CHAPTER TWELVE
Gifts Come in All Shapes and Sizes
Buzz dropped the anvil with a clang. “Whoa!” he breathed. “I literally have superhuman strength.”
“Supergod strength,” Ayiyi corrected him.
Mary was looking at her belt again. She was scowling.
“Gifts come in all shapes and sizes,” the spider reminded her.
“Maybe I don’t want this gift,” Mary murmured. “Maybe I don’t want to be enhanced or changed. Maybe magic isn’t always the answer.” She crossed her arms. “We just wanted to borrow his horses.”
Buzz bit the inside of his cheek. Why is she trying to ruin it? What if Gu makes me give the armlets back? They’re mine.
The god of iron looked at Mary for a good while, his face impassive, and then he began to chuckle. “You dislike magic. You distrust it. But it is a part of you, and from that there is no escape.” He pointed at the belt. “You and that belt are going to get on well. It’s made of strong stuff, just like you.” Gu lifted the anvil and moved it so it sat in the middle of the room once more. “And you may have come for horses—and by all means, have them—but your true destiny, your true story, brought you to me for a purpose, and I have fulfilled it.” He placed a hand on the smooth top of the metal block and closed his eyes. “In the days that have passed, heroes would come to me and make an oath of loyalty right over this very anvil. In return I would help them on their quests. It is the way it should be between gods and mortals.”
“But we’ve made no oath of loyalty to you,” Mary said.
“Are you sure?” Gu questioned. “You both put your hands on the anvil. That is oath enough for me.”
“That’s sneaky!” Mary exclaimed. “You tricked us.”
“I’m no trickster.” Gu sounded genuinely offended. “But you’re right to be wary of them.”
Buzz’s gaze met Mary’s as she glanced over at him. They knew far too much about tricksters. The Norse trickster god, Loki, had ended up helping them with their quest for the Runes of Valhalla, but that didn’t exactly make him a friend, and certainly not someone they could ever trust.
“Eh, come children.” Ayiyi’s voice was waspish. He suddenly seemed impatient to leave.
“Yes, you have the Keeper of Myths to find, after all,” Gu said softly. He handed them two beautifully made saddles, which creaked with newness, and some reins. “Take the two horses closest to the hut, the gray and the sandy-colored one. They will look after you.”
“Thank you,” Buzz said, “for everything.”
“You may not thank me in the future,” Gu said. “The armlets are not without cost. Try not to overuse them, or you will feel it. Do not become too dependent on them, for they will only work in this realm.” Gu took a step back. “Remember, both of you, your gifts are iron. Too much exposure will make you hard.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Ayiyi scuttled out of the hut and over to the two horses that Gu had described. Buzz and Mary followed straight behind. The horses gave a whinny of fear as Ayiyi came close. The spider tutted and crossed his two front legs. “Fool horses. What have they got to fear from a little old spider like me?”
“You’re not exactly little,” Buzz said. “But these horses are. They look more like Shetland ponies than horses.”
“They’re lovely.” Mary held out a hand, and the sandy-colored horse came over to nuzzle it.
Buzz threw the saddles over the ponies and began to fasten them, one after the other. “Ayiyi, you can ride with me.”
Mary was grinning as she watched him get the horses ready. “You ride? How did I not know that?”
Buzz shrugged. “There are some stables just up the road from me.” He placed the bridle over the gray horse’s head. “I actually used to ride quite a lot, but when Mum went missing I stopped.”
“Why didn’t you start again when she came home?” Mary was staring at him hard.
Buzz shrugged a shoulder, hating the feeling that he was under a microscope. “I don’t know. Somehow, it just didn’t feel like it mattered that much anymore.” He attached the second bridle. “How about you? Had lessons?”
“Just one,” Mary revealed. “Did it in Central Park.” She frowned as she looked at the sandy-colored horse, who was still nuzzling her hand. “I’m not sure that’s going to cut it.”
The horse lifted his head. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
Mary dropped her hand like she’d been burnt. “You talk!”
The horse blew a forelock of hair out of his eye. “Yeah. When I can be bothered.” The horse nodded his head over to the gray pony. “She doesn’t talk at all. I’m Skip and she’s Dora.”
