by Bryan Davis
“Where are the other men?” Listener set a jar of water at Matt’s side.
He swallowed quickly and washed the bite down with water. “Well …” He glanced at Tamara. She bit her lip hard, her eyes red. Obviously she wouldn’t want to tell the story. “They’re dead. I don’t know what got them first, the cold or the lack of a functioning companion.”
A tear tracked down Listener’s cheek, but she kept a straight face. “More heroes from my people.”
Matt hurriedly finished both wraps as well as the water while Listener and Tamara checked on each companion and tried to clean off the sooty residue, but to no avail.
“No one has seen Dr. Conner,” Listener said as she scrubbed a companion with a soft bristle brush. “The mobile hospital might be buried in ice. At least the plane has an engine to keep everyone warm, and maybe the Second Edeners who were working as medical assistants were able to keep their companions safe.”
“I’m sure they’re fine.” Matt crouched near a small boy. A dark, soot-encrusted companion sat on his chest. “What happened here in the village?”
“This storm was meant to neutralize us in several ways.” Listener joined him in a crouch. “First, the ice paralyzes the companions. Second, the noise keeps me from thinking straight, though that threat has diminished. Third, my mother … Tamara … told me that a vapor in the wind weakened Karrick. He reported that it is thicker near the ground, so he and Grackle left to seek refuge at a higher elevation where the agent might be less concentrated. They were both suffering greatly, so escaping was their only hope of survival.”
She nodded toward the hut’s southern wall. “We have a portal location in the higher elevations. In emergency situations, we’re supposed to light a fire there that makes it easier for Sapphira to open from the Earth side, so I asked one of our men to do that before I went to Abaddon’s Lair. When Karrick left, he said he would check on the fire, but as of a couple of hours ago, Tamara couldn’t see any smoke, so Mardon’s storm must have extinguished it. In theory, Sapphira should be able to open it without our fire, but we need to make sure. I have a feeling that Mardon’s devilry consists of more than simply putting the fire out with ice.”
“Like what?” Matt asked. “The noise?”
Listener nodded. “I doubt that the noise element was aimed at me specifically.” Her face took on a determined aspect. “I want that fire burning. We need our warriors to return. If Ashley is among them, maybe she can figure out a way to clean the film off the companions and revive them. I’ve tried everything I can think of.”
“So that’s why you sent Tamara. You were busy trying to save lives.” Matt touched an infant girl’s limp hand. “Good decision.”
“That’s my sister, Lily. She isn’t fading as quickly as the others, so I am encouraged about her.” Listener gestured toward Steadfast, stretched out near the door. “I was hoping he would work with me to try to revive the others, but he never regained consciousness.”
Matt touched the white-haired boy’s arm. “What happened to him? I don’t see a companion.”
“Zohar is an Oracle of Fire, not a Second Edener. Something in the air is affecting him, but I’m not sure what. I know Mardon once concocted an agent that weakened Acacia, so I’m guessing this is his work.” Listener clenched her teeth. “He’s behind every plague. Who can tell what other evils he included in the storm?”
“Man-eating vines,” Matt said.
“Man-eating …” Listener blinked. “What?”
“Vines.” Matt nodded in the direction of the depression. “Vines sprouted and grew at an incredible rate. They swallowed the dead men and might’ve swallowed Candle and me if Tamara hadn’t helped us climb out of that place.”
Listener rubbed Tamara’s back. “Mother, thank you for saving their lives.”
“Yes, thank you.” Matt plucked a chunk of ice from his sleeve and examined the dark fragments within. “I’m wondering if something in the ice acted like a super fertilizer.”
“Volcanic ash?” Listener ran a finger across Matt’s cheek and sniffed the tip, now smeared with soot. She wrinkled her nose. “Ammonia. I smelled it earlier. It’s used in fertilizers, and we can be sure Mardon knows how to enhance it.”
“But why vines?”
“We used to have a grape vineyard in that spot. I suppose some dormant plants sprouted and grew with abandon. The grass also sprang up unusually fast.”
