by J Battle
‘Doesn’t matter none to me, that he didn’t go where I sent him,’ she sighed. ‘He’ll have his reasons, I reckon.’
She drew on her pipe and closed her eyes for a moment. She had more important concerns than the crawlord. She’d set Lady Alice to confront the boy, and mayhap that would work, for the girl seemed capable, if still young. But what form success would take she could not see. Once she took action, then the visions failed her, and she could never see clearly the consequences.
If the boy calmed and learned to control the Magic he possessed, then that could be good. But men were weak, and he was so young and eager. He’d want to do this and do that, and if anyone tried to stop him, would he hurt them?
‘Ay, now. There’s the question.’ She put the pipe down on the table for the taste had grown sour. At the same time, she put the boy to one side also, for that deed was done and would play out how it would, and there would be woe aplenty. She didn’t need visions to see that.
There was something else, though, that preyed on her mind. The power the boy possessed had blinded her at first, and overwhelmed her senses. But now, she could see past him, for there was another. Not like the boy, blazing with power as an earth-bound sun. No, this one was more subtle, harder to see. But he was there nonetheless.
She couldn’t see his face or hear his voice, but she saw his size; he was a big man, she sensed.
‘What is this now?’ she said, flicking her eyes open for a moment before letting them close again. ‘I don’t need any more worries.’ But, when she thought of the man, she saw flame, and when she thought of Fairisle, she saw flame. Did that mean anything? Or was she just a foolish old woman with nothing better to do than see danger and connections where there was nothing to see?
She drained her tankard and packed her pipe into her bag. She glanced at the over-sized party taking up far too much room, but no-one seemed to notice her as she left the tavern.
Outside, she took a moment to admire the tall wall of mist that hid Misthaven from the world.
With a sigh, she began to walk up Main Street, towards the reservoir.
‘Will I be getting my feet wet?’ She thought, as she walked.
‘If I’m going to find him, I’ll need to walk for days, I reckon,’ she said, as she approached the steps, ‘through Misthaven, and then across the shoulder of God’s Saddle.’ She shivered at the thought.
‘I should have brought warmer clothes, and better boots. Mayhap the lady will help me out there, for I reckon she’ll have spare clothes, and very fine they’ll be, and mayhap a good set of walking boots to go along with them.’
**********
Elstar was sitting on a sturdy chair, and the Giants were on the floor, so his eyes were on the same level as theirs.
‘What are you plans, then?’ he asked, by way of making conversation.
‘Well, I reckon I’ll be drinking ale, for a while,’ said Aarvarn. ‘That be my plan.’
‘And I’ll be keeping him company, I reckon.’
Elstar nodded, as if he was at all interested in their words.
As they talked and drank, and drank some more, he made one or two comments to feign interest, but he’d noticed her as soon as he entered the tavern, sitting in a far corner.
He’d smiled when he saw her pull her hood over to shield her face.
‘Too late, my dear. Too late, indeed,’ he thought, as he took the tiniest sip of his foul ale.
‘The lady says we’re to go when we’ve finished here,’ said Aarvarn, with a glum expression on his ruddy face, as he checked all three of his tankards to be sure that they really were empty.
‘Then I bid you fair thee well, and mayhap we’ll meet in better times.’ Elstar gathered his whitefox cloak about him and set off to follow the young woman who’d told him to go to Fairisle to follow the Stone.
He paused in the doorway for a second, as she was standing just outside.
When she moved off, he gave her a moment before he followed. His plan was to follow her and discover what he could of her, for he didn’t believe that seeing her twice was a coincidence.
That was his plan, but it all fell away when he followed her around the curve of the street and the reservoir came into view. He lifted his gaze and froze as he saw the great white wall of mist that hovered above the black stone walls.
‘Oh...!’ He gasped, lifting one bony hand as if reaching for the mist. ‘It’s back. The Magic is back, and this time it must be mine.’