“Nice to meet you.” Mary rubbed the horse under his chin. “I’m Mary, and this is Buzz.”
“And Ayiyi,” the spider chipped in.
“We’re trying to find the Keeper of Myths,” Mary continued. “Any chance you know the way?”
Skip nodded. “I can help you find the wisdom path for sure, but we won’t go beyond it. Not safe for horses. Not safe for mortals.” He glanced at the spider. “He’ll probably be okay.”
Buzz stared at the sky. The sun was dipping lower on the horizon. “Will we get to the end of the wisdom path today?” he asked.
Skip shook his shaggy head. “No, we need to ride for a good few hours. We’ll leave tomorrow at first light.”
“We can’t wait,” Buzz insisted.
The horse gave a nicker of protest. “We only have five moons here, you know. And we’re horses, not owls or strix. How do you expect us to see in the dark?”
“Five moons,” Buzz repeated.
“Obviously,” Ayiyi said. “There are many moon gods and goddesses who have ended up in the Forsaken Territories. Now forgotten, they’ve surrendered their human form.”
“Right,” Buzz said. He wondered what other gods might have lost themselves in this place.
“Wait,” Mary said. “We can use the flashlight on my watch. I can put it on its floodlight setting.”
“Floodlight,” Skip repeated. “What’s flood water got to do with light?” The horse gave another nervous-sounding nicker. “Mixing them sounds dangerous.”
Mary laughed. “It’s got nothing to do with mixing light and water,” she said. “Look. It’ll be easier to show you.” She flicked a button on her watch and a beam of light shot out from it. In the deep amber glow of dusk, it illuminated the path ahead.
“Wow,” Skip’s eyes had become large. “That’s powerful magic, but it’s still a bad idea to ride at night.” His ears were stiff and twitching. “All kinds come out at night.”
The other horse gave nicker of agreement.
“We’re going.” Buzz wasn’t about to back down.
Skip sighed and tossed his head. “Fine, we’ll go with you, but only because Gu said. First sniff of trouble and we’re out of there. Right, Dora?”
Another nicker of agreement.
“Like I said, she’s not much of a talker,” Skip explained. “But I can tell you she’s not happy.”
The two horses set off into the valley. Buzz and Ayiyi rode on Dora, and Mary on Skip. From high up on his horse, Buzz could see more deep grooves, lined with chalk, cut into the ground. He squinted and tilted his head, and realized that the chalky grooves formed a giant figure—a giant naked figure—that had been carved into the landscape. Buzz sniggered, imagining what Sam and Theo would say if they were here.
They rode on, and the steady movement of the horse beneath him brought with it memories of past riding lessons. The stocky pony was different from the taller horses Buzz had ridden back home in Crowmarsh, but Dora had a calmness that he liked. She reminded him of his old horse Cody. Dora had gray in her mane and looked older than Cody and Skip, but Buzz could still feel strong muscles moving under her shaggy coat.
Buzz suddenly realized how much he missed riding. Before his quest to find the Runes of Valhalla, playing soccer, hanging out with Sam, and going to the stables had been the stuff h
e’d looked forward to.
But it hadn’t been enough. Not after the quest.
Homesickness swamped him. He wanted Sam back, and for his mum to not be scared of El Tunchi anymore. He wanted his dad to return from his mysterious mission, and he wanted to know that Theo was safe.
The hours of twilight were far behind them now. Ayiyi filled the silence with story after story. Song after song. And still they rode, winding up the mountain path. The five moons gave off an eerie glow, and as Mary’s light cut a path across the dark hillside Buzz noticed yet more white chalk and deep grooves cut into the ground to form another large figure.
“Look! It’s a naked giant,” Buzz called over to Mary. “I bet he’s cold.”
“You should not mock,” Ayiyi rebuked. “The giants in these hills are ancient deities. Just because they are forgotten does not mean they should be disrespected.”
Dora gave a nicker of agreement.
“I just said they should put some clothes on,” Buzz protested as they trotted into a gorge. “It was a joke.”