“Then wouldn’t any plant grow in the same way? If we melt the ice so the ash could get down into the soil, wouldn’t any plant take off?”
“I assume so.” Listener half closed an eye. “What are you thinking?”
“Just trying to figure out what Mardon’s up to. He created a storm designed to kill everyone here, but why the fertilizer?”
“To resurrect someone in the birthing garden? His mother, maybe?”
“Not likely. She’s scattered to the four winds, literally.” Matt furrowed his brow. “Has the garden ever produced someone evil?”
Listener nodded. “Mardon once planted a seed that eventually produced Devin. The sprout was obviously of evil origin—black and orange without any green—but circumstances wouldn’t allow us to destroy it. Unfortunately, the garden doesn’t know if it’s growing someone from Abaddon’s Lair or from a demon seed, but we should be able to identify an evil plant without a problem.”
“Abaddon’s Lair.” Matt tapped a finger on his thigh. Images of that place returned to mind—the table, the book, the two statues. What happened to the second one? “We’re assuming that everyone who comes from the lair is good, right?”
“Right. I don’t think the Father of Lights would bring them back otherwise.” Listener gave a confirming nod. “I perceive your line of thinking, and I agree. The other statue in Abaddon’s Lair likely held someone who would be an ally to us, perhaps Eagle if I interpreted Lauren’s musing correctly, so Mardon’s fertilizer was not meant to resurrect that soul. He had another purpose in mind, but perhaps we can turn his scheme against him.”
“Would the person in the statue come up as a baby or as he was when he died?”
“It’s hard to be sure. The garden has produced adults—Timothy, Bonnie, and Sapphira. In any case, the garden plants are probably buried in ice. In the past, the leaves have offered protection from the elements, but we always cleared away any snow that fell.”
“So the babies might be freezing.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Now that you know the way, you can go and make sure they’re all right. While you’re there, you can see what is growing, whether enemy or ally.”
“Me? What about you?”
Listener shook her head. “I have to look after my people in this hut and in the other huts. Nine out of ten are unconscious, so I have to force-feed them if necessary.” She grasped Matt’s arm. “You are wise and strong. I’m sure you can free the plants from the ice.”
“But you know a lot more about the garden than I do. I’m not even sure I can find it, especially with everything covered by dark ice.”
Tamara raised a hand. “I stay. … I take care … of people.”
“There. See?” Matt compressed Tamara’s shoulder. “After seeing her haul Candle and me out of that crazy vine trap, I’m sure she can handle it. Besides, like you said, nearly everyone’s unconscious, so her speech impediment isn’t a problem. Since she’s the only other one around without a companion, she’s perfect for the job.”
Listener picked up a small jar of water that had a bent straw protruding at the top. “Are you sure, Mother? It’s a lot of work.”
“I am … sure.” She let a smile break through. “Winston says … I take … cow by horns.”
Listener laughed. “Sir Barlow is right. They will all be in capable hands.”
“Super.” Matt scanned the hut. Might they have a blowtorch around? “We need something to melt the ice so we can get the fertilizer to seep into the soil like it did at the vin
eyard. If Eagle is really there, we want to speed up his resurrection.”
“I can melt it,” Zohar murmured, his eyes still closed.
“Zohar?” Listener slid her hand into his. “You’re too weak. You can’t even walk.”
“I started the fires in the huts.” His eyes opened. “Just get me to the garden. I’ll melt the ice. I’m physically weak, but I can still create flames.”
“It’s downhill most of the way,” Matt said. “We just need something he can slide on.”
Listener looked up. “Ashley fashioned a signal-receiving dish that is no longer in use. I think it will slide quite well.”
Zohar pushed to a sitting position. “Let me make sure I can still generate fire.” He opened his hand and stared at his palm. A fiery ball blossomed and quickly swelled. He then blew on the flame, and it vanished in a puff of smoke. He smiled at Listener and Matt in turn. “I can do it.”
