ISOF (24 page)

Noj, Trep and Mak stared at the place where Ben had stood only moments before. Their mouths opened and closed with a variety of inarticulate questions until a piercing screech overhead shattered their stupor.

Immediately above them, a crone astride her winged Whispers circled triumphantly. With a rasping cry, the creature called to the other two crones and within moments the three hovered over their prey.

Before the creatures could swoop, Ben materialised from the rock face and, without a word, pulled each of the three bemused boys into the darkness of the rock.

‘Were you actually just going to stand there and wait for those lovely creatures?' asked Ben with heavy sarcasm.

‘Well, we sort of…' mumbled Mak.

The girl, appearing from behind Ben, ignored Mak and indicated the darkness in front of them.

‘We need to move and fast,' she ordered.

‘A light might be handy,' suggested Ben. ‘Anyone?'

‘Ben, quickly,' demanded Noj. ‘Give me that diamond.'

Handing over the precious stone, Ben looked anxiously at the dark curtain of rock that hid them from the creatures hovering outside.

‘I'd like to put some distance between them and us,' he said with a hint of desperation.

Noj, holding the diamond in his left hand, raised the tip of his walking stick until it touched the stone. Instantly, a kiss of light sprang from the stick and illuminated every facet of the diamond. The precious stone slowly produced a soft glow that brushed the dark aside to reveal a narrow passageway that disappeared into the depths of the mountain.

‘Not much of a choice,' moaned Trep.

‘Take your pick,' said the girl frostily. Pushing Noj forward, and without a word she beckoned the others to follow.

The eerie glow from the diamond was sufficient to light their way a few steps at a time. Carefully treading along the uneven surface of the floor, with their arms held out at either side to feel the cold, damp rock walls, the group shuffled uncertainly into the darkness.

The uncertainty of what lay ahead, coupled with the certainty of what lay behind them, fuelled the claustrophobic atmosphere of the dank passageway. Several times, Ben felt certain their progress wasn't going unnoticed. He shrugged away these feelings, telling himself that his imagination was not only working overtime but was unwelcome. Eventually, imagination or not, Ben couldn't ignore the feeling of being observed any longer.

‘I don't think we're alone,' he stammered.

‘You won't be,' replied Mak from just in front. ‘Just stay where you are and I'm sure your lady friends will be only too pleased to watch over you.'

‘I mean,' began Ben.

‘You mean you're scared,' chided Trep.

‘I'm not,' snapped Ben defensively. ‘I just get the feeling we're being watched, that's all.'

‘Watched?' mocked Mak. ‘How could anyone
watch
us in here?'

‘Give it a rest,' groaned the girl. ‘If you put as much energy into walking as you did talking we might get somewhere.'

The group walked along in silence. No matter how hard he tried, Ben couldn't shake the feeling that they were not alone. Suddenly, Noj stopped, causing everyone to collided with each other.

‘What on earth?' moaned Mak.

‘It's the walls,' explained Noj. ‘I can't feel them anymore.'

The group felt around for the reassuring presence of the walls but, reluctantly, they had to agree, the walls seemed to have vanished.

Feeling his way slowly backwards, Ben eventually found the place where the walls stopped guiding them and swerved sideways away from them.

‘They sort of go sideways,' he said. ‘Perhaps it's just a much wider passageway?'

‘Stand still, all of you,' ordered Noj. ‘Let me see if I can throw some light on the matter,' he said with an uncertain chuckle. Placing the diamond on the ground in front of him, Noj lowered the tip of his walking stick. An arc of light leapt from the tip and, arching itself over the diamond, created an instant ball of light that forced the darkness to retreat.

Promptly, the girl screamed and pointed in front of her. Surrounding the group were vague outlines of girls, each form only being identified by a pale wisp of grey. Wherever the group looked, there were shimmering, transparent forms.

The forms, like vaporous spirits, appeared to dissolve and then reform in one continuous movement.

‘I feel ill,' groaned Trep.

‘Is that all,' replied Mak, his eyes dancing from form to form.

