“Samson! You okay, buddy?” Aristophenix dropped to his knees to help the little bug.

Denise quickly joined them as Samson gasped and tried to gulp in as much air as possible. “Is he going to be all right?” she asked.

Aristophenix hesitated a moment before nodding. “He's young,” he said, “but like you, he's stubborn.”

Denise threw Aristophenix a look. But it wasn't an insult. In fact, it almost sounded like a compliment.

“Easy there, fella,” Aristophenix urged as Samson struggled to get up. “You've been workin' too hard. Easy, little guy.”

But Samson would have none of the sympathy. In a matter of seconds, he was back on his feet — all six of them. After a couple false starts, he was able to flutter his wings fast enough to slowly rise off the floor. Once again he was airborne — although his buzzing sounded much weaker than before.

Denise watched with awe and wonder. She could feel herself getting caught up in his determination. Once again she was back on her own feet. And, once again, she was cheering him on. “Attaboy, Sammy! You can do it!”

The encouragement helped. With every positive word she spoke Samson grew stronger.

Nathan had drifted completely around the menagerie and was floating back toward them. This time the beam from the Bloodstone wouldn't have to travel so far; it wouldn't need as much energy from Samson.

Without a word the little bug took his position over the stone in Listro Q's hand. He started buzzing his wings and glowing his tail. There was no missing the stress and strain he was under. But he wasn't about to give up — not this time.

Neither was Denise. She stepped up closer to the hovering bug and quietly whispered into his ear — telling him how impressed she was, what a big heart he had, how much she appreciated and, yes, even admired him for what he was doing.

And that made all the difference in the world. . . .

A new surge of brightness shown from Samson's tail. The Bloodstone started to glow. Finally the shaft of red light burst forth, and in moments it struck Nathan squarely upon the face. Once again the boy regained consciousness. By now he and his fighting partner, the triangle creature, were just a few yards away.

Spotting Aristophenix, Nathan again pleaded, “Please, you gotta help me!”

“There's nothin' more we can do!” Aristophenix shouted. “Only you can choose to break his control — and there isn't much time!”

“But —”

“You've got the power!” Aristophenix insisted. “Just use it!”

“Come on, Nathan!” Denise called. “You can do it!”

For the briefest second, Nathan appeared surprised at her encouragement. Come to think of it, so did Denise.< P> “Watch it!” Aristophenix shouted. He pointed to a pair of fighting prisoners who started drifting between Nathan and the beam.

Listro Q dropped to his knees, shooting the beam underneath the fighters so they would not interrupt its flow of power.

“Nathan,” Denise cried. “You can do it! I know you can! Just stop fighting and give that thing your shirt!”

Again Nathan looked at her. She wasn't sure if it was the power from the beam or from her words — maybe it was both. But somehow, somewhere Nathan found the strength to slowly lower his arms and begin unbuttoning what was left of his shirt. Of course the triangle creature went in for the kill. And, of course, his sharp, jagged claws dug deep into Nathan's chest.

“Augh!” Nathan screamed. But this time he would not give up. This time he continued unbuttoning his shirt.< P> “You are fools,” Bobok mocked from his platform. “Fools!”

The beam started to weaken. Though Nathan was closer, Samson didn't have the strength he had in the beginning. Still, between seeing Nathan's efforts and hearing Denise's words, the little bug pressed on.

At last, Nathan unbuttoned the final button. He started pulling his arms out of the shredded sleeves.

“Attaboy!” Denise shouted. “You can do it, Nathan, you can do it!”

“Fools!” Bobok shouted. “Fools!”

Samson's light began to sputter.

“Hurry, lad,” Aristophenix shouted. “Hurry!”

The shirt was off. But that was only half the battle. Now Nathan had to fight the menagerie's power. Now he actually had to reach out and show love to the creature. He had to actually give him his shirt.

“Enough!” Bobok shouted. He started rolling back and forth across his platform. “Chosen Thread, this is what you wanted. Nowhere in any dimension will you enjoy so much taking!”