“We’d better be ready for a lengthy journey, just in case.” Listener rose, opened a nearby closet door, and rummaged within. “We’ll take whatever food and water we have left in our basket. We have more in other huts. Even if we could clean and melt that ice, I’m not about to drink it.”
Matt grasped Zohar’s wrist. “Let’s see if you can stand.” He pulled the young man to his feet easily. Short and thin, he couldn’t weigh more than a hundred pounds.
Zohar wobbled for a moment before steadying. “The whole world is spinning.”
“I have something for dizziness.” The new voice came from the window. A man began climbing through, his face veiled by his arms and a black pliable satchel.
“Dr. Conner!” Listener bolted to the window and took the bag while he climbed the rest of the way. “Where is the hospital? How are the others?”
“The hospital’s about a mile from here, and there it will stay until the ice melts.” He brushed dark crystals from his coat. “Irene is well enough to take charge there, and Pearl, Onyx, and Windor are helping with the patients. Everyone stayed inside during the storm, so no one was affected by it. I stopped at another hut and saw what happened to the companions. The only conscious person there told me I would find you here.”
“Do you have any idea how to revive the companions?” Listener asked.
Dr. Conner shook his head. “It’s a mystery. I tried alcohol and diluted ammonia, but they didn’t work. I thought it best to look for you to get the details.”
“There’s a lot to tell.” Listener quickly updated Dr. Conner with the information she had, including the need to hurry to the birthing garden. He seemed to put the details together without any trouble.
“Fascinating story.” He withdrew a small brown bottle from his medical bag and gave it to Zohar. “Take a few drops. It should alleviate the dizziness, at least for a couple of hours.”
After packing supplies in a knapsack, Listener hugged Tamara. “I love you, Mother. I wish we could spend more time together.”
“And I … love you.” Tamara kissed Listener’s cheek. “I see you … soon.”
After saying good-bye to Dr. Conner, Matt, Listener, and Zohar climbed through the window, found the signal dish in a nearby hut, and set it on the ice. Matt helped Zohar sit on the dish and gave it a test slide. It moved quite well.
Listener checked the spyglass at her belt, then set her hands on the back of the makeshift sled. “Together?”
“Sure.” Matt placed his hands next to hers, dug into the ice with his boots, and shoved. Again, the sled moved easily. With the ice now melting, pits and exposed rocks might slow them down. Still, they would press on, no matter what.
CHAPTER 16
THE THIRD PUZZLE PIECE
Lauren let out a long sigh. “So when I embraced the tree of life, I became an Oracle of Fire. I think I was one of spirit then, but now I’m like Sapphira. I can create real fire with my hands, or at least I could until we came to this place.”
Lauren halted her tale. She and Sir Barlow had engaged in back-and-forth storytelling for what seemed like hours, but in this realm of darkness with only a glowing blue yoke for light, who could tell how much time had passed?
She prodded his arm. “I can’t think of any more stories. Do you want to go again?”
“My voice is spent,” Sir Barlow said. “But I was right about your tales. They are fascinating indeed.”
“Yours are more fascinating. When you talked about battling Goliath back-to-back with Edward, I felt like I was there.” She stifled a laugh. “Especially when you got caught in Goliath’s tail, and later you had to walk home in your underwear.”
“Feel free to laugh, Miss. It is certainly funny now, but I assure you that I was not amused at the time.” The warm yoke lifted. Sir Barlow’s grunts returned, and his voice came from higher up. “Dawn does not seem to be approaching, and my backside is nearly frozen, so I suggest a new course of action. Since you have temporarily lost your new gift, we will have to rely on our native skills.”
“You mean building a fire? What would you use?”
“I have nothing with which to kindle a flame. I meant that we would have to use common sense. Every world needs light of some kind. We simply have to find it, or allow it to find us. We will call for help.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Lauren rose and joined him. When he handed her the yoke, she hugged it close. The warm wood felt soothing in the frigid air. “Go ahead.”
