by Chris Ward
‘Or else some life lingers on there,’ Reigin whispered, his eyes narrowed and searching the headland, awed that his emotions were so strong in a manner he had never before experienced.
‘I saw something,’ Gravyn added.
‘What?’ Reigin asked without ceasing his searching. But Gravyn shrugged, and then shook his head.
‘I am not sure, but my eyes are good.’
At that moment they heard the call of a horn, then again, and once more. Three in all.
To the north and closer to the headland Sylvion and Rema also heard the three blasts which came clearly up to them, echoing eerily through the many empty stone buildings. From their different vantage points they all looked down and saw the ship. And a deep horror overcame them.
‘It is abandoning us!’ Rema exclaimed.
‘No, look at the water...’ Sylvion replied in horror.
‘The land rises!’ Rema cried, suddenly seeing that something strange was happening. ‘I see other buildings rising from the water, the ship is caught...’
‘No it flees for safety further out,’ Sylvion countered.
They watched for a time as sure enough, sunken buildings seemed to slowly rise from the water. Flat rooves and solitary columns, walls and streets, which for half an age had been on the sea floor now rose up to feel fresh air once more.
‘This is madness,’ Rema whispered, ‘The land has been sinking, how is that now it rises?’
‘We are wrong Rema,’ Sylvion said with a sudden force of revelation, ‘the land is not rising. The sea is falling, look at the ship, it is caught in some back current.’ And as they watched the ship was pulled back, and by eddies and whirlpools twirled about in its own length, but it was being sucked out to deeper water.
‘You are right Sylvion, it is the water falling which shows us the submerged buildings.’ Rema said then paused. ‘What is happening?’
‘The Captain warns us, it was his only means, to blow the horn.’ Sylvion added softly.
‘What should we do?’ Rema asked quietly.
‘I have heard of this,’ Sylvion replied in a fearful voice. If the water recedes it must be that somewhere else the land has shifted, up or down, some fault, some mystery but if it goes out it will come back, and in a mighty manner.’
‘Then we must save the horses for we can’t save the ship,’ Rema said, his thoughts clear to both. ‘We must get them down from the roof and back to safety for we perhaps have little time.’ For an instant they saw the five horses far below were nervously moving about their now exposed rooftop, the building on which they had been placed that morning was now completely exposed and shining wet in the warm sun. Sylvion and Rema took it all in, and saw that the ship had not escaped to deeper water, but had suddenly come to rest upon a building further out at an awful inclination, its mast well over to one side, and the bow pointing down into some crevice between two long sunk buildings.
And then they were running. To the south the other three also looked in fear and great bewilderment at what was happening, and then at Reigin’s direction they ran back through the echoing empty streets to where they might save the horses and perhaps the crew of the doomed ship.
Rema and Sylvion were well matched in speed. They ran together and with nimble steps and pounding hearts covered much ground as best they could. They took the shortest route as far as each could tell, but it was a strange city and much was guesswork but they moved steadily downhill and to the south, stopping momentarily now and then to make a choice of which path to take. Suddenly Sylvion halted and called to Rema who was only three paces ahead, to come back to her. He was at first irritated that they should stop when time was so important, but he did as she requested to find her looking in at an open stone doorway of a building, not unlike a stable common enough throughout Revelyn.
‘We cannot stop and explore now Sylvion,’ he said and then stopped himself, for he too saw what she brought her flight to a halt. Inside on the ground lay the carcasses of two horses. The smell of rotted flesh was faint but enough to cause them to each place a hand involuntarily to cover their face. Sylvion took several paces into the shadows of the building and stood by one of the dead beasts.
‘Rema, this is Rayven’s horse,’ she said with great agitation. ‘This is her saddle. She was here. And the other one must be Lars’ steed. We have found them Rema. By sheer luck we found them.’ They spent a moment searching for any other evidence that might reveal more of the story, and were greatly relieved that none was forthcoming for each feared that close by might lie the bodies of the two they searched for. But they found nothing more than the two dead horses.
‘Remember this place Rema, Sylvion said. ‘We must return to it, but we cannot delay further, let us get to our horses.’ And with a final glance about they were off once more, and within a half span had found the house upon which the five horses now pranced about with a nervous neighing and fearful blowing. Not long after Reigin, Orcxyl and Gravyn joined them and together they stood and realised the impossibility of getting the beasts down to the ground. Rema found a narrow stairway inside the building and a door to the roof which gave them easy access to the horses, but it was clear there was no way to get them down; the street now ten cubits below and a leap from that height onto slippery cobblestone would only break the legs of any foolish enough to try it, man or beast.
Further out the ship could be seen lying at a ghastly angle but the crew had not abandoned her for they could be seen like ants upon her doing the bidding of the captain. Perhaps he too knows the water will return Sylvion thought, and thinks he can save her.
‘What do we do Sylvion?’ Reigin asked. ‘We need the horses for any further travel, and what of the sea, has the land risen?’ Sylvion gathered them all and told of her understanding, as she had to Rema.
