The Lodestone Trilogy (Limited Edition) (The Lodestone Series)

by Mark Whiteway

Shann hefted her pack and manoeuvred her arms between the shoulder straps. They had slimmed down their possessions to no more than they could comfortably carry. For Shann that meant just her flying cloak and her staff; besides food and water, she had nothing else. She watched as Alondo reached inside his jerkin and pulled out the emerald he wore around his neck. The jewel sparkled in the early afternoon light. He bowed his head silently, mouthing a few words–a prayer? – before tucking the stone back out of sight. Shann was suddenly struck by the fact that she had no memento, no keepsake, nothing of her former life and home. If she died here in these Fire Pits, there would be nothing on her body to indicate to anyone who found her who she was or where she was from. Had she been a good or a bad person? Had she loved anyone or been loved? Had her short life amounted to anything? She felt a wave of sadness wash over her. Alondo had offered her a place in his home along with Hedda, but that was a long way off and there was a good chance she would never live to take him up on it. For now, all she had were the cloak and the staff. Yet perhaps those things said more about the person she was now than anything else. From that moment on a rain-soaked night in Corte, when she had grabbed the staff and ran forward to give it to the tall fair haired man with the piercing blue eyes, she had crossed a line. She had taken her life in a new direction. She had decided to become someone who could make a difference.

  Slowly and carefully, the party began their descent into the Fire Pits of Kharthrun. Single file, perched on the narrow rock ledge with their backs against the cliff wall, edging towards the plumes of rising steam mingled with smoke and sulphur, Shann felt a growing sense of peril. What was it Ernan had said? Too many ways to die.

  ~

  Shann could already feel the heat rising from below, creating an updraft of unsteady air currents. The palms of her hands were pressed against the rock face as she moved along a ledge not much wider than her feet. Don’t look down.

  Alondo seemed to be faring worse than she was. He was far from sure-footed, and Shann could see the apprehension in his eyes. He tried cracking jokes in an effort to raise his spirits. “Lyall?” His voice was like a thin thread.

  “Yes, what is it?”

  “You know, out of all of the things we have done so far, I think this is my least favourite.”

  “I know,” Lyall soothed, “try to hang in there, my friend.”

  The flying cloaks were useless; a fall from this height would not be stopped by any deposits of natural lodestone, even assuming there were any directly beneath them. Looking out over the expanse, it occurred to Shann that there were no birds flying. The silence was broken only by laboured breathing and the sounds of boots scraping against rock.

  At times, the ledge widened a little, allowing them to make faster progress. Keris was stone-faced, her dark eyes betraying no sign of anxiety. She moved over the thin strip of rock with the grace of a dagan. Boxx shuffled along with ease. He was forced to stop frequently as the Kelanni in front of him slowed his progress.

  They were a little more than halfway down. The ledge had widened once again, and Shann was beginning to think that the nightmare would soon be over, when Lyall stopped in his tracks and raised a hand. Shann halted and so did the others. She noticed that Alondo was breathing heavily.

  “What’s the matter?” she called ahead.

  “Look.” Lyall moved aside to allow her to glimpse the way ahead. She squeezed against him, craning her neck. The narrow shelf continued for a short way before coming to an abrupt end, a broken edge falling off into nothingness–a brutal denial of passage. Her heart sank at the thought of making the journey all the way back up the cliff side. The musician had slumped down and was seated with his back to the rock, hugging his knees. His eyes were shut and he was breathing through his teeth. She was not at all sure he would make it.

  Keris edged past Alondo and approached Shann and Lyall. She had untied herself from the rope and removed her pack.

  “Why have we stopped?” she demanded.

  Lyall met her eyes gravely. “The path is gone.”

  ~

  “Let me see.” Keris sidled past the other two and crept gingerly to where the path ended abruptly.

  Lyall leaned forward. “Be careful; it may not be safe.”

  Keris did not answer or look back. She got down on her knees, then lay flat on her stomach and peered into the abyss below. Her head moved up as her eyes scoured the rock face. There. Ever since that night in the Gilah Hills when she had faced Mordal for the last time it had seemed as if a maelstrom were churning within her, a storm of grief and loss over which she had no control. When she had found herself kicking down a door in the village of Pinnar, it felt as if she were another person, yelling at herself from afar, but unable to make herself stop.