Beads of sweat sprang to Nathan's forehead as he fought and struggled. If he could just overcome the menagerie's control — if he could just utilize the red beam's power and reach out to offer the shirt to his enemy . . .

He started drifting away again.

Samson worked harder, but the blue light of his tail grew weaker. The beam from the Bloodstone became more and more faint. Soon it was almost invisible. Almost, but not quite.

“Give it up!” Bobok shouted. “Give it up!”

“Come on, Nathan!” Denise called. “You can do it — you can do it!”

And then, ever so slowly, Nathan started reaching out his arms — arms that held the prized shirt.

“Come on, Nathan, I know you can do it!”

“Stop that!” Bobok shouted. “Stop that at once!”

Slowly, inch by torturous inch, Nathan made progress until, at last, his arms were fully extended to his enemy.

With a vicious growl, the triangle creature snatched the shirt from his hands, and suddenly . . . suddenly, the entire energy field crackled. Then, to everyone's astonishment, it began losing power.

“My menagerie!” Bobok cried. “Look what you've done! Look what you've done!”

Like a giant machine the menagerie slowly wound down until it came to a grinding halt. The groans of the prisoners faded as each regained consciousness and gently floated to the ground. Many shook their heads in confusion, trying to remember where they were or what had happened. And, as the realization sank in, they began to murmur among themselves — a murmur that grew into shouts of joy!

“Nathan!” Denise cried as she raced to him. The others ran onto the floor right behind her. Before she realized it, she had thrown her arms around him in a giant hug. “I knew you could do it!” she shouted. “I knew you could!”

Nathan couldn't return the hug. He could only stand there, dumbfounded at the love he was receiving from her. Still, there was no missing the glint of moisture in his eyes. And there was no missing the thick hoarseness in his voice when he finally spoke. It wasn't much of a sentence — only one word. But a word Nathan hadn't used in years.

“Thanks . . . ,” he said. Unsuccessfully he tried to swallow back the lump in his throat. “Thank you . . .”

By now the other three had managed to work their way into the embrace. In fact the entire floor was full of creatures hugging, celebrating, and congratulating one another.

But it didn't last long.

Bobok's voice echoed through the room. “After them!” Immediately hundreds of little blue orbs that had surrounded Bobok began leaping from his platform onto the floor of the menagerie. Many of them were hurt by the fall or crushed by fellow orbs landing on top of them. But those who survived had one goal — to recapture the prisoners before they escaped!

Panic swept the crowd. “What do we do?” they shouted. “We're lost! He'll capture us again!”

Then, just before everything turned to chaos, Aristophenix raised his cane high above his head and shouted,

Onward to the Portal, there's not a second to waste. It soon will be sealed; let's move, let's go, make haste!

With his cane still above his head, the roly-poly bear waddled forward and the crowd followed. They raced out of the menagerie and through the rooms of the castle until they reached the drawbridge and crossed it.

Then it was into the bare, frozen forest of Keygarp. Yet, for some reason, none of Bobok's little blue guards followed.

“Where are they?” Denise shouted to Aristophenix.

Panting hard, the bear tried to answer, “Look at your feet!” Denise looked down and saw that the hard ice and snow were turning to slush. “It's melting!” she yelled in surprise.

“The whole kingdom — inside and out,” Aristophenix shouted. “The guards can't roll in slush — not like packed snow.”

They continued through the forest. Trees dripped with water as the ice on them melted. Icicles gave way, clattering and shattering as they hit the ground. Then, at last, Listro Q spotted it.

“There!” he shouted, pointing in the distance. “There is it!”

Denise looked and saw the Portal. But even from their distance, she could see the breathing opening was much smaller . . . and growing smaller by the second!< P> “Hurry!” Aristophenix called to the group. “It's almost sealed!”

Panic filled the crowd as they pushed forward.

“Samson!” Denise cried. She looked every direction but couldn't find him. “Where's Samson?”

