‘It is me that it seeks,’ said Wist before he could reconsider it. He knew it was true. Oinoir’s words had forced him to accept it, but he had known that this was the case.
‘But it attacked us both before. What if it has gotten inside of me? What if I have let it in?’
Haumea closed the distance between herself and Aviti with a step and embraced the woman. Then she said, ‘This is exhaustion talking. You have pushed yourself too far, beyond the limits of what anyone should have to endure. You must rest.’
‘But we cannot stay here,’ said Decheal. ‘If we stay here then this darkness will take us. Or we shall starve.’ She rolled her prized possession, the small bones, in her hands, looking at them as they tumbled.
‘Can I move the ship alone?’ Wist asked Enceladus. To his surprise, the Intoli responded with a subtle shake of the head. ‘Well what can we do then?’ The sentinel offered no further answers.
Wist started to pace the deck, searching the wooden boards for an answer. As he turned, he said, ‘Aviti, Haumea is right, you must rest. If not for your own sake, then do so for the rest of us. We need you strong.’ She acquiesced without a word and Haumea went with her, in case she needed any further help. Before she went, Haumea passed her staff to Wist leaving her with a hand free to guide Aviti.
The other Giants also departed seeing that they could do no more to help, leaving Wist, Tyla and the Intoli on the fore-deck. Wist glanced to make sure that were gone before he asked Tyla, ‘Did you feel anything from Aviti when the Waren attacked.’
Something that resembled shame passed over Tyla’s face, but then he said, ‘No.’ Then he added, ‘But I cannot be sure.’
Cannot be sure? ‘What do you mean cannot be sure?’
‘When the dark Waren came, time stopped. I felt nothing. No present, no future, no past.’
‘And nothing from your bond with Aviti,’ Wist said, completing the Lyrat’s thoughts for him. ‘No. I do not believe it. I cannot.’
Their bond, he thought to himself and then something occurred to him. He turned to Enceladus. ‘You need two of us to move this ship, right?’
The sentinel surprised him again by saying, ‘Yes.’
‘Does it have to be both of us?’ Enceladus did not answer, so he asked a different question. ‘Does it need to be Aviti and I?
Enceladus said, ‘No.’
Wist laughed aloud. ‘Can Tyla and I do it?’ Again, silence.
‘Do you want to try?’ he said to Tyla. Wist smiled when the Lyrat issued one of his customary shrugs. Enceladus walked to his place at the front of the ship and extended his arms just as he had before. Tyla walked with Wist and they took up positions on either side of the Intoli. Wist could hear faint, shuffling footsteps as Sevika approached.
Wist grasped the outstretched hands of Enceladus and, just as Tyla did the same, steam vented from the back of the Intoli’s scarred head. Wist jumped and released the hand. Then he laughed at himself and seized it once more.
Then Wist clutched Haumea’s staff in his hand, hoping that he could find the way to do this without Aviti there. The last time, it had been her that started the flow of magic. Now he would need to try.
Just before he opened himself to attempt moving the vessel, he caught sight of a tiny scar of imperfection on Enceladus’ head. It was right beside the tiger stripes that marred the back of his skull. A line of pure blackness now marred the sentinel. It seemed that he was not impervious to the Waren’s assault. But he could not spare time to worry about the state of the Intoli’s health. He filled his mind with thoughts of his past. He used memories of the happiest times of his life and within that was the key that he needed.
The Lyrat responded to the surge of magic that Wist sent to him through the Intoli. He was not as strong as Aviti, but he did not need to be, he just needed to help Wist, and as the magic returned they sent it outward and the ice cracked open once more.
10 - Beneath Black Skies
Tyla grimaced when Sevika pointed east. Wist felt uncomfortable seeing the Lyrat struggle. So many times, the Lyrat had shouldered his burdens, and Wist wished that he could spare the Lyrat this one, but Aviti needed rest.
The ship complained as it completed its manoeuvre, grinding its way through the frigid ocean. As the ship straightened, Wist’s connection with the magic broke and he saw Tyla doubled over, his breath billowing out of him whilst Wist’s breaths came deep and even.
