by Gray, C. M.
Pardigan excused himself from the fun on the grounds that he didn’t want to be speaking with the fish anytime soon.
On the second night of the journey they entered a protected anchorage to rest and get a good night’s sleep. They caught some fish for their supper and slow roasted them above glowing coals. The mouth-watering smell made their stomachs rumble and they ended up eating them while they were still hot enough to burn their fingers, cramming bits of fish into their mouths as they laughed at each other's efforts. After eating, they sat back contented, gazing up as the stars began to appear.
Quint was thrilled to spot ‘sea fairies’ in the water as every wave that formed a crest glowed an eerie greeny blue in the starlit night.
‘Its small creatures caught in the tide,’ he explained excitedly. ‘For some reason, when they’re moved they glow like that - sailors call them sea fairies, Tarent calls it phosphorescence. Watch this.’ He stood up, pulled off his clothes, and dived over the side. As he entered the water, his trail was lit by thousands of bright lights as the creatures glowed. He came to the surface grinning and shouting. ‘Come on Pardigan, come and play with the fairies.’ He slapped his hands about in the water and laughed as it all glowed back at him, lighting his face a greeny blue.
‘Do they hurt?’ questioned Pardigan, standing on the edge of the boat, unsure if he wanted to be in the water with a million angry fairies.
‘Course not,’ said Quint, splashing water up at him. ‘Come in and stop being a baby.’
Pardigan held his nose and jumped into the water, keeping his eyes closed until he surfaced. Opening them, he saw the bubbles around him hissing and glowing brightly. He splashed about, delighted as the water lit up around him.
‘Well, it doesn’t hurt me, but what about the fairies?’ he shouted to Quint.
‘I’ve not heard any of them complain yet,’ replied Quint. They swam about for a while, playing with the unusual show of colours, then lay floating on their backs, gazing up at the night sky.
Climbing out, they lay on the deck to continue their star watching, each trying to see the next one that would shoot on its journey across the heavens.
Unseen by the boys, the cat leapt from the boat, and flew away across the moonlit water on soft, silent white wings.
****
The next morning they were away early. Pardigan made a brew before they left and they munched on the last of the cinnamon buns as they returned to open water.
‘We’ve had a good run up until now, so we may make Sterling Port by early afternoon,’ said Quint scanning the horizon. ‘That's if nothing nasty happens with the weather,’ he added. Pardigan was also watching the skies but not merely for the sight of black clouds gathering. The mysterious intruder back in Freya still had him unnerved, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were not only being followed, but were being watched as well.
They sighted Sterling Port late in the afternoon after an exciting passage. The Griffin had sped along with its sails straining to drag the ungainly hull through the water. Porpoises had led the last part of the voyage, ducking and diving in front of the boat, their antics causing the boys great delight. However, by the time they could make out the Towers on Sterling’s harbour walls, they were ready to feel solid ground under their feet and to catch up with their friends.
Clouds of gulls escorted them in - wheeling and crying with the hope that The Griffin was a fishing boat with scraps to eat. They passed into the little port, and were surprised to see Loras running along the harbour wall waving at them.
They watched him run past a three-masted ocean trader being unloaded with the help of a large wooden crane swinging bales and crates onto the quayside. A waiting army of carts and porters were busily moving the cargo up to the warehouses and trading halls of the town, causing a heady aroma of spices to fill the air. A group of urchins were urging the porters on, hurling insults and jokes, ready to run in and snatch something if the chance was presented to them.
‘Ahoy The Griffin,’ shouted Loras happily.
Tarent stood up from where he’d been propped against the wall reading and raised a hand in greeting and they both ran down to where The Griffin was coming in to dock.
‘How did you know we’d be in today?’ shouted Pardigan, as he threw a mooring rope to Tarent.
‘We could still be days away but you look like you’ve been expecting us.’
Tarent glanced over at Loras who was helping tie the other end of the boat to the docks. ‘You better ask our magician friend about that, he had a visitor,’ he answered cryptically.