  The feelings of grief and loss were still there, but now, for the first time in many days and nights, Keris felt a centre, a point of calm. She stood in the eye of the storm, aware of her feelings, but detached from them somehow. Here was a problem, an obstacle, but one that could be overcome by logic and tactical analysis. She was on familiar ground once more. She was in control.

  She got back up and retreated to where Lyall and Alondo were waiting, indicating behind her with a flick of her head. “The path continues ahead of and below us. It begins again at a fault line, where the canyon wall is split.”

  Lyall moved to the end of the path and checked where she was indicating. He turned back, shaking his head. “Too far. We could never jump that gap.”

  Keris looked straight at him. Her eyes flashed. “I can do it.”

  Shann and Lyall looked at her with disbelief. “If you’re thinking of using the flying cloak, it would take a leap of great precision to make it to that far ledge without falling off,” Lyall argued. “What’s more, there would have to be a good lodestone deposit on this side and you haven’t even taken the cloak out to scan for any yet.”

  “I won’t be needing any.” Keris moved back along the narrow shelf. She passed Alondo and went to the place where she had set down her pack. Carefully she extracted her flying cloak and fitted it around her shoulders, fixing the clasps and shaking her head so that her dark tresses settled across her shoulders, framing her sharp delicate features. She tied the pack to her belt and made her way back to where Shann and Lyall were waiting expectantly. She addressed Shann. “Give me your cloak, please.” Shann looked to Lyall, who nodded at the girl. Obediently, Shann took off her pack and gave her own cloak to Keris. “Thank you.” Keris headed for the broken end of the path once more and knelt down just short of the edge. She laid Shann’s cloak out on the rock surface and began making adjustments to the control mechanism.

  Lyall walked up behind her. “May I ask what it is you’re doing?”

  Keris continued perfecting her adjustments without looking up. “I can get us all safely across to the other side.” Satisfied, she stood up and faced Lyall. “But I need you to do exactly as I say. Please ask everyone to untie themselves from the rope.”

  Lyall examined her with his penetrating blue eyes, as if trying to read her mind. “Everyone, untie yourselves from the rope.” He gathered in the line and handed it to Keris, who took one end and tied it around her torso.

  She handed the other end to Lyall. “Keep a firm hold on this.” Then she turned, stepped just beyond the place where Shann’s cloak lay, took a sighting on the far ledge and leapt into the void.

  There were two parts to this plan that were going to prove difficult. This was the first. She had configured Shann’s cloak so as to expose the refined lodestone. Refined lodestone was stronger than any naturally occurring deposit, so she was in no doubt that she could traverse the distance. The problem was that there was nothing at the other end to put a brake on her momentum. For that reason, she had selected a trajectory that was as low as possible. The refined lodestone in Shann’s cloak gave her an unaccustomed jolt and she sailed across and down the cliff face towards the opposite ledge. Keris angled as close to the cliff as she dared as the na
rrow rock shelf rushed up to meet her. She overshot the edge, and her boots impacted the hard rock as she came to a running stop. The rope spanned the gap between both ledges.

  Keris removed her cloak and placed it carefully near the fault line, exposing its lodestone layer. Then she looked up to the broken path across and above from her. She could see Lyall and Shann, as well as Alondo and the round head that was Boxx, driven by curiosity to see what was happening. “Lyall,” she called out.

  “Yes?”

  “I want you to tie the rope securely around yourself and make the jump, just as you saw me do. I have set my cloak so that you can use its lodestone to slow your descent.”

  Lyall glanced behind him. “But what about the others?”

  “Listen carefully,” Keris yelled. “In order for this to work, we have to execute a series of actions in a precise order. Everyone will be fine. I…must ask that you trust me.”

  There was a pause. “Very well.” Lyall disappeared over the rim and then reappeared wearing his own cloak. “Ready?”

  Keris grabbed the rope and braced herself in case he should miss his aim. “Come on.”