Noj stepped forward.

‘We don't intend any harm or wish to disturb you,' he said more calmly then he felt.

One of the forms detached itself from the mass and materialised in front of them.

‘We understand,' it whispered in breathy tones. ‘We have been waiting.'

‘Waiting?' asked Noj.

‘Yes,' replied the form. ‘We have waited from the very moment that our life-force was stolen from us, digested by those wicked creatures who prey on the souls of young girls.'

‘Erm,' muttered Ben. ‘We're sort of trying to avoid the same fate ourselves actually.'

The form drifted towards the roof of the cavern and then descended once more.

‘We can help you if you can help us,' said the form. ‘You have the means by which we can right the wrongs that were inflicted upon us centuries ago.'

‘How can we do that?' enquired Ben.

The form moved forward. Ben promptly took a couple of steps back and fell over. The sound of distant laughter sounded around the cavern. The form moved forward again and held its wispy arms out.

‘Let me have the Book,' she said.

‘What Book?' asked Ben, his voice sounding thin and unconvincing.

The form flared upwards, towering over Ben.

‘Don't play the innocent,' it roared breathlessly. ‘If you value your lives, you'll give me the Book.'

Ben stood up and withdrew the Book from his cloak pocket.

‘Don't be an idiot,' snapped Mak. ‘That book has helped us get this far. Without it we'll be stuck in this hell-hole.'

The form arched itself in the air and faced Mak.

‘Can you even begin to imagine what it's like existing as nothing more than a vague breath, having only an outline of your former self?'

‘Well...' said Mak as the form passed itself through his body.

‘I didn't think so,' said the form from behind Mak. It floated to face him. ‘Fortunately, the darkness saves us from seeing what we've become.'

The form drifted towards Ben once more.

‘The Book?'

Without question, Ben held the book for the form to hold.

‘At last!' breathed the form.

Instantly, every vaporous spirit gathered around the Book creating a sort of hovering, grey cloud. The Book suddenly erupted as tongues of fire leapt out of the pages, striking each of the vague outlines causing them to glow. Each form appeared to arch backwards as the fire filled their outline giving them a definite, fiery shape.

Ben and the others watched in amazement as the cavern glowed with the reformed bodies of hundreds of girls. The earlier form stood before Ben, its features clearly defined by a flickering orange glow.

‘You have performed a great service this day,' it's voice resonating around the cavern. ‘You have given freely that which was valuable to you and, in return, we will give you what is of even greater value.'

‘Smart,' grinned Trep. ‘I hope it's an even bigger diamond than the one we've already got!'

‘Be quite,' snarled the girl. ‘We're being offered something more valuable than wealth.'

The form lowered its head toward the girl.

‘Wise words for one so young, and for one fortunate enough to avoid being parted with her life-force.'

‘I'm very grateful,' replied the girl.

With a fiery beckoning finger, the form instructed one of the other forms to stand before the group.

‘Here,' said the form, ‘is your guide to the other side of the mountain. Follow her carefully, do not take your eyes from her or deviate or you will lost forever.'

The rest of the glowing forms suddenly became agitated and a murmuring sounded around the cavern.

‘We have company,' said the large form. ‘Now is the time of reckoning.' She turned to the other fiery forms. ‘It is time,' she cried. ‘This is the day those hideous creatures become what they should have been centuries ago.' The form raised her arms high above her head. ‘Dust!' she shouted triumphantly.

Immediately, the cavern was filled with roaring flames, as the assembled forms became one gigantic body with fingers of fire flickering over every outline. The lone form turned to the group.

‘Quickly,' she said. ‘I will lead you to where you need to be and then,' she looked toward the single mass. ‘Then I must re-join my sisters as they wreak their revenge.'

The form glided forward toward a passageway on the far side of the cavern. For a moment the girl hesitated in following. Ben took her hand.

‘There is nothing you can do,' he said kindly. ‘This is their time, their moment of rejoicing as they finally overcome that which overcame them so many years ago.'

The girl lowered her head in acknowledgement.

