He rubbed up close to Roe who looked at him with an uncomfortable smile.
“Scholar's Bay, then?” Roe asked.
“Scholar's Bay?” Eorl repeated, his mind blank as he stared at the younger fox. “Oh, Scholar's Bay! Yes, it is best if you take the stairs and turn south, er...to the left...and...do you see that slight ridge line half-way up the valley? That will lead you towards the moon and bypasses the lake. You don't want to go near the lake. You'll pass through a couple of communities but just carry on no matter what you hear. Go through the first tunnel, but not the second, or the third, and up the second set of steps through the fourth hole. There you'll find Scholar's Bay, near the fifth fork.”
“Have you got that, mate?” Daegal asked Roe.
“I got it,” replied Scarlett, who was clamping a lamp on her tail and already starting towards the steps.
“Good luck to you. I will keep track of things from above. It would be nice to join you but it would take most of the year for me to get back up the stairs again. Go single file. They are not bolted to the wall as well as they once were.” He gave all of them a stern look. “Go quickly. The dead have been restless this past decade and strange sounds are coming from below. So go directly and go quickly and stay away from the lake!”
“It would be quicker and probably safer to use one of your parachutes,” Mercia said, giving Spencer a rub. “Maybe I should put one on until we reach the bottom.”
“Let's go, then,” said Roe, following Scarlett close behind.
Constructed from an iron frame and joined with wooden planks, the stairs turned back upon themselves as they cut down the wall, swaying and groaning unnervingly with the foxes passing.
“Are you sure you haven't met that old fox before?” Scarlett asked from in front of him.
“I have never seen him before in my entire life,” Roe responded.
“Well, he seems pretty convinced he's met you before,” she said.
Daegal followed well behind, testing each board as he went, and waiting for the weight of the others to be clear before adding his own. Spencer jumped a few gaps and seemed to be the only one in the group completely confident with the integrity of the structure.
They reached the bottom with a sigh of relief and were surprised to find themselves amidst a dark but beautiful glen. The river ended in a pond half of which vanished into a large cave at the base of the rock cliff. An island was in the middle of the round water which the stairs grew out of, rising into the darkness above.
The water wasn't deep and a few strange plants were growing along the edge of the pond. Even a number of fireflies were buzzing about the water.
“I'm not saying I would want to move in, but it is actually quite a tranquil looking place,” Mercia said, as Spencer hopped about trying to catch the fireflies.
A splash was heard further up the river which caused all of them to go still and listen.
“This isn't a place to play,” Scarlett said, as Spencer huddled by her side.
“I agree,” said Daegal. “Something is wrong here. Let's find Audley and get out as quickly as possible.”
They took off at a run, leaving whatever had made the sound behind them, following the bobbing lantern hanging from Scarlett's tail.
They started to climb the rise up the valley wall and soon found themselves following the ridge line. Roe looked above him, expecting darkness, but was surprised to see a sparkling sky.
“The Valley must be open to the night air somewhere above,” he said as he ran with the others. “Look at all the stars.”
“Not likely,” said Scarlett. “Many creatures of the dark develop their own inner light. They aren't twinkling like stars so I imagine they are some sort of glow worm.”
Many paths joined the ridge or spun off it and the ground was littered with bones, broken tombstones and pieces of granite memorial. After about ten minutes they came to fountain in the middle of the path and found themselves in the centre of a village square.
“This must be the first 'community' Eorl mentioned,” Scarlett said.
Mercia gave a frightened bark. “That fox is looking at me,” she said pointing towards a pair of eyes glinting out of the dark.
“Very creepy. It appears the dead have been mummified and set up to look like a living village,” Daegal said. “complete with shops, a village hall, houses, even playing pups. I've heard about this. It was the fashion several centuries ago to bury communities together and replicate the town they came from. Postal workers stayed postal workers, kings remained kings and, I imagine, leaders of criminal organizations remained leaders of criminal organizations. I would not want to lead the Inari from the grave, my friends. My day of retirement is going to arrive many years before my sedan to the grave.”
The others looked around, lost for a moment in the artificial world around them.
“We should keep moving. I have the sense that we are being watched, and not by the dead,” Roe said.
“As do I,” affirmed Scarlett, as she continued at an increased pace, passing through another community, before being swallowed by the first tunnel, the opening of which was arched in skulls.
It was short and spat them out in an artificial park growing with a multitude of highly detailed and ornate stone plants. Entire stands of trees had been carved out of massive pieces of limestone and marble. Flowers, ferns, even grass had been shaped from the rock in a wide and playful field. They passed through quickly only minimally aware of the large number of hidden eyes watching them from behind the stonework.
They passed over two additional tunnels, as instructed, and could see a shimmering orb of light floating over an undulating horizon of red brick paving.
“The moon,” Roe said.
Entering the final tunnel, they ascended the bone lined second set of stairs and found themselves in a rippling cobblestone alley. Buildings had been constructed closely on either side and door knockers had been fitted below the curved metal lettering of family names. A single piece of metal formed an arch at the entrance to the alley, flowing with the words, 'Scholar's Bay', in a bent and rusted cursive.
