by Maria Burke
‘Explosives on the shipwrecks … so you were watching us yesterday. I can’t believe it. What kind of power do you have? Are you really a prophet?’
‘You don’t know me yet, Simon. And unfortunately you’re still a boy with a lot of growing up to do. You have much to learn. It’s time to lose your pride. Open your eyes, my boy. Stop hiding from the truth.’
Simon felt the green eyes of the prophet questioning him deep inside. It made him feel uneasy.
‘But I came here about another matter,’ said Malachy turning to Browdan. ‘You plan to form an army and then march on the Abbey?’
‘Yes,’ said Browdan.
‘You must wait until Grinwick and the birds of the forest have had time to influence more of Red Beak’s eagles. Many of them are on the verge of fleeing from him. Red Beak has been punishing his guards with great cruelty. They are terrified. We need a little more time to persuade them to leave him. I’m asking you to trust me. But maybe that is too difficult for some of you.’
‘I trust you, Malachy,’ said Br Coleman. ‘And I know who you are. You’ve always protected the monks of the Ark of Dun Ruah and the inhabitants of this island. You are a prophet of the highest order. We are blessed to have you with us.’
The villagers nodded their heads to show their support.
‘I must warn you that you may not be safe here for long,’ said Malachy. ‘This is what I suggest you do to keep yourselves safe. The strongest among you should go back to the village of Coracle, set up camp there and take your old homes back. Try to build up some form of protection for the village. Make it your stronghold. It will be the fortress from which you can defeat Red Beak. It will also divert the eagles away from here. The children and the older folk can stay here under the protection of the caves.’
‘It’s not going to be easy,’ said Browdan. ‘We need everyone to support this.’
‘Yes you will need the support of all the islanders. Cian and the lake people are with you. The good eagles and the freebirds of the forests are also willing to help in any way they can. Get them to spread the news of what you are doing to the other villages on the island.’
‘And the monks on the Ark of Dun Ruah, will they support us?’
‘The Abbot is with you. I believe he’ll be here when you need him. Now I must make a request. I need you to provide me with your best boat for a voyage I have to make.’
‘What voyage?’ Browdan asked.
‘I’m leaving the island,’ said Malachy.
‘What?’ cried Simon. ‘How could you leave us now? You can’t go off like this just when Red Beak is about to attack. Are you mad?’
The Messenger turned once more to Simon.
‘Red Beak is preparing to attack,’ he said, ‘but he is clever enough to wait for the right moment. It will take some time for him to rally his troops and make an effective impact. I can be more useful by leaving the island. You must trust my judgement.’
‘But what’s all the secrecy about?’ probed Simon. ‘At least tell us where you’re going.’
Malachy took a deep breath. ‘I’m going to speak to the Abbot on board the Ark of Dun Ruah. He is very keen to be kept up to date on the events that are occurring on the island. And he is very upset about the fact that Pod was kidnapped on his own ship. He wants to do everything in his power to help him.’
‘But it’s not the Abbot’s fault that Pod was kidnapped,’ said Kerry.
‘I know,’ said Malachy. ‘But he feels responsible for the passengers on his ship. Also many of the monks would like to come back to live on the island. They’ve had enough of floating around the ocean. They want to be monks not sailors, cleaners and cooks. Some of them are trying to put pressure on the Abbot to lend his support to the battle against Red Beak. I hear he’s on the point of giving in to the wishes of the younger monks. They have asked me to lend my influence.’
‘You have my blessing, Malachy,’ said Browdan. ‘Come with me and I’ll find a good boat for you.’
‘Can I come with you, Malachy?’ Br Coleman asked. ‘I might be able to help you persuade the Abbot.’
‘But why do you need a boat?’ Simon asked. ‘You are a prophet of the highest order. Surely you don’t need a boat to get there. Why don’t you use your magical powers?’
Malachy laughed. ‘Don’t you know that strong magic is like strong alcohol, Simon? An overdose can leave you with a hangover that lasts for days, sometimes months. I don’t use magic.’
‘But what about all the times you escaped me?’
‘Maybe you’re not as observant as you should be,’ said Malachy. ‘A master of discretion can fade into the background when he wants to. I use the elements of nature like the wind to help me travel faster, or shadows to hide in. But I have been blessed with gifts from one much greater than me. And these gifts I only use in times of great need. Red Beak is quite a formidable opponent. I need to keep my strength to deal with him.’
Kerry sat on the sea wall watching the islanders prepare the boat for Malachy and Coleman. Malachy was already on board. He waved at Kerry and she waved back. He studied her for a moment. Then before she knew it, he was out of the boat and at her side.
‘Something is troubling you Kerry. What is it?’
‘Oh, I’m sorry for looking so sad, Malachy. But I feel that I have put everyone in danger by taking them on this trip. If I had taken Pod’s advice we would still be back in Kilbeggin. And Pod would be safe. But I do need to make a living. How am I going to save our home and take care of Simon without a decent income?’