“Well, it’s not funny,” Ayiyi said. “You never know who is listening.”
“Ouch!” Mary exclaimed from up ahead.
“What is it?” Buzz asked.
Skip had stopped, and Mary turned in her seat, clutching at her cheek. “I just got hit by a piece of rock. Not sure where it came from.”
There was a whistling sound as a lump of rock shot past Buzz’s ear. He looked up, scanning the top of the rocky gorge. The moonlight revealed a hunched-over figure that almost looked like it was part of the landscape. “Up there,” he shouted, pointing. “There’s someone up there throwing rocks.”
Mary aimed her watch at the top of the gorge. In the beam of light, there was a flash of green moss; a wide, staring eye; and hands the size of dinner plates.
“Oh brother, we’re under attack,” Ayiyi shouted. There was a creaking sound and then a rumble as a boulder began to thunder down the hillside.
“From who?” Buzz asked.
“A giant.” Ayiyi sounded grim. “I told you not to insult them. More will be coming, and we’re stuck in this gorge. We need to ride.”
“Oh no!” Skip wailed. “We’re gonna be squished by a boulder. Like, completely flattened.”
Dora’s tail was up high and swishing backward and forward furiously. “Quit grumbling and get moving,” she commanded. “We go forward. And we don’t stop.”
Skip’s ears pricked up. “No way! You actually speak,” he said. “I can’t believe it. After all these years.”
“Just go,” Buzz, Mary, Ayiyi, and Dora said as one.
Skip sprang forward with a fierce whinny, his shaggy, messy mane flying out behind him. “Here we go,” the horse cried. “Hold on tight!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Everybody’s Story Ends
Buzz hunched over Dora, his heels pressing into her flanks as she galloped after Skip.
More rocks slashed down at them. Small and large missiles ricocheted off the sides of the gorge, but by now Skip had found his stride and the younger horse was pulling away.
“Buzz! Come on!” Mary cried over her shoulder.
“We’re coming. Just don’t slow down,” Buzz yelled back. “Come on, Dora. Stay with them.”
“I’m trying, boy rider.” The pony’s voice came out as a pant. “I’m no spring chicken, you know.”
Buzz laughed despite himself. “That’s lucky. I’d be in real deep water if I were riding a chicken.”
“Well, you’ve got an old nag instead.” Dora sounded mournful. “I don’t think that’s much better.”
Buzz patted the horse’s neck. “Not old. Experienced.”
“What? Me?” Dora sounded unconvinced.
“Yes, and wise,” Buzz added. “The wisest and cleverest of horses I’ve ever met.” Not that I’ve actually had a conversation with another horse before, he confessed silently. But Dora did actually seem pretty smart.
“And the wisest will always find a way,” Ayiyi added helpfully.
“Exactly,” Buzz said. “Dora the wise, I just need you to ride like you never have before. Think you can do that?”
Dora dropped her head. “Boy rider, I will do my very best.”
She sprang forward, her hooves sending up a shower of gravel.
“That’s it, Dora.” Buzz leaned right over the pony’s body, making them as streamlined as possible. “Go, go, go!”
Dora lengthened her stride, and Buzz felt the wind lash his face as he clung on, holding tightly to the horse’s neck.
From up above, he heard another creak, followed by an even louder rumbling. Looking up, he saw two massive boulders rolling down the side of the gorge.
Dora threw her head back; the whites of her eyes were showing and flecks of froth dotted her muzzle. “We won’t make it past them. I’m too slow.”
“Don’t stop,” Buzz cried. “Don’t stop.”
Dora galloped even faster along the causeway, the chasm becoming narrower and narrower as they rode. Buzz heard one boulder smash onto the path behind them. And then the second one landed. Looking over his shoulder, Buzz saw this boulder bounce once and then spin out toward them. He jerked his body left and Dora did the same. Buzz cried out as his left thigh was dragged across the wall of the narrowing gorge.
“Eh, brother, be careful. I almost lost some legs,” Ayiyi complained from behind them.
Dora’s step faltered, as farther along the gorge another boulder began rolling down the hillside. It landed just a few meters in front of them, and Dora reared up onto her hind legs, her front hooves flailing.