He released Enceladus’ hands. Then the sentinel left them, returning below the decks. Sevika, however, did not follow her fellow Intoli.
Wist went to Tyla and placed an awkward hand on the Lyrat’s back. Tyla brought himself under control and straightened up, and then he turned and walked from the upper deck. As he went, he swayed as if the ship was afloat. Wist caught him by the arm and had to help him walk. When they reached the ladder down to the main deck, he shook off Wist’s hands.
As Wist descended to the mid-deck, Tyla disappeared below and Oinoir replaced him.
‘Decheal not with you?’ ask Wist.
‘Dionach?’ said the Giant, his face crumpled with puzzlement.
‘Never mind,’ said Wist.
The Giant shrugged and said ‘I felt the ship stop and brought some food.’
Wist accepted it eagerly and began to eat, despite the wooden bowl being far too large for him.
Then he moved to the wooden rail that marked the edge of the port side of the ship and balanced the bowl upon it. Taking mouthful after mouthful of the steaming broth, its heat spread within him, but it did not reach the fingers that gripped the bowl.
Wist noticed that Oinoir’s clothes were freshly worn at the knees. ‘What happened to you?’ he asked, indicating her garb.
‘Decheal and I have had to busy ourselves in the bottom of this vessel.’
‘How come?’
Wist’s question threw the Giant for a moment, but then he grabbed the meaning of it.
‘When the boat was set into motion again, the strain caused ruptures in its fabric.’
‘Ruptures?’ asked Wist, alarmed.
‘Small tears along the lines of its construction. Decheal and I affected a repair, but it also required us to bail out a substantial quantity of sea-water.’
‘So, is it fixed?’
‘Fixed?’ said the Giant as if the word was foreign to him. ‘It is mended for the time being and now we are at rest the water will freeze around us, so we will not sink.’
Sinking, Christ, he hadn’t thought of that. He looked at the dark wooden planks beneath his feet as he resumed eating. They would just have to hope that the ship would hold together.
Oinoir watched him as he finished the remainder of his food. As Wist passed the bowl back to him, the Giant said,’ Dionach, I fear that I cannot go on.’
‘Cannot go on...?’ repeated Wist dumbly.
The Giant turned from Wist and stared at the Black Sun as it set over the western horizon, though it was difficult to distinguish the sky from the ink-black water.
‘Everyone here has a role, a purpose. This far from my land, from my home, what is mine, Dionach? What is mine?’
Wist sighed and followed the Giant’s gaze out to sea. There should have been waves to look upon, but the sea was dead, captured in a motionless prison. ‘You must find your own way, my friend.’ he said.
‘I had my own way,’ snapped Oinoir. ‘I had it and the war took it from me; the war and this...darkness.’
‘I can’t solve your problems for you Oinoir,’ said Wist, before a sudden gust of wind pushed him back from the edge. Oinoir shouted something unintelligible into the air, and then he threw a bowl out to shatter on the surface of the sea. A huge crack like the pealing of thunder and a crimson flash followed and, at first, Wist thought that the Giant had damaged the side of the ship, but then he saw the surface of the sea tilt.
As he peered outwards, the Ghria Duh sank below the horizon and the moon brightened in response. The fresh light allowed Wist to see where the brea
k was in the ice. About two hundred yards from the ship, something had pushed its way through, leaving a huge slab besides the opening. The moonlight sparkled gaily on the dancing water.
An explosion of air and water made Wist start as the head of a white whale poked through the hole it had breached in the encrusted sea. Wist cheered at the sight of the creature and, as if startled by his call, it submerged itself. He took a breath to steady his pounding heart, but before he took another, the open section of water was alive.
One by one, creatures came to the airhole to breathe. Things that had been following the beluga whale fought for their chance to grab air before the bitter night sealed them in once more. There were none of these other large beasts that Wist recognised, until he saw a straight horn, about the length of a man, protruding from the head of one of the last to come up for air. A narwhal or something similar he thought. Sea-unicorns these things used to be called, back in his world, before magic had left it for good.
Then it too was gone and the only sound that remained was the distant ripple of the water and blowing of the wind. They were all doomed, all of those glorious creatures. Without air reaching the water the plankton would die and so would the fish, and with them gone the larger animals and predators fish would go too.
