by Sharon Gibbs
‘Athena, you have called me forth. What is it you want?’
‘My Lord, I have sent men on a task to find the Tree of Life.’
‘Why have you summoned me to tell me of this trivial matter?’ Zute boomed.
‘Because the tree, my love, I believe is the key to your resurrection.’
‘Really? How so?’
‘When the wizards banished you from this land they tied your realm to the essence of the tree. All we need now is to find the connector to tie both realms together and you will be free.’
‘The connector?’
‘Yes. The author of the book states that the two worlds can be bridged by one’s essence.’
‘And who wrote this book?’
‘Someone by the name of Draidyon.’
‘Hmm, a wizard of the order, but the name means little to me.’
‘There is another who marked his name in the tome. Isham Caru.’
‘Isham?’
‘Yes, my Lord.’
‘Isham Caru was my right hand man many years ago. He served me well. After I was thrust into the Underlands he carried on my teachings until one day he disappeared.’
‘Where did he go?’
‘I do not know, Athena. His soul never entered my realm. He is to me the undead.’
‘So what of the essence I seek? Where should I look to find it?’
‘Look to the west, along the coast. Isham had a sacred place he used for worship when we were younger. He would have hidden my essence there.’
‘And what should I look for? A bauble, a trinket?’
Zute snorted. ‘No, my love. You need to search for my soul.’
‘Your soul?’
‘Yes, my love. During the time of the Great War, Isham drew from me part of my essence and kept it safe in case something should happen. He placed it inside a stone. The stone of souls. Find the stone, resurrect me and I will be your slave.’
With that, the substance descended back into the bowl and Zute was gone.
‘Pack our bags, Catrain. We’re leaving in the morning.’
‘But Mistress, the weather is bitter cold outside. We’ll freeze to death.’
‘Bring our furs. We will wrap ourselves in their warmth and the Godsblood will help to keep us warm.’
Catrain nodded. She would see that it was done.
Athena walked over to the cupboard where she had stored her elixir of protection. The time had arrived, and she removed it from the shelf. Carrying the large ewer she ascended the stairs and left the warmth of her home. Outside, she set the urn down and, gazing up at the moon, she chanted the words to the spell until the trance took her over. The wind tugged at her cloak and the gusts caught her hair as she stood in the fading moonlight. This night would see her home protected while she was away.
Chapter Twenty-seven
The snow fell as the ground rumbled while all within the small cottage lay asleep. As the earth shuddered, it rattled the beams in the little house and shook the dust from amidst the thatch. Icicles snapped and tinkled as they were shaken from their roost and the movement woke the lad inside. Disorientated he sat up.
‘Ma, ma,’ he called as his bed vibrated. He climbed out and staggered into the room where his mother slept with his younger siblings. ‘Ma, wake up. The earth moves.’
His mother, Julia, was roused by his urgent pleas. ‘Shaun, take Molly and Ben,’ she said as panic took hold of her and she gathered her youngest child.
‘Where will we go?’
‘Outside, Shaun. We’ll head for the farm down the road.’ The moon bathed the snow-slicked ground but in the distance a darkness rose to loom over the land. It moved and swayed as if it were alive, and they hurried on to the farm of their neighbours. The earth shuddered and they stumbled along through the snow until they reached the Grey’s farm. Shaun battered on the door but no one answered. He staggered around to the back of the house and rapped frantically on the door. Still no answer came from within.
‘Here, lad, we’re in here,’ Arnold Grey call out as he waved to Shaun from the barn.
‘Ma, around the back. They’re in the barn,’ Shaun called as he hurried around to collect his mother and they made their way over with the children.
‘Inside quick,’ Arnold urged, as he closed the door and latched it behind them. He led them over to the cellar where his family hid and they descended into its depths.
‘What is it? What’s happening, Arnold?’ Julia Sturbridge asked, her panic evident in her voice. She huddled with her children in the dim candle light as the bitter cold from the snow outside seeped through her cloak. She shivered, but it wasn’t the cold that bothered her but the fear of the unknown which plagued her mind.