‘You are carrying a heavy burden right now, my child. But in time this will grow lighter and turn to great good. Your experiences here will strengthen both you and Simon and draw you closer together. I can offer you and Simon a passage on this boat with me right now back to the Ark of Dun Ruah and onwards to the Land of Fire. You can trust Browdan and the islanders to find your friend Pod. Do you want to come with me now?’
‘And leave Pod on the island? I’d never do that. No, I want to stay here and help the islanders too. In the last few days I’ve really grown to love those people. But, you know, I miss my mother right now. I feel so alone at times like this. I wish I had someone like you to guide me.’
‘I’m glad you have chosen to stay Kerry. Sometimes we have to face our enemy and fight. And it can be very lonely. But remember that this too will pass away. All struggles and sorrows pass eventually. They make us better people.’
‘Do you have to leave us, Malachy?’
‘I will never leave you, Kerry. I will always be your friend. All you have to do is call my name and I will be with you. I promise you that.’
Malachy boarded the little sailing boat the islanders had prepared for himself and Br Coleman. Kerry looked out to sea and watched them sail away. She hoped that they would return safely with help.
After Malachy and Coleman had left the island, Browdan sent his friend the Tawny Owl as a messenger to the birds of the forest. Soon the news of the rise against Red Beak spread to every corner of the island. The birds came and held a great conference with him on the cliff edge near the sea caves. Eagles, owls, hawks and all the smaller birds pledged to band together with the cave dwellers to overthrow Red Beak and his army. They left to spread the word to all the cave villages on the island.
All through the night a procession of young men and women left their caves on the coast and by the lake. They walked to Coracle carrying with them whatever weapons and tools they could find. Arriving in droves to the little town, they sang ancient battle songs.
We shall eat our bread to the full,
And dwell in our land in safety.
We will live in peace and lie down,
And none will make us afraid.
We will rid the land of evil beasts.
We will chase our enemies down.
They will fall before us in their thousands.
We will put ten thousand to flight.
Browdan set up his headquarters in the o
ld town hall in the centre of the village. The people moved in to repossess the houses in the town. They restored the roofs and walls and strengthened the windows and doorways to make them into impregnable fortresses. That day the villagers worked openly for the first time since Red Beak’s reign of terror began. They cut down wood from nearby forests and dragged it into the village for the making of furniture and tools. They carried great stones into the town from the barren lands and used them for building purposes. They laboured long hours, rebuilding their homes and their village. The ironmonger lit up his old furnace to forge weapons, helmets and shields. The baker cleaned up his ovens and baked fruit and potato bread for the workers.
The following day, Red Beak’s scouts started circling the town. They kept a distant watch on what the local people were doing but they didn’t attack. Everyone had begun to relax and they were making great strides in restoring their village. They went about their work with new confidence, openly laughing and singing for the first time in five long years.
Suddenly, the bell on the town hall rang out. The people flocked to its doors. There stood Browdan with Cian, the chief of the Lake People, Niamh and Grinwick were at his side.
They all waited for Browdan to speak.
CHAPTER 22
Ring of Fire
The islanders and the freebirds had responded to the toll of the bell. They flocked to listen to what Browdan had to say. Simon, Kerry and the swiftails stood with them to offer their support.
‘Red Beak has gathered together a great army of eagles,’ said Browdan. ‘Grinwick has just got word that they are about to attack our town and to crush us once and for all. Unfortunately, we are not ready to face them yet. We have no battle strategy and not enough weapons. So the only thing we can do is lock ourselves into our homes and defend the work we’ve done already as best we can. That’s unless someone here has a plan.’
‘I have,’ shouted Simon. ‘I’ve got a plan.’
‘Speak up then if you do,’ said Browdan.
‘We can use fire to frighten the eagles off,’ said Simon stepping forward. ‘With the help of the people of this town I can make enough fire to terrify the wits out of those eagles. Red Beak’s flocks are afraid of fire. I’ve seen with my own eyes how they react to it. If they see that we are not afraid of them they will lose confidence. Let’s show them that we won’t be beaten.’
Some of the villagers shouted their approval.
‘You haven’t seen what those eagles are capable of, Simon,’ said Browdan.
‘Yes I have,’ replied Simon. ‘When I was captured and brought before Red Beak’s throne in the Abbey, I confronted them with fire. They went crazy with fear. And when they chased us to the riverbank near the forest I threw fire at them again. It worked. They screamed with terror and the whole flock fled back to the Abbey. I know we can do this.’
‘But you have only dealt with them in small numbers up to now, Simon,’ said Cian. ‘How can you possibly make the fire big enough to scare an entire army?’
‘We can build a ring of fire around this entire town. Fire spreads rapidly so it won’t take very long to get it going. First we’ll send people out in every direction armed with my matches, and with fuel and explosives. We’ll build a circle of fires dotted around the edges of the town. Then we’ll link them together to form a huge unbroken ring.’
‘But where are we going to get all the explosives?’
‘I have worked with pyrotechnics for years. And since I’ve arrived on the island I’ve been collecting minerals from the underground rock. I’ve never seen such a wealth of raw material for making explosives. And I have gathered enough material by now to blow Red Beak off the planet. We’ll make that ring of fire so hot and dangerous that Red Beak won’t come back for a long time.’