They continued running along the hilly cobblestone path and found each mound was numbered with a hardwood and hammered copper sign. Finally they came to forty-seven and slowed. Every now and again a pitchfork was set into the centre of the road. At the fourth they came to a winded stop and the strangely shimmering moon hung not far above them.
“Spread out. The doors are close together and some are broken, so, try to find the name. It might have come loose and fallen to the ground,” Scarlett said. “Be quick about it. I heard something on that last hill and thought I saw several shapes moving in the distance. We are not alone here.”
'Audley of Bana's Book' should be the marker,” Daegal said, trying to catch his breath.
They each took a direction and examined the numerous doors surrounding the fourth fork.
Finally it was Mercia who called out.
“I found it!” she said. “Although I think it's closer to the third than the fourth fork.”
“Still, he gave us pretty good directions, I'd say, coming from the old catalogue of his memory as they did,” Roe said.
'Audley of Bana's Book' was cut out of metal, nailed to a cracking wooden door which curved over the handsome head of a fox door knocker.
“Ursula had me organize the crafting of that knocker. It is his face when he was a much younger fox,” Daegal said.
“Shall we give it a rattle before going in?” Mercia asked.
“No,” Roe said, kicking the door open with his back legs, leaving one side hanging from its hinge.
“Roe,” Scarlett snipped. “We mustn't make noise.”
“Sorry, but there was a lock and I don't think any of us want to go looking for another key.”
It was a narrow passage but clean and lined with tightly mortared bricks.
“Who paid for him to be buried here?” Mercia asked “It must have cost a fortune.”
The hallway opened out into a slightly wider room at the centre of which was a raised dais. Resting upon it in his eternal sleep was the linen wrapped form of Audley. Set in several nooks within the room were objects that the old collector would have appreciated having near him in the afterlife. The precious space had been organized with thought and by someone who cared.
“We put the key back around his neck after the wrapping. We knew he would have wanted to wear it eternally. I hope he doesn't mind if we borrow it. It should still be there,” Daegal said, breathing heavily from the effort of the journey.
Pouncing onto their hind legs the group placed their paws onto the dais and scanned the form between them for the key.
There was nothing.
“It's gone,” said Daegal.
“Great, now what?” said Mercia, pouncing back to the ground. “This has been a waste of time.”
“It can't be,” Daegal murmured.
“Let's look around first before giving up,” Scarlett barked.
They all started to sniff and scrabble about the small room, nearly falling over each other in the effort and the confined space. They had removed their lanterns and placed them on the corners of the dais, forcing the darkness from the room.
Spencer sniffed with the rest, then quickly trotted out of the room and back in again, giving a bark as he did so.
The others unwound themselves from each other and looked to the Shadow Fox. He stood with a broken chain between his jaws.
“That's the chain,” Daegal said. “Nice work, Spencer. Whoever removed it did so in a hurry but locked the door behind him, which means he has the key.”
“Who?” Asked Roe.
“Of course,” Daegal responded shaking his head in disbelief. “How could I forget? There was one other fox with us when we buried Audley. He had helped to find materials without the regime finding out since they wouldn't have wanted a fox like Audley to be buried in the Burrow Graveyard.”
“Who?!” The rest yelled at once.
“Acey,” he said. “Audley's son. Sorry everyone, but it looks like we'll need to break into the Palace.”
Everyone, even the dead, seemed to hold their breath until Mercia asked, “Excuse me?”
Daegal explained how Acey, a long time employee of the palace, had felt sympathetic towards and had befriended Ursula during her trial and banishment. Together they had organized the burial of his estranged father, Audley. He had been given the key to the crypt as the only living relative and had probably returned at some stage to take the fox key as a memento. Or to sell it, they thought.
Gathering outside the tomb while Roe tried to re-hang and secure the door in a respectful manner, the others sat and tried to come to terms with the change in circumstances.
“We should take Spencer back to my mother and start to organize a plan,” Scarlett said, looking at the young Shadow Fox.
“You don't give him nearly enough credit. He is far more mature than his age and besides he's been indispensable to us today, I'd say,” Mercia replied. “We know the Palace. We've broken into the grounds many times in the past. Plans be damned. I think we should keep on and improvise as we have always done.”
“That's ridiculous!” said Scarlett. “The Palace is not a place you can just walk into and steal from like a candied cockroach shop.”
“I agree,” Roe said, looking at Scarlett making the final adjustments to the door, “with Mercia. We don't have the time for an elaborate plan. Besides, amongst the five of us, I think we can come up with something that works.”
“Hey, hey,” said Daegal. “I'm always one for leaping without looking...”
As if in response and with a threatening thud, four large canines fell amongst their group baring bright white teeth between aggressively curled lips.
Only Roe and Scarlett had managed to take their lanterns between their jaws before being scattered. Growls were coming from all around them.
Throwing his lantern, Roe hit the face of one of the canines, setting the animal ablaze with a hysterical whine. It ran blindly, hitting a crypt door that had dried to dust, causing it to burst into flames, before the animal fell to the ground dead. The other canines retreated slightly, wary of fighting the more intelligent foxes.
