Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One)

by Peckham, Caroline

  "Nonsense. Oliver and May need a team as a matter of urgency and I'd be more than willing to cover the cost of your entry," Ely said.

  Oliver grinned at Anna as she glanced at him awkwardly.

  "I really couldn't-" she began.

  "You would be doing us a great favour," Ely said brightly.

  "Really?" Anna said, looking unsure.

  "Really," May said, smiling at her from across the room.

  Anna gazed around at them for a moment then her face broke into a grin. "Well, I guess I can't refuse. Thank you so much Ely." She stood and reached for his hand.

  He gripped it tightly and nodded. "You're very welcome. Perhaps we could meet up with you in Crome?"

  "Yeah, of course. I'll be staying at The Ganderfield Hotel," Anna said, getting to her feet.

  "Alright. We'll look you up when we get to Crome," Ely said with a smile.

  "Great," Anna said brightly. "I'd better get back to work."

  Oliver got to his feet and showed her to the door, noticing the soft curls that fell around her shoulders as he walked behind her.

  "Thanks again," she called to Ely.

  Oliver followed her into the corridor. "So, I guess I'll see you in Crome."

  "Yeah," she said, tucking a strand of long, dark hair behind her ear. "Thanks for this, Oliver."

  "No problem," he said then remembered her original refusal. "Your mum will let you race, won't she?"

  "I'll talk her round," she said, giving him a crooked smile. "See you later." She walked back towards the dining car and Oliver returned to the room.

  "I think I'll order some tea," Laura said brightly, moving to the panel beside the door and using it to order room service.

  A while later a waiter arrived carrying a tray with the characteristic teapot for Glacian tea atop it. He poured them each a cup before exiting.

  May was thumbing through a book in her lap and almost spat out a mouthful as she turned a page. "Is this what Grelda Grey was talking about? The mark of the Arc?"

  She held the book up so Oliver could see the page and he realised it was the copy of the Arclite Scriptures that Grelda had given to Ely. An image on the page portrayed a body with dark, bruise-like markings spreading across it.

  "I can see why Grelda thought it," Oliver said frankly, taking the book from her to get a closer look. "These are pretty similar to the ones on you."

  A caption beneath the drawing read:

  The Sign: the mark of the Arc will appear on the body of the sacred. Their death will signal the coming of the embodiment of the Arc.

  Ely ripped the book out of Oliver's hands and snapped it shut. "It's nonsense. Utter nonsense."

  15

  Descendant

  Oliver and May sat watching the survision the following morning, their bags packed and waiting at the door.

  May flicked the channel to a news station and Oliver sat bolt upright in his seat as he read the words scrolling along the bottom of the screen:

  Isaac Rimori sighted in Theald, The Council of Heptus prepare to hold a conference before action is taken.

  A female news reporter sat in the studio between a full-sized hologram of a woman and another of a man.

  The reporter addressed the female hologram, "Tara Hanks joins me, as a speaker on behalf of the Gateway Protection Committee and Affal Warrington from the political charity Free Worlds. Tara, we'll start with you, what do you have to say to those who are supporting the ideals of Isaac Rimori?"

  The hologram of Tara Hanks responded, "I think it's absolutely outrageous that such a vast number of people are getting behind a man who is a renowned murderer. But, much more importantly than that, those who are against the Gateways simply have no idea of the devastation that would be caused without them-"

  "I just have to interrupt you madam," the male hologram cut in in a thick accent. "Without the Gateways our worlds could become united and the benefits for the human population would be far greater than they are now. There are people in Glacio and Arideen who are completely deprived of the opportunities that the other worlds provide. It's nonsense to say removing the Gateways would have a detrimental effect."

  "So, you support Isaac Rimori do you?" Tara Hanks asked.

  "I'm not saying I condone the man's actions but I believe his outlook aligns with my own and he did what he did to prove a point."

  "And what was that point, Mr Warrington?" the news reporter asked.

