by Lawson, Alan
“Emily, I have something on my mind.”
“Um hmm?” She murmured looking rather concerned in Jason’s direction “What is it?”
“It’s that Lady, you know, the one we met in Haspar, in the alley? I can’t get her out of my head. I know she has some part to play. And when I think about it, I remember sensing that someone was watching us go into the library”
“You think it was her?” Emily look puzzled, she for one didn’t sense anyone watching them, well at least anyone that they should be weary of.
“I don’t know.” Jason replied “But if it was, why did she wait for us in the alley, and not follow us into the library, after all it would have been safer there. How could she have known that we were going to walk down the alley, we didn’t even plan that ourselves”
“It’s easy Jason. She didn’t come into the library simply because she had to make sure you were the one she had to speak with. Plus there is matter of the Library being watched constantly by the New Order, and perhaps others. She didn’t want to risk being spotted or bring attention to you. I’m not sure about the alley, maybe she expected us to find a quick way out of town and seeing the main street blocked herself thought we’d try the alley?”
“I really should think about things more” Jason said looking at Emily “You really have a knack of looking at things logically.”
“Well I do try, but Jason I am curious what was that thing she gave you? I didn’t really get a close look.”
Jason reached into his pocket feeling the smooth touch of the pendent “Oh this thing, I’m not too sure what it is. Though I have to say it does look neat. What do you think?” Jason tossed the pendant over to Emily. Her eyes lit up like beacons as soon as she saw it. “I think I know what this is!” she exclaimed with disbelief.
“You do?” Jason questioned quickly with a sense of excitement in his voice.
“Well I can’t be too sure, but from what I can recall, this pendant contains a summoning stone and a very rare one at that”
“A summoning stone?”
“Yes, it contains the essence of a beast, or a creature or sometimes even the spirit of a person. Once summoned it will aid the wielder in what ever they command or need”
“But I thought you said you didn’t need a stone to cast magic?”
“No Jason, this is very different. Summoning stones are different from the remembrance stone I carry. A summoning stone has its own powers within, many non magic users have one, and normally they have the essence of a wolf or another lesser creature, but this one in the pendant looks very strange, perhaps even more powerful.”
“Well if it is a summoning stone, I wonder how you use it.”
“I’m sorry Jason, I can’t help there, I have never actually used a summoning stone myself, but the lady did say you will know how to use it when you need to.”
“Let’s hope I do” Jason replied, the sense of hope ever present in his voice.
They continued to walk northwards. Jason rubbed the pendant within his pocket, he was now carrying something powerful filled with magic, and he felt important for a brief moment. He didn’t know how to use the pendant, or how to summon the creature within. He removed the chained item from his pocket and placed it over his head, tucking the summoning stone and its decorative holder under his shirt. It felt warm to his skin. With the pendant now safely around his neck he felt a strange sensation pass through his body, he shivered briefly. Somehow he felt stronger.
For the next few moments the silence elapsed over the two friends. Emily’s face twisted, she was deep in thought; an expression of anguish was painted across her regular expected smile. She paused before speaking.
“I wonder if Sherbit ever came back… You know I felt that he would have stayed with us to the very end.” she really did feel let down by Sherbit, maybe it was because she felt Sherbit owed them something, after all they did save his life, but then in turn he had helped them escape the slave traders. “He didn’t even say he was going.”
Jason felt a bit anxious by Emily’s remark about being with them to the end. He hoped she meant the end of their quest and for maybe sometime after that, if he decided to stick around. “I’m sure there is a reason behind it, Emily. Don’t worry about it too much, and besides he could still catch up, you never know.”
“I hope he does, I miss him awfully, that strange tune he always hummed, and the way he hopped about. He was a lively little thing, wasn’t he?”
“Yea he was” Jason grinned “that’s probably why he needed to eat so much” Jason said trying to lighten the mood.
They both smiled, calling back fond memories of Sherbit, they were indeed warm memories but Emily was still annoyed that he wasn’t here with them, sharing in the quest that they started out on together. But then Emily thought about the stories Sherbit had told them, about how he had seen what the Dark Lady did to her prisoners perhaps Sherbit was afraid of seeing this again, or worse being the tortured and manipulated prisoner.
“Emily, look! There is a bridge up ahead” Jason yelled as a stone bridge came into sight.
“It’s the HardyHan Bridge. Not many people have journeyed so far to see this, and any who have, won’t speak of it. People have heard rumours of a foul demon that guards the gates. Hopefully they are exactly that, rumours.”
“When we were in the library I read a book about the bridge and the creature that lives here, so I guess the rumours may actually be true. It said…’
“But that’s impossible, no books have ever been written about the bridge, I have tried to do a search in the library before, but no books were ever found.” Emily said cutting Jason off, before he could finish his sentence.
“The book was in a glass cabinet in the hall.”
“That is most strange, I have never seen it before, and I have searched the library archives a lot from my Grandfathers library access point in his office in the palace.”
“Perhaps it was a new item?”