‘Unless we do something about it,’ he said aloud.
‘About what, my friend,’ said Haumea. Wist blinked as he saw the Giantess.
‘Where is Oinoir? He was here a moment ago.’
‘I do not know. I came up here to find you watching the spectacle.’ She pointed her hand out to the sea. The sound of the waves faded until only the breeze remained for company. Haumea stamped her feet and muttered to herself.
Wist reached out and touched the Giantess’ staff, and as he did, he noticed the similarity between the staff and the narwhal horn, not in the shape - as the staff was thicker and more uniform - but in the material it was made from. To his surprise, he could feel its smoothness. It was the first thing he’d been able to feel since his reawakening.
He stared at Haumea until she became aware of him, forcing him to turn his head. The Giantess laughed at his awkwardness.
Putting his hand up his sleeve, Wist picked at a scab that irritated his skin. As he scratched the rough lump, it came away, along with some of his hair and a long thin strip of skin.
He jerked his hand out and, with his heart thumping, he held the specimen out. He examined it in the moonlight, ignoring Haumea. Then he let the breeze blow it away and the strip of dragon’s blood was carried off into the darkness.
‘You are going to be exhausted if you keep trying to guide this boat,’ said Haumea.
‘I’m fine,’ said Wist dismissing her concerns.
‘You cannot go on indefinitely Dionach, elsewise I shall be unable to repay the debt I owe you.’
Wist smiled at the Giantess. ‘I am fine,’ he repeated. ‘I’m just glad to be of use at last.’
‘Do you think that I could help?’ asked Haumea in a diminutive voice.
‘I don’t think so,’ he replied.
Haumea could not hide the disappointment from her face. ‘I thought that, as Tyla had stood in for Aviti, perhaps I could have taken your place.’
‘No,’ said Wist. ‘No. It’s something that I need to do.’
Haumea assessed him for a few seconds then tore her gaze away. ‘Do not confuse sacrifice with service, Dionach.’
‘I’m confused most of the time,’ he joked.
Haumea just shrugged and looked back out to the ragged ocean. ‘A frozen sea, Dionach,’ she said grinning at him. ‘Who could have believed such a wonder could exist.’
‘You sound just like...’Wist began, but he couldn’t finish his thought.
Haumea exhaled a massive plume of steam from beneath her fur-lined hood. ‘Like Nikka?’ she said.
Wist nodded.
‘Yes, I was thinking of him. When I tended the land in the south, I always worked alone, devouring the vast bounty that the World has to offer without companionship. When Nikka and I left you at the mouth of those caves, I was too distracted to care about such trifles as beauty and friendship, but I yearn for a friend now. For who knows how long we have left? Even with the fate of all things in the balance, there must be time for such precious things? Can a world that does not permit this be worthy of saving Dionach?’
‘I don’t know Haumea. I don’t know.’
She put a gloved hand on Wist’s shoulder. ‘Take some rest, I will awaken you when Aviti is ready.’
With nothing left to look at but the sky or the ice, he decided to go and lie in one of the hammocks below deck. He lay motionless staring at the wooden ceiling, which was lit by Enceladus’ ethereal light. The sentinel must have taken to the bottom deck of the ship, as the light poured through the open cargo hatches once more. The ones that would allow access to the upper deck must have been sealed.
Lying there, in the half-light, the ship was lifeless. There were occasional creaks and groans as the mass of ice shifted beneath them, but there was no gentle sway from the tide, nor any swell of the ocean. It was as if they had been cut from time.
It had been that way when they had encountered Enceladus for the first time. When they had stood at the side of the lake and it had frozen over, he was sure that time had stopped. Hadn’t Enceladus bowed to Aviti? It seemed like so long ago now.
Something else occurred to him now, which had been odd at the time. When Enceladus had guided them to the side of the lake and granted each of them a vision, he had walked beside them all. All of them, apart from himself and Aviti. He had walked behind Enceladus, and Aviti... Aviti had walked before the Intoli.
