"Good girl. Now lie back on the chaise longue and let me have a look at you," Grelda said, shuffling Oliver aside.
May lay down and Grelda leant over her.
"I may need your help Ely. If the curse gets too strong," Grelda said.
Ely nodded and moved to her side.
"Oliver go and sit by her head," Ely said.
Oliver dragged a foot stool over and sat behind May. Pippit joined him a moment later, surveying his owner.
Grelda held her hands above May's chest. A soft, gold light emitted from them which proceeded to float and swirl towards the black mark. The light seemed to absorb the mark as the veins drifted back up towards Grelda's hand then violet fire burned the chain of black back to May's body.
When the fire reached her, May screamed and Oliver's spine straightened as the noise pierced through him.
Black veins burst from the mark on May's chest and slithered their way up towards her neck and face. They had already spread down her arms and were moving at an alarming rate. Her hands flung to her neck and she clawed at her skin, trying to stop them. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she gasped for breath, the veins choking her.
"Grab her hands, Oliver!" Grelda commanded.
He lunged forward and prised May's hands from her neck, leaving bloody scratches behind. The purple fire flew up her neck, following the veins. When the fire reached the end of one vein it receded, returning it to the original mark.
Grelda's face strained as the fire spread over May's body. Some of it stuttered and died, leaving a small puff of smoke behind, having no impact on the veins.
"Now, Ely!" Grelda gasped, her silver hair flying about.
Ely gripped Grelda's shoulder tightly and blue light glowed beneath his palm, emitting a low, humming noise. The fire from Grelda's hand burned brighter than before and regained control over all of the veins.
Those on May's neck finally receded and she gasped for breath. Oliver released her arms.
Grelda stood up and stumbled away from May in a daze. She threw a hand to her head and started pacing.
May opened her eyes hazily.
Grelda pointed at her with a trembling hand. "That girl. She is marked by the Arc." Her hand flew around to point wildly at the pictures on the walls.
"What? What are you talking about?" Oliver asked her, looking between May and the paintings.
"The mark. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't witnessed it myself," Grelda breathed more to herself than anyone else.
"Calm down, Grelda. You're not talking sense," Ely implored.
"The marks on that girl are the same as those described in the scriptures," Grelda said in a panic. She began reciting words Oliver didn't recognise. "And she will come as light and dark marked upon her of the Arc."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Oliver asked, staring around at Ely for support.
"It is a belief of the Arclites that a girl who is marked with the symbol of the Arc will be the sign," Ely said.
"The sign of what?" Oliver asked, furrowing his brow in frustration.
"The sign of the coming of the Arc in human form to unite the seven worlds," Grelda said. "The Arc is coming." Her eyes lit with a manic glee.
"She is a teenager who needs your help," Ely said furiously.
"I can't help her," Grelda said, shaking her head.
"You have to!" Oliver snapped.
May was still in a daze and Oliver assisted her into a sitting position.
"I helped you bind the mark, Ely. But it won't be long before it is released once more," Grelda said. "She has months, perhaps, but I can't do any more to help her."
"What are you saying?" Oliver demanded.
"She's saying she can't break the curse," Ely said disbelievingly.
"I've put a strong bind on it. It'll buy her a little more time," Grelda said.
"Before what?" Oliver asked.
Grelda threw Ely a serious look.
"Until what?" Oliver repeated, grinding his teeth.
"Until her death," Grelda breathed.
May blinked several times to focus herself. "What's happening?"
"We're leaving," Oliver said, pulling her to her feet.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry there wasn't more I could do," Grelda said.
Oliver was already halfway to the door, gripping May's arm tightly. He stormed down the staircase and threw the front door open. A gust of cold wind brought water to his eyes as he marched down the street.
"Olly, stop," May said, yanking her arm out of his grip and Oliver turned to face her.
"What the hell's going on?" she asked, her eyes wide.
"That woman said she can't help you," he said, pointing back at the house.
"-silly superstitions," Ely snapped, finishing a sentence as he appeared in the doorway with Grelda.
"Take this," Grelda said, forcing a book into his hands.
"I'm not going to read the Arclite scriptures. I don't believe in this nonsense," Ely said, holding the book back out to Grelda.
"You don't have to read the whole thing just read about the embodiment of the Arc," Grelda insisted.
Ely shook his head and dropped his hand to his side, gripping the book in the other. He turned to leave, looking defeated.
"I'm sorry, Ely," Grelda called.
Ely didn't look back as he joined Oliver and May.
"You're neck's still bleeding," Ely said, as he spotted the scratch marks on May. He reached a hand out and bathed the wounds in pale, green light. The skin knitted back together then the faint lines faded to nothing.
"Thank you," May said, touching her neck with an awed expression.
"Come on, let's go," Ely growled as he glanced back at Grelda Grey who was still watching them from the doorway.
They followed Ely back down the winding streets and Oliver only broke the silence when his grandfather stopped to order a taxi in the pod station.
"What are we going to do?" he asked.
Ely sighed and turned back to them.
"I don't know," Ely said frankly, shaking his head.
"But there is something we can do, right?" May asked in a panic.
