The Dark

by Marianne Curley

‘But perhaps, Mistress, for a small price …’ He makes a money motion with the fingers of his left hand, ‘something can be done to ease your pain.’

  Her shoulders lift, her chin rises. ‘Speak, Keziah. For your life it had better be worth the words that flow from your shrivelled lips.’

  He coughs into his cupped hand, his chest rattling and whistling. Catching his breath again he says, ‘If you are prepared to make a journey in search of your beloved’s soul—’

  ‘I would do anything to save him. Explain yourself. And quickly, my patience is sorely tested this day.’

  ‘The middle realm, Highness. The place Marduke’s soul wanders, looking for a white bridge that will lead him to his final destiny.’

  ‘Of course! He died within a mortal body while still in the past! If we reach him in time, Keziah, before he crosses that bridge …’ Her words drift away, but her meaning remains clear – there is a chance Marduke will live again. The very thought makes her immortal heart lurch.

  ‘We will need your assistance to venture there, Highness. And perhaps your hounds could be of use to find him quickly.’

  ‘I won’t need my hounds to find him,’ she dismisses. ‘I would know him in any world.’

  ‘There’s just one more thing,’ Keziah says, hesitating.

  ‘Go on, old man! Hurry!’

  ‘Your voice must be the one of his soul-mate, or he will not return.’

  She smiles, and without answering, transports them into a grey and twisted forest, Bastian included for the experience.

  With the sudden drop in temperature, Bastian shivers. ‘Are you sure Marduke’s soul is in this place, Keziah?’

  Keziah snorts as the Goddess moves on ahead, as if she were one of her own hounds drawn to the scent of an injured rabbit. ‘Do you doubt me, Bastian?’ Keziah replies.

  ‘I just don’t like it here. It’s all so …’

  ‘Dull?’

  ‘I was going to say colourless.’ His eyes shift up and around. ‘How far to the—’ He doesn’t finish his thought. Instead his eyes grow into huge orbs as they become fixed and staring. Suddenly he screams and throws both hands up to protect his face.

  Keziah notices the boy’s distress. ‘Clear your thoughts!’ he instructs him. ‘Your fears will manifest into solid forms in this world.’

  Slowly Bastian’s hands lower. When he looks this time, the snakes are gone, and he sighs with relief.

  Keziah gives Bastian a closer examination. ‘You had better stay close. When we find Marduke, our return will be swift. You wouldn’t want to be left behind. I doubt the Goddess will come back for you.’

  Bastian’s eyes widen and he rubs his arms to try and warm them. ‘I just hope we find Marduke soon.’ He pulls down a twisted silver vine blocking his path, and finds he has to run to catch up. Even ancient Keziah, with his rattling chest, is way ahead of him already.

  It seems like hours and many kilometres later before they stop. Though how this is possible Bastian cannot fathom. Just up ahead he sees the broad back of a large, hunchbacked creature, but doesn’t take much notice as he has seen many odd-looking creatures these past few hours. Some were terrifying, others simply piteous. Blowing on his half-frozen fingertips in an attempt to stop frost bite from setting in, Bastian tries to take in his surroundings. A broad river flows alongside him. Grey, of course. A vast valley sprawls seemingly forever beyond its shores. He suddenly wonders why they have stopped, when he hears his Goddess call out the one word he has been waiting these past hours to hear, ‘Marduke!’

  The hunchbacked creature up ahead stops and slowly turns. Bastian realises with a sudden thump deep in his chest, that this creature – this beast – is in fact Marduke, changed beyond recognition. The hideous sight makes him step backwards, losing his balance against a grey boulder. ‘Your Highness,’ he hisses, attempting to regain his composure. He tries to speak again, but finds he must first moisten his lips with a tongue turned dry. ‘Your Highness, are you … are you sure you wish to return … that?’

  She doesn’t answer, and Bastian watches as she gulps deep in her throat and moisture fills her eyes. He gasps softly, his heart thundering even more loudly against his rib cage. The distraught look on his Goddess’s face – the tears! – something he has never seen on her before, never thought her capable of, shocks him.

  Finally she breathes, ‘They will pay dearly for this. They will pay with blood, with fear, and with many lives.’

