by Chris Ward
‘Let us see then if such luck will hold.’
He smiled and drew once more. His second arrow was loosed before those watching had much chance to comment on the fallen rider. They had seen nothing of the first arrow’s flight, but had seen it appear as if my magic buried in the rider’s shoulder. They saw him fall into the river.
‘By the gods, what shooting is this?’ Scion muttered in amazement. Ofeigr just smiled broadly, but was clearly impressed. Serenna nodded as though she knew something. Reigin had seen more than the others and was deeply impressed for he alone seemed to know that the arrow had moved in its flight like no other arrow he’d ever seen. It was as though the arrow became a hunter with a mind of its own. Rema’s words stung his ears as the second arrow travelled as truly as the first.
Two arrows, two men down and none of the other pursuers had any idea who had fired upon them. They gathered on the far bank of the river and cantered in several directions at once before abandoning the pursuit and went off to rescue the wounded men who might live to tell the fact of it, but not the how of it.
Rema gathered his cloak, mounted and addressed his small band.
‘They will soon be after us once more. I do not wish to lose more precious arrows. We ride on now. I have the directions but when we find what Freiers has marked on this simple map, I cannot tell what will befall us. Reigin take the rear and keep watch. There are ten left who can fight and in this forest will be a match for us.’ And with that he rode off at a canter along a path which seemed well worn but overgrown in many places as though perhaps it had fallen into disuse. The others followed and they quickly moved deeper into the forest, and ever close to the towering cliffs.
Within a span they were blocked. Huge rocks and boulders the size of haystacks lay where they had fallen from high up on the escarpment. The path travelled through the jumble of fallen stone and only with great difficulty was Rema able to follow it, at times having to skirt around and over the tangle of fallen and crushed trees, and loose and unstable rock falls. Their journey was slow and they all knew that they left an easy trail to follow. Any pursuit would not be difficult. Time was running out.
Finally they arrived at a strange cleft in the very cliffs themselves. Rema looked carefully at the simple map.
‘This looks right. There should be some markings on either side...’ He had hardly finished when Ofeigr gave a cry.
‘Over here Rema, this is clearly placed by human hands.’
They quickly dismounted and gathered around this new discovery. It was an ancient carving chiselled out of the rockface itself. It was well weathered and had lost its sharp edges but sure enough they gazed upon an effigy of an eagle, talons spread and hooked beak jutting proudly forth.
‘The eagle is the symbol of the Edenwhood,’ Rema whispered. ‘Freiers has noted this here on the map.’ He pointed it out, but none needed any confirmation. They all knew that they had found what they had travelled so hard to find. They were at the end of what the map could tell them, for Freiers had never gone past this point.
They tethered their horses and explored the cleft which ran some dozen paces into the escarpment over sandy ground. The rear wall was flat and smooth, unnaturally so for on examination it could be seen that human hands had shaped it thus.
‘If what we have been told is true then, we stand before a door which no ordinary man has ever broached.’ Serenna spoke in awe. ‘We continue at our peril.’
‘But we continue nonetheless,’ said Rema firmly. ‘We cannot go back.’
‘What then is the secret to this unseen door?’ asked Scion as he rubbed his hands over the smooth stone, for I can see no clue as to our finding it, far less opening it.’
‘Except for that hole in the rock above you Scion, that is the clue you miss.’ Rema directed their gaze to a round hole high up where no ordinary man would think to reach. ‘Remember,’ he continued, ‘this door was made by the Edenwhood; they are far taller than we. And we have a key Scion, without which we would never have undertaken this journey.’
‘A key?’ Scion’s amazed reply was for all the others. Except Serenna.
‘Freiers returned with it after he had left us that night, and you were all asleep,’ Rema explained. ‘You might remember that the Edenwhood woman he married, Cygnia was her name; she was taken back to her own people through this very door. Freiers told me that all Edenwhood carry a key to the door for they are free to come and go when they wish. But only their key will open it, and in her distress at leaving her husband and her child, she gave the key to him. He did not know why. He kept it as a memory, but he gave it to me for saving his son, and Serenna has carried it in her saddle bag.’
No one spoke, for Rema’s words meant they were on the threshold of a magical place, and such things had long been feared in Revelyn.
‘Get the key Serenna.’ Rema spoke quietly, and she obeyed without a word. The key was no more than a solid length of iron, upon which an intricate pattern of spirals and swirls could be discerned. Rema took it and approached the smooth rock face. He reached up toward the hole above and as he did the key began to glow as though it recognised where it was. The hole too emitted a light which matched the key, but as Rema went to insert it, he let out a cry and dropped it to the ground. The glowing immediately ceased.
‘What is wrong Rema?’ Serenna inquired, for his cry was one of pain.
‘It burnt me,’ he replied, ‘rubbing his hands together for some relief. ‘At least for a moment it was too hot to hold.’
At that moment Reigin hushed them all to silence.
‘Listen my friends; I think our pursuers are drawing near.’ They all froze and listened carefully. Sure enough there was a faint calling in the forest and the sounds of rough and heavy footsteps. The whinnying of a horse travelled clearly to them.
