The Last One The Last One The dodo had fallen asleep. Her absurdly shaped bill sank into her chest and she snored while standing. When a cheery whistle echoed across the Chasm of Doubt, she jerked awake, flapped her wings, squinted at Gabriel, and sputtered a fresh welcome. Gabriel had to remind her that he was already signed in.
“That’s my friend signaling that it’s my turn to cross,” he explained.
“Oh, dear,” the dodo said. “Be careful!”
After several steps up the incline, Gabriel felt a rush of uncertainty. Would he get across? He focused on the citadel’s many windows, hoping to spot his father’s silhouette, but saw nothing. Then he noticed a figure at the very top, standing by the parapet. The figure raised his arm; Gabriel was about to wave back when he saw a flock of black birds come swooping from the battlements, as if they had just been released.
Were they ravens or valravens? He slowed down, wondering what to do if they attacked. Within a few seconds, their eyes—glowing unpleasantly—became visible, piercing the darkness.
Should he go forward or retreat? He couldn’t decide. “Wait! Think!” he told himself. “If they’re flying from the citadel, they obviously don’t want me to go that way, so that’s the way I should go!”
He broke into a careful jog as the birds came ever nearer.
Coark! Coark! Coark! they shrieked, swooping at him.
Gabriel fell, belly to the path, just before they reached him. An awful odor of rotting meat filled the air.
The ghouls flew up and around, returning for another attack.
Caaawwwk! Gabriel ducked, but a valraven ripped at his ear.
A second valraven attacked from the other direction. Its talons grazed his scalp and a streak of blood rolled down his forehead.
Dazed, bleeding, Gabriel came to a halt at the midpoint of the bridge. Why did I give Septimus the staff? he wondered. It’s the one thing I could use right now. What a mistake! Am I going to die because I helped him?
A large valraven was bearing in, jaundiced eyes glowing, its craggy beak set in a malicious smile.
There was nowhere for Gabriel to go but forward, so he ran forward, arms raised for balance, along the bridge’s jagged path. The bird’s talons would meet his eyes in moments.
He was running through a cloud of black feathers; the valraven had disappeared.
Amazed, Gabriel looked ahead and saw Septimus pointing the staff forward with a raised fist. “That’ll teach him!” the man cackled.
The children began cheering.
So, thought Gabriel, Septimus has finally chosen a side.
When he reached the far side, everybody looked giddy and relieved, but no one looked as pleased as Septimus, who grinned with jubilation.
“The pain is gone! Do you know what that means? I can’t hear his voice anymore. You were right, my boy. I’m no longer a slave to the Lord of Air and Darkness!”
He pressed the staff into the boy’s hands. “Here, lad! A promise is a promise.”
At that very moment, there was a cry from the top of the citadel: an unearthly scream of dismay that sent a flock of valravens tumbling and scattering in panic from the battlements.