The Spook's Sacrifice facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Joseph Delaney |
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| Country | Great Britain |
| Series | The Wardstone Chronicles of Spook's |
| Genre | Children's fiction |
| Publisher | The Bodley Head, an imprint of Random House Children's Books |
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Publication date
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25 August 2009 – UK |
| Pages | 360 |
| Preceded by | The Spook's Mistake |
| Followed by | The Spook's Nightmare |
The Spook's Sacrifice is the sixth book in the exciting Wardstone Chronicles series by Joseph Delaney. It was released on August 25, 2009. In the United States, it is known as The Last Apprentice: Clash of the Demons. This story follows Tom Ward, a young apprentice training to fight dark creatures. He faces a tough choice between his master and his mother, leading him on a dangerous journey to ancient Greece.
Contents
Tom's Dangerous Journey to Greece
After a scary attack by a creature called a maenad, Tom visits his family's farm. His mother, Mam, asks him to go with her to Greece. They need to fight a powerful Old Goddess known as the Ordeen. The Ordeen is special because she can enter the world without human help.
The Ordeen's Threat
Long ago, priests kept the Ordeen's power in check. They built monasteries on cliffs around the plains of Megara, where she appeared. But now, a powerful evil called the Fiend has made the Dark stronger. Many flying lamia witches have joined the Ordeen. This means the few remaining priests will be overwhelmed. If the Ordeen gets free, she will go to Tom's home county. She plans to harm the children of her greatest enemy: Tom's own mother.
A Difficult Choice for Tom
Tom faces a very hard decision. His master, the Spook, forbids him to go. The Spook doesn't want Tom to work with the Pendle witches. But Tom's Mam needs his help. Tom decides to go with his mother. He heads for the coast, while the Spook returns to Chipenden.
Meeting Grimalkin and Alice
Before leaving, Tom meets Grimalkin, a powerful witch. She gives him a "dark wish" and a special knife. This knife can hurt dark creatures. Alice, Tom's friend, tells him about a blood jar. It holds the blood of one of the Fiend's daughters. If Tom's blood is mixed with it, the Fiend cannot get close to him. This is important because Tom is the only one who can stop the Fiend.
The Journey Begins
Tom, Alice, and Bill Arkwright, another Spook, board a ship for Greece. Just as they leave, the Spook jumps onto the ship! Even though he joins them, he still won't talk to Tom. During the trip, Tom practices fighting with Bill Arkwright. Slowly, the Spook starts to teach Tom again. He warns Tom about the dangers they will face.
Pirate Attack at Sea
During their journey, pirates attack their ship. The pirates want to capture the ship, not destroy it. But the County witches, including Grimalkin, were hiding below deck. They surprise the pirates and drive them away. The pirate captain is killed.
Arrival in Greece
When they land in Greece, they see many Sirens along the coast. This shows how much the Dark's power has grown. Mam takes Tom to a special house. It's where she first met Tom's dad and decided to marry him. Here, Mam tells Tom her secret: she is a Lamia, a mother to all lamia witches. She explains that she has tried to make up for her past actions. Tom's birth is part of her plan to do good.
Lost in the Mountains
They continue their journey to meet some mercenaries Mam hired. But dark creatures attack them before they reach the meeting point. Mam and the witches fight them off. They send Tom and Alice ahead for safety. Tom and Alice get lost in the mountain passes. Two lamia witches appear, trapping them. One witch grabs Alice. Tom uses his dark wish, wishing for Alice to be safe. Time seems to stop, and the Fiend appears. He is happy Tom used the Dark. Alice then crawls out, safe and sound.
A Cave-in and New Allies
Still lost, Tom and Alice hide in a cave. They hear strange knocking sounds. Suddenly, the cave collapses, separating them from their pursuers. Tom is knocked out. When he wakes, they follow the cave through the mountain. They finally reach the mercenaries. The Spook tells them the mercenaries saved the day. He also explains the knocking sounds were made by dangerous creatures called Knockers.
Mam's Daring Plan
Mam shares her plan to defeat the Ordeen. First, a small group will pretend to be messengers from Megara. This group includes Tom, Alice, Bill Arkwright, the Spook, and some mercenaries. Tom's blood will be used to wake the Ordeen. Then, Grimalkin will fight the Ordeen's champion. After that, Pendle witches will clear the Ordeen's fortress, called the Ord, of demons. Finally, Mam and Mab Mouldheel will confront the Ordeen. Mab's special sight will help Mam find the Ordeen.
Understanding Faith's Power
Before the Ordeen arrives, Mam takes Tom to the priests' monasteries. Tom doubts that prayers alone can stop the Ordeen. But after meeting the head priest and hearing their hymns, Tom starts to understand the power of faith against the Dark.
The Ordeen's Fortress Appears
The Ord appears in a huge pillar of fire. It has three large towers and a central dome. The Ordeen is inside. When the fire fades, Mam's plan begins.
Inside the Ord
Tom and the others enter the Ord. They meet demons. Music starts, and the mercenaries begin to feast. The demons attack the mercenaries, feeding on them. Tom gives some of his blood to help wake the Ordeen. Grimalkin then fights the Ordeen's champion, a giant armored man. She kills him with her knife.