When The Griffin was safely moored, sails stored and they were signed in with the Harbourmaster, the boys all gathered down below. Tarent replaced the coins in the stove, visibly relieved not to be carrying them around with him, while Quint and Pardigan told of Pardigan’s conversation with the cat. Loras was in awe of the book and its magical abilities. He was sitting with the cat on his lap, stroking her fur, but had to put her down to see and touch the book for himself.
‘Well?’ said Quint. ‘What shall we do? We find ourselves in the middle of an adventure and being asked to take it to another level,’ he glanced around the group. All eyes were on him, including those of the cat. He carried on, ‘This seems too good to miss but it also sounds dangerous. We know someone’s following us and that he’s after something that we have,’ he glanced across at Pardigan, ‘or rather took. I can only think it’s the knife and book. To stay here means sooner or later he’ll find us. The book at least gives us a chance to move on and I for one vote that we take the challenge, whatever it is.’ He sat back down.
Pardigan stood. ‘Let's do it!’ was all he said before resuming his seat.
Loras was nodding all the time, clearly excited. ‘Oh yes, we must. A chance like this for magic and adventure is…is…is, oh absolutely, my vote is yes.’
Tarent stood and stared down at the book, then nodded to Loras. ‘Did you tell them how we knew they were coming in today?’
‘Oh, right,’ said Loras excitedly. ‘Of course.’ He held the cat up, which hissed a warning for being handled too roughly. ‘Oops sorry,’ said Loras. ‘Well…Mahra here came to see me and told me you were coming.’
‘But the cat has been with us,’ said Quint. ‘You’re telling us that the cat, who by the way, was on our boat out at sea. That this cat here; came to see you from on another boat a long way away. It had a chat with you, then came back to our boat?’ Loras nodded happily. Without waiting for an answer Quint glared at the cat. ‘Cat or Mahra or whatever your name is, I think you owe us an explanation before we go making any decisions on what we're doing. Right now we’re being played with and I don’t like it.’
The cat stood up, stretched, and walked around the centre of the room her eyes flashing bright blue as she glared back at Quint and leapt up onto the table, changing form as she landed. Sitting in front of them was a girl with short dark hair. She was small, about the same size as Loras, had a pretty face with big blue eyes and was dressed from head to foot in tight grey leather. She looked around at their shocked faces, eyes flashing an even brighter blue, and giggled.
‘Hello, boys, I’m Mahra and I suppose you’re right, maybe it is time we had a little chat.’
‘Well, she didn’t look like that when she came to see me,’ said Loras, ‘How do you do that? Where do you come from? What…’
‘What are you playing at, Mahra?’ interrupted Quint angrily.
She turned to regard him with feline eyes. ‘Calm down Quint…I’m not playing games with you; I’m merely your…guide or advisor, if you decide to take the challenges. Your friend here stole the book and knife,’ she nodded at Pardigan. ‘I watched him do it. It doesn’t matter how he got it. The question you now face is whether to continue with what he started.’ She sighed and settled herself more comfortably. 'I have been the guardian of that book for centuries and there has never been a group that have managed to open it until now. I’m actually starting to believe af
ter all this time that we may finally get to complete this. Maybe then I can do something else other than follow a book about for years and years.’
‘So how do you change into a cat and how did you get to Loras?’ asked Quint, calming slightly now that Mahra was talking with them.
‘I can change when I want to. I’m not too sure what my true shape really is any more, I think it’s this one, but I do so love being a cat, and an owl, so maybe I’m really one of those.’ She thought for a moment. ‘No, I think that this is my real shape, I just don’t use it much.’ She looked down at her arms. ‘I mean, it’s not much good for anything is it? It can’t fly, it’s not very agile, what’s it for?’ She seemed to drift off again, and her eyes started to close, and then opened again.
‘Oh yes, this is important, so listen. It doesn’t matter what decision you make, but every one of you must decide for yourself and make a conscious decision. Don’t just follow your friends; decide if this is the path for you, or not. The future is fraught with danger, the path will often be uncertain, but then, isn’t that the case whichever way you choose to walk in life?’