  Chapter One

  Isabel

  Nowhere is safe any more. Every few weeks we change training grounds. Today we’re on the mountain, on an open field over the top of Arkarian’s chambers. Not that you can see Arkarian’s chambers, they’re hidden within the mountain. There is a secret entrance that can’t be seen from the outside. It opens on command – usually only Arkarian’s. The Guard has to maintain a high level of secrecy, our lives are constantly in danger. And since Marduke’s death, nothing is the same. He died a year ago today.

  Marduke thought he could use my brother Matt as bait. His plan for revenge ended up dragging Matt into the Guard before he was ready. Marduke had already killed Ethan’s sister Sera, as part of his payback plan for losing half his face in an earlier conflict with Ethan’s father Shaun. It was this fight that turned Marduke from being one of the Guard’s trusted members, to a traitor.

  A cold shiver runs through me. It’s the memory of how close we came to losing so much. My brother for one. He didn’t know anything about the Guard then. Now he’s a member. Well, at least he’s trying to be. Ethan is his Trainer, and I think Matt is proving to be a frustrating Apprentice.

  I don’t usually come up and watch Matt’s sessions, unless I’m training too. But today Ethan asked me to assess Matt’s progress. It’s dangerous for all three of us to disappear after school together on a regular basis. Our history teacher Mr Carter, who is also one of the Named, is always warning us. ‘It could attract attention,’ he often says. ‘You just never know who’s watching.’

  Our identities, though revealed to each other, have to remain concealed from any member of the Order who might be hanging around. There could be someone at school, one of our own ‘friends’ for all we know. The very thought sends another wave of shivers all over me. I rub my arms to get rid of the goose bumps under my jumper. It’s not snowing up here yet, but the weather is turning colder now that winter is approaching. I just wish this day would hurry up and pass. I can’t seem to get rid of the creepy feeling that something’s going to go wrong.

  ‘Hey, Isabel, are you OK over there? I’ve got a jacket in my bag. Why don’t you put it on?’

  I groan softly under my breath. That’s Matt of course, overly concerned as ever. When will he understand I’m only one year younger than him and able to look after myself? Haven’t I spent most of my life proving just that? ‘I’m not cold!’

  He gives me a long, frustrated, when-will-she-grow-up kind of look, which sets my blood boiling. I take a deep breath, reminding myself it’s just the way he is. And he’s not just protective of me. He takes what he perceives to be his responsibilities very seriously. Like watching over Mum, for instance. That’s why he resents her boyfriend Jimmy so much, even though he’s also a member of the Guard. (Mum’s not, and she’s never to find out.)

  Maybe that’s why Matt’s the chosen one. Chosen by the Prophecy, that is, to be our leader. Arkarian explained it all. But I’m not so sure telling Matt was such a good idea. I wasn’t shown the Prophecy until I was ready to handle it.

  Ethan nudges Matt with an elbow. ‘Come on, we’ve got a lot to get through today.’

  Air hisses out between Matt’s teeth and he rolls his eyes, totally frustrated. He knows that while he’s picking up some good fighting techniques with all this training, it’s his skills – his powers – that are going to be his real strengths. But so far there has been no sign of any paranormal abilities whatsoever. I know my brother like the skin on my own hands. He’s been drawn into the Guard before his time –
a situation that couldn’t be avoided. But now here he is, unprepared, his powers nowhere in sight, even after a whole year! No wonder he feels inadequate.

  Mostly I understand what he’s going through. So far only one of my powers has revealed itself – that of healing. I have another one, or perhaps even two, and don’t know what they are yet. But since my healing skills have been useful, I feel a certain contentment, as if I’m pulling my weight within the Guard.

  Now Ethan’s powers are legendary. He’s the illusionist. He can move things, too, with just his mind. And luckily for him, he has a third skill, his instinctive trust in the Prophecy. Last year, as a reward for his loyalty, a Tribunal gathering in Athens saw Lorian honour him with the power of flight. I don’t mean that Ethan can suddenly fly like a bird. It’s an ability to transport himself from one spot, almost instantly, to another. Even though it’s been a year, Ethan hasn’t quite mastered using his wings yet. The other day he transported himself into a cow paddock, both feet firmly lodged in freshly dropped and steaming cow dung. When Matt and I got to the scene we couldn’t stop laughing for at least an hour.