“Or perhaps someone knew that we would have needed it, and had it displayed there.” Emily looked at Jason. He returned the same look.
Jason thought back to the lady from the alley, could it have been her; there was no one else that seemed interested in their quest, but how could she have placed the book in the library in time for them to see it, it was in a glass case. How could she change it without anyone knowing? There were so many questions that Jason needed answered, and yet there was nobody around who could answer them. With every answer, two more questions were formed. They approached the Hardyhan Bridge.
The bridge was old. It definitely looked like the image that Jason saw in the book. He remembered what Emily had said, that there were no books written about the bridge, and no one would want to talk about it. People seemed to have a fear that was worse than death itself. He did trust Emily. He held absolute faith in her, so naturally he believed her when she said it was impossible for this particular book that he had read concerning the HardyHan Bridge to exist. Though in this world, anything that seemed impossible could probably be possible. He did feel the situation was strange and he was almost more than sure that someone was trying to help them, or perhaps give them speed on their journey north. Either way, what he read may help if a creature did indeed live near to the bridge or if a grotesque monster did guard it. The answers to this particular riddle were now only a stones throw away.
They continued to walk closer to the bridge, the gates on either side of the bridge were firmly shut, the water was too deep, and the current too strong, so it looked like the bridge was the only way across the unbridled river.
Jason looked around to see if he could see anything that looked horrifying in any way, a huge Minotaur perhaps, an ogre with a spiked club maybe even another troll, but there was nothing in sight. Though beside the bridge a singular and magnificent tree grew, it was in full bloom, and was unlike any tree Jason had ever seen before, back home or here in this new world.
“Death by a beautiful tree, interesti
ng.” Jason said quietly, an inward joke.
“It doesn’t look like there is any beast here Emily.” Jason said as he continued to look around for the slightest of movement, or the sound of a twig breaking, but it was silent.
“I’m not so sure, but I certainly won’t argue with anyone if there is no beast. Let’s cross now while we have the chance.”
Emily and Jason both increased their pace. They didn’t want to run though, in case it would attract attention of anyone who may be around. They reached the gate, it was old and rusty, but it wasn’t locked, Emily moved her hand out to push it open.
“Hello” a quiet voice whispered on the air it sounded from the direction of the tree.
Emily and Jason spun around in shock expecting to see someone, but couldn’t see anything. For a moment they thought it could have been the tree itself, but surely it couldn’t have been the tree?
The air started to haze in front of them, as a small slender creature appeared. It looked like a young girl, perhaps ten years old, but her skin had a slight tint of blue and her hair was green. Her voice was gentle and hypnotising.
“It’s a nymph!” Emily cried with much excitement. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Jason did not reply”
The nymph looked at Emily, then back to Jason, “So you want to cross my bridge?”
“Yes we do, erm Miss?” Jason didn’t know what to call her, but his thoughts were quickly answered.
“There is no need for names” The nymph walked towards the bridge gate, and began to rhyme a poem, perhaps this was the start of the riddle Jason thought”
“To cross the Bridge you must answer,
A single riddle just for me.
Only then can you pass,
Unharmed and free.
If you fail; oh a terrible mistake,
That you should try not to make.
But if you do, your life will be mine,
All mine to take.
An answer I seek,
And only the one.
An answer you know,
But correct to none.”
The nymph paused, and then she looked at both Jason and Emily. The nymph continued;
“You have one last chance
Before your test.
Turn around now,
Or try your best.”
Jason looked at Emily, who looked back at him. They knew they had no other option but to cross the river using the bridge. Emily believed in the prophecies more than anything, so she believed that they would be able to get across the bridge, nothing could stop them.
“Are you ready Jason?” Emily asked
“More than I can ever hope to be” Jason replied.
“Ok Bridge Nymph, we are ready.”
“Okay, your riddle will come next; I can only accept your first words as an answer, no others at all”
Emily and Jason both nodded at the same time at the nymph, this was the moment of truth, they had to get the answer the nymph was looking for, they had to get across the bridge, and they couldn’t afford becoming a slave to this nymph now, not now when they were so close.
The nymph raised her head. She began to tell them the riddle,
“A darkened day
No sun in sight,
The clouds are gone
How is this right?”
Emily looked at Jason, the expression on her face was blank, she didn’t know the answer, she couldn’t think, Jason smiled back at Emily which gave her a sense of apprehension, was he going to do something stupid? Emily thought the riddle over and over in her head, why couldn’t she get the answer, she should know this, she did know it, but the answer wouldn’t come. It was as if the answer was being blocked behind several barriers, and chained down deep within her mind. The answer would not come!
Jason looked at the Nymph, he opened his mouth. The nymph’s eyes widened in excitement as she saw Jason, he was going to answer.
“Old grimbats, swinging in Master Talathin’s beard” he stopped and smiled.
Emily turned and faced him a look of horror across her face, she couldn’t speak, she knew that the answer Jason had said would be the only answer the nymph would accept now, they were doomed to be slaves.