‘I think we should give Simon a chance,’ interrupted Grinwick. ‘What have we got to lose? We can always resort to Browdan’s plan and run for cover if it doesn’t work.’
‘Let’s put it to a vote,’ said Browdan. ‘All in favour of Simon’s plan shout now.’
With a great roar the entire village shouted their support for Simon’s plan.
‘It looks like we’re with you, Simon,’ said Browdan. ‘But the eagles could be on their way. How fast can you build this ring of fire?’
‘Well, how much time have we got before they get here?’
‘They were swarming over the Abbey preparing to leave when I left there,’ said Grinwick. ‘They could be here within the hour.’
‘We can do it if everyone pitches in,’ said Simon. ‘Listen to the plan.’
Simon stood beside Browdan giving orders to the hundreds of men and women who came forward to volunteer for the various tasks involved.
Cian led a band of villagers to the edge of the town to gather firewood from the forest. Browdan built an enormous bonfire in the square in front of the town hall. The people brought torches to the bonfire and set them alight. They used the torches to light more bonfires in the streets and at the edge of the town. Within minutes a circle of small fires were dotted close together around the perimeter of the town.
During his few days in the underground cave village, Simon had dug out a substantial store of salt and iron oxide from the rock to use as ingredients for making explosives. He enlisted the help of a team of volunteers to make batches of simple firearms and fireworks. They swung into action and distributed the explosives among the villagers for use when the signal was given. Browdan sent another team to the shipwrecks to collect some of the remaining munitions on board.
Within the hour Red Beak’s eagles were circling over the town. Company after company arrived, darkening the sky with their outstretched wings. Simon’s action plan was ready to roll out. Browdan’s volunteer army awaited the signal.
‘Launch the flare,’ Browdan ordered.
Simon launched a white flare from the old cannon at the town hall which rocketed straight into the eagles’ midst. It exploded with a mighty crack, scattering the eagles from left to right. At this signal, the villagers detonated their missiles and quickly retreated under cover. Simon’s first range of fireworks shot up into the heavens and burst into flaming showers followed by loud thunderclaps. Hundreds of eagles fled across the sky, fanning the flames with their wings. The flames grew higher, scorching their tails and burning their feathers.
Screaming with fright and pain, the eagle flocks fled from their position above the centre of the town. They flew to the outskirts where the ring of bonfires lay. Here Browdan’s allies, the freebirds, lay waiting, hidden in the scrublands surrounding the town. They were armed with small grenades. At the signal they flew high up to the sky and dropped the grenades into the outlying fires. The explosions rocked the landscape and fires leaped high into the air. Spreading rapidly, the flames joined to form an unbroken circle of fire as a shield around the town. A fierce heat rose from the ring of fire high up into the air, scorching the great birds. Red Beak and his generals screeched orders to their forces to retreat. His entire army flew eastwards with shrill screams. Crestfallen, they returned to the Abbey. Red Beak had lost his first battle.
That evening Browdan met with Simon, Kerry and Niamh, the leaders of the cave settlements and the freebirds of the island. ‘It’s time for us to lead an attack on the Abbey,’ he said. ‘Have I got your support?’
There was full agreement among all the parties.
‘We’re going to need more ammunition to attack the Abbey,’ said Simon.
‘I’ll send a team of volunteers into the underground tunnels to dig out more minerals for you,’ said Cian. ‘Just tell us what you need.’
‘And I’ll send another team onto the shipwrecks to salvage the remaining explosives,’ said Browdan.
Later in the day Browdan called a public meeting at the town hall. Hundreds of islanders arrived to volunteer their support.
‘We plan to march on the Abbey tomorrow,’ Browdan announced to the new recruits. ‘The time has come to show our strength agai
nst Red Beak’s forces. We have decided to call ourselves the White Army.’
The crowds cheered.
‘Go and find anything you can to use as armour and weapons to take with you on the march,’ he ordered. ‘Cover your heads and shoulders with helmets and shields. And may God go before us!’
‘May God go before us,’ roared the people.
By nightfall over a thousand people had already arrived in Coracle to join the uprising against Red Beak. The word spread and hundreds more arrived during the night from the sea caves and the hill caves. The White Army grew.
Simon and his assistants worked throughout the night creating a firearms factory inside the town hall. He had already trained up a team of competent technicians to construct and manufacture large batches of smoke bombs, exploding missiles, grenades and thunder rockets.
Kerry and the villagers made brightly-coloured banners, painted with giant orange flames, to frighten the eagle army. They painted their faces with warpaint made from coloured chalks from the sea cliffs. Every scrap of old metal was used to weld helmets, swords and shields together. The swiftails joined the freebirds as messengers. They sent word to the free eagles and other creatures on the island in an effort to persuade them to join the White Army.
Just after dawn flocks of Red Beak’s eagles started to circle the town of Coracle once again. This was a setback for Brow-dan. He sent for the freebirds and the leaders. They met in the town hall to make fresh plans.
‘What are those eagles doing back here already?’ said Browdan. ‘I thought they would stay away for longer than this after the scorching they got yesterday.’
