Monster Madness by Dean Lorey Read Free Book Online Page B

a smattering of grim laughter.
    “Whoever we tackle,” Rex continued, “we gotta do it hard and we gotta do it fast before the whole dang army of the Nether comes down on top of us.”
    “Thank you,” William said. “I’ll take over now, if you don’t mind.” He turned from Rex and addressed the crowd. “Nethermancers, I will want a portal barricade around the Banishers to catch the reinforcements as new monsters swarm in from the tunnels. And Nethermancer Greenstreet—”
    William glanced over at Tabitha. She seemed surprised to have been singled out.
    “Yes?”
    “If it looks like a wipe, you’re in charge of the wetwash.”
    “Will do.”
    Portal barricade? Wetwash? Charlie had no idea what William was talking about. He felt desperately out of his league.
    “All right then,” William said. “Banishers, check your gear.”
    There was a tremendous sound of clanging steel as the many Banishers inspected their weaponry. Shiny axes, gleaming maces, and a dozen varieties of swords glowed fiery blue in the vast wasteland of the Nether.
    “Everyone good?”
    There were nods of assent.
    “Then let’s do this. Charlie?”
    “Yes, sir,” Charlie replied.
    “Open the portal.”
    Charlie nodded. He was so nervous that his mouth had gone as dry as sandpaper.
    “Hey, kid,” Rex whispered, “if you get in trouble, you just give a shout and I’ll come runnin’, got me?”
    “Will do,” Charlie said. He closed his eyes and opened a portal to Verminion’s lair underneath Krakatoa.

    The elite Banishers and Nethermancers of the Nightmare Division rushed through the portal into the gargantuan cavern with a furious battle cry. Heat washed over Charlie and his friends like a tidal wave, emanating from the many glowing pools of bubbling lava that cast hazy, uncertain light across the twisted rock formations that had formed in the vast emptiness over centuries.
    Charlie’s heart thudded crazily in his chest as they all raced through the lair, expecting to be attacked by hundreds of monsters at any second. Charlie looked around frantically for signs of Verminion…or Barakkas…or anything.
    But the cavern was empty.
    The two Named, along with their army, were gone.
    “You’re kidding me,” Rex said, glancing around at the vacant chamber that surrounded them.
    “They were here,” Charlie said, staring in amazement. “I opened a portal to the right place, honest.”
    “We know, kid,” Rex replied. “But it looks like they’ve moved on. They’re already one step ahead of us.”
    Just then, a clatter of falling stone came from behind them. They spun to see a Class-4 Netherstalker scuttling into the cavern on its eight spider legs, seemingly unaware of the massive intrusion.
    “Get it!” William yelled, and the horde of Banishers raced toward the lone creature.
    It tried to escape, but the squad quickly subdued it. William drew his two-handed sword and held the brightly burning blade against the writhing creature’s neck. It sizzled.
    “Where have they gone?” he demanded.
    The Netherstalker hissed at him, and William leaned on the blade hard enough to cut through its carapace and draw a line of flowing black ichor. “You tell me, monster, or you’ll experience pain you can’t imagine.”
    “Wait!” Charlie yelled. The adults turned to him. “Don’t hurt it. There’s a better way.”

    Charlie led Professor Xixclix into the volcanic lair through a new portal.
    “Greetings,” the friendly Netherstalker said to the raid party, cleaning a spiderlike foreleg with his bristly tongue. “Charlie tells me you’ve found another of my kind.”
    “He’s right over there,” Charlie said, pointing to the captured Netherstalker. “Can you talk to him? We need to find out where Verminion and Barakkas went.”
    “Shouldn’t be too difficult,” Xix replied. “He’s only a Class 4. Having just acquired Class-5 status myself, I shouldn’t have much trouble getting him to crack.”
    Charlie was amused