The Inner Realm

by Dale Furse

  Chapter 16

  The Shanks explained to Hankley all that had happened with Mike, Noor and Vala. They also told him Prince Ludo was the leader of the ruffians who kidnapped Terni.

  “We have to reunite Mike and Terni,” Hankley said. “However, we may have another problem.”

  “Another problem?” asked Shank Two.

  “It is not only the connection the boys have with the worlds and therefore the wall, something else is amiss. I am worried the link has to do with both times the wall was disturbed.”

  Shank Two’s good eye widened. “The boys’ Zandellian parents?”

  “Yeah, Mike’s mother and Terni’s father must have connections with the wall and Cillian.”

  Hankley lowered his chin to his neck and stared at Shank One for a second. “Yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “I don’t understand, Hank,” Two said.

  “Yeah, me either.”

  “I’m saying I have a feeling Prince Ludo knows more than we do about the wall of door’s first appearance in Zandell.”

  The Shanks’ faces showed no new comprehension.

  “The fact that he took the little messenger may prove what I say is true.” Hankley leaned forward. “He knows something, you grimps, and he is up to no good with Terni.”

  “Poor Terni,” Two said.

  “Yeah, and Mike.”

  “Let’s go,” Hankley said, waving one arm high in the air.

  Hankley and the Shanks arrived atop a rise as a group of bandits piled into a cave facing the bay. A thick forest of bamboo separated the beach from the canyons to the northeast. The Shanks had told Hankley Mike was in those canyons, probably only a day away at most.

  “I thought we were going to appear near Mike,” Shank Two said.

  “Yeah, Mike.”

  “I was thinking of the little one, Terni,” Hankley said. “And I’m the leader of this little expedition.”

  Both Shanks snorted in unison.

  “Let’s follow them.” Hankley pointed to the group of bandits riding into the cave from the direction of the canyons.

  Inside the cave, the men had dismounted and left their horses in the care of wranglers. They marched to where the cave widened so much two hundred men could fit comfortably.

  Hankley wasn’t worried he and the Shanks might be spotted as he led them along the side of the cave. Mortals cannot see god’s servants unless they will it. He stopped and rose weightlessly to a ledge big enough to hold him and the Shanks. The Shanks followed.

  Prince Ludo of Zandell stood in the middle and bellowed at the men. “You have failed me this day. It will not happen again.” He turned to a hard faced man who had moved to his side. “The boy knows my face, Faltarn. He uses black magic, but if he thinks the otherworld boy is threatened, he cannot chance to use his sorcery. You will take a dozen men, more if you think you need them, and round the boy up. Tell him if he doesn’t accompany you back, the child will die. I want him in this cave by tomorrow’s dawn—alive.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.” Faltarn wheeled on his heels.

  “Faltarn.”

  The man turned.

  “I mean alive.”

  Faltarn made a low sweeping bow and marched out, shouting names as he went.

  The men followed him out of the cave.

  “I think you should follow that lot,” Hankley said to the Shanks.

  “Shouldn’t we all go? They are going after Mike.”

  Shank One wagged his head. “Yeah, they are going after Mike.”

  “Calm down, One. Or your head will fall off.” Hankley tried to read One’s face. He had never seen him act like that before that moment.

  One stilled his head. “I just mean, I thought we were supposed to look after Mike.”

  “We are, but I need to know what Ludo is up to. Obviously, I can only find out if I watch and listen to him.”

  Shank Two nodded. “We’ll follow the Faltarn person.”

  “Good, and don’t forget, you’re not to interfere. Just watch and report. Ludo had given orders not to harm Mike if they do capture him, and we’ll all meet up here anyway.”

  “Good thinking,” Shank Two said.

  “Yeah, good thinking.”

  Shank One said the words Hankley expected him to say, but those words sounded so different to One’s normal tone. Hankley gave a double take as he turned to give his attention to Ludo and his cronies.

  Shank One just smiled widely in response to Hankley’s thoughtful expression. “Come on, Two,” he said. “They are already under way.”