  "He was making a statement about the Gateways. That challenge was put on the Gateway to Vale with intention. The challenges themselves limit the type of people who can move from world to world. Who was Dorian Ganderfield to say what type of person can go through the Gateways and what they should have to do to achieve that? Many disabled people aren't able to compete in the Great Race of Aleva now are they?"

  "You have picked up on an interesting point there and one which has been highly debated within the Council of Heptus. What do you have to say in response to that Miss Hanks?" the reporter asked.

  "I'm not denying there aren't issues that need to be resolved with the Gateways but bringing them down all together is absolutely not an option," Tara said. "What you are doing, Mr Warrington, is rallying a mob against the Council. That's what this is really about."

  "You have no right-" Mr Warrington pointed a finger at her.

  "I have every right. I have absolutely every right. You, sir, are supporting a cause which, ultimately, could upset the balance that the Council of Heptus has protected for-"

  "No. I won't hear it. I will not hear it. Your beloved Council has caused more grief, more poverty, more discrimination than any other governing body across the seven worlds."

  "The Gateways protect the worlds from one another. Look what happened to Arideen when Theald attacked them. Their world was completely obliterated," Tara Hanks stated in exasperation. "And who's to say the Council even have the power to bring down the Gateways? No one knows if it's even possible!"

  "Oh, the Council have the answer, alright. They have access to Dorian Ganderfield's original works." Mr Warrington struck his finger through the air as he spoke. "Bring the Gateways down so that everyone can walk through the portals unrestricted. Put it to a vote. Give the public the chance to voice their opinions. Then we'll see where we stand," he said.

  "And it may come to just that after the eagerly awaited release of a statement from the High Mage, Horatious Thrake, following the conference in the coming weeks. Thank you for your time, now for the weather-" the new reporter's voice stopped as May switched off the survision.

  "This is bigger than I thought," Oliver said, feeling overwhelmed.

  "Yeah." May chewed her lip. "You don't think Mum's really with Rimori do you?"

  Oliver frowned. "I really don't know," he said honestly. "Wherever she is, I'm sure she's fine. You know Mum, she can look after herself."

  May looked down, fiddling with a strand of hair. "Yeah, I know," she said quietly.

  * * *

  That afternoon, the Traverser arrived in Crome. The station had room for five Traverser trains divided from each other by platforms. The towering walls joined a domed ceiling made from jagged, grey boulders.

  They moved through the gargantuan room as the crowd swept them towards a vast exit. A guard took their tickets as they exited the station onto a busy street that was flanked by white, stone buildings.

  Oliver was grateful for the air that was fresh and cool after queuing amongst the thick throng of people in the train station.

  A two-way stream of pod traffic ran along outdoors, unlike the underground network back in Alevale. A complex grid of tracks diverted to either side of the road at intervals to allow pods to change direction or pull over.

  Ely paid for a taxi and they waited in line to enter one. The taxi pods were pale blue and the hologram inside was a smart-looking, middle-aged male with grey hair. "Where would you like to go?" he asked as they sat down.

  "The Ganderfield Hotel," Ely replied. "We might as well stay
where Anna is."

  "Are we far from the city?" May asked, staring out of the window excitedly.

  "Not too far. The Traversers are too large to go directly into it so we're just on the outskirts," Ely said.

  The pod glided forward and seamlessly joined the flow of traffic. On the table were magazines filled with stories about the race. Truvian Gold was on the front of one with a broad smile on his face. He was hanging from a rope, his body dangling in mid-air inside an enormous cave. A caption next to him read:

  Heartthrob Truvian Gold explores the Hogtrout Caves, home to the Great Race of Aleva, like no one has before. Turn to page twelve to read more.

  "Did you ever compete in the race Laura?" Oliver asked curiously.

  She nodded. "I had to for work. I occasionally take business trips to Glacio to visit the ambiculis mines but I rarely go to Brinatin or Theald even though I have the keys."

  "Where did you place?" May asked.

  "My team came tenth. Only just though, and I was lucky because there were a couple of strong teams disqualified that season for breaking the rules," Laura said.