"Of course. Don't listen to what Grelda said. She's become much more of an Arclite extremist since I last saw her," Ely said, clearly disappointed.
The pod slid into the station and they climbed aboard.
"Take us to Chance Street," Ely instructed as he took his seat.
"Heading to Chance Street. Enjoy your journey," replied the female hologram in the pod as it set off down the tunnel.
"Do you know another mage who can help?" Oliver asked frantically.
"I do, yes. But there's a problem," Ely said, scratching his beard anxiously.
"What kind of problem?" May asked, frowning.
"He lives in Brinatin which is two worlds away," Ely stated.
"You're kidding? And he's the only person you know who can help?" Oliver asked.
Ely nodded. "Unless I took you to the Council and I won't do that unless I can't avoid it."
"Why?" May asked.
"The Council aren't going to help you without a price. And it's not money they're after," Ely said. "We'd have to go to Brinatin to meet with them even if that was the better option."
"Do you really think your friend in Brinatin can help? I mean, we don't want to waste any more time. How long is this bind gonna hold?" Oliver asked.
May gripped at where the mark was located on her chest, concealed beneath her clothes.
"Wallace will be able to help, trust me. He's one of the strongest mages in the seven worlds, he's descended from Dorian Ganderfield himself. The bind Grelda put on you should hold for a few more months."
May sighed and sat back in her seat. "That's plenty of time then."
"Well, it should be," Ely said quietly. "We'll have to get you signed up to the next race as soon as possible. They might not even accept your application this late but sometimes teams drop out so there could be a chance..."
"What do
we need to do?" Oliver asked.
"You need a team of five to enter," Ely said.
"What kind of race is it?" May asked.
Oliver remembered the maze with a sick feeling.
"It takes place over two days. It's been made into a televised spectacle. Fifty teams are in the race and you have to place at least tenth amongst them to win a key," Ely said.
"Sounds difficult," May said, looking defeated.
"It is. And a lot of the teams train for it in advance," Ely said with a sigh. "It only runs four times a year so you have to compete in the next one, but it's taking place in just a couple of weeks time."
"Okay, but saying we do manage to get a team together and are somehow accepted, do we have a chance?" Oliver asked, grasping at straws.
"If you've got a place, you've got a chance," Ely said.
"Obstruction ahead. Please prepare for an unscheduled stop," the female hologram said as the pod braked to an abrupt halt.
11
Shadows
Oliver moved next to his grandfather and they peered out of the window into the dark tunnel which was lit marginally by the blue tracks.
"I can't see an obstruction," Ely mumbled to himself.
"There's nothing there," Oliver said, squinting into the gloom.
"Pod, what's going on?" Ely asked.
"There's an obstruction ahead. Please remain seated. A PNM crew is on their way." The woman's face smiled at them calmly.
"What's a PNM crew?" May asked.
"Pod Network Maintenance." Ely huffed and sat back in his seat. "Hopefully, this won't take long."
Oliver looked down the tunnel again. He thought he could see a figure in the distance so cupped a hand over his eyes to improve his vision.
"I think I can see someone down there," he said.
May climbed over next to him and looked outside. "I can see them, too."
"Should we go and get them? Maybe they don't know we're here?" Oliver suggested, raising his eyebrows at Ely.
Ely looked down the tunnel and nodded. "Don't go far, just call them over. Bloody layabouts."
Oliver unlocked the door.
"Please remain inside the pod," the hologram urged.
He ignored it and pushed the door open, pausing as he looked down at the glowing track below him. "I'm not going to get electrocuted am I?" Oliver asked, glancing back inside the pod.
"No. You can't get a shock off of that stuff," Ely reassured him.
Oliver jumped down next to the track and May landed beside him a second later. He peered towards the figure in the distance and waved his hand at them.
"Excuse me," he called, his voice echoing around the tunnel.
The figure didn't respond so he started walking towards them.
"We're down here. HELLO?" May shouted.
They were halfway between the pod and the person when, whoever it was, vanished from sight around a corner.
"Hello!" Oliver tried again, frustrated.
They rounded a corner so their pod was no longer visible behind them.
Oliver felt the hairs on the back of his neck creep up and he stopped walking, throwing out an arm to halt May. The tunnel suddenly seemed thick with shadow and there was no sign of anyone ahead.
She jumped to his side in a flurry of movement. "What was that?" she blurted.
"What was what?" Oliver frowned.
"I felt something," May said, running a hand down the back of her neck.
"Like wha-" Oliver stopped dead as a strange noise vibrated near his ear. Then something moved behind him. He flung around and what he saw sent his heart racing.
A shadowy creature darted left then right in front of him. Oliver could see the movement but couldn't distinguish what it was until it appeared directly ahead. Its body was foggy and indistinct apart from six sharp, silver blades on each of its legs and one on a scorpion-like tail.
Oliver shouted out in alarm, roughly grabbing May's wrist and turning to flee. From nowhere it appeared in front of them once more, blocking their path. It slashed a blade at May and she flinched out of reach with a scream of fright.
The creature reared up and all six of its legs slashed together, interlocking to form a jaw-like weapon. Where it should have a face was a vertical set of serrated teeth which grated against one another as a guttural noise sounded from its throat.