  Hankley stood for a full minute, staring at the same spot after the Shanks had departed. He frowned, worried about Shank One’s change in behavior. He hoped the Mornt could be trusted not to interfere again. Oln would not be so lenient the second time around. Something was wrong there too. Although Oln and Gart were seemingly their lovable selves, they had something else going on between them. His sinking stomach grumbled. Something was awry in the cosmos.

  A thought struck him. What would happen if the boys somehow gained access to a fourth world, married, and had children? Their children would then be connected to four worlds. And what if their children went to different worlds and fathered or mothered children? The whole balance of the Inner Realm would be forever disrupted.

  Worlds, all at different phases of their evolution, would learn from more evolved technologies of other worlds, and that could cause catastrophes never before known. Wars would break out because of power hungry humans wanting control of their worlds. If Napoleon had access to the Org bombs of the world of Naturn, would he have used them? Hankley guessed he would have. The whole of Europe would have been wiped out.

  Albert Einstein would never have been born in eighteen hundred and seventy nine earth years. How many other crucial Earth citizens would have been obliterated from all history? Earth would be forever changed, and that was just one world. The Inner Realm was already disturbed. Mike and Terni were disruptions.

  The wall was Hankley’s responsibility. Could he make sure it never appeared to the boys again?

  Hankley shook his head. He could not think about it, he had to keep his mind on his work. He glided closer to Ludo, who was in the middle of berating one of the men.

  “How could you let a little boy kick you in the skull?” Ludo demanded of the man.

  “Sire, I’ve never seen that move.”

  “I’ve taught you everything I’ve learned on the other world.”

  A choke sounded unbidden from Hankley’s throat. Ludo was on another world. Did Oln know? Confusion and trepidation overcame him. Should he go and tell Oln, or should he stay? He rubbed his nose briskly, although it was not in the least itchy.

  Ludo continued. “You and Barn will take the rest of the fighters and learn the move before this day is over.”

  “Yes, Sire. Thank you, Sire.”

  Before the man had departed, Ludo strode off into a tunnel that traveled deep into the mountain with Hankley less than a full pace behind him.

  The sheer rock tunnel was wide enough for six men walking shoulder to shoulder, and looked as though it was recently blasted. The blue surfaces were smooth to touch in between the jagged contours.

  Hankley’s stomach sank deeper when he spied tools not of that world. The people of Zandell had not yet learned oil could be turned into petrol and used in motorized equipment. They had not even invented motors. How had they come by petrol driven jackhammers.

  A little further, he stopped and inspected a metal box. It could have been Zandellian, but he quickly decided it wasn’t. Inside was chock full of dynamite. That answered the question of how they made the tunnels.

  Ludo had definitely been through to a more advanced world, perhaps more than one, and he had brought back things that could change the face of Zandell, and Cillian, forever.

  Hankley shook his head and hurried after Ludo, who had turned to the right. He found the prince in a small chamber. Terni was in a cage hanging from a
metal chain from the rock ceiling. His eyes were red and swollen from crying, and his wrists were bloody from trying to get his hands out of the chain bands. Ludo was cruel to do that to a small boy. Oh, Oln, why can we not interfere? The child is miserable.

  “Well, well, boy,” Ludo said in a not very good imitation of sympathy. “How are you today?”

  Terni did not answer, nor did he look at the prince.

  Standing quietly next to the wall of the chamber, Hankley watched Ludo circle the cage.

  “Show me your feet, boy,” Ludo demanded.

  Terni didn’t move.

  “Show me your feet.”

  Terni pulled his legs under him to cover his feet completely.

  “If you don’t show them to me, I’ll call Xan again.”

  Terni shivered, but still didn’t show even a toe.

  “Xan!” Ludo bellowed down the tunnel.

  Terni stared at Ludo with piercing eyes, and although they shined with fear, he snarled at the prince.

  A large man wielding a red-hot poker entered the chamber. A nod from Ludo had the man moving to the cage. He smiled, exposing green teeth, as he raised the poker and jabbed it into Terni’s thigh.