“Here,” Listro Q said. He held out his pocket — a pocket that glowed and pulsed as Samson looked up and chattered away at her.

Denise grinned.

So did Listro Q.

When they finally arrived at the windy Portal, Aristophenix took a position beside the opening and began directing the crowd through it. Listro Q joined him. For many of the creatures it was going to be a tight squeeze, but with Aristophenix and Listro Q's help, they were able to make it. “Be careful of those antenna . . . tuck in all of your legs, ma'am . . . watch your heads, sir . . .”

“Mr. Hornsberry!” Nathan shouted.

Denise turned to see the bulldog racing through the forest as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him.< P> “Master Nathan, wait for me, wait for me!”

“You're unfrozen!” Nathan cried.

“An accurate observation,” the dog said as he arrived, then leaped into Nathan's arms, practically knocking him over. “Everything in the kingdom is thawing.”

But their joy was short-lived. A noise filled the forest. It was an ominous chant — half living, half machine.

“LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM.”

The ground itself vibrated with the sound. . . . “LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM.”

Denise watched as Bobok's army emerged from the woods — hundreds of them — rolling in perfect precision. Although they were slowed by the slush, their progress was steady and constant — like a slow-moving machine — a machine that would not be stopped. . . . “LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM.”

Terror filled the crowd. Desperately they began to push and shove at one another, doing anything they could to be next through the Portal.

“Please, everybody!” Aristophenix shouted. “Wait your turn!”

But his request was met with only more screams and shoving as the army of blue orbs continued their approach.

“LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM.”

“Them all through,” Listro Q called, “get can't we!”

“We gotta try!” Aristophenix shouted over the noise.

“LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM, LUMM-KUMM.”

Suddenly there was the sound of a whinnying horse. All heads snapped back toward the forest to see Bobok appear on a midnight-blue steed. He quickly trotted past his troops to take command.

The prisoners' terror grew to near riot. Everyone knew Bobok's power — his persuasive logic — his overwhelming evil. And now he and his cold blue orbs were less than fifty yards away — fifty yards and closing in!

“No good is it!” Listro Q shouted to Aristophenix.

Denise turned to the crowd. Listro Q was right. It was hopeless. There were still twenty or thirty creatures to help through the Portal. They couldn't possibly get them through in time. Either the Portal would seal or Bobok's army would move in — or both! What could they do? Where could they turn?

Samson began to chatter.

“That's what?” Listro Q asked, opening his pocket and allowing Samson to fly out.

Samson repeated himself.

Immediately Aristophenix shook his head. “No, no, that's too risky.”

“What?” Nathan shouted.

Denise joined in. “What's he saying?”

But Aristophenix wasn't answering. He was still debating with Samson. “No, I haven't got a better idea, but —”

Again Samson chattered.

“Samson . . . ,” Listro Q warned.

Whatever Samson was saying, he was not giving up. He kept right on arguing until Aristophenix and Listro Q started running out of excuses.

And still he chattered away.

At last, his two friends exchanged uneasy glances.

“Sure are you, Sammy?” Listro Q asked. “This something is of sure are you?”

Samson answered even more impatiently.

Listro Q turned back to Aristophenix. Apparently a decision had to be made. And apparently it could only be made by Aristophenix. The furry creature shifted his weight uneasily.

He looked at the panicky crowd as they screamed and pushed their way to the opening. . . .

He looked at Bobok's army who were much, much closer. . . .

And finally he looked at Samson.

Then, slowly, sadly, he began to nod. “Okay,” he said. But by the catch in his voice, Denise could tell it wasn't okay. It wasn't okay at all.

Immediately Listro Q reached into his pocket and pulled out the Bloodstone. He threw it several feet behind them, directly in front of Bobok's approaching army. Samson followed the stone and once again began hovering over it.

Fear shot through Denise. “Samson!” she shouted.

“Samson, what are you doing?” She turned and started for him but Listro Q caught her. “Let me go!” she yelled. “Let me go!”