  Lyall set his sights on the opposite ledge, as he had seen Keris do, and then hurled himself boldly across the gap. His legs bicycled in the air as he flew in a somewhat higher arc than she had. Keris saw him adjust his neck control, partially extending his bronze layer, using Keris’ cloak to slow his fall. He landed lightly on the other side. “That was incredible.” He looked back over the distance he had just crossed. “What now?”

  “Take off your cloak,” Keris interrupted. Lyall reached to his neck and undid the clasps, handing the cloak to her. She dropped her pack and retrieved her own cloak, placing his cloak on the ledge, and checking the settings. One step at a time. She fixed her eye on the upper ledge, bent her knees and flared her own cloak, pushing against the lodestone in Lyall’s cloak. This time, she angled her body so as to assume a more vertical path. The power of the refined lodestone took her up and over the lip of the path, to land in front of Shann and the others. Shann and Alondo looked too shocked to applaud.

  Boxx was moving around in tight circles, although whether that was intended to signify excitement or anxiety, Keris had no idea. Keris picked up Shann’s cloak and handed it to her. “You are next. Put this on, and tie the rope securely around your upper body.” Shann did so. Keris checked the knots and nodded her approval. She undid her own cloak and placed it on the path, adjusting it so as to uncover the lodestone layer. Then she faced the girl. “As the lightest one here, you will need to carry Boxx across. Can you do that?”

  “I think so…yes.” Shann appeared uncertain.

  “I Will Fly Now,” Boxx piped.

  Keris was not sure whether this was a question or a statement, so she replied simply, “Yes.”

  “Chandara Do Not Fly.”

  Keris was not about to embark on another fruitless exchange with the creature. “Then this will be a first for your people.” She turned back to Shann. “Wrap your arms around Boxx and hold it securely as you jump. You should be fine, as your combined weight is no more than any one of us. Alondo and I will be holding the rope securely in case anything goes wrong.”

  Shann’s lips were tightly pursed as she fastened her cloak. Then she bent to pick up Boxx. The creature squirmed like a small child. “Keep still,” she commanded. Boxx stopped struggling.

  “Make sure you get a good push off the lodestone,” Keris counselled, “and try to stay as tight to the cliff face as you can.” Shann nodded. Keris could see the fear in her eyes. She held the girl’s gaze, trying to instil confidence. You can do this.

  Shann walked to the edge and hesitated. Don’t lose your nerve now. Keris watched as if in slow motion. Shann clutched the Chandara to her chest, bent her knees and leapt upwards. The rope snaked outwards, with Keris holding firmly on to the other end as she followed Shann’s trajectory. Higher…a little higher. The girl was falling short. Keris felt a rising sense of panic. She tightened her grip on the rope–there was nothing more she could do. Shann touched down on the very edge of the broken path and began to topple backwards. Lyall reached out and grabbed her with both hands. She fell forward, landing on top of him, with Boxx between them. As they slowly disentangled themselves, Keris breathed a sigh of relief. Good girl.

  Boxx stood up on its hind legs. “Again…I Fly Again.” Lyall and Shann burst out laughing.

  Almost there. Alondo’s face was creased with concern. Keris ignored him, retrieving her own cloak and fitting it around her shoulders. Then she hailed across the gap. “Is everyone all right over there?”

  “We’re fine,” Lyall shouted back.

  “I will need to borrow Shann’s cloak once again. Tie it securely to the rope.” Shann removed her cloak and handed it to Lyall who did as he was bid. Keris tugged on the rope hand over hand and pulled it up the cliff side. She placed it once again on the ledge. Next, she checked the equipment still on their side; Alondo’s instrument and pack, and Boxx’s pack, containing the machine which Annata, the woman from the past used to communicate with them. Boxx’s pack was the lightest. She faced Alondo. “Please let me have your pack and your instrument.”

  Alondo removed the items and handed them to her. “So, how am I getting over there?” He was doing his best to sound nonchalant.

  Keris hefted his instrument and tied his pack to her belt. She tied the rope around herself once more. Finally, she handed him the other end of the rope. “Whatever you do, don’t let go.” she told him firmly.