Chapter 10 Tom
‘What will we do? There has to be something!’ Tom knelt by Sam’s inert body. His hands hovered over him, but he couldn’t bring himself to touch his friend.
‘Well now, I think all we can do is take him somewhere he can be comfortable and warm.’ As she spoke, she unfastened her cloak and draped it over Sam.
‘He ain’t dead, is he? He can’t be dead. Not just like that.’
Alice leaned close to Sam, her face bare inches from his.
‘He breathes still, I think,’ she said, pulling back from him. ‘We must… we must do something to help him, Tom. We’ll take him to…see over there, along the road? That’s Frenk’s cottage and he’s a big man, he’ll be able to carry Sam for sure. Run off and fetch him.’
Tom leapt to his feet, but he didn’t move away.
‘That won’t be enough, Lady, I don’t reckon. He’ll need more than warmth and comfort, I reckon.’
‘When he’s settled, we can send down to Hesselton for a soothnurse, who will know what is to be done.’
Tom looked down at his friend, still and pale, his broad face so peaceful. He shook his head. ‘He’ll need more than creams and moss and whatnot, he will.’
‘We do what we can, Tom. We can’t do more.’
‘I…’ Tom ran from Sam and the Lady, along the road to Frenk’s house.
The house was empty, but he saw the big man working in a field further along the road.
‘Mr Frenk, you have to come!’ he yelled, as he raced across the carefully tended field.
‘What’s that? Tom ain’t it? What you all shouting about?’
‘It’s Sam, Mr Frenk. He’s sorely hurt, he is, and we can’t pick him up, ‘cause he’s too heavy. He’s too big. He was always too big.’
Frenk dropped his hoe and picked up his cap. ‘Come on then, no time for all this chatter.’
Moments later, they had Sam settled in Frenk’s bed, all wrapped up in blankets, with an old cloak added for good measure.
‘You be off now, Tom,’ said Alice, with a little smile. ‘We’ll look after him for you. Go and fetch the soothnurse, and you might be surprised at what she can do.’
Tom put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, on top of the layers of material.
‘Just like him to take a nap when something wants doing,’ he said, softly, before he turned and left the room.
On the road, he didn’t look back as he rushed along the empty road.
Hesselton was his destination, but he wouldn’t be looking for a soothnurse.
‘There’s nothing a soothnurse can do for him, and that’s for sure. Don’t matter what the Lady says with her nice voice and soft words. It won’t do at all. It were Magic that hurt him, and nothing but Magic will make him better.’
The words ran through his mind just as quickly as his legs ran along the road.
‘There’s only one place left to find Magic, if the old bloke has still got it in him.’
An hour later he was knocking on the old mage’s door. His first knocks were quiet, as if he didn’t want to disturb the old man, but he soon realised how silly he was being and gave the warped wooden door a fair bang with his knuckles.
There was no response, although he thought mayhap he’d hear a grunt or a groan.
‘He must mean ‘Come inside, lad,’ I reckon,’ said Tom, with a quick nod as he pushed the door open.
‘Mr Mage, it’s Tom here, and sorry to disturb, I am, for sure, but it’s urgent business I’m on, and that’s the truth
, Mr Mage.’
The room was just as it had been last time he visited the old mage, but he was nowhere to be seen.
‘He must still be in his bed,’ said Tom, as he walked towards the bedroom door, ‘and the sun is already past its highest climb.’
He stopped at the door and his eyes scanned the thin body on the bed, hardly lifting the blankets from the bed.
‘Mr Mage...’
The small grey head turned his way and Evens made a weak attempt at a smile.
‘It’s Tom, Mr Mage. You remember me, don’t you?’
‘Ay, lad. I do. You’re the one who likes to talk.’
‘Ah now, Mr Mage. You’re not the first to say that, and I don’t reckon you’ll be the last.’
Evens turned his head and closed his eyes.
