Read Online Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest by J. M. Lee - Free Book Online Page A

skekVar must accuse skekEkt in court tomorrow and challenge him to trial by rope. When General wins, skekEkt will be banished.”
    â€œGood, good,” said skekTek.
    The Chamberlain hummed appreciatively and then paused. “But what if General loses?”
    â€œSkekVar does not lose,” the General growled.
    â€œGeneral was just telling me,” said the Chamberlain slowly, “that he feels weaker than usual . . . drained. If only we could be sure General feels young and strong tomorrow.”
    â€œMmmm,” said the General. “Yes, drained.”
    â€œChamberlain would never ask for essence for himself,” croaked the Chamberlain sweetly. “But for General . . . for the Emperor . . .”
    â€œEssence belongs to the Emperor.” The Scientist dropped his voice. “You speak treason.”
    â€œ. . . save the Emperor from himself . . . ,” the Chamberlain whispered.
    There was a long pause. “You’re right,” said the Scientist at last. “But not this vial. I’m still testing it. Come underground for a fresh one.”
    I heard a grinding sound, and the whole room began to rattle. The table above my head shook so violently that I was afraid the cloth would slide off and expose me to the Skeksis. When it finished, the Scientist said, “Follow me,” and I saw their feet move away from the desk.
    For a fleeting moment, I thought they would leave the vial on the desk behind. I could steal it and bring it to the clan elders, who would discover what vile thing was inside. But the Skeksis had barely walked three paces before the Chamberlain said, “You aren’t leaving this vial behind?”
    â€œNo, right you are,” said the Scientist. “Traitors on the loose.” His stench came close once more, then faded. The sound of the Skeksis’s footsteps floated away and out of earshot.
    I lay under the desk for a minute or two after they left, trying to quiet my racing breath. At first, I had every intention of escaping the castle right then, while the Skeksis were busy in skekTek’s workshop. But there was one unanswered question that bothered me. What was this essence that the Skeksis were arguing over? I thought of the strange coldness that had run through me when I touched the vial of blue liquid. I looked along the west wall of the laboratory, where a whole shelf of parchments had slid to one side to reveal an eerie, lantern-lit tunnel. I knew that the answer to the mystery of essence lay within it. If I didn’t find an answer now, I never would.
    I took a deep breath, gripped my spear tightly—I wished I had your broadsword with me, Kaelan—and followed them.
    Jagged rocks lined the pathway of the tunnel, and I was careful not to trip over them as I entered. Trickling water and wet mud sloshed against my bare feet. The shadowy walls were covered with crude, sinister-looking drawings. My hands tingled when I touched the walls; I think they had been cut by magic. Ahead of me, I could still hear the murmur of the Skeksis’s voices. The tunnel grew thinner as it went, then took a sharp left turn and opened into a huge, dank cavern.
    The first thing I saw was a cage along the nearest edge of the cavern built of rusted iron bars. There were dozens of prisoners trapped inside it; I was so close that I could hear them breathing, but they didn’t notice me. Most of them were Podlings—their short stature, green skin, and bulbous noses made it obvious. The others were Gelfling from each of the clans—some I recognized only because I’d heard stories about them. One had a huge belly and was totally covered with hair, head to toe—a Drenchen, I think. Another was a Grottan with pale skin, a thick beard, and eyes of solid black. Spriton, Vapra, Sifa, Dousan—they were all there, standing side by side, as different as it’s possible for Gelfling to be.
    But