‘I don’t know. Never before has the earth rumbled like this,’ he said as he sat guard by the cellar doors.
Outside they could hear the roar as whatever it was drew near and they jumped as the crash of timber and the screech of metal echoed closer and they edged further away from the cellar door. Whatever was happening outside was already upon them and then in an instant the earth became still. All in the cellar sat in silence as they listened to the sounds beyond the door. The building creaked and groaned beyond the hatch, and they heard the timber struts buckle and fall to the ground. Before long the noise outside their haven settled and the silence of the night returned. Arnold removed the bar from the door and as he pushed to open the hatch, debris scraped down the wooden doors as they skittered to the ground. Small frosted flakes filtered into their retreat as he peered out into what was left of his barn. He took a small candle and placed it in the lantern so he could see further into the darkness. As far as he could tell, most of his barn was filled with leafy vegetation and the sinewy vines stretch on as far as he could see. It was merely half a dozen metres from the cellar door to the edge of the vegetation, and their exit through the front of the barn was gone.
Shaun peered around Arnold’s shoulder. ‘Where did that come from?’
‘Who knows,’ Arnold said as he climbed out amongst the debris. Shaun followed him up the steps and they stood in the remnants of the barn before the forest. What remained of the structure’s roof rested precariously amidst the growth, and small shoots continued to sprout from the trunks to thicken the foliage and restrict the view of its interior.
‘How will we get out?’ Shaun peered around to see the back wall of the barn still intact.
‘There’s tools over there.’ Arnold pointed to what remained of the left side of the barn. His farming equipment lay scattered near the edge of the forest and to retrieve them they’d have to venture close to the wild growth. They walked over and as Shaun grasped the sledge hammer a shoot whipped out from a vine near him to wrap its tendril around the young lad’s leg and drag him towards the tangled growth.
‘Arnold, help me! Shaun raked his hands at the rubble to stop himself from being hauled closer to the forest. Arnold snatched up his scythe and hacked at the vine holding Shaun’s leg, but as the blade severed the tendril it again sprouted, and this time two shoots shot forth. Arnold grabbed the young lad and pulled him safety away from the vine’s reach as it twisted and searched for its victim.
‘Quick, lad, use the hammer to break down the back wall while I fetch the others,’ Arnold said as he rushed back to the cellar.
‘Heather, Julia, we need to leave now,’ he said as he helped them out of the shelter. Heather ushered the children up the steps to Arnold as Julia securely held her youngest child. Picking their way through the wreckage, they made their way over to where Shaun had split the palings on the back wall and was wrenching the panels away to provide an escape route. A growl echoed behind them as they climbed through their escape hatch, and Arnold turned and looked back through the opening.
‘Run! Run for your lives,’ he yelled as a dark shadow shot out of the forest in pursuit of them. It snapped its razor sharp fangs at Arnold and dashed through the back wall of the barn after them.
The two families sped
across the field in the early morning light. They slid on the slush of the snow underfoot and the forest that had appeared overnight loomed up to haunt them and cast them in its shadow. The sun had begun to rise, but its rays were yet to reach the land beyond the height of the forest. From within the foliage snarls and yaps could be heard as whatever hid there urged their attacker on.
The creature’s paws pounded the earth as it made up the distance to its quarry and it chased after them with only one thought in its mind. It drew closer and as it neared Julia she tripped and fell, her child rolling from her grasp out of her reach. The small infant wailed and caught the beast’s attention. It slowed its pace as it honed in on the sound. Julia screamed as the animal crouched ready to spring, and as the beast leapt into the air it spread its wings, rose up and hovered. In a split second it had scanned the area and as it manoeuvred to strike, the sun’s rays lit the world and cast the beast in its heavenly light.