It lunged at them, clashing its legs together with a twang of metal on metal. They broke apart to avoid the lethal blow and Oliver instinctively ducked his head.
"Run!" Oliver shouted and they fled down the tunnel, away from the being but also from Ely.
Their footsteps thudded along in the dark tunnel. Oliver could sense the creature close by as if it were hovering just over his shoulder. Adrenaline pumped through his muscles as every part of him tensed for an attack.
Vibrations buzzed inside Oliver's skull, making his vision hazy so the pod tracks became a blue blur. He squinted to counter it and encouraged his legs onwards.
Wind rushed through Oliver's hair then the creature materialised before them and swooped towards May. He dug his heals in and swung to the side, colliding with May so they crashed to the ground in a tumble of limbs.
A blade tore into Oliver's shoulder, the metal sinking into his flesh with an unbearable, searing sensation.
The creature disappeared with a shriek and the icy blade beneath his skin went with it. Oliver cried out and collapsed, breathing heavily through gritted teeth as he screwed up his eyes against the pain.
Blood pumped so loudly in his ears that the sound of May screaming seemed distant.
Bright flashes of light filtered through his eyelids. He opened them and saw red lightning pummelling the creature, sending a torrent of sparks into the air. The being span into the darkness and disappeared with a hideous, screeching sound that echoed throughout the tunnel for what felt like an eternity.
Oliver looked around to see Ely standing there, his hands raised defensively. Although he was a small man, it did nothing to take away from the sense of power that emanated from him at that moment.
Oliver's breathing became shallow as he watched Ely drag May to her feet. She was visibly shaking but she wasn't injured.
"Ely help him!" May cried.
The blood was flowing thick and fast and Oliver suddenly felt overwhelmingly lightheaded. He lifted a hand, his muscles feeling void of energy as he touched his shoulder and his fingers slipped through the blood.
Ely knelt in front of Oliver. "Move your hand aside," he commanded.
Oliver did so, the loss of blood making his head spin. Ely ripped away the remnants of his torn sleeve and Oliver looked down to see the deep wound, his gut churning at the sight.
"Oh my God. Are you okay?" May gasped, sinking to the floor in front of him.
Ely held his palm over the wound and green light flowed toward it. A cool, trickling sensation seeped into the torn flesh then changed to a soothing heat. Oliver's skin tingled as the pain eased and the dizziness in his head began to recede. He looked down to find the wound healed, the remnants of blood already drying onto his skin and clothes.
Oliver sighed. "Thanks."
"Good grief. If I hadn't come any sooner- well, it doesn't bear thinking about," Ely said, sweat shining on his brow and collecting in his beard.
"What the hell was that thing?" May asked, terror returning to her eyes with the memory.
"Well, I mean, I hardly dare to say what I think it was. I don't believe it myself. There's only been a few recorded throughout history but I've studied the creatures myself. I've seen drawings, read descriptions, but never would I ever have thought in all my years I would actually encounter one," Ely said in a fluster.
"But what was it, Ely?" May pressed.
"A vark. A shadow creature from Vale," Ely said, his bottom lip quivering.
"It came from the seventh world? How's that possible? I thought you said you can only travel between worlds through the Gateways?" Oliver panted as he got to his feet. His he
ad spun violently once more and he felt May grip his arm as he swayed.
"Humans do but those things seem to have a way of travelling to the other worlds without the Gateways, perhaps only by accident. There's been brief sightings of them throughout history. I would guess that they don't come here intentionally or, judging by their ferocity, we'd all be doomed."
"We better get back to the pod. What if it returns?" May whispered anxiously, glancing around the narrow tunnel.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it's gone. But I think you're right about getting back," Ely said and started off towards the pod.
Oliver felt much improved as he walked next to May, their footsteps echoing off the walls. They reached the pod and climbed back inside.
"Are you alright? You still look pretty pale." May asked him.
"I feel better, just a bit weak," Oliver said, resting his head against the seat.
"I'm sorry I've never been the best at healing. The wound is gone but you lost a lot of blood. It will take a little while longer for you to fully recover," Ely said.
"Thank you for your patience. We will now continue to our destination: Chance Street," said the hologram and they glided onward down the track.
Oliver glimpsed a group of maintenance workers looking at them with confused expressions as they passed them further down the tunnel. He felt a touch of amusement at seeing them look so bewildered which was probably due to his woozy state.
"Should we report that creature? The vark?" May asked Ely.
"Don't worry I'll deal with it," Ely muttered.
They climbed out of the pod and entered Laura's house through the station. They had to wait for her to let them in as the mirrored door refused to admit them. Ely explained how it worked as Laura buzzed them in.
"It recognises the home owner. It won't let anyone have access unless they've been encoded to the property," Ely said as they walked inside.
Laura was cooking in the kitchenette and a delicious smell filled Oliver's nostrils, making his stomach growl for attention.
Laura looked up. "How did it go?" Her face dropped as she spotted Oliver and he realised his clothes were caked in blood.
"What in Vale happened? Are you alright?" Laura rushed over to them.
"A vark attacked them," Ely said in a serious tone.
Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) Page 11