  They rounded a corner and the city of Crome came into view on the horizon. It sat nestled between an enormous mountain and a lake that disappeared into a swirling mist. A high mountain range loomed beyond it far in the distance, its peaks coated with snow. The city looked almost out of place in the rugged landscape.

  The buildings were constructed of blue and white stone, rising sharply upwards into spires and points. They were paned with large windows that glinted and winked as they caught the afternoon sun.

  Their pod continued amongst the relentless flow of traffic down into the city. The pod network wound between the buildings, up and over bridges and down through dark tunnels. Eventually, they came to a halt outside an old building in a narrow road with black lettering inscribed across a wooden doorway:

  The Ganderfield Hotel

  They climbed out of the pod and a doorman greeted them with a bow, opening the door to reveal a lobby with a white, marble floor that had pillars rising up out of it. They moved through it, passing by a lounge to the left where a fire crackled in front of a leather suite of furniture.

  "Can I help you?" The sharp-featured woman at the desk regarded Ely as if assessing his worth.

  "Yes you can." Ely tiptoed and held his open hand under her upturned nose. A crackle of gold light formed a three dimensional symbol comprised of three circles, intersecting to form a sphere. Inside it was a hand, the palm lines on it illuminated by fire.

  "Oh, how may I help you today, sir?" she asked as she eyed the symbol in his hand with a look of recognition.

  "We'd like to book four rooms up until the day of the race," Ely said, extinguishing the magic.

  "Of course. I'll book you our finest suites with complimentary breakfasts included. Would you like to pay now?"

  "Yes, thank you," Ely said.

  "With your mage discount that comes to three thousand Lokens."

  "Three thousand? I'll pay for my room, Dad," Laura implored.

  "Nonsense, it's my treat," Ely said, holding out his thumb and pressing it to a panel embedded in the desk.

  "Step forward one at a time and look at this screen," the woman said, gesturing to what appeared to be a mirror beside her.

  "What is it?" May asked.

  "We use facial recognition technology here to open the rooms and allow guests access to the facilities in the hotel," the receptionist replied. "Your room number will be displayed when the scan is complete."

  Oliver stepped forward and looked into the screen. A blue bar of light ran up and down the glass then beeped to signify it was done. The number 503 flashed up and he stepped away to allow the others access to the device.

  "Thank you. If you have any problems please don't hesitate to approach a member of staff. Enjoy your stay at The Ganderfield Hotel," the receptionist said brightly.

  As they walked towards the lift, Oliver heard the clerks behind the desk whispering excitedly, "I can't believe it. That's the third mage to check in here this week."

  They took a lift to the top floor and stepped out into the corridor, moving towards their rooms.

  "I'm gonna take a shower," May said, walking up to her room's door.

  Oliver was distracted by a couple at one end of the corridor bickering in muttered words. The girl huffed and disappeared into a room.

  Oliver turned back to the door and realised the others had already entered their rooms. He looked at the mirrored door marked 503 expectantly but nothing happened.

  He shuffled a little to the left, his puzzled reflection mirrored back at him. He tried the handle but it wouldn't budge then glanced down the corridor and spotted the guy still standing there.

  "Hey, err, don't suppose you know how these doors work do you?" Oliver asked him.

  He glanced up, clearly stirred from his thoughts. "Oh, sure. I'll show you," he said, walking over.

  As he approached, Oliver couldn't help but notice the guy looked as though he had just walked off the set of a film. He was tall, dark haired and tanned with a handsome, chiselled face. His muscles were accentuated by his overly tight t-shirt and even the way he walked suggested he expected people to be watching him.

  "You have to stand back a bit further, you're too close," the guy said.

  Oliver stepped back and looked at the mirror again. It flashed green and the door clicked as it opened.

  "Oh, cheers. Thought I might have to sleep out in the corridor tonight," Oliver joked.

  The boy grinned. "Don't sweat it. I'm Rogan." He looked at Oliver expectantly.

  "Oliver," he said politely, anxious to get into his room and take a shower.

  Rogan frowned as if that hadn't been the response he was expecting. "You don't know who I am do you?"

  Oliver shrugged. "Sorry. Should I?"

