Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

left slithered a long rope of glowing silver flesh. From beyond the barrier came a deafening roar of triumph and bloody hunger, culminating in a vast sonorous grunt. The Champion hefted his war axe uncertainly and glanced at Rupert.
    'If the cave-in didn't hurt it, I don't see what more we can do, Sire. Let's get out of here. If we can get to the horses, we might be able to outdistance it.'
    'No!' snapped Rupert. 'We have to stop it here! At least the tunnel keeps it to a manageable size; if it reaches the surface ...'
    The Champion nodded, and grinned suddenly. 'I never did believe in running away from a good fight.
    What are your orders, Sire?'
    The barrier began to fall apart as glowing silver-grey flesh enveloped the smaller rocks and digested them. More and more of the creature flowed into the tunnel as Rupert glared furiously about for an answer. The creature was of the dark, and the dark must always fall to the light; the rainbow sword had failed him, but perhaps his lantern . . . He darted forward and carefully placed the lantern in the path of a probing silver tentacle. The tentacle ignored the lantern and lashed out at Rupert. He swung his sword double-handed, and it slashed easily through the pallid flesh, meeting only the faintest resistance. Rupert smiled grimly as the severed end splashed to the floor, and then he spun round as the Champion shouted a warning. Broad cracks had spread across the barrier, and the creature was breaking through in a dozen places. Rupert and the Champion fell back, and the creature flowed after them. A silver tentacle rolled over the lantern, engulfing it in a second, and Rupert's heart fell. And then the creature screamed and
    flung away the tentacle, as the silver flesh burst into flame. The discarded tentacle writhed feebly as the fire consumed it, burning fiercely until nothing remained but an evil stench on the air. Rupert grinned savagely as the answer came to him. Fire — man's oldest ally against the dark.
    'Oil lamps!' he yelled to the Champion. 'Get me some oil lamps!'
    The Champion nodded quickly, and sprinted back to the surface. Rupert hefted his sword and studied the creature warily by its own eerie light. The barrier blocking the tunnel was riven in a dozen places, and silver-grey flesh oozed through the narrow fissures in a steady flow. Stone and earth and timber creaked ominously as the creature pressed its awful weight against the barrier, and Rupert knew it was only a matter of moments before the mounting pressure would burst the wall asunder, and the creature would come roaring down the tunnel like a flash flood. If the Champion wasn't back by then, Rupert knew that running wouldn't be enough to save him. He started to retreat cautiously down the tunnel, and the Champion came to meet him with a dozen guards, all carrying oil lamps.
    'Right,' said Rupert crisply. 'Empty the oil out on to the floor, then go back for more lamps. Move it, there's not much time!'
    The guards exchanged glances but did as they were told, and soon the tunnel floor was awash with oil.
    Deep in the dark, the creature grunted hungrily as the stone and earth barrier heaved and cracked apart.
    Rupert sent the guards back to the surface, and studied the pool of oil that lay between him and the creature.
    'Think there's enough, sir Champion?'
    'If not, we'll soon find out, Sire.'
    Rupert laughed, and turned to face the Champion. 'Give me your lantern, and then get out of here.'
    'Lighting the oil is my job,' said the Champion evenly.
    'Not this time.'
    The two men looked at each other, and then the Champion bowed slightly.
    'I'll wait at the entrance, Sire. Don't be long.'
    Rupert nodded his thanks, and the Champion turned and padded silently back down the tunnel. Rupert sheathed his sword, knelt beside the pool of oil, and watched the barrier slowly fall apart. He wasn't really sure why he'd sent the Champion back; he only knew this was something he had to do. If only to prove to himself that he didn't need a magic sword to be brave. The stone and earth of the barrier began to shake, and Rupert opened the lantern and took out the candle stub. He glanced at the pool of oil, and hesitated. If he stooped down to light the oil with the candle, the sudden flames would engulf him too, but if he threw the candle, it would probably go out before it hit the oil. And then the creature roared with triumph as it finally burst through the barrier, and surged down the tunnel towards him.
    Rupert