Intoli. He found it hard to think of Enceladus as Ravan, the prodigal Intoli, returned too late to save his kin, but he could not deny the truth of it. He was too similar to Sevika to be anything other than Intoli.
Aviti and Haumea appeared beside him then and together they climbed back to the top deck once more. A few moments later, Enceladus joined them. Wist heard shouts from below as the Giants also prepared themselves. He pushed them from his mind, and then grabbed the hand that the Intoli offered to him.
The power flowed at once and, in moments, the ship was underway again. There was none of the stress and strain that there had been with Tyla. This time Wist could sense Aviti’s fatigue, but beneath it was an awesome wellspring of power. Wist let his mind drift as the ship pushed its way north.
The Ghria Duh completed its passage above them again as they ploughed their way towards Prasad. When it set, Aviti released her grip and Tyla stood ready to take her place, but Wist needed to eat first.
In the kitchen. Haumea shoved another fresh, steaming bowl of stew into Wist’s hands, which he devoured. The Giants joined them as he ate, and as soon as he was done, Oinoir said, ‘We must reach this damned Prasad soon. This ship will not take much more punishment.’
The superficial layer of dirt that marked the Giants angular features was streaked with sweat lines. The Giant had discarded gloves and cloak, and steam plumed from him into the night.
‘How far, Sevika?’ asked Wist. When the Intoli did not answer, Aviti said something in that hissing, sibilant tongue. A similar noise came from behind him and then Aviti said, ‘Perhaps, one more night. She said she can sense her homeland.’
‘I can manage a few hours,’ said Tyla, ‘but no more.’ Wist was shocked to hear the Lyrat admit his limits.
Wist exhaled once more and thought. If they could just get close enough to the shore. ‘Haumea,’ he said, ‘bring all our supplies, all our equipment, anything we can salvage and bring it up here.’
‘Oinoir, Decheal,’ he continued, addressing the Giants.
‘Dionach?’ Decheal responded.
‘Are you able to keep us afloat for a while?’
Decheal laughed and said ‘Yes, and whilst I am unoccupied I shall fashion us some wings from the bones of this vessel. Blood and bone, indeed.’
Wist ignored the sarcasm
and looked to Oinoir. When he nodded, Wist said, ‘You need to be ready to abandon your efforts when it is clear that it will not hold. Then join us here.’
Aviti began to speak, but Wist cut her off. ‘Trust me. This will work,’ he said and hoped that he was right.
Before the Giants scuttled off to their duties, Wist told them to put on their ice spikes that Aviti and Haumea had fashioned. Haumea returned shortly with the spikes and he and his companions strapped them on once more. Then Haumea left them.
Wist stood and pointed to the spot he wished Tyla and Aviti to stand on and then he took his position on Enceladus’ right hand.
‘Are you ready?’ he asked the others. They nodded and held hands. Then Wist and Aviti grabbed Enceladus and the chain was complete. The magic flowed immediately and Aviti pushed it outwards with him. A tear in the frozen surface opened in front of them and black water rushed to fill the void. Then the ship lurched forward into the breach. He heard shouts from below as the ship bucked, trying to find a new point of balance.
With three of them linked through the Intoli, the power that they could use was so much greater, as if each link in the chain amplified the flowing magic, multiplying the energy available for moving this vessel. Wist hoped that it might help to keep the ship together and relieve some of the burden from the Giants.
As they sped along, Wist heard Haumea appear behind them, dropping bags on the deck. The clang of metal and the thump of provisions, punctuated the howl of the wind that swirled around them.
Bits of ice, thrown up by the ship’s passage, peppered his face. It must be agony for Aviti and Tyla, Wist thought, but it made little impression on him. There was nothing there but a dull ache in his hands and a vague sense of cold.
Wist battered the ship onwards, pushing the vessel to the limits of its endurance and beyond. On and on it went. It was so difficult to gauge time when there were no points of reference for them, just endless black ice.
Then, for a time, stars penetrated the clouds. Wist should have been too busy concentrating on the task, but he found he could partition his mind, separate the part that was needed to focus on the ship from the rest of his consciousness. That way he could let himself drift, gaze into infinity, whilst he guided the vessel onwards.
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