  Hankley let out a silent cry. How could men be so cruel?

  Terni cried out, but drew his foot further under his body.

  The repulsive man repeated his actions on the other thigh.

  Again, Terni cried out, his tears falling in rivers from his eyes, but except for his head jerking back, he didn’t move.

  Hankley gulped, his hands forming tight fists. He couldn’t interfere. The words burned in his mind. Terni’s pain and bravery brought tears to Hankley’s eyes.

  Poker at the ready, the man looked at Ludo for permission to go again.

  The humans appeared to enjoy torturing the child. Hankley groaned as his stomach convulsed.

  Ludo nodded at the torturer. Hankley, without thinking of the consequences, raised his hand. The poker jabbed Terni’s upper arm and, although the boy flinched, he didn’t cry out.

  “It has gone cold,” Xan said, inspecting the tip.

  “How can it go cold?”

  “I don’t know, Sire. It should have stayed hot for at least ten minutes.”

  Oln’s call sounded in Hankley’s mind. Hankley trembled, fighting the pull of his god’s voice, but stayed where he was.

  “Go and fix it,” Ludo said, “and make sure it’s hot this time.”

  Xan strode out of the chamber still inspecting the poker closely with a frown.

  “Show me your feet, boy.” Ludo wasn’t giving up.

  “Hankley,” Oln’s voice again entered Hankley’s mind. He sounded as if he was loosing his patience as he increased his pull, but Hankley resisted. Xan returned. He could see the glow of red, signifying the poker was indeed hot. Raising his arm and flicking his fingers at the poker, Hankley wanted to make sure it could never be heated again.

  However, with his concentration now aimed at the poker, and any other ones in the vicinity, he could not defy Oln’s pull any longer. Hankley let out a last burst of concentration and nullified all weapons from heat. In the next instant, he was standing in Oln’s inner chamber.

  Hankley waited for the inevitable harangue. Nothing came. Oln sat and gazed at Hankley, his eyes full of sadness, his color a rusty orange.

  What he had done surely could not have been that bad.

  “I am sorry, Great Oln.”

  Oln shook his head as if he couldn’t quite understand his servant.

  “The boy was being tortured for no reason,” Hankley persisted. “I couldn’t just stand by and watch. They are a cruel race.”

  Oln’s eyes seemed to focus and he looked at Hankley. “The boy isn’t the reason you were called here.”

  “Oh,” was all Hankley said. He waited for Oln to continue.

  “Gart has once again reported to Azu about the Shanks’ ripple, and your ripples will also be known. Azu has now taken a personal interest. I am dismissed.”

  “Dismissed?” Hankley knew very well, what the word meant, but he still needed confirmation.

  “Yes, although I now have access to the Quarter Realm, and Gart has access to my Inner Realm, Azu has advised us to stay in the Outer Realm until we come to an agreeable understanding.”

  “You’ve been imprisoned?”

  “No,” Oln chuckled. “Not imprisoned. Only denied complete rule of either realm.”

  “Oh.” Hankley had never been so short of words.

  “I’m afraid my brother is up to more harm than I thought.” He looked down at his sandal clad feet for a moment.

  “I don’t understand,” Hankley said and meant it.

  “We are at war, Hankley. Gart has declared war on me and mine.”

  Hankley could not comprehend a war between Gods. Humans warred all the time, but they were stupid beings with no foresight of what they were doing. Gods, however, knew the future before it even happened. That was what he had always thought. But if it was true, then Oln would have already foreseen Gart’s actions and knew of the outcome of such a war. What was Oln talking about?

  Oln must have seen the confusion on Hankley’s face. “No, Hankley, we cannot know the future. I don’t even know if Azu can, though I suspect he can. In which case, he knows what Gart is doing and even why he is doing it. I don’t understand his motives for not intervening. I presume it is the same reasoning why we are not to intervene in human affairs. Azu has made it clear we are to resolve our differences ourselves.”

  Hankley made a face. Although he was pleased his god had told him, a brown robe, those things, he wondered why Oln had called him there if it wasn’t because of the ripples Hankley had caused.