Sir Barlow cleared his throat and shouted, “This is Sir Winston Barlow.” At each pause, his words echoed from afar. “I am here on a holy quest sanctioned by the almighty God to find the life reservoir. In my company is a powerful Oracle of Fire, whom I have been assigned to protect from harm to life and limb, and we seek a light to guide us on the path to complete our sacred duty.”
When the echoes faded, a new voice followed—male and mirthful. “You and the Oracle are welcome here, Sir Barlow, but there is no need to sound like a script from a medieval theatre production.”
Sir Barlow laughed. “Now that’s a voice from long ages ago.”
“Who is it?” Lauren asked.
“In these lands of imposters, I want to make sure before I divulge his identity.” Sir Barlow called out, “Greetings! In order to facilitate a safe concourse, I would like to request a password of sorts. If you are who I think you are, then you will know the answer to my question. When Sir Devin said to King Arthur, ‘Your faith resides in coats of scales while you snub your nose at your own kind,’ what was your response?”
A laugh echoed in the darkness. “Sire, a man who breathes rumors of treachery had better back his words with more evidence than his own hot air.”
Sir Barlow clapped his hands. “I secretly applauded your answer on that cold, wet day, and now I do so without stealth.”
“Even though I am the one who sent you into that candlestone for fifteen centuries?” The man laughed again. “Come. I will send a glowbat to guide your way.”
A light fluttered in the distance and drew closer. As it neared, wings took shape, and the light cast a flickering glow on a floor of shining ice. The glowbat reversed course over their heads and flew in the direction it had come.
Sir Barlow pulled on Lauren’s hand. “The ice is harder now. We musn’t keep Merlin waiting.”
“Merlin?” Lauren hurried to keep up with Sir Barlow and the glowbat. “The king’s counselor in your stories?”
“Correct. Now that we are about to meet him, I should have told you more about his tales.”
The glow slid forward on the ice. Along the path, stalagmites protruded from the ground here and there. Lauren eyed one as she passed. This place looked like a cavern somewhere in the frozen North.
Ahead, pinpoints of light appeared well above the ground. Their glow painted a dim column of radiance that surrounded a bearded man. Wearing a red cloak, he leaned on a long staff with a dim light of its own at the top.
When they arrived, Merlin welcomed Sir Barlow with a brief embrace. He
lowered himself to one knee, grasped Lauren’s hand, and gazed at her from under a wizened brow. “Welcome, Karen, now known as Lauren. I congratulate you on completing the puzzle and arriving at the life reservoir.”
Lauren locked on his eyes—deep and ancient. Answering this wise, old man without sounding like a dumb kid felt out of reach, especially since the puzzle seemed to come together on its own. “Thank you, Merlin. I hope to learn more about these mysteries and how to apply the reservoir so that it will benefit those who need it.”
With help from his staff, Merlin rose. “I know only a little about the mysteries, so we will have to merge what we have learned.” He touched the yoke. “What is this?”
Lauren lifted it closer to him. “I found it in the first realm. It helped me get into the second one, so I think it’s part of Jade’s puzzle.” When he set his staff against a stalagmite and took the yoke, she went on to explain her discovery of her father in the pool as well as details about his computer glasses, the ravens, and the polluting sludge. She added a summary of Tamiel’s deception, how he disguised himself as Micaela and escaped to Second Eden, and finished with the mystery of her own acquiring of fire-creating power and the subsequent loss of it upon entering this realm.
“Mysterious indeed.” Merlin ran a finger along the yoke’s wooden surface. “I agree that this is one of Jade’s devices. I was curious because it is essential that I examine any foreign objects that enter this realm. It is a holy place, and I cannot allow any contaminants to corrupt its purity.”
“Then maybe you should look at the glasses.” Lauren slid them from her pocket. “Sir Barlow says the computer screen was showing … well … porn, I assume.”
“Indeed, lass,” Sir Barlow said. “Filthy, to be sure. That’s why I threw them away.”
Lauren dangled the glasses from her fingertips. “Micaela … I mean, Tamiel, gave the glasses back to me. I forgot all about them.”