She stood and walked around staring deeply into the eyes of each of them. ‘The Book of Challenges’ was written a long time ago, by a magician who foresaw a time in the future when this planet would need to be set on another course. The reality you all take for granted is set in a fine balance between Chaos and Order. A great spell was cast to stop the world slipping into a time of Chaos by altering the consciousness of every living thing. The spell was sealed within three crystal skulls and each was carefully hidden until it was time for them to be united, this will allow the spell to complete and balance to be restored.
To do this, the Magician needed to enlist the aid of others who wouldn’t be born for many generations. I was charged with guarding the book and the knife and to await those that would one day use them. It’s been a very long time, but maybe now we’re truly at the end of time, our heroes have finally been found, and we can try and find the skulls.’ She yawned. ‘I need to sleep; it’s just one of the things about being a cat for so long. Make your decisions, and if all of you are in agreement, each place a hand upon the book and the next pages will be revealed.’ These last words were softly spoken as she transformed back into the cat and lay upon the table already dozing off.
‘But what about the person following us?’ asked Pardigan, ‘What are we going to do about him?’
Mahra lifted her head and said in a sleepy voice, ‘He follows now but won’t find you…yet.’
‘Yet…? Yet…? What does she mean yet?’ exclaimed Pardigan, jumping to his feet, but this time Mahra really was fast asleep.
They talked until way past dark and broke the discussion to eat beans and bread before continuing, reading Magician Pew’s rhyme several times. They all liked the mention of gifts, especially Loras who was sure they would be magical gifts, but they were also concerned about the dangers, particularly, in Pardigan’s case, the one following them, but in the end they had only one choice. The unknown dangers would have to remain unknown for now. There was little they could do about them so there was no point fretting. Finally, each stood and, making their decision, placed a hand upon the book.
The last was Pardigan, who hesitated, staring around at the others, aware of the importance of the moment. Laying his hand upon theirs, he said, as the others had before him, ‘My decision is made; we should take the challenges and see this future for ourselves.’
The knife in the book’s spine flared, causing Mahra to wake for a moment, and then it went back to its normal state. They stared round nervously at each other.
‘Well,’ said Pardigan, ‘Let's open it.’
Tarent reached for the book and keeping it flat on the table so they could all see, he opened it. Moving past the introduction, he found that the next page was no longer blank. He read it aloud…
They all stared at Loras.
‘I think that must be you, Loras,’ said Tarent turning to face away with the others.
Loras glanced about the group. They had their backs to him, leaving him quite alone with the book - he grinned nervously.
‘All right, here goes,’ he said, closing his eyes. As he lowered his hand the stone glowed and small blue streaks of energy flickered up from the book. When the glow faded, the boys turned expectantly. Loras appeared almost unchanged; the difference was in his eyes.
‘What is it, Loras?’ whispered Pardigan. ‘What happened? What’s it done to you?’
Loras shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I don’t feel much different, except…except it all seems so…so clear in my mind, like…like a cloud has been lifted.’
‘I’m not sure I want to put my hand anywhere near that book,’ muttered Quint. ‘I think it’s messed with his head, he’s gone a bit weird, hasn’t he?’
‘Weird!’ said Loras. ‘No, I’m not weird, watch.’ He pointed at the mast and everyone fell to the floor. It wasn’t wise to be anywhere near Loras when he was pointing at anything, lest you lost an ear or something.
They glanced up when there was no explosion.
‘Oh Source!’ said Pardigan, peering over the table that he’d dived under. ‘Loras, that’s incredible!’
Loras was still pointing at the mast but tears were streaming down his face and he was smiling. ‘Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of being able to do that?’
From out of the old wooden mast, a single small branch now grew with three leaves and a tiny acorn.
‘The book has taught me to control and understand the magic I’ve practised, and the chance to learn more and become a real magician.’