A Deadly Trap
They find dead witches, burned by fire elementals. More dead witches appear. One witch runs past screaming. She tells the Spook it was a trap. Fire elementals were everywhere at the top of the tower. All the other witches are dead. They must find another way.
The Fiend's Deal
Tom, Alice, Bill Arkwright, and the Spook reach the top of another tower. It's pitch black. Tom feels a strong grip on his ankle. He is dragged to a metal dish, which is then lifted. He sees vaengir (flying witches) all around. He is meant to be their meal. Time stops again, and the Fiend appears. He offers Tom a way out: he will free them and delay the Ordeen for an hour. In return, Tom must give him his soul in three days. Tom agrees, seeing no other choice. They realize the towers are traps. They decide to go to the dome instead.
Mam's Sacrifice
Because Tom's blood was used, he can pass through an invisible barrier to the dome. He leaves Alice and the Spooks behind. He meets Mab Mouldheel, who tells him Mam is inside, changing form. Mam forced her way through the barrier, using a lot of energy. Tom sees his mother as a winged, scaled Lamia witch. She tells him she is changing into her final form. This form can hold off the Ordeen long enough for the Ord to be destroyed. Tom realizes this means his mother will also be destroyed. Mam tells him not to be sad. She has lived a long life and will achieve her goal. She needs Tom to stall the Ordeen while she finishes changing.
Tom enters the room where the Ordeen is waking. The Old Goddess is confused, feeling she should know Tom. She realizes Tom is her enemy's son and attacks. She also reveals that Tom can stop time. Tom fights her for a short time, losing his chain, staff, and knife. Mam arrives, attacking the Ordeen with her huge wings. She shouts at Tom to flee the Ord. As they escape, elementals chase them. Bill Arkwright bravely stays behind to hold them off, sacrificing himself so the others can get away.
Aftermath and New Challenges
Tom, Alice, and the Spook tell the priests what happened. Two days later, Tom's deal with the Fiend is almost due. Tom slips away from the camp with Alice and the Spook. He doesn't want them to get hurt trying to protect him. He waits by a stream for the Fiend. This time, the Fiend appears as a huge, hairy creature with horns and a tail. Before the Fiend can take Tom's soul, Alice appears. She waves the blood jar and shouts at the Fiend to leave. Furious, the Fiend disappears. Alice reveals that she took some of Tom's blood and mixed it with her own in the jar while he was unconscious. Now, Tom and Alice must stay together near the blood jar. If they don't, the Fiend will return for their souls.
Mam's Last Wishes
The next day, the Spook gives Tom two letters from Mam. One is for the Spook, and the other is for Tom. The Spook says the first letter convinced him to come. It told him about Mam's coming death. She asked the Spook to make two exceptions: to continue Tom's training and not to trap Alice in a pit. Mam's letter explains that Alice is the Fiend's daughter. She could be the most powerful witch ever, good or bad. But the Spook should not trap her. She could be a strong helper for the Light and vital in fighting the Fiend.
Mam's second letter tells Tom not to be sad about her death. She had foreseen it long ago. She says she was happiest with his dad and her sons. She wants him to keep working hard as an apprentice. She hopes he will one day hunt the Dark, instead of being hunted by it.
Mam's Peace
After reading the letters, Tom worries that Mam won't go to Heaven. He fears she might be trapped in the Ord. He boards the ship home with about twenty surviving Pendle witches led by Grimalkin. Trying to sleep, Tom feels a presence of pure love. This finally convinces him that his mother has found peace.
Main Characters in The Spook's Sacrifice
Thomas Ward
Thomas is the seventh son of a seventh son. He is also the son of Lamia, his mother. This means he can see things others can't. He is also safe from some dark powers, like a witch's "long-sniffing." He has special powers from his mother, including the ability to slow down and even stop time.
Alice Deane
Alice is revealed to be the daughter of Bony Lizzie and the Fiend. She is a very close friend to Tom. Their friendship has stopped her from joining the Dark. Tom's Mam believes Alice could become the most powerful witch ever, for good or for bad.
John Gregory (The Spook)
John Gregory is also a seventh son of a seventh son. He has protected the county from dark forces for many years. He has trained many apprentices, but only a few were successful. Tom will be his last apprentice.
Thomas' Mam (Lamia)
Tom's mother, also known as Lamia, was once a beautiful enchantress. She fell in love and had children with an Old God. After a terrible event, she caused harm. But with the kindness of Tom's dad, she turned to the Light. She had six sons before Tom was born. Despite her difficult past, she redeemed herself. She sacrificed herself to destroy the Ordeen, allowing her to find peace.
Bill Arkwright
Bill Arkwright was another successful apprentice of the Spook. He worked as a Spook in the north. After his death, his bloodhound and two puppies saw Tom as their new master. Alice said she always knew this would happen.
Grimalkin
Grimalkin is the assassin of the Malkin witch clan. She is a fierce witch skilled with knives and scissors in a fight. She follows a strict code of honor. She once had to try and kill Tom, but she regretted it. She has protection from the Fiend because she had a son with him. However, her son was not a witch, and the Fiend killed him. This made Grimalkin angry, and she has helped Tom many times since then.
The Ordeen
The Ordeen is an Old Goddess. She has the power to awaken and harm people. The only way to defeat her is to destroy the portal she uses to enter the world.