‘Mr Mage, we need your help, we do. Poor Sam, he’s got himself all hurt, he has, and he’s lying cold and still on a bed, up in Frenk’s cottage, and Lady Alice, she said to get a soothnurse for him, but I reckon it was Magic what did it to him, so only Magic will fix him right. I’m right, there Mr Mage, ain’t I?’
‘There’s no...’ He stopped and covered his mouth with one blue veined hand as his body was wracked by coughs.
‘Can I get you a drink?’ offered Tom
Evens shook his head as the coughing subsided.
‘Nay, lad. There’s no Magic to be had here, lad. Not today, and not ever.’ He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and Tom saw the red flash of blood as he pulled his arm away.
‘But... he needs you, Mr Mage. You remember Sam. He don’t deserve this, he don’t. We have to help him, and only Magic will do.’
Evens sighed, and Tom thought he would never stop exhaling.
‘Then...take...the Stone to him.’
‘To him? Will that work? He’s not awake or anything, so he can’t say the words, like.’
Evens waved a frail hand towards the corner of the room.
‘Take it now, and I will never see it again. The burden is too much for a weak old man.’
‘Can you not make yourself better? You know with the Magic?’
Evens eyes stared at Tom’s for a long moment before he grunted, ‘Why would I want to do such a thing, boy? When I’ve already had my fill of…this.’
Tom picked up the mage’s bag and threw the strap over his shoulder.
‘Remember, Tom,’ said Evens, his eyes fixed on the bag. ‘The Stone is awakened now, and eager. It did not respond to your touch before, because it was dormant, but it will burn you now. Be careful not to touch it, or you will suffer.’
‘Right, Mr Mage. I understand. Before I go, is there anything I can do for you?’
‘Go, lad, and see what can be done for young Sam. There’s nothing you can do for me. I’ve seen a hundred years, lad. Did I tell you that? A hundred years; that’s enough for any man, I reckon. It’d be greedy to ask for more. Enough’s enough for all that.’
Tom wanted to say something before he left, to show that he cared, but, for once, no words came to him, so he slipped away, certain that he would not see the old man alive again.
Chapter 11 Gorge
He was kneeling in a small clearing in the centre of the old wood, unsure of how he came to be there.
One moment he was floating above the others, feeling as though the world belonged to him, the next, he was here.
There was smoke and flames bursting from the nearest trees, and the air was filled with the sound of crackling and the scent of burning wood.
With a hardly considered gesture he extinguished the flames and caused a light breeze to carry the smoke away.
Standing up, he stretched out his arms, now so long. He took a step across the clearing and turned, taking in the trees and the bushes and the insects hidden from the view of normal creatures. He could see the tiniest creature burrowing in the leaves. Hear the slightest rustle as they moved through the grass.
‘Why am I...?’ He could not phrase the question; not yet. He’d thought he’d be different when he achieved his power, and of course he was; he was 10 feet tall for one thing, and he could put out fires with a thought, and he could fly, and he’d brought back the mistwall.
So, what was wrong?
It was Lady Alice, and Tom. They should have been as happy as he was that he was bringing Magic back to the valley. Sam had been pleased to see him, and he’d seen what Gorge could do to help.
But, the Lady and Tom, they’d looked at him with hard, cold eyes and used harsh words.
That was the answer to his question. That was why he felt so sad. Didn’t they understand what he’d had to do get the Magic? The sacrifices, the pain he’d endured? And now they say ‘Don’t do this, and be wary of that.’
He shook his head and shrank back to his normal size. It felt somehow more comfortable.
‘They’ll see,’ he muttered, ‘because I’ll show them, I will. And then they’ll be sorry, they will.’
‘Talking to oneself is said to be the second sign of madness.’
Gorge looked up at the tall gaunt figure in the shadows. For a second he forgot that he had no need to fear anyone.
Elstar walked a little closer, his brilliant blue eyes seeming to glow in the dim light.
‘I...’ Gorge’s hands lit up as a whirlwind of light encased each one. ‘Be careful,’ he warned.
‘No need for that, human. I’ll stay over here and you can stay there, and we’ll have a friendly little chat.’