It was the first time any of them had heard Loras say anything like this; he was always one to argue that he was already a real magician. They glanced around at one another and then down at the open book, another page had become visible.
Seeing that Loras was all right, well a bit strange, but apparently unharmed; Pardigan moved his hand to the book. Again the gem flared a dazzling blue and Pardigan felt fingers of ice creeping up his arm and down his spine. Pressure built behind his eyes, then the gem, and his world, returned to normal. He noticed firstly that he was wearing different clothes, which startled him. Everything was a light grey - a cape with its hood folded down was draped over his shoulders, soft black boots came up almost to his knees and he instinctively knew he had a knife tucked in the left boot. He was also aware of another knife at his side and checked his belt to confirm this.
‘Well?’ said Quint, concerned for his friend.
‘I’m not sure,’ whispered Pardigan. ‘I don’t feel very…different…yet.’ He glanced around the boat and then out of the porthole, ‘I do feel something…calling me…it’s…strange but…’
Outside, the moon was up, its reflection dancing upon the water. Pardigan felt something within him leap forwards and before he knew it, he was over the water and on the jetty opposite, looking back at The Griffin as it lay by the harbour wall some thirty spans away.
What by the Source was that? He swayed on his feet and the answer came to him as if whispered in his ear: ‘place shifting.’ He glanced across at The Griffin again and imagined himself in the hold with his friends, and then with a whoosh and a rushing of air, he was there. The worried looks on his friends' faces made him smile. ‘Well that’s going to take some getting used to!’ and he explained what had happened.
Mahra raised her head. ‘I’ll help you all to understand your gifts, they were all explained to me such a very long time ago, but I do remember.’ She yawned. ‘Think, hide.’ He did so and vanished from their sight.
‘Oh Source, that’s incredible,’ came a voice from roughly where Pardigan had been standing. He reappeared, grinning at everybody.
‘Those are your working gifts but you also have gifts of defence,’ purred Mahra. ‘If I remember correctly you should be able to find one if you point at that cup and think burn.’ She indicated a cup near her then moved out of the way.
Par
digan pointed at the cup and mumbled ‘Burn,’ a needle of white energy leapt from his finger and struck the cup, which cracked in two, each piece flying in different directions.
‘I’m starting to like this,’ said Pardigan, staring intently at his finger.
‘The lightning is only mild; you’ll have to work on it. At the moment it would scare someone but you’re a long way from inflicting any real harm on anything…unless you take a serious dislike to cups, I suppose.’ Mahra resumed her place. She seemed to think for a moment. ‘Just as well really, maybe Pew wasn’t as crazy as I thought. Your weapon of choice is the knife - try throwing one.’ Pardigan produced a knife from the collar of his cloak and with one fluid motion sent it spinning with a thunk into a cabin door. He smiled.
‘Who’s next?’ said Mahra. ‘Come on step up; let’s get this over with so we can get on with the next bit.’
‘Next bit?’ questioned Quint.
‘Yes, dear, the bit after this bit, now be a good boy and read the next page.’
They peered down at the book again; Tarent turned the page with trembling fingers. The next page was now visible.
‘That, my friend is you,’ said Tarent, looking with some relief at Quint.
They all turned their backs on Quint and the book, and heard the hesitant movements of their friend. The flash came and they slowly turned to see what had happened. Quint was standing quite still. Like Pardigan his clothing had changed. He was dressed in steel grey cloth with a hooded cape that fell from his shoulders to below his knees. A long black bow glimmered at his side in the flickering light of the lanterns.
‘Quint…you all right?’ Pardigan made to place a hand on Quint's arm.
‘I’m…yeah, I’m all right…really,’ murmured Quint. The others waited silently, giving their friend and leader time to come to terms with whatever changes he’d experienced. A moth flitted around the room and in one swift movement Quint drew an arrow, spun around and let loose, pinning the moth to the side of the ship. The whole action a blur, taking less time to complete than his friends’ eyes could follow. Quint seemed surprised then glanced down and opened his cape; a sword hung upon his belt with a dagger to balance it on the other side.