“Easy, easy.” Buzz gripped tightly with his legs as he tried to stay in the saddle. With a whinny, Dora’s hooves came back to earth, and she came to a weary stop.
Buzz adjusted his position in the saddle and tried to ignore the pain in his leg. He could no longer see Mary and Skip. The way ahead was completely blocked by the boulder that was wedged between the two walls of the gorge.
They got away, Buzz thought. Wish the same was true of us. The giants had them trapped. No way forward and no way back.
“Sorry, boy rider,” Dora wheezed. “I tried, I really tried. I hope you know that.”
Buzz ruffled her mane. “You were amazing.”
In the distance he heard the thump of heavy footsteps.
“They’re coming.” Ayiyi sounded resigned. “The giants are coming.”
Buzz swallowed. Three hulking figures. Three naked, hulking figures made of moss and grass were silhouetted against the moonlit sky. They’d left their boulders and were lumbering down into the chasm. The earth shuddered with each step.
Why, oh, why did I mock them? Buzz thought. His mouth went dry, and he realized he was making a strange wheezing sound.
“Calm yourself,” Ayiyi said. “Hope is the power to see light even in the darkness. Hope is the power to find an answer when there appears to be none.”
“So be it. I hope Skip is okay, wherever he is.” Dora pawed at the ground, creating a cloud of dust. “And his girl rider.”
Buzz looked over his shoulder at the spider. “What are the giants going to do to us?”
Ayiyi shrugged. “Grab us, crush us. Turn our bones to dust.” The spider laughed. “Not that I have any bones. Not like yours, anyway.”
“I can’t believe you’re laughing about this.” Buzz ground his teeth. “That’s not very hopeful.”
The spider shrugged. “Everybody’s time comes. Everybody’s story ends.”
“Not mine,” Buzz said. “Not yet.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Ayiyi’s head was tilted to one side.
“I DON’T KNOW!” Buzz’s voice was loud in the chasm. “Can’t you do something?” The ground continued to tremble as the giants got closer.
“I’m just a spider. What happens next is in your hands.”
Buzz stared down at his lap, willing an answer to come into his head. The iron armlets caught his gaze.
&nb
sp; Of course, he thought. I’ll move the boulder. Just like I did with that anvil. He swiftly dismounted and placed his hand on the rock. It was rough beneath his palm, and cold.
“Think you can budge it?” Ayiyi sounded intrigued.
“I don’t see why not,” Buzz replied. The thundering footsteps were getting closer now. “I should have thought of it before.”
Both of his hands were on the boulder now. Shift.
Buzz could feel the warmth of the armlets on his wrists. They were lending him their power.
But the boulder would not move.
Come on! Shift. Buzz pushed again, and the armlets heated up even more, the metal searing his skin. The pain brought tears to his eyes. But still the boulder did not move.
“It’s no good, boy rider,” Dora said. “You can’t move mountains. That boulder is forever wedged there and you are hurting yourself. I see it in your face.”
“See it? I can actually smell your pain,” Ayiyi commented. “Smells a bit like bacon. Those armlets getting too hot for you?”
“No,” Buzz shot back, but the truth was, his wrists were in agony.
“The answer is not always strength.” Ayiyi almost looked bored, sitting there on the horse. “A great warrior needs more than one strategy.”
Buzz stopped pushing, more because of the pain in his wrists than because of what Ayiyi had said. The armlets cooled down immediately and soothed the burns they had created. He stared at the boulder. It rose up before him, so high he had to tip his head back to see the top of it. Now that the pain in his wrists was fading, he could think. Okay, perhaps it’s not about moving the boulder aside, he thought. Perhaps it’s about getting us over it.
“Ayiyi, shift over, will you?” Buzz climbed back onto the pony. He leaned forward. “Dora, you’re not ready for your story to end, are you?”
“No, boy rider.”
“Then you need to get us over this boulder.” Buzz scooped up the reins. “You need to jump.”
“Eh, brother, now we’re talking.” Ayiyi began to cackle. He settled himself comfortably in the saddle and held on to Buzz’s waist. “We’re going flying. I love flying.”
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