by M S C Barnes
other wolves, hoping he had not harmed them. They all seemed fine and sat around him silently as if nothing had happened. Without warning, Cue lowered his head and licked Seb, dribbling saliva over him.
“I guess that’s thank you,” Zach laughed.
Seb wiped his cheek and then patted Cue as the fairies fluttered back to the sky.
“I guess so,” he said.
Mr West still regarded Seb with awe.
“Aelfric said we should have faith in you, Seb. He believed you would be a Custodian of renown; one the like of which had not been seen before.” Seb didn’t like hearing Mr West talking of Aelfric Duir in the past tense. The dwarf continued, walking over to the inlaid Access Stone. “I confess there were those of us who doubted. Doubted you, doubted Aelfric’s belief. You seemed so lost, so naive and of late so resistant. But then, if I remember rightly, Aelfric himself was reluctant … even up until the Elder Ceremony. He actually refused the Grand Elf at first.” He smiled at the distant memory. “So I suppose we should have trusted his faith in you.”
Reaching the stone he knelt and, removing his bag, placed it beside it. Opening a flap he took out a tool – a delicate-looking pair of silver pliers. On the top of one of the jaws a single white stone shone. As it came into the light of the flamers above, four further white stones, shining in response, became apparent in the metal knot on the stone. They were embedded within the interconnecting bars of the four segments.
Seb felt anger rising inside him again.
“I will not let you seal him in, Mr West,” he said.
Mr West spun around, surprised. “Seb, if you do not let us do this then Aelfric has died …” the word stuck in his throat and he had to pause, “has died for nothing.” He looked angry himself now.
“Seb,” Nat said quietly. “He’s right. The stone must be sealed. And Mr Duir gave his life to ensure we would be able to prevent Braddock escaping again.”
“But Nat, to leave him in there with them – for ever! I can’t do that.”
“But we can Seb,” Miss Angel, still tearful, said. “And we have spent centuries with him. He was a brother to us. Braddock is too dangerous to allow our feelings for Aelfric to stop us acting.” She walked over to stand with Mr West.
Seb was still unwilling to let go of his mentor – the man who had believed in him when everyone else, including Seb himself, had doubted. He knew the teachers were right of course. He had seen the power and the sheer evil of Braddock who, having had his plans thwarted and his twin soul damned beside him, would use his intensified anger and hatred to once more reach beyond the confines of the Soul Drop – he couldn’t be allowed to escape. And then Seb heard a fluttering voice.
Dierne, looking up at Seb, spoke so quietly. “It needs to be done. Aelfric would expect it. Require it.”
And that was the decider. If Dierne, who had suffered a loss so great, the destruction of his twin, could put his grief aside to accept what was necessary then Seb had to concede. The irony wasn’t lost on Seb, though; a Custodian had banished a Dryad soul to eternal darkness and now this Dryad soul was blessing the damnation of his Custodian’s human soul to the same fate.
Seb nodded. “Okay, so what do we need to do?”
“The knot is an eternal knot, Seb, also known as a Shield Knot,” Mr West began explaining. “It protects and it wards. On the other side of these panels are mirrors. That is a double protection. Should their souls or minds try to travel back out through the knot they will simply pass into their own reflective world – a mirror of the same dark space from which they came – but in order to complete the sealing of the knot, as strange as it sounds, the seals themselves must be broken.” He pointed to the bars which interconnected the four pieces, their white gemstones gleaming. “They have to be snapped off. Four of us here will each snap one seal and then we must part. Each must place their section in a place known by none other.”
“It’s like a game.” Zach folded his arms, unimpressed.
“That’s as may be, Zach, but the old lores are proven time and again to be true and we must abide by them if we want to prevent Braddock ever returning.” Mr White had joined Mr West and Miss Angel by the stone.
“So, four then.” Scarlet was intrigued. “Which four?”
“There is one more thing.” Mr West’s face darkened. “Should any of the pieces be replaced or even brought back into contact either with the knot or with each other, the souls of all the seal breakers will be returned to that which they were guarding. Those who agree to do this must understand their danger. They will be dragged into the Soul Drop to join the souls of Braddock and Heath should any of these pieces touch this stone again or touch any of the other four pieces.” He let his words hang in the air.
