Within seconds, an alarm sounded. It blared through the halls and echoed out into the streets. Suddenly, all Hippogriffia was awake.
Tempest darted through the castle, turning just in time to see two guards charging at her from the west wing. She ran through the great hall and into the city square. The guards were right behind her, getting closer by the second.
She ran past a castle, past the marble pillars and beautiful statues of Hippogriffs, and toward the city gates. Grubber was standing beside them, waiting for her. As she sprinted toward him, he looked up, staring at something behind her. His eyes were wide.
“Tempest! Watch out!” he yelled.
She glanced over her shoulder. The two giant Hippogriffs were almost upon her. They swooped down, their claws outstretched. She fell to the ground, covering her head with her hooves. She was sure this was it. There was no way out. She’d be captured and taken prisoner for what she’d done.
Oomph! There was a dull thud of something crashing into the Hippogriffs, then shrieks as they flew through the air. When Tempest finally peeked through her hooves, she couldn’t believe what she saw. Dozens of Storm Creatures were in the streets of Hippogriffia. Hearing the alarm, they’d pulled the ship up to the city to defend her. Some were still scaling the walls. Others worked together to bust through the main gates.
Stratus was battling two Storm Creatures at the same time. He’d fly up into the air, then swoop down to take on one. The other kept jumping on her back, trying to pin down her wings.
Tempest glanced at the castle, watching as the Hippogriffs flew out one by one. The queen was in the front of the flock, her wings spread against the sky. Her face hardened when she saw Tempest in the city square.
“There she is!” the queen yelled, leading the group. “Look at her armor. She was sent here by the Storm King to steal the pearl! Don’t let her get away!”
Tempest scrambled to her hooves. Minute by minute, more Storm Creatures broke into the city, knocking over pillars and statues. One leaped onto the back of a flying Hippogriff. Two others broke into one of the buildings and came out with armfuls of treasure.
Grubber was lost among the chaos. He was desperately trying to get back to the ship, but he was so small it was a risk to take even one step. He tried to get around a fight between a Storm Creature and a green Hippogriff, but then the Storm Creature tossed the Hippogriff across the square. One of her wings hit Grubber. He flew into the side of a building and landed with a thud.
A huge purple Hippogriff swooped down on him, its claws reaching out to pluck him into the sky. It was just inches away from snatching him up and bringing him back to the castle. Tempest had no choice. She ran forward, knocking the Hippogriff out of the way. But now she was in the middle of the fight. Two more Hippogriffs came at them from either side.
“We’re trapped,” Grubber said.
They were backed against a wall. A pillar had fallen over, boxing them in. The queen was getting closer. The Storm Creatures were so busy battling the other Hippogriffs they didn’t notice Grubber and Tempest in the corner of the square, trapped and helpless.
The queen descended upon them. Her eyes were filled with fury.
“Give me the pearl!” she demanded. “Or I will take it myself.”
Tempest could feel the pearl was still there, tucked in the front of her armor. She glanced into the square, hoping one of the Storm Creatures would save her, but they were all fighting their own battles. It was up to her to save herself.
“Come and get it, then,” she said, springing to her hooves. She got into a fighting stance. “The pearl is mine now.”
“Not likely.”
The queen swooped down on Tempest. Tempest darted to the side, avoiding her. Then they were both on the ground, face-to-face. The queen stalked forward. She swept her wing out, pinning Tempest to the wall with all her weight. Tempest could barely breathe.
The queen reached into Tempest’s collar and pulled out the pearl. She held it right under Tempest’s nose, her eyes filled with fury. “You have come here and taken advantage of our kindness. You have stolen from us. You have brought the Storm King’s army here and destroyed our city.”
The queen lifted off the ground, preparing to take flight. Her front claws were outstretched. She dove, about to bring Tempest and Grubber with her, when two Storm Creatures moved in. One battled with her, dodging blows, while the other climbed onto her back and tried to pin her down. The queen struggled, then broke free.
“My loyal subjects—retreat!” The queen called out. “Retreat!”
She looped around toward the castle, her daughter right beside her. A dozen other Hippogriffs followed. Some were injured from the fight. Others came down from the roofs of buildings or perches high above. One emerged from a pile of rubble near the broken gate.
The Hippogriffs flew as fast as they could toward the castle. Tempest followed, watching as her hopes of getting the pearl went with them. The queen and the others rushed into the building, and the queen uttered something Tempest couldn’t hear. Then the whole building filled with bright light.
By the time Tempest got to the entrance, the Hippogriffs were gone. The castle was completely empty. The Hippogriffs had vanished without a trace.
Tempest saw the destruction they’d caused. The castle arches, which had fallen to the ground. The broken statues and pillars. The gaping holes in the walls where a Storm Creature had burst through.
They had done this. They had destroyed Hippogriffia.