warily. "I'd better keep moving," he told himself. "This is one dangerous place!"

He moved on, pushing his way through the hot and humid overgrown jungle. He slipped the amulet back round his neck and held it in front of him so that any creature he might encounter would be affected by its power. Soon he came upon a trail and started to follow it, hoping it would lead to the ancient city of Crete.

At one point along the trail, Rick spotted a large gray and black striped cat in the undergrowth. It was the size of a tiger and snarled at Rick with bared fangs. He pointed the amulet at the saber-toothed beast and the cat backed away, growling menacingly. Then it turned and fled into the jungle.

Insects buzzed around him as Rick hurried along, and the cries of a myriad of birds shattered the stillness of the tropical forest. The trail skirted the edge of a large crater from which oozed foul smelling gases that cast a dull haze over the area. Rick quickened his pace, coughing from the stench, and when he reached the other side of the crater the trail led him to the shore of a large swamp.

Steam rose from the oily water and ghost-like spindly trees reached to the sky. Rick peered across the hazy marsh to the opposite shore where there was a high ridge of jagged cliffs.

Suddenly, a jet-like roar shattered the air and, from behind the ridge of cliffs, a large airship shot up into the sky.

"That must be a Zaxxon military craft," Rick told himself excitedly. He bet it was the same one they had seen flying south that morning. Crete surely must be on the other side of those cliffs! Why else would the Zaxxons come out to this godforsaken place?

He watched the airship soar high into the sky and turn to the north. Seconds later, it was out of sight.

"Excellent!" Grinning excitedly, Rick hurried down the trail. He knew he was on the right track. If he was still alive, Prince Apollo had to be around somewhere, and the ancient city of Crete and the Labyrinth were right ahead. And the Zaxxons had been there to hide the Eternal Flame! The oracle Medusa was right. They would succeed in their quest. If only he could find his friends, everything would work out perfectly.

The trail twisted through the swamp until it reached the base of the cliffs. There, a narrow pass led through the mountain. Rick hurried through it and at the end the trail dipped steeply, leading down to a narrow belt of the jungle forest. On the other side of this verdant strip was a large walled city, strewn with the debris of the age-old nuclear destruction, and beyond the city sparkled the blue waters of the familiar inland sea.

Rick raced down the hill. "Cool! It's Crete. Now to find the Labyrinth and the Eternal Flame."

Using the utmost caution, he crept through the belt of jungle growth to the ruined wall that had once protected the city. He was sure the Zaxxons had left soldiers behind to guard the Labyrinth, and he didn't want to chance being captured by them.

Reaching the wall, he crept along it until he came to an opening large enough to squeeze through.

Suddenly, he heard voices.

Rick peered through the opening. Ahead were a cluster of old stone buildings, all of them decaying in ruin. Behind them, in a wide open area that undoubtedly once served as an athletic field, was a large airship similar to the one he had seen taking off when he was in the swamp. In front of the ruined buildings were several Zaxxon soldiers sitting on stone slabs and fallen columns as they ate their lunch.

"I never saw Egron so furious," one of them was saying. "When we arrived here this morning with the Eternal Flame and learned that Prince Apollo had escaped, the King got so mad I thought he was going to have the men executed for allowing it to happen."

"Those guys are lucky Egron spared their lives," another soldier said. "They got off easy being sent back to Troy to be imprisoned."

"Sure, and thanks to them it's us who have to stay here and guard the Labyrinth," grumbled another. "I don't like this place! I hear that jungle out there is filled with terrible beasts."

"Aw, it's not so bad here," one of the other soldiers put in. "Once the King goes back to Troy we'll be able to take it easy. Guarding the Labyrinth will be a snap. The Olympians will never think of coming here to look for the Eternal Flame."

"But we have to find Prince Apollo," another of them added. "We'll have to go out into the jungle to search for him as soon as the squad out there now returns. I hate to think of trudging around in that creepy place."

The others grumbled in agreement as Rick watched, encouraged by what he'd just heard.

Prince Apollo had been taken to Crete by a troop of soldiers the day before, and then he had escaped. Egron the Terrible, and the soldiers here now, had arrived this morning with the Eternal Flame. Having learned of Prince Apollo's escape, the King had sent the other soldiers back to Troy on the airship that had just taken off a short time ago. Then Egron had his men begin to search the jungle for Prince Apollo.

A sudden thought came to Rick.

"There are other soldiers out here right now! I'd better take cover while I figure out my plan of action."

But just then, Rick heard a crunching sound behind him. He whirled around and pressed against the wall, his hand reaching up to grab the magical amulet.

But it wasn't one of the jungle beasts he faced this time. Standing several yards ahead of him, on either side of one of the large trees, were two Zaxxon soldiers. Their laser guns were aimed at him and the men had triumphant expressions on their faces.

One of them stepped forward. As he did so, he laughed in a booming manner. "By the rings of Urania! It's just who we're looking for. Well, you can be sure you won't escape this time, Prince Apollo!"