  “Hankley, it was not I who pulled you into my chamber. It was Gart. I must say though, I was impressed by your ability to resist him for so long.” A small smile played at one corner of his mouth. “You’re gaining in strength through empathy. That is the strongest gain one can have.”

  “Gart called me back? But it was your voice.”

  “No. Gart is able to impersonate me.”

  “Oh,” Hankley said again, trying to figure it all out in his head. One thing was obvious, Gart wanted Oln’s job, and he would do anything to get it. The Shanks had told Hankley Gart was always causing ripples in his realm. “But what about the humans?”

  “Gart has no love for humans,” Oln said, his eyes deepening in sadness. “I thought I had changed his mind, but for some reason he has decided they are nothing more than worms in his fields of hops.”

  “Then why does he want the Inner Realm?”

  “I expect, because it is mine.”

  “The boys?”

  “You must right the wrong. Gart knows about them, but you and the Shanks are the only ones who know of the boy’s connection to the three worlds.” Waves of pale yellow fluxed over his body.

  “You’re concerned the Shanks are still working for Gart?”

  Oln nodded.

  “I can’t say for sure, Great Oln, but I believe something has touched Shank One. He would not be disloyal to you or to the human, Mike.”

  “What exactly are you saying?”

  “I’ve seen a change in One. He feels deeply for the young man and I believe, he would not allow any harm to come to him or little Terni if he could help it. As for Shank Two, I cannot say.”

  “Two has always been in charge. He is the strongest.”

  “Perhaps,” Hankley said slowly, trying to gather his thought into coherency. “Perhaps that was true once. However, I have seen something awaken in One’s eyes, and I believe a great good is within him.”

  Oln gave a heavy sigh and sat back. “I hope you’re right. However, I cannot understand why you have been called back, and the Shanks are still loose on Zandell.”

  “I’ll depart at once and find out.”

  “That is just the point, Hankley. You can’t depart, and neither can I.”

  “Sir?”

  “We cannot en
ter the wall office or the planes of the worlds.”

  “We’re stuck?”

  “Yes, I can’t even leave this chamber, although Gart and I are to go to the Outer Realm.” Oln said. “However, you can roam my kingdom freely.”

  “Oh.” Hankley said it as if he understood. “Can we check on the boys from here?”

  “No, my sight is also blocked.” Oln blushed angry, bright yellow. “Gart has surreptitiously planned this takeover from the moment Azu gave me rule of the Inner Realm.” A smile flashed in Oln’s eyes, all signs of yellow gone. “Gart is an impatient god; it must have been extremely difficult to wait all these years.”

  Hankley couldn’t believe, even with his imprisonment, Oln still found humor in his brother’s antics. He wondered what he could do to help. “Should I call the red robes here?”

  “No. I do not want panic to spread throughout the kingdom. Many are frightened of Gart and his ways. You must do my bidding for me.”

  “Anything, Great Oln.”

  “I want you to travel the length, breadth, height and depth of this realm and find all who are loyal to me. Let them know to listen for the call, if it’s to come, and be ready to fight.”

  “Fight?”

  “I’m afraid so. Gart will not relinquish his quest willingly. He must be made to go.”

  “You mean to banish him?”

  “I mean to send him to Azu. He can explain to our father his reasons.”

  Chapter 17

  When the Shanks’ disappeared, Mike was alone in the growing darkness. He thought about building a fire, but had only managed to collect a small pile of tinder. He decided to wait. Vala would want some tea when she woke up. He glanced at Noor and grimaced. She wasn’t going to be happy when she woke and found it morning.

  As Vala moaned, moonbeams danced across her flushed, wet face.

  Mike wished he could do more to help her, but at least he could see her. He waited without moving until she quietened.

  Pain throbbed in his cheek matching the rhythm of hurt in his thigh. He tore a square of dirty material from one side of his shirt and scooped a small amount of the herb mixture out of the other bowl he had made. He dabbed it over his cheek and then the leg wound.