  Then, without another word, she turned and launched herself skyward. The return journey was less of a challenge. Although she carried Alondo’s instrument as an additional burden, the presence of Lyall’s cloak on the other side afforded her considerably more control during the latter part of her flight. Keris touched down on the ledge, receiving a smile and clap on the back from Lyall. She untied the rope, set down the instrument and Alondo’s pack and then turned to view the ledge above them. The others followed her gaze.

  A round face appeared, topped off by a jaunty red hat. “Er…hello?” he quivered. “Are you still there? Because I’m still here.”

  Keris cupped her hand to her mouth to amplify her voice. “Alondo, can you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Alondo, I want you to listen very carefully and do everything I tell you. Can you do that?”

  “All right.”

  Keris could hear the note of apprehension in his voice. She made her own voice as even as possible. “First of all, I want you to pick up Shann’s cloak and put it in Boxx’s pack, then tie the pack around your waist.”

  There was a pause while they waited expectantly. Eventually, Alondo’s head appeared once more. “I’ve done that.”

  “Good, very good. Now I want you to tie the end of the rope under your arms. Be sure it’s secure.”

  Another pause. Keris signalled for Lyall and Shann to take up the rope with her. Then Alondo’s voice came back. “I’ve tied it good and tight.”

  Well done. Now I want you to step off the edge.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Step off the edge,” Keris insisted. “Look, you will be perfectly safe. There are three people here ready to pull you up. The best way is not to try to jump, just step straight off. Keep away from the side of the canyon, but don’t swing too far out or you will swing back and hit the rock face.”

  “Lyall?” Alondo pleaded.

  “Just do as Keris says and you will be fine,” Lyall assured him.

  “Come on, Alondo, you can do it,” Shann called.

  There was silence. Then a tremulous voice from above, “Very well, I’m going to count to three.” Keris, Lyall and Shann looked at one another but said nothing. Alondo appeared at the edge. “One…Two…Three.” They watched as Alondo stepped off and fell into nothingness. A moment later the line went taut. They took the strain, pulling up the rope as quickly as they could. At last, Alondo’s head appeared and his hands grasp
ed the broken path. Keris dropped the rope and lunged forward, grabbing the back of his tunic and manhandling him over the lip. As she pulled backwards, she sat and her foot kicked out. Something broke free and fell over the edge. She hauled him the rest of the way up and he turned back, panting with exertion. His face was etched with alarm, no longer for his own predicament but rather for something that affected them all.

  “The pack with the machine in it,” he cried, “it’s gone!”

  <><><><><>

  Chapter 22

  “I can see it.” Keris was lying with her head over the precipice, Lyall keeping firm hold of her legs. She crawled backwards over the uneven rock shelf. Lyall released her and she got to her feet. “The pack is lodged part way down. The strap seems to have become caught on a spur.”

  “How far down is it?” Lyall asked anxiously.

  “We can reach it with the rope, but it’s off to the side, back beyond where the path ends. We would have to abseil down the rock face here, and then swing on the rope to reach it.”

  Lyall frowned. “It sounds risky, but I don’t think we have a choice. We have to get the machine back, not to mention Shann’s flying cloak.”

  Keris bit her lip. “It was my fault. The whole thing was my idea and I was the one who knocked it off the edge. I should be the one to go.”

  “But you were trying to save me at the time,” Alondo chimed in. “I don’t know how, but somehow my belt came off with the pack attached. I should have made it more secure. If anything, I’m to blame.”

  Lyall was insistent. “Forget it, Alondo, we’re not sending you down there again.”

  “I’ll go,” Shann heard herself say. The others looked at her in surprise. Shann felt smaller than usual under the questing gazes of the other three, but she felt a knot of resolve forming within her. Keris had tried to destroy the machine and make it look like an accident. If she let the woman go down there on the pretext of trying to retrieve the pack, it would be a perfect opportunity to finish the job. She could not say any of that out loud, of course. Fortunately, she knew of another effective argument. She addressed Keris directly. “You said it yourself. I’m by far the lightest one here. Swinging to and fro will increase the strain on the rope and the people who are anchoring it. I am the safest choice.”