  And to make matters worse, while Matt is physically fit, he’s never been the sporty type, and hasn’t a clue when it comes to self-defence. While I was into everything outdoorsy growing up, he was into protecting me. And now he just can’t seem to slow his mind down long enough to find his central focus.

  ‘Don’t sweat it, Matt,’ Ethan tries to reassure him. ‘Your powers will reveal themselves when you’re ready.’

  Matt throws down his sword, point first into the soft, grass-covered earth. ‘That’s easy for you to say. Since I haven’t developed any powers yet, Arkarian won’t let me go on a mission. Do you know what that feels like?’ He doesn’t wait for Ethan to answer. ‘No, you wouldn’t. You’ve been going on missions since you were, what? Two years old?’

  Ethan can’t help a soft smile. He’s proud of his service. But he’s not going to rub it in. They have problems, these two. Only since Matt became Ethan’s Apprentice have they started to trust each other. But it’s a slow process. I don’t know if they’ll ever get back the friendship they had when they were kids. It all changed when Rochelle came to our school. Matt fell in love with her on first sight. Trouble was, so did Ethan. But Rochelle chose Matt and they were together for one-and-a-half years. Ethan was pushed aside. But it turns out Rochelle was only pretending to love Matt. She worked for the Order. Marduke was her master. And it was part of his plan for revenge on Ethan’s father, that Rochelle blow Matt and Ethan’s friendship to pieces. She played her part well, but at the battle last year in France, she defied Marduke and saved Matt’s life. Despite that, Matt can’t seem to let go of his resentment. And it hasn’t helped that Rochelle’s been away in hiding all this time. She’s not a member of the Order any more. She defected and has chosen to join the Guard. The two of them need to talk. Otherwise he’s not going to move on.

  ‘Four,’ Ethan begins explaining. ‘I was four when Arkarian introduced me to this other world. But I was five before I was allowed to go on any missions – a whole year.’

  Matt snorts, then tries another tack to prove his point. ‘Isabel went on a mission after only three weeks of training.’

  ‘But she already had one of her powers.’

  ‘Yeah, healing! That would hardly protect her in a dangerous situation.’

  ‘She’s also very able, physically,’ Ethan adds.

  Matt kind of grunts an acceptance. His eyes shift sideways to where I’m sitting on a blanket hugging my knees. ‘I know Isabel’s different. She’s kind of …’

  Ethan looks at me too. ‘A freak of nature.’

  He doesn’t mean it literally. He’s wearing a grin from ear to ear. Once I would have misread that look as flirting. It’s hard not to. Ethan and I spend a lot of time together, and well, I really like him. Have for most of my life. But Ethan’s made it pretty clear he’s not interested in me romantically. We’re just friends. Really good friends. And I’m OK with that. There’s someone else I find myself thinking about. But, well, that relationship seems to be going nowhere too.

  ‘Yeah,’ Matt says, agreeing with Ethan about me. ‘Even so, she gets allocated missions.’

  ‘But not on my own,’ I sing out. It’s the one thing that really bugs me. OK, other than healing, I don’t have any physical powers, but how many times do I have to prove to the Tribunal I’m physically capable? Sure, I don’t look strong, being small and all, but if they would just give me a chance …

  ‘I just don’t get how it’s possible for anyone to be so physically driven.’ I tune in to what Ethan is saying. ‘Is there nothing your sister can’t do to perfection, or die trying?’

  I’m about to say, ‘very funny’, but the thought doesn’t make it into words. A sudden explosion of pain rocks the inside of my head. Grabbing both sides of my face I hit the ground in front of me. I would call for help, but the pain is so intense the only sound possible is a gasping groan from deep in my throat.

  ‘Isabel?’

  I think that’s Matt’s voice, but something strange, something powerful, is happening inside my head. I open my eyes but only see white blinding light. It terrifies me and I shut them again. ‘Oh hell!’

  ‘Isabel!’

  Matt and Ethan run to either side of me, trying to help me sit up, but the light and the pain are too strong for me to move very much. ‘Something … something is wrong.’