The nymph looked at both of them,
Your answer was wrong,
And you knew that so.
The gates are now open,
You are free to go.”
Emily’s look of horror quickly changed to an expression of complete bewilderment, what had just happened? Jason had given an answer that was most definitely wrong, the nymph knew it was wrong but let them pass. Emily didn’t want to argue now, as the result was in their favour, she would ask Jason when they got across the bridge.
“Jason, what just happened there?” Emily asked trying to make sense of things “Why did that nymph let us cross even though you gave her and answer that was completely wrong, I mean what kind of answer was that?”
“The wrong answer.” Jason said, with a Cheshire cat like smile.
“Yes, I am quite aware of that. Which is why I am asking, why she let us cross.”
“Well I gave an answer that I knew was completely wrong, I answered wrongly on purpose”
“I’m not too sure if I understand what you mean Jason.”
“Well you remember I was telling you about that book I saw in the library, well it said that you have to answer the bridge keeper with an answer that you know is wrong, so that’s what I did.”
“I see” Emily started to think “Oh I get it, when the nymph first talked to us she spoke in riddles too, she said an answer you know, but correct to none. I should have picked that up.”
“I guess you can’t be right all the time Emily.” Jason jested.
“Be quiet you!” Emily gave him a friendly nudge “We should get a move on, the forest is just up ahead.”
“At least that’s one thing out of the way” Jason said “But I can imagine that the HardyHan Bridge is going to be nothing compared to what still lies ahead.
“That’s for sure, who knows what manner of creatures well see as we head north through the forests and into the mountains.”
Devon, Grimble and Sherbit had been following Jason and Emily for some time now. Earlier in the day they had managed to catch up with them and had followed the two friends from a safe distance. Devon pulled Grimble onto a side path that was no more than a hunters trail. They could see the bridge in sight and felt it was best to take a different route into the forests. They were not going to risk crossing that bridge, they had heard rumours of people disappearing.
Devon knew these lands well, his father was a keen hunter of wild beasts and they often visited the northern plains on the borders of the Elderine Woods. Jason had a fair instinct of where to go when needed. Fortunately on this occasion he knew of another way to cross the river, and at the same time get to the forest. His fathers hunting lodge. It was built right next to the river, and had its own private bridge for crossing. Not many common folk knew about HardyHan Bridge, but even less knew about this royal hunting lodge, though it was suggested that this was most likely due to the magic that Master Talathin had enchanted around it, keeping it hidden from the eyes of anyone who would seek it, or accidentally uncover it on their travels.
Devon led the way to lodge. It wasn’t that far of the main path, though it was surrounded by quite a few large trees, shrubs and dense foliage. Even without Master Talathin’s magic, it would be almost impossible to see it with the naked eye from the path.
The lodge was deserted, the king had called all his servants and gamekeepers back south when the beasts started to grow in number in the north. The area was still considerably safe, but the king didn’t want to deal with any unexpected incidents.
The lodge was still in good condition, Devon pushed the door open. There was no reason to have it locked as only those who were permitted to be there could see it.
The door creaked open. Grimble followed Devon in as they walked through the lo
dge. The small private bridge lay at the back of the building. The only way to reach it was by passing through the lodge itself. Devon led the way through the narrow wooden halls, passing by trophies of the king’s previous hunts. Devon reached the back door and pushed it open, the bridge rested in front of them, spanning the gushing river. Behind the bridge lay the Elderine forest darkened by the canopy above, shielding any light from reaching the leafy surface. The mass of trees looked unmoved.
They walked across the bridge and into the green darkness of the forest and headed north. They didn’t need to follow Jason or Emily now, they knew where they were going, and at this rate, and thanks to the route they took, they could reach the temple at exactly the right time to defeat the Dark Lady. They headed towards their assumed victory, swinging the bag containing Sherbit back and forth.
Chapter Twelve: The Elderine Forest
Emily and Jason had only a short walk through the northern part of the Elderine Forest in order to reach the Mingus Mountains, but it was still a considerable distance. This was especially so, having travelled for quite some time beforehand. With night fast approaching the friends felt it would be best to settle down and find some form of shelter at the edge of the forest. What they really wanted to do was reach the edge of the Elderine Forest then rest. Emily and Jason were both very tired from the journey so far, and any place looked like an idyllic place to rest for the night, but something kept them moving, they really didn’t want to risk spending the night without armed protection in this end of the forest. Resting at the forest edge would grant them the benefit of being protected by the trees of the forest and also let them cast their eyes on the goal that lay ahead in the Mingus Mountains.
They continued to walk northwards through the forest, both holding an arm up to protect their faces from any low hanging branches, that seemed to snap back on them. The ground was covered in fallen leaves, a mixture of dark browns, dusky greens and a few golden orange and yellows. It had probably rained here a few days ago, as the ground felt soft and moist, the canopy above had shielded the sun, preventing the ground from drying out. It was a miracle that anything could actually grow on the ground Emily thought, as she wondered if sunlight had ever made far enough to the ground in this particular area of the forest.