Gorge found it hard to pull his eyes away from those of the crawlord.
‘You didn’t ask the question.’ Elstar smiled as if he was having lots of fun.
‘What question?’
‘If talking to oneself is the second sign of madness, what is the first sign, of course?’
‘Oh.’
‘Well, are you going to ask or not?’
Gorge allowed the Magic to dissipate as he felt suddenly more relaxed.
‘What is the first sign of madness?’
‘Why, listening to oneself, of course.’
‘But...that don’t make no sense.’
Elstar laughed and took a step closer to the boy.
‘Of course, and therein lies the madness.’
‘That’s just stuff and nonsense.’
‘Ah now, young human, you may be right there. Now, let me ask you a question, as we are getting along famously.’
Gorge frowned; the crawlord was only a couple of yards from him now. How had he got so close?
‘Will you show it to me? Just a peek. I won’t touch it of course, but you could let me see.’
‘See what?’
The smile slipped from Elstar’s face, only to be replaced by a scowl.
‘Don’t mess with me, boy. I know you have the Stone. I can feel it calling to me.’ There was sudden awe in his voice, and he moved even closer, his hands lifted.
‘It’s not the Stone. It’s you! How can that be?’
He grabbed Gorge by the arms and pulled him to him, chest against chest. He released the boy’s arms and wrapped his own arms around the boy in a bone-crushing hug.
For a second he held him there, then he was thrown away, like a twig blowing in the wind.
Laughing, he tumbled across the clearing and was caught in the grasp of the far trees.
Gorge remained still on the opposite side of the clearing, his shoulders hunched as if he’d just felt something disgusting crawl across his skin.
There was a rustle and a chuckle from within the trees, and then Elstar strolled back into view. His whitefox fur cloak was thrown back over his broad, muscular shoulders and the smooth skin of his tanned face broke into a relaxed smile beneath his glorious blue eyes.
He lifted his hands and he laughed at the strong firm flesh, almost glowing with vitality.
‘Kneel boy, and honour the renewal of the Elvenfolk, and know that you are in the presence of the new Elflord.’
Despite himself, Gorge fell to his knees.
Chapter 12 Tangleweed
‘You’ll have your men carry our bags and possessions ashore,’ said Broarlord Shenti, in a languid tone that suggested there was no doubt at all in his mind.
Captain Harrb looked down on the gaunt creature from his place at the wheel, with his pipe jammed into the corner of his mouth and his cap somewhat askew.
‘Now, there’s the thing,’ he said, slowly, as he turned the wheel no more than an inch.
Shenti had been about to turn away, with his order given and surely not subject to further discussion.
He paused and cast a sharp eye up at the human.
‘Speak clearly man,’ he snapped.
‘We’ll not be going ashore, my Lord…’
‘What!’
‘No need to get all harsh and snappy there, if I can beg your pardon for my clear words, Broarlord, but you did say I should speak clearly.’
Shenti said nothing further, but he did raise one hand and make a quite impressive fist.
Harrb took a close look and decided that more in the way of explanation was due.
‘We’re not stepping on land here, ‘cause it ain’t right. Something’s wrong here, you can smell it on the air. When you go into the town there, you won’t find anyone there, you won’t. ‘Cause they’ve gone, off into the mountain, or mayhap they’ve sailed over to the mainland, where you started from, and it were wiser to stay, if you ask me, ‘though no-one thought to ask.’
‘You think there is something there to be afeared of?’
Harrb smiled a tight grim smile around his pipe. ‘I be sailing this ship for nigh on 40 years, I have, and I’ve seen the worst the sea can offer, and I ain’t been afraid, because it’s all been natural, it’s the way of the world if you like, and you should be wary of course, but there ain’t no need to be scared.’
He nodded in the direction of the island just a few hundred yards from their ship. ‘But that ain’t natural and it ain’t right, and a man who ain’t afeared, well, his ma, she raised a fool.’