  Rogan shook his head. "No, don't worry," he said, trying to disguise a smile. "How long are you staying at the Ganderfield?"

  "'Til the race starts. You?" Oliver asked as the mirror flashed red and he heard the door click locked. He cursed internally.

  "Same," Rogan said, his eyes flitting to the door then back to Oliver.

  "Well, cheers for helping me," Oliver said with a smile that he hoped said I'm grateful but I want to go now. He looked at the mirror and it flashed green to signify the door unlocking once more.

  "Yeah, cool, no problem," Rogan said, walking down the corridor. He turned and called back, "Hey, do you wanna hang out later?"

  Distracted, Oliver collided with the door as it flashed red once again and he huffed in frustration. "Maybe another day, yeah? I'm pretty tired." He ground his teeth as he fought to keep a polite expression on his face.

  "Oh, okay, sure," Rogan said, looking disappointed.

  Oliver felt a twinge of guilt as he nodded to the guy, waited for the door to flash green and disappeared into his room with a sigh of relief.

  * * *

  The room was another large apartment, it seemed Ely hadn't skimped on the price. It was decorated in neutral tones of browns and creams and was lit by hanging, glass orbs in every corner.

  Oliver unpacked and showered then returned to the lounge. Just as he was about to sit down, a knock sounded at the door and Oliver moved across the apartment to answer it.

  "I found you," Anna said, beaming.

  Oliver felt his stomach lurch in surprise and ran a tentative hand through his hair, hoping it wasn't a complete mess.

  "Yeah you did. How did you manage that?" Oliver asked, trying to sound relaxed.

  "I bumped into your aunt in the lobby," Anna replied, casting her eyes over his shoulder curiously. "Are you busy?"

  Oliver shook his head. "Nope."

  "Wanna hang out? I know this place round the corner from here. Plus, I really need to escape my parents. Mum's driving me insane. We've been put up in a family room so we're practically living on top of each other," Anna said with a look of horror.

  Oliver laughed
. "Yeah, let's go."

  He followed her into the corridor and the mirrored doors on the lift allowed them to call it. An inflated feeling grew in Oliver's chest at the thought of spending some time alone with Anna. The lift doors opened with a ding and they entered the empty cab.

  Anna stood close to Oliver so their shoulders brushed slightly. His fingers accidentally touched her hand and a jolt of energy rushed through him.

  "Hold the doors!" came a voice out in the corridor.

  Oliver shoved his arm out to stop them closing then Rogan appeared and stepped inside the lift.

  "Oh, hey it's you," Rogan said brightly.

  "Hey, man," Oliver said, feeling slightly disgruntled at having his moment with Anna ruined.

  "Oh, Rogan this is Anna, Anna this is-," Oliver was cut off by Anna.

  "Rogan," Anna breathed.

  Oliver turned to look at her. Her mouth was hanging open and her eyes were wide as she looked at Rogan. His stomach twisted as he looked between them.

  "Ganderfield," Anna finished.

  Oliver frowned in recognition of the name. "Ganderfield?" He looked at Rogan then everything clicked into place. He was famous. With a jolt, he realised that not only was Rogan the descendant of Dorian Ganderfield but must also be the son of Wallace Ganderfield who they were hoping could save May.

  Rogan smiled at her. "Yeah, that's me."

  "I'm Anna," she said, still gawping.

  The lift opened in the lobby and they all exited.

  "You up to much?" Rogan asked them.

  "No," Oliver said tersely.

  "Yes," Anna answered at the same time. "We're going to Sumi's."

  "Cool, mind if I join?" Rogan asked confidently like no one had ever said no to him in his entire life.

  "Course not," Anna said, looking a little flustered.

  Oliver felt his jaw clench.

  "I've just gotta pay off a bill at the desk first. Meet you outside in a minute?" Rogan said, walking over to the receptionist whose cheeks flushed scarlet as he approached.

  They exited through the revolving doors and Oliver regretted not bringing a coat. The early evening air had brought a crisp wind with it and Anna wrapped her cardigan tightly around herself.