‘Quickly then,’ Rema ordered. ‘Bring the horses into the cleft, and Scion, Reigin and Ofeigr will guard the opening. Serenna and I will try the key once again.’
Within a short space all the horses were led into the cleft, and the three men stood at the entrance with swords drawn, waiting to defend their position. Ofeigr had a strong and fierce light in his eyes as though he welcomed the coming battle. Scion had armed himself with a sword, but also carried a large club for his massive strength would easily knock an armed man and his weapon headlong if given the least chance. He too showed no fear, and Reigin was not in the least alarmed for in truth he was in his element, facing a superior force, in the forest, his amazing abilities the match of any who would stand before him. Only Rema was concerned for he knew that if there were archers coming against them they would be in mortal danger. Even a Wolver could not easily avoid a well aimed arrow. He knew that only too well.
He took the key and tried once more to open the hidden door, but this time the burn to his hands was more than before and he knew immediately that some deep force would not allow them to pass. Serenna saw it too, and they stood in despair wondering what next to try.
‘There is no way ahead unless this door is opened and only the key will do it. What can be amiss?’ Rema spoke his thoughts out loud. Serenna was at a loss to think of any solution.
Suddenly Reigin appeared. Give me the key Rema. I am taller and can reach more easily, perhaps I can have it in before the burning is too much. I have learnt to bear more than most. He did not say this in any manner to cause offence to Rema who was in any case glad to try once more at some new plan.
Reigin took the key and reached easily up to the hole, as though it were the perfect height for him. The key and the hole glowed in anticipation of a union as before, but to the amazement of those who watched, Reigin slid the key easily into the hole with no apparent discomfort. Immediately there was loud crack, and the outline of a huge door appeared in the smooth rock. Reigin instinctively pushed for there was no handle on which to pull, and the massive door swung inwards revealing a large passage of some considerable height.
‘Well done Reigin,’ Rema cried, ‘no
w gather the horses and let us enter.’
At that moment the sounds of the approaching enemy came loudly to them, and someone close by cried out.
‘There they are. Over here, man and be quick about it. We have them trapped! ’
The five companions led their nervous horses into the dark passage just as several armed men appeared at the mouth of the huge cleft in which the mysterious door was hidden. They stopped in amazement at what they saw, and stepped back in incredulity when they realised that facing them was a huge Wolver.
Reigin smiled and performed a series of awesomely quick and impressive false lunges and swipes with his great sword. The eye could not quite make out the blur of movement, such was the speed. He stopped and spoke to those who once were his allies.
‘Go home men; for you cannot follow us here, and I do not yet want to kill any of you, but that might easily change should you step closer than you are.’
As Reigin spoke, a single arrow shot from behind the swordsmen flew with deadly intent towards him. It passed between the soldiers and with reflexes which defied belief Reigin caught sight of it, tracked it, and with the blur of his sword stopped it in mid flight before his heart. It fell useless and broken to the ground.
The pursuers were speechless, and looked at each other wondering what they should do. None had the courage to cross swords with the Wolver, for they knew that meant certain death, so they stood helpless as Reigin walked backwards into the passage and reaching up removed the key from the glowing hole which held it. Immediately the great stone door swung shut and with a final crack sealed an impassable barrier between the two groups.
Those who stood speechless outside saw the outline of the door fade until it finally disappeared altogether, and they were alone. After a time one of the braver men found words for them all.
‘There is a sorcery here, which we are well away from.’
And with that they hastily mounted their nervous steeds and left the forest with relief that they had survived such an evil place.
Chapter 18
A soon as the massive rock door slammed shut, driven by some magical power beyond the understanding of those to whom it had just offered such protection, a dark so deep that none in the party could see anything at all, engulfed them. The horses whinnied in fear and one bucked so violently that it struck its head on the roof above. It fell heavily against the wall and then kicked out, narrowly missing Scion. He felt the wind of a hoof brush past his face, and knew immediately that had he been struck he would have been rendered senseless if not killed outright.
‘Calm the horses,’ Rema called desperately into the blackness. Pull in the reins and hold them firm, for if they break away we will be trampled!’ There followed the sounds of a mighty straining and soothing as the five companions struggled for a time to quieten their steeds. Eventually calm was restored and they were able to think more clearly of their predicament; stuck in a black cave with no light and not the smallest idea as to where it might lead.
‘I still have the key Rema Bowman,’ Reigin’s confident voice resounded strongly from the rocks which entombed them, ‘We should be able to reopen the door.’
‘We have travelled far to get here, and who knows how many enemy have gathered outside. Our quest does not lie that way, we must follow the cave,’ Rema replied.
No one spoke for a time as his words sunk in.
‘Well I for one hope there is an end to such blackness for I do not easily handle such enclosed spaces and the dark.’ Scion spoke with a clear edge to his voice. ‘I have spent my life on the open seas.’
His simple statement summed up the feelings of them all.
‘I think there is an end Scion,’ Serenna spoke gently then. ‘Look all of you, the cave has more shape now; I believe I can see the walls and roof.’ Her eyes had become accustomed to the dark, and sure enough the vaguest definition of the limits of their confinement came to her. ‘Look, I believe there is a faint light a ways off down the tunnel.’