  ‘What is it?’ Matt screams, then yells at Ethan, ‘Go for help!’

  Ethan puts his arms around my shoulders and starts rocking me gently. ‘Can you tell us what’s happening?’

  ‘White light. Pain. Something wrong.’

  ‘What are you doing?’ Matt screams at Ethan. ‘Can’t you see she’s in agony? What good will that do?’

  ‘Give us a second, Matt,’ he says. Then to me, ‘Try to relax.’

  I struggle to do as Ethan says, but the pain in my head is too intense. ‘Can’t.’

  ‘Try again. Don’t fight whatever it is.’

  Somehow the pain eases and I sense a change. The light shifts, softening from bright white to grey, and finally an image starts to form.

  ‘What the hell is happening?’ Matt yells, sounding frantic.

  ‘Wait,’ I manage to whisper, holding my hand up to allay some of Matt’s fears. ‘I’m OK.’

  As I sit back on my heels the images trying to form in my head become clearer. They roll in front of my eyes like a movie for a few seconds. A movie that I can both see and feel. Unconsciously I clutch at my chest. The images bring with them a disturbing sense of horror and despair.

  At last they disappear, and my heart rate starts to slow. But I’m shaking all over and can’t seem to stop. I look straight up to the sky. It’s blue, only a few cirrus clouds forming on the horizon to the north. Nothing serious. For a second I think I see something up there, like a flash of zigzag lightning of the most amazing colour, but that’s impossible. Yet the dark images I just experienced have left me with a weird sense of impending catastrophe – a catastrophe that will come from the sky!

  Digging my fingers into Ethan and Matt’s arms for leverage, I stagger quickly to my feet. ‘We have to get out of here!’

  ‘What?’ Matt glances around with a dumbfounded expression on his face. ‘What’s going on with you? You scared me half to death just then.’

  I drag on their arms. There’s no way I can explain the feeling I have right now, or the sense of disaster that has engulfed me with the passing of those strange images. ‘Just come. Quickly.’ I glance at the sky again, that urgent feeling growing unbelievably stronger, an urgency to get the hell out of this vast open field. ‘We have to find shelter.’

  Matt straightens his shoulders and puts his hands on his hips. ‘What are you talking about? A minute ago I was ready to call an ambulance, now you look as if you’re about to run a marathon.’

  Ethan is easier to convince. He starts thinking straight away, pointing in
a northerly direction. ‘There’s a cave. It’s only a few minutes into the woods that way.’

  ‘What’s going on?’ Matt asks, not understanding and growing more frustrated by the second. ‘Someone explain.’

  Ethan flicks him an impatient look. ‘There’s no time for an explanation. Just do what we say.’

  I yank on Ethan’s arm, but just as I’m about to start running, a chill sweeps through me. It feels as if the blood in my veins is turning to ice. Every hair on my body suddenly stands on end, including the ones on top of my head!

  ‘What’s happening?’ Ethan cries out as his hair, and Matt’s too, also stands on end. ‘The air is alive.’ Quickly he starts collecting our things – a rug and backpacks, some mugs we were drinking out of.

  I grab his arm. ‘We don’t have time to collect our things. We’ll get them later, OK?’

  He drops what he’s collected and starts to run, making sure to keep Matt in front of him. But we don’t get far before a sudden screeching sound makes us stop dead and stare in the direction it came – the sky overhead. Then it happens again, this time with such force we have to cover our ears. It sounds like a piece of silk ripping into a thousand strings.

  ‘What on earth …?’ Matt mutters, staring up at the sky.

  Somewhere in my mind I know we should be running for shelter, but the sky has the three of us mesmerised. It’s still blue, but in one place, almost directly overhead, something strange is happening. Something has started falling.

  ‘Take cover!’ Ethan calls out.

  We hit the ground.

  But whatever it is, it doesn’t drop all the way. And when we dare to look up, we see something resembling a deep, dark hole in the sky.

  ‘What could that be?’ Ethan asks.

  Before our eyes, the hole in the sky contracts as if sucking in a breath. Then from within it, clouds – if that’s what they are – thick and black and shiny like oil fresh from the bowels of the earth, propel outwards. Again we fall to the ground, but there’s no safety here, so we hurry to our feet.