The Manticore wasn't going without a fight. Little jets of lightning zipped out of the maelstrom, leaving tiny black burns where they hit. The Klahds jumped back, some of them yelping in pain.
"Melvine," I said as the tornado started to drift off true. "Melvine, watch it. You're getting too close to that—"
CRASH!
"—lamp post."
I looked down. Beads of moisture dotted the Cupy's brow.
"I can't hold him! I'm losing power!"
"Why is your spell failing?" Jinetta asked critically. "Didn't you invoke all the correct parameters?"
"There are no correct parameters, sister," Melvine snarled. "YOU try holding onto it! My magik is fading! This worked fine in my practice sessions with rats!"
"Rats!" Freezia sneered.
"Obviously there's something you missed," Jinetta said.
"Not me! It's not my fault!"
"There is something!" Pologne exclaimed, lifting her eyes from the crystal ball. "Manticore lightning drains force lines!"
I groaned. My text really had missed out on all the important facts about Manticores.
Melvine blew a raspberry. "No wonder! See! I didn't blow it! How come YOU didn't tell me that, with all your research?"
Jinetta shrieked in outrage. "Me? How much do you think I can read in five minutes?"
I rolled my eyes. "Stop arguing! Bee, Tolk, help Melvine."
"With respect, Master Skeeve, I don't know how to make a tornado," Bee said.
"Me neither," Tolk barked.
"You don't have to," I said, watching desperately as the wind stuttered. Pretty soon it was going to fade to a summer breeze, and we'd be back to where we started. "Picture a big pair of hands. Each of you make one and put it on one side of the tornado. Steady it, and help Melvine push it out of town. That's all you need to do. Ladies, stand by. If all we have to work on is what power we're packing, then we have to use it where it counts. Remember Sear! And don't let your disguise spells drop!"
"Yes, Master Skeeve," they chorused.
Bee and Tolk put up one hand apiece, and concentrated. The spell was rough and unsteady, but they started to move the sputtering whirlwind.
Two of them managed to get the Manticore partway out of the gate before the whirlwind collapsed. The Manticore dropped to the ground, his fur in knots. He shook himself mightily, then checked to see that his container was all right. It was. The Manticore roared angrily. With a look that presaged revenge, he started to crawl back into the center of town.
The people of Humulus scattered widely as soon as the tornado had faded. I was relieved to have them out of my way. If he was angry before, the Manticore was out of his mind with fury now. He plunged his free hand through the nearest shop window and came out with an entire table, which he used to beat down the rest of the street lamps within reach. Without the whirlwind, Bee and Tolk strained to push the Manticore towards the gate. They were losing the contest. I had to get the rest of the apprentices engaged on the task.
I reached for a force line, any force line. Unfortunately, Jinetta had been right: the local lines were depleted by the Manticore's lightning spell.
"Ladies, I'm going to need your help right now" I said.
"But we haven't finished studying the Manticore yet!" Jinetta complained.
"You haven't really studied this one at all," I pointed out. "You're only reading books about the species. Put the crystal ball away. What can you see about this one that will help us get it out of town? Use those analytical minds Pervects are so proud of."
"Uhhh" The three girls fixed their gaze on the beast.
"He's very angry," Freezia said.
"That's not interfering with his effectiveness," I said. "Believe me. But, stop and think about it: why do you think he's been here five days?"
"He's lost?" Jinetta suggested.
"Look at the jar in his arm," I said. "He's doing everything he can to keep us from hitting it. When he runs into an obstruction, his first concern is for its safety."
"It's a baby!" Freezia squealed. "He's saving his baby!"
"Er, no," I said as the Manticore raised the container over his head and squeezed a long stream of green fluid into his maw. "I'd say that it's liquor. He's drunk."
"That's awful!" Pologne said. "Abusing alcohol to the point of incoherence! I've never heard of such a thing."
"And how does that help?" Melvine asked.
"Use your imagination," I snapped. I had wanted them to save the town by themselves, but they really didn't have a clue. Like it or not, I had to lead again. "He'll go where his jug does. Jinetta and Pologne, take over for Bee and Tolk. Bee, you're the best at orienteering. We passed a gum-gorse tree a few miles outside of town. Go and locate it for me. When you find it, stay on the road as close to it as you can."
"Yes, sir!" The ex-corporal took off running. I turned to the Pervects.
"Freezia, have you got a good retrieval spell?"
"It depends on what you want to use it for," the petite Pervect said, matching my businesslike tone. "Is the object animal, vegetable or mineral? Is it bigger than a breadbox, or small enough for angels to dance on its head?"
"It's that bottle!" I said, out of patience. "Get it out of his grasp and fly it out of here." The Manticore shot another bolt of lightning out of his bottom. "Now would be a good time."
"Oh, hurry, Freezy," Jinetta gasped. "That blast weakened my spell!"
"Well, I'll try!" Freezia said. "My goodness, he has a tight grip! I—I can't do both spells at once!"
"Neither can I!" Pologne wailed.
Shades of green were beginning to show through my apprentices' peaches-and-cream complexions. In a minute, the townsfolk were going to have three Pervects in their midst. Having been involved in riots with Aahz on Klah once before, I wanted to avoid the possibility. I threw what little power I had left into the disguise spells.
"You're under wraps," I said. "Keep trying to get that bottle!"
"I'll distract him! C'mon, Gleep! Hey, critter!" Tolk and my dragon galloped straight for the Manticore.
Surprised by the two creatures advancing on him, the Manticore stopped spraying the surrounding buildings with lightning. Tolk, looking very small beside the beast, started worrying at one of his big, shaggy feet. Gleep burned the other foot with his tiny spear of flame. The Manticore roared in surprise. His tail lanced down over his head. Yelping, Tolk dodged the spike. Gleep saw the whole thing as a game, and started jumping around, yodelling every time the raging Manticore missed him.
"Gleep! Gleep! Gleep!"
"Now!" I bellowed.
Freezia jerked at nothing with both hands. The round container lunged out of the Manticore's grip.
She pushed, and it sped out of the gate into the woods.
"Hey!" the beast roared. He dropped to all fours and began running after the jug.
"Buttercup, stay with Bunny!"
We started running after the Manticore.
Within a few hundred yards the mob had fallen behind. I was relieved. My magik was just about depleted. I let the disguise spells fall away. What power I had left might serve to light a candle, no more.
Freezia kept the bottle just out of the Manticore's grip, teasing him one way or another, but not letting him run faster than we could keep up. The beast never noticed us, being completely focused on getting the booze back. The young Pervect played him like a fish on a line, reeling in the jug then yanking it back out again.
"This road is so rough," Freezia gasped. "I'm afraid of losing control. Oh, I hate having no magik!"
"I can put the Cantrip on you," Tolk said. "I think I learned it well enough from Bee."
"Klahd magik!" Pologne snorted.
"I think that's a good idea," I said. "I'd take him up on it, if I were you."