Listro Q's grip was firm.

“Let me go! He's not that strong!”

“No!” Listro Q said.

“Let me —”

“Stop it!” Listro Q shouted. And it was the intensity of that shout that caused Denise to stop struggling. She looked up into his face as he spoke. “Only way, is it.” And then more quietly, “Only way . . .”

Denise blinked, then swallowed. She turned to watch as Samson buzzed his wings furiously over the rock . . . as the army continued its approach. Once again he generated a blue light from his tail. And once again that light started to bounce back and forth inside the Bloodstone until a bright red glow suddenly burst out.< P> But since Listro Q wasn't there to direct it, the light was no longer a beam. Now it formed a huge red circle — a circle whose color the army could not look at — a circle that forced them to stop their advance.

“Aughhh!” Bobok yelled as his horse began prancing and bucking. “Stop that light! Get that bug!”

The army tried to inch their way forward, but they could not approach the light. It was an impenetrable wall of color. A wall that protected Samson and the few remaining prisoners as they exited through the Portal.< P> “Quickly now!” Aristophenix encouraged the group. “Don't look back! Quickly!”

Samson continued hovering over the stone, but his buzz was much weaker. He simply hadn't had the time to recover from his last ordeal.

Cautiously, the army surrounded the wall of color, until they had formed a circle around Samson and the stone. “Destroy him!” Bobok shouted. “Stop the color! Destroy the bug!”

Yet the army would not, they could not, penetrate the red glowing wall.

Unfortunately, it was a wall that began to shrink as Samson's strength began giving out.

“Come on, Samson!” Denise shouted. “You can do it! You can do it!” But even Denise's words didn't help. Samson's light grew fainter and fainter. The wall of color shrank smaller and smaller. Relentlessly, Bobok's army closed in tighter and tighter.

“He can't make it!” Nathan cried.

“Quickly,” Aristophenix shouted to the last of the prisoners as he ushered them through.

Samson had nearly reached exhaustion. The wall was only a few feet around him now . . . and so were the hundreds of blue orbs.

“Destroy him!” Bobok screamed.

“Nathan!” Aristophenix shouted. “Nathan, you're next!”< P> Nathan looked up as the last prisoner squeezed through the Portal. There was just the five of them left.< P> “Now, Nathan!” Aristophenix shouted. He had wedged his way into the opening trying to keep it from closing completely. But his efforts were in vain. Although he was slowing it, it was obvious he could not stop it.

“Nathan!”

Looking back at Samson, Nathan was obviously torn. “There's nothin' you can do for him — not now! Trust me!”

Nathan continued to hesitate.

“Now, or we're all doomed!”

Finally, reluctantly, Nathan ducked his head down, and still carrying Mr. Hornsberry in his arms, he quickly squeezed through the Portal.

“Denny!” Aristophenix called. “Denny, you're next!” But Denise wasn't moving. All she could do was stare at Samson. The poor little critter was near exhaustion. He had less than a foot of light surrounding him. Less than a foot of color to protect him from Bobok and his army.< P> “Denny!” Aristophenix shouted. “Denny!”

But she would not budge, she refused to budge . . . until Listro Q suddenly picked her up.

“Put me down!” she cried. “Put me down!”

And then it happened. At last Samson's light flickered out.

“Samson!” Denise's heart broke as Bobok's thugs lunged toward her brave little friend. “Samson!”

To spare her the awful sight, Listro Q covered her eyes and pushed her through the opening.

She cried one last time. “Samson!” But it did no good. Her voice was lost in the howling wind.

Listro Q followed right behind her. Then Aristophenix — and just in time. For as the pudgy creature unwedged his body from the opening, it slammed shut with a foreboding boom.

The Portal was sealed.

Excerpted from The Portal, book one of the “Imager Chronicles” series by Bill Myers, and reprinted by permission of Tommy Nelson Publishers. To read chapters 1 through 11 of The Portal click here.

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