‘You are right,' she admitted. ‘They have waited many a long year for this day. I realise that they will never become what they once were, but at least they will have the satisfaction of knowing those vile creatures will never again prey on the lives of young girls.'

‘Talking about young girls,' said Ben, giving the girl's hand a gentle squeeze. ‘You've never told us your name or who you are?'

‘My name is
Alisha
,' replied the girl. ‘I am the daughter of Lord Tolc!'

Ben followed the glow emanating from the fiery form ahead. The girl's revelation of her identity had stunned him. He recalled Lord Tolc talking about finding a girl and also the threat of what might happen if he were to act inappropriately! The semi-light partially hid the broad grin that had formed on Ben's face. Without knowing he was looking, he had actually found the girl. At last something was going in his favour.

Along the narrow, claustrophobic passageway, Ben found his head frequently making contact with rocky protrusions. The relentless pace set by the fiery form didn't allow time for any care where feet trod. After what seemed an age, Mak came to a standstill.

‘Rest?' he pleaded. ‘I need to rest.'

The fiery form turned to face him.

‘Rest?' she breathed angrily. ‘I have had no rest for several lifetimes.' Her form shimmered intensely. ‘I have no desire to extend that agony. We must move on.'

The group continued their journey through the mountain. Although their feet ached and their lungs hurt with the exertion, nobody asked for a pause or to slacken the pace, each fearful of angering the fiery form.

Gradually, the passageway became wider, the roof higher and the walls less damp. The glow from the fiery form appeared to fade the further they went along the passageway until, Ben realised, it wasn't the fiery form that was fading but the darkness in the tunnel becoming gradually lighter. Before Ben could ask how much longer their journey would take, the fiery form suddenly stopped.

‘You can rest all you want now,' she said extending an arm that seemed almost dull against the backdrop of sunlight where the mountain finally met the sky. ‘I must go back and join my sisters, and for you,' she pointed at the horizon. ‘Your journey is just about to begin.'

‘What!' exploded Mak. ‘I've done nothing but trudge through every wretched bit of landscape imaginable. I've suffered at the hands of incompetent fools and you say our journey has only just begun? What planet are you on for crying out…'

‘There's no point,' interrupted Ben.

Mak turned angrily toward him.

‘No point?' he yelled. ‘There never was any point having you along on this hare-brained misadventure in the first place.'

‘I meant,' replied Ben steadily. ‘Is that there is no point in moaning at the fiery form. She's gone.'

‘As I said,' stormed Mak. ‘Incompetent fools.'

Without a backward glance he stepped out into the daylight and began to descend the narrow path that led down the mountain. Silently, both Noj and Trep followed leaving Ben and Alisha alone. Ben was just about to join the others when Alisha tugged at his arm.

‘Can you keep my identity to yourself?' she asked.

‘If you want,' shrugged Ben. ‘But at least let the others know your name.'

‘Certainly,' agreed Alisha. ‘But my connection to Lord Tolc or any mention of where I come from is best kept to ourselves.'

‘Fine by me,' replied Ben. ‘But I don't see what the problem may be.'

‘Those creatures didn't catch me,' she explained. ‘I was abducted by someone close to my family. One moment I was asleep in my chamber and the next I awoke to see a dark shape leaning over me. I tried to scream but a gag was forced into my mouth and a scented cloth was placed against my face. I remember nothing until I opened my eyes to find myself in that shed where you first saw me.' She sighed gently. ‘I couldn't say how long I've been captive but sufficient to see and understand what those creatures were about and what they were.'

Ben shook his head. ‘Scary stuff.'

‘Until I find out who abducted me, and why then it's best that nobody knows who I am. Whoever did the evil deed will be most surprised to see me.' Her mouth became a stern smile. ‘And when I meet them…' She left the sentence unfinished.

Ben smiled and began to walk away. Alisha caught hold of his arm once again.

‘Our secret?' she asked, her eyes holding Ben's gaze.

‘Our secret,' he agreed. ‘Come on, we must catch up with the others before they begin to wonder what might have happened to us.'