The animal squealed in agony as the sun touched its leathery hide. It darted into the shadows, fleeing towards its sanctuary, but the distance was too far and before it could return into the depths of the forest the sun rose and bathed the beast in its rays. Screeching as the light burnt and blistered its skin, its hide began to smoke and it twisted trying to evade the searing pain. The beast’s companions shrieked and called encouragement to their mate as the creature struggled to make its way back to the safety of the forest. Flames seared the beast’s wings and leathery hide and in a wild panic the winged creature shot up higher into the sunlight. Flames burst from its flesh as its wings crumbled and it dropped to the earth where it continued to burn.
Julia scooped up her child and hurried after the others.
Chapter Twenty-eight
As the ground rumbled in the night, all in the Dome huddled in their beds, assuming a storm had blown in from across the ocean. Hearing the screeches and groans from the forest as it grew, they took no notice of the noise as the wind often whipped up to batter the buildings in the yard.
Rising in the morning, Foreman dressed and went to assess what damage had been caused. As he stepped outside he halted abruptly, staring in horror at the twisted wall of vines. Thicker than the leg of a man, the main stems sprouted from the earth and from the trunks tendrils twisted and wove their way amongst each other combining to form a formidable barrier. The branches looked sinewy and grew over and under each other forming a tangled mess.
Leaves continued to sprout as Foreman watched, and he strained to see into the depths of the dark interior. The vines had woven together forming a mesh where not even the slightest of men could enter. He surveyed the strange barrier which surrounded the Dome from the safety of the porch, and then he froze in fear as he heard movement within the forest’s depths. A dark shape skittered close to the edge of the twisted mass and then disappeared. He returned to the safety of the house to discover Athena dressed in her travelling cloak as other servants carried the bags she would take on her journey.
‘Mistress, you must come at once. We are surrounded with no way out.’
‘I know, Foreman. The forest is to keep our home safe. I must leave for a while but I expect everything to carry on as if I were still here. Make the carriage ready. I’ll be leaving shortly.’
‘But, Mistress, I fear there’s something dangerous out there.’
She turned to glare at the old man. ‘What?’
‘I thought I saw something dash through the undergrowth. Something big.’
Athena smiled at the man. ‘You probably did. Now go and fetch the carriage.’
The wind whipped Athena’s clothes as she waited on the porch for the wagon to arrive. Foreman soon pulled the horses to a halt in front of the stairs not knowing how Athena would leave with the forest surrounding them. He climbed down from the driver’s seat and held the horses still while he waited for her to descend the flight of steps. Furs had been placed inside the conveyance, and Brom placed his Mistress’ bags inside to keep them dry.
‘What is it, Foreman?’
‘Yes, Mistress,’ Foreman said, rubbing his hands vigorously trying to warm them. His eyes flickered towards the barrier. ‘What if I should need to venture out to the town? I’m worried about what lives inside there.’
Athena smiled. ‘There’s things in there you wouldn’t want to meet,’ she whispered to her servant. ‘So if you must leave be sure to stay on the path and return before dark. My new pets get a little hungry after they’ve been confined all day.’
Foreman swallowed. ‘I see no path.’
‘You will soon. Let us leave, Brom. The cold is seeping into my bones.’ She took a small bottle from the pocket of her cloak and handed it to him. ‘Here. Keep this with you and sip it until you’re warm.’
‘Thank you, Mistress.’ Brom took the bottle of Godsblood. He knew no matter how many furs he wrapped himself in, the weather was deathly cold and without the tonic he would eventually fall victim to death’s icy fingers. Athena walked out in front of the carriage to face her impressive structure. She thrust her arms wide towards the twisted barrier and uttered several words. No one watching could understand the language she used, and they watched on in fear as the forest creaked and parted providing a path wide enough for the wagon to pass through. Foreman’s skin tingled. He was sure he saw another dark shadow skitter away from the light.
Athena turned to face her servants. ‘If you venture out in the yard, make sure you are indoors before the light fades. The power of the sun will keep the creatures in the forest by day, but when evening comes you’ve only yourselves to blame if you’re caught outside.’ With those words of warning, Athena and Catrain climbed into the carriage.