It had become chilly, Seb realised, and mist had started to develop beneath the fairy dome, gathering between the people and creatures around the circle and it condensed quickly to lie as an increasingly dense fog. There was not a breath of wind, just the thickening mist and bitter cold.
“We must hurry,” Mr West said, his mouth sending forth a plume of vapour as he spoke. “He reaches out already.”
Dierne stood up and flew over to the stone. “I will do one,” he said and stretched out his hand for Mr West to place the tool in his palm.
The dwarf hesitated. “You understand fully what you are doing? If Aelfric is in there, you seal his soul for eternity and if you allow your piece to be— ”
“I understand!” Dierne cut him short.
Mr West nodded. But before he would hand over the tool he had something more to say. “Dierne, there will be three others. And every one of you must agree with the participation of the other three. You will all, in all the years to come – not just those years in your current host bodies, but all the years of your souls’ existence – be tied to one another. Should one fail or betray the others, you will all be damned.”
Dierne nodded brusquely as if, having made his decision, he just wanted the job done.
The mist began to swirl, getting heavier, sinking to the ground. Seb felt the chill on his legs. He looked down and actually couldn’t see his feet the cloud was so thick. The spirit stallion was snorting and tossing its head.
Miss Angel, straightening her back said, “I will be next.”
Scarlet intercepted her.
“Please, you shouldn’t have to live with it. I will do it.”
“Scarlet!” Zach hissed at her.
She shook her head at him. “We can’t expect them to take this responsibility.”
“Then let me.” Zach joined her next to the stone and Seb noticed Scarlet slip her hand into his, squeeze it and then let go.
Zach stood in front of Dierne. “I’ll do it.”
Dierne stared at him for a brief moment, weighing him up, and then gave the slightest nod.
But Mr West was more cautious. “Zach, you understand fully what you are doing? This is a Shield Knot and, by breaking the seal on it, you doom yourself and all the others who do this with you, to join that which you aim to protect against, should any section be returned to this knot or be touched against any of the broken parts. It is a huge responsibility for a young soul.”
Zach gave a curt nod and positioned himself next to Dierne, giving Seb a wink.
“So. Two done. I will do the third,” Mr West said. “If you are both in agreement.” He bowed slightly to Dierne and Zach who said nothing but nodded.
Already Miss West was walking towards her brother, presumably to take the final place. The fog was up to her thighs and a wave of vapour pushed ahead of her as she ploughed through it.
“Stop!” Seb called.
“Seb, not again – it has to be done!” Scarlet cried, exasperated.
“I know,” he answered, walking over. “I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done. I agree with you, though – this group should not have to do it. Dierne, you are suffering so much. You do not need to add this burden to your grief. Mr West, Miss West, as Miss Angel says, Mr Duir was like a broth
er to you all … for centuries. None of you should have to do this. Zach,” he turned to his friend, “I’m okay with you if you’re okay with me.”
“Well Seb, my friend, I suppose we can trust you. You are such a wuss in the dark there’s not a chance you’d do anything to land yourself in that place.” He beamed at Seb. “Let’s do it,” he said, pulling Seb to stand beside him.
Dierne spoke more words now than Seb had heard him say in the last two days.
“Seb, your sentiments are well meant but you misunderstand. To do this would not be a burden. My twin gave his life, and his soul, to ensure this task was completed. I am honoured to finish the job for him. If he is in there,” the Dryad gave the slightest flick of his head towards the Access Stone, “his one consolation through the rest of eternity will be the fact that the seal remains intact. He will know his sacrifice was worthwhile. And I will do this to give him that consolation.” Saying nothing more, he faced ahead.
“Then that settles it.” Alice flitted down to join them. “Two Dryads and two humans; is that not the way it should be?”
“What? Alice, no!” Seb protested.
“Oh! So you don’t trust me? Or you are scared of spending eternity with me?” Alice crossed his arms.
“This isn’t a laughing matter.” Seb frowned at him.
“Okay, Seb, I am not laughing. In honesty? I didn’t trust you, I didn’t believe in you. Aelfric Duir did. And I am humbled to see that he was right and in awe of what you have