‘The land has not moved, we would have felt such a sudden change, it is the sea which flees from the land, but it will return in a short time, and it will be dangerous, perhaps a huge wave. We can save ourselves if we leave now but the horses would be abandoned and they would not survive.’ They thought on this for some time until Orcxyl pointed out the water was once more flowing back into the city. They looked from their safe rooftop and were startled by the suddenness of the change and the force of the flow. Water flowed quickly up the cobbled streets and in a short space the house was once more an island. They were amazed that there was almost no sound, just the gentle hissing of the sea as it consumed all before it.
‘Look!’ Rema cried suddenly and pointed out past the tangled ship. As one they all followed his direction and felt their hearts pound in fear.
‘What fell thing approaches?’ Gravyn whispered.
‘It is a wave.’ Sylvion said quietly.
‘Then it is a very big wave,’ the archer replied solemnly.
‘We have to leave,’ Reigin said with such authority that none failed to listen to his command. ‘We need the horses. We cannot save the ship, it is lost. There is one chance.’ He looked down into the streets below. ‘The water rises fast, if we judge it right we can jump the horses into it and save their legs. We can swim them up into the city and ride them to safety, before the wave arrives.’
‘It is madness!’ Rema said in response, shaking his head, ‘but it an idea, at least...’ He paused, ‘that is, if the horses can be persuaded...’
‘It will work,’ Sylvion said. ‘I know horses. Quick, get saddled and take as many supplies as you are able. I will lead. If you follow in a line the horse behind will see that the one ahead is safe and will follow. Quick now for I hear the wave.’ And indeed the boiling water which swept toward them could be heard easily now in an ever growing roar.
And with that they hastily prepared as best they could. All the time the water rose toward them and soon the jump was no more than several cubits, but the unstoppable wave was roaring in and carrying all before it. Rema turned when they were all mounted and saw the final moments of the doomed ship. The wave was many cubits higher than w
here it lay trapped, and it was churned to a great violence by all the buildings and obstructions which sought to delay its progress. In an instant it was lifted up and smashed to splinters. He saw three figures tossed high into the air and then...
‘Follow me now!’ came Sylvion’s command as she suddenly spurred her steed toward the edge of the flat roof. Reigin followed immediately. Her horse propped for a moment right on the edge, but then leapt out and landed safely in the current where it swam toward the shore, greatly assisted by the mighty inflow of the sea. Within a short time all followed and were swimming for their lives. Behind was the mighty roar of the approaching wave, and as the horses swam their ears pricked up and forward and then back and all about as if to try to determine what beast was on their heels. No-one had the courage to look back and indeed all effort was focused on gaining dry land. Sylvion and Reigin reached it first and the other three close behind. The horse’s hooves slipped wildly upon the cobbles but soon they were galloping up the hill, free from the water’s clutch. By good fortune the road upon which they had swum for their lives was straight enough to carry them away by a direct route and with the roar of the wave upon them, safety was reached, but not by much for they turned exhausted to see the bay was full of a swirling violent sea, and great waves rebounded in all direction from houses and walls which in places collapsed within a mighty spray and cacophony of sound. All five were unhurt and their horses too seemed uninjured save for Orcxyl’s which had a bleeding hind leg from which a splinter of wood projected, but the animals soon calmed for they sensed they had escaped ,and apart from their wide eyed looking about stood snorting and shaking above the churning water.
But of the ship, or its crew, there was not the slightest sign.
No one spoke for a very long time. They watched the sea calm a little before a second but smaller wave came, sweeping in around the buildings and collapsing many structures already weakened by the first great wave, and so the sounds of the wounded city enveloped them, until finally a great calm settled upon the bay, and the ancient city stood once more half submerged to face what next might come to try and sweep it away.
‘The ship is gone,’ Sylvion whispered. ‘Five good men lost.’
Reigin shook his head. ‘Always it is the way. Life can be hard indeed.’
‘The Captain said he feared some might not return,’ Rema added. ‘He did not think he spoke of himself.’
Sylvion took a deep breath. ‘We must continue now.’ She addressed them all. ‘In our flight back to the horses, Rema and I found the carcasses of two horses. They belonged to Rayven and her companion, Lars. We must try once more to find them...’ but Rema interrupted her.
‘That part of the city is lost Sylvion. I fear the wave has destroyed it all.’
‘Nevertheless,’ Sylvion continued firmly, ‘we will search. All of us.’ However they left the horses high up with Orcxyl in an open cobbled square where an old water trough still offered fresh water channelled from a tiled roof to any who might pass by.
And then the others searched and found nothing. Nothing but collapsed walls and buildings and wet foul smelling slime and weed which had been brought up from the sea floor and lay all about in a mighty deep tangle which prevented anyone from safely venturing amongst it. Exhausted they eventually returned to Orcxyl and rested. Sylvion then spoke of Andes’ death and what it meant for the Edenwhood. It was a sombre conversation for they all realised that the world they knew was changing around them and even strange prophesy was coming true.