Forman poked his head in the open carriage door. ‘When will you be back, Mistress?’
‘I will be back, Foreman, when I’ve found our Lord’s soul. After Doran locates the Tree of Life our Lord will be able to return home.’
Foreman wrinkled his brow. ‘Our Lord?’
‘Yes, Foreman.’ A smile stretched across Athena’s usually stern face. ‘Our Lord Zute, from the Underlands.’
Foreman’s eyes widened and his heart quickened. ‘Very good, Mistress,’ he said as he closed the door and Brom flicked the reins to drive the horses forward.
<><><>
They travelled west along the overgrown road not far from the edge of the cliffs. As the carriage bounced over the rocky track they searched for any sign, any place, that would lead them to Isham’s secret hideaway. Time moved upon swift wings, and to keep warm the trio wrapped themselves in thick furs with which they warded off the freezing gales that buffeted the coastline. Each one sipped from the Godsblood as well, to keep the cold from their bones.
<><><>
‘Mistress, I’m frozen to the core,’ Catrain complained. It was early the next morning and they’d stopped for the night near an abandoned and dilapidated farm house.
‘No, you’re not. If you were frozen to the core I wouldn’t have to put up with your incessant moaning. Now shut up!’
Out on the road again they continued their search. They had veered off the main road several times and over the days that swept by they searched every structure they found. From abandoned farm houses to piles of rubble they checked each one with care.
‘Over there,’ Athena called to Brom through the front shutter as the road forked. He took the path which wound down the bluff towards the ocean. Athena thought she had glimpsed a roof as they rounded the bend, but as they travelled the winding trail down towards the ocean all she could see were trees. ‘Can you see it, Brom?’
‘I’m not sure, Mistress. We’d have to have a closer look.’ He steered the carriage over the sandy trail towards the trees in the distance. As they drew closer, they observed definite signs someone had once inhabited the place. Small rocks had been placed at regular increments along the overgrown track, and he steered the horses to avoid the tufts of grass as they made their way towards an outcrop of trees. Pulling to a halt, Brom tied the horses to
a fallen log and helped his mistress alight from the carriage.
They could definitely see some sort of a roof poking through the canopy, and walking through the trees they happened upon the tumble-down structure. ‘Doesn’t look as if anyone has been here in years, ’ the big burly man said, before pushing what was left of the front door open and entering the building. Athena followed behind with the girl and looked around the crumbling ruins. Stone had piled where the walls had toppled and some of the roof struts hung askew, dangling at precarious angles. Athena wandered through the building, her eyes keen as she looked for any clue to tell her this was Isham’s hideaway.
Grumbling about the cold, Catrain pulled her fur cloak tight to ward off the drafts that seemed to waft underneath her wrap.
‘Go back to the carriage, girl!’
‘Yes, Mistress.’ Catrain was only too pleased to heed Athena’s orders as the wind howled through the stone and continued to tug at her wrap.
Brom tramped through the piles of debris covering the floor and they searched each room in turn. As they entered a small room at the end of the structure they found one of the walls had completely collapsed. ‘Those stones look to have been piled there,’ Brom said. ‘See how the collapsed wall has spread to cover this section of the floor? Those ones are too high and there are none scattered from the pile.’
Athena moved closer to the stack which covered almost half of the wall. Up high she noticed a hook jutting from a beam which ran along the face of the wall. There was nothing left in the old building, only rubble and rotting timber.
‘Move the stones, Brom.’
He set to work lifting the stone from the pile and tossing it behind him. Athena watched and waited as each stone in turn was removed. ‘Stop,’ she said. ‘What was that?’
‘I heard it too.’ Brom searched with a keen eye as he removed more rocks. Picking up stones and throwing them out of the way, he spied the metal ring. As he pulled on it a few links of chain emerged, fastened to the loop of steel. He tugged and heaved to release it but the chain was held fast under the weight of the stone. Dropping the ring he continued to remove the rubble, revealing more of the steel.