She squinted hard and turned her head back and forth so that her vision from the edges of her eyes which seemed more useful in the dark was able to pick up the source of the distant illumination.
‘I see nothing.’ Ofeigr’s first words bore no emotion.
‘Neither I,’ Scion said.
‘Serenna if you see it, then lead us all, and keep talking, we will follow your voice.’ Rema gave the group the direction which it so desperately needed.
And so Serenna led her nervous mount towards the merest smudge of light and the others followed. Within thirty paces Reigin confirmed that he too could see it, and then shortly after a relieved Scion muttered some thanks to the gods. Rema did not speak for he was thinking hard on things beyond their return to a place where vision was once more possible, and he had seen the light at the same time as Reigin. Ofeigr said nothing.
The light in the tunnel gradually increased until they could see each other and the rough-hewn walls which surrounded them.
‘Those who carved this tunnel were masters indeed,’ said Reigin when the light was sufficient for them to see the manner in which it had been chiselled out. ‘These patterns in the rock are so similar and almost beautiful in their fluency. Only the dwarves of old knew this art.’
All in the party were overcome then with a sense of the place in which they travelled, for it was ancient indeed.
As the light increased further it could be seen that the tunnel ended not far ahead, in fact they had only travelled a hundred paces before they walked out into a large circular chamber some thirty paces across. They looked up and saw that it had no roof for far above them the source of the light was discovered. High above, so high that it was less than half a moon’s width in size, was the blue sky. It dawned on them all at once, but Serenna gave it voice.
‘This is a shaft which reaches right up to the land of the Edenwhood.’ She said in awe.
‘And around the side is the path which will take us there,’ Ofeigr had seen that a spiral path which sloped steeply up out of sight had been cut into the rock.
‘An easy place to defend,’ said Reigin.
‘Perhaps that is why no one is about to challenge us.’ Rema’s thoughts found a serious voice.
‘Which I am sure will be remedied in short order.’ Ofeigr had now spoken more words in the past span than he had since they had set out from Waterman.
They attended to their horses then and soothed them continually as they began on the path which would take them up to an unknown land, and a people who were only dreamed of or mentioned in ancient legends. The path was barely four cubits wide although high enough that Reigin could not reach the roof, but within a short time the great drop which had developed on their left side became like a fearful attraction which seemed to draw them ever closer to pull them to their death, and it required great concentration to lead their nervous steeds safely on.
They climbed steadily for as long as their energy allowed until Rema called a halt, fearing that as they tired they would stumble and fall. It was difficult to rest on the path for the animals were even more unsettled when not moving and they seemed to expend more energy calming them than when they had been moving forward..
‘Look above us, on the far side, there is a door,’ Serenna’s cry interrupted the others for her sharp eyes had once more seen something deeper in the gloom.
‘Let us move on then,’ said Rema hoping that there would be a better place to rest at hand.
They urged their steeds gently on and sure enough within two complete turns of the spiral path they gained a large door cut into the rock and upon entering found an enormous room hewn out to provide a resting point for a traveller.
‘There are torches here,’ said Reigin who reached up and took one from where it was sitting in an iron hoop high upon the wall.
‘Should we risk lighting those?’ Ofeigr spoke quickly. ‘This might give warning to any watching from above.’
‘A point well made,’ said Rema quietly as he though
t on it, ‘but we are not approaching in secret,’ he continued, ‘and I would rather tell of our coming well before we arrive so that it cannot be said we come in stealth.’
The torch light was welcomed by all, including the horses who seemed much calmed by more normal surroundings. There were several large tables and benches spread around the walls of the room which were far too tall for easy use of any except Reigin.
‘These Edenwhood are not wanting for stature,’ Scion remarked quietly as he sat upon one of the beaches and found that his feet were well over a cubit off the floor. ‘I trust that they will take pity on us for our smallness for I would not like to meet men of this size in battle.’ He did not see Reigin smile privately for he knew that he was of a similar size as those who used such furniture, and he knew too of his prowess in battle.
‘Fear not Scion, I will be by your side, and perhaps the two of us can best a few!’ His humour was well received by the others.
They rested for a span and then having extinguished the torches, continued their ceaseless circles up into the mountain and ever close to the sky.
Four times more as they climbed they found similar rooms in which to take rest, and in the third such one, they rested for a good three spans by Rema’s judgement, for they were by now greatly wearied from their toil. The horses had by good fortune settled into a better rhythm and were no longer so nervous and this was aided by the gradual increase in light which resulted from their rising ever higher toward the top of the shaft, where every now and then a cloud was seen to pass quickly by.
‘No sign of life thus far, ‘said Reigin who had watched carefully for such an indication.
‘No sign at all,’ Rema replied as he lay resting on the cold floor of the room, his eyes closed and his breathing gentle and peaceful.
‘I misjudged you my friend,’ Reigin spoke quietly to Rema but within earshot of all, who knew immediately that he was talking about Rema’s great feat with his two arrows to delay the pursuing soldiers.