Spreading from the door to the timber roofs, the fire quickly grew in size throwing ominous shadows and sparks across the alleyway. A group of mummified pups playing in a circle near the crypts burst into flames the resins helping to preserve them feeding the fire.
“There are Shadow Foxes and canines everywhere!” shouted Mercia. “Run!”
They started down the alley the way they had come but were quickly stopped when a dozen shapes landed in front of them, blocking the way.
“Back,” yelled Roe. “Run towards that moon!”
Up and down the terrain they ran, avoiding the crypts collapsing from the voracious hunger of the fire and pursued by too many Shadow Foxes to count. They reached the moon only to see it burst into a thousand shards of light as a massive Shadow Fox broke through it, showering them in a nest of glow worms.
“That monster is even bigger than me,” Daegal yelled, as they turned away and started down the valley wall.
Who fell first they couldn't tell, but suddenly they found themselves tumbling down the side of the valley in a spiralling and disoriented ball. Miraculously, they hadn't been set alight by the lanterns and oil and, even more miraculously, somehow one even remained lit. Coming to a sudden stop inside an empty grave, they didn't waste time in recovering. Scarlett held the remaining lantern and led the way again, running towards what she thought was the way to the grave entrance.
Leaping over tombs and fountains and tilted sculptures, they did whatever they could to stay ahead of the horde pursuing them. Covered in bits of bone and dirt, their run came to an abrupt halt as they suddenly found themselves knee deep in water. They had come to the very lake they had been told to avoid.
Somehow Scarlett had managed to refashion the lantern to her tail and started swimming with the flame held high to keep it from being extinguished. The others quickly followed after her, and after a few seconds of paddling, the sound of roiling water came from behind them as they were joined in their swim by the crowd of Shadow Foxes and canines.
Grunts and splashes echoed across the valley from both the pursued and the pursuers and a sort of calm settled as the two groups pushed themselves across the large lake.
Scarlett looked around her as they swam and could see islands scattered in the distance with small fires and tents built upon them. Shadow pups watched from the small shorelines as the two groups paddled past. The smell of rats roasting on a rotisserie caused her stomach to grumble reminding her that they hadn't eaten in many hours.
As they passed one of the larger islands she made out a training ground. Fitted with spiked wooden dummies for swordplay and padded mannequins for spears, crossbows and the rarely used Hantsa firearm. Within the interior of the island she could hear the squeal of countless Shadow Pups wrapped and resting in a series of long trenches dug in to the earth. It was a Shadow Fox factory.
As they swam Roe imagined they looked like some sort of aquatic mammal from above led by a single flickering candle flame.
It took them twenty minutes to reach a solid stone wall on the other side of the lake and they were near collapsing as they scaled the set of steps cut within it leading out of the water. Once on the top they looked over the opposite side, only to be met with a long drop and a distant trickle of a stream far below them at the wall's base. They looked behind them as the Shadow Foxes reached the stairs and began to climb.
“It's a dam,” said Roe, “and that river is at least one hundred tail-lengths below us.”
They were trapped, with Shadow Foxes coming from both directions on the wall, and the lake behind them with a deadly fall in front of them A mill continued to spin at the far end of the wall with a distinctive whirr. The Shadow Foxes were quickly closing the gap between them.
Emerging from the sound of the mill was the massive form of the Shadow Vixen who had broken the moon. Her large leather armour was covered in rounded iron studs and beneath it was a layer of chainmail. The combination would have been far too heavy for the average Shadow Fox but she was clearly something extraordinary. She held a sword between her jaws twice the size of those used by the Burrow Guardians. Her legs were like tree trunks and her neck muscles bulged out from the armour. She watched Roe as other Shadow Foxes passed her on either side, growling and barking as they approached the trapped group.
Roe prepared himself for a fight, while Scarlett pulled a short sword from her pack. The others looked hopefully towards Spencer, thinking the other Shadow Foxes would give way to one of their own, only to see him desperately searching for a way down the dam.
One of the Shadow Foxes gave a ferocious bark, leapt, then landed on Spencer's unprotected back and snapped at the little fox's throat. Mercia yelped, flipped over the struggling pair and took the larger Shadow Fox by the neck before mercilessly throwing it over the edge. She then crouched over Spencer protectively while the Shadow Vixen gave an enraged howl at the loss of one of her own.
Things were looking dire and the group was on the verge of charging with wild abandon when a burst of light came from Mercia. She had relit the flare, tossed it on the wall and held a lit stick of dynamite between her jaws.
“Everyone better get back into the lake quickly,” she yelled. “because this is going to be a short fuse.”
She stuck the dynamite into a crack, took Spencer between her jaws and leapt back into the water, diving below the surface.
The others quickly followed her while Roe held back to guard the dynamite. Just as the end of the fuse took on an increased sparkle, he dove over the edge and saw the eyes of the Shadow Vixen grow wide. He felt a concussive heat that sent her and him flying backwards into the water.
The Progeny of Able (The Burrow of London Series Book 1) Page 21