‘And it seems that we few have some purpose in standing against what evil seeks to rule the land,’ Sylvion said once all had spoken their mind and offered Rema condolences on the loss of his great friend, and Reigin too, for the prospect of his mighty people passing into unknown shadow seemed too hard a thought to bear.
‘There is a deep sorcery here,’ Orcxyl said suddenly, surprising them all for they were used to his silence. ‘This city lingers long past a time when it should have fallen into complete ruin. Some force remains. I’ll wager we will find it yonder, in the headland to the north. It is a strange place. I feel it from here. That is where we must go next.’ At these bold words Gravyn bridled angrily for he thought Orcxyl had no right to suggest any course before his queen had spoken. Sylvion noticed his anger and was about to speak but Reigin was quicker.
‘I think Orcxyl speaks truly. I too have sensed the magic which comes from there.’ At this Gravyn merely gritted his teeth and nodded, for he too could not argue against what he also felt. I just wish the dog-man knew his place he thought, but Sylvion looked at her companions and felt a deep affection for them all.
‘We will go to the headland, ‘she said looking north to where the mighty rock jutted far out into the bay. ‘My daughter passed by here some time ago. Perhaps there is some place within it which holds her. It is clear that the city is empty. Nothing lives here.’ And without looking at the others she mounted her horse and gave the command.
‘Let us ride north my friends and see what next opposes us.’
They rode slowly through the last of the streets of the old Ravelin city, through a broken gate in a wall which still stood proudly in defiance of long vanished enemies and into meadows and gentle hills high up above the sea. A path wound easily before them and headed by an almost direct route to the headland. Suddenly life abounded. Birds and rabbits and wild goats and deer seemed to materialise as if from nowhere, and yet they all knew that none ever ventured into the ruined city. The sounds of crickets and insects filled the air around them as they rode, and each thought any who watched from the headland could not fail to know that they approached. Reigin felt for his sword. Sylvion too stroked the Shadow Blade without knowing, and the closer they came to the mighty jutting rock the more they realised that it was a place of the strongest magic.
Dark magic and even blacker secrets.
After a time the path slowly turned east and suddenly there before them was an old wall which appeared to run from one side of the mighty headland to the other, effectively cutting it off from the land, but it too had an arched gateway which was open, and they passed on through to find the land beyond was barren and hostile. Now the rock was fractured and hard to cross, and to prevent the horses damaging themselves they all dismounted and led them carefully on for the path was still clear but rough and uninviting. Some half league beyond the wall Sylvion called a halt in the lee of a large rock which gave some protection from the sea wind which now stood strong against them.
‘We will leave the horses here,’ she ordered. ‘Hobble them as best you can. They will not stray far and indeed will prefer to keep out of the wind. We will go now on foot.’ And so they did as she commanded and looking back they saw their steeds standing side by side for warmth, and nose to the rock so as to keep out of the wind which now seemed almost too great to overcome. It was so different to the gentle sunny meadows they had ridden through but a short time before.
‘We are in a strange place,’ Gravyn muttered bitterly, as he walked, head down and hunched against the wind. No one heard him, but all had similar thoughts. After a short distance into the fierce wind the land suddenly dipped before them, and standing on the top of the rise they saw a strange sight below. Two great statues stood like sentinels either side of a large and ornately carved doorway which stood in a small but beautiful stone building. The statues were like no other any had seen; part beast, part human, with horns upon their heads, which were at the same time ugly and powerful and repellent, half leering, and half knowing. They guarded an entrance to a stairway which, even from where they stood, clear enough descended right into the rock.
‘We enter there at our great peril,’ Reigin whispered.
‘And yet we enter,’ Rema said with such conviction it brought a smile to Sylvion.
‘Well said Rema. Let us see what the ancient Ravelin have yet to reveal to us.’ She turned to them all. ‘Come let us be brave. We carry much power. All of us here can give better than is given...�
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‘Unless we fight sorcery,’ Gravyn muttered, and this time they all heard his words.
The stairs were wide and well worn. They descended for a long way, down into a gloom which was not completely dark for far below they saw another door through which some faint light came to them. Reigin led the way and try as they might to conceal their entry, the stone seemed to echo loudly with each footstep. At one point they came to a flat place and saw that on each side were other stairways which climbed up into darkness. They paused and took breath before once more descending. They soon arrived at the bottom of the mighty well-trod staircase and found the floor was freshly flooded, for a shallow layer of water lay upon it.
‘The great wave came through here,’ Sylvion said quietly. ‘Perhaps this water has deadened the sound of our approach.’ None replied and they stepped forward through a final doorway and into an enormous chamber.
‘It is the biggest hall I have ever seen,’ Rema said looking about in awe. On each side mighty columns rose up to support a gallery high above, and further up a confusingly carved ceiling looked down upon them.
‘I count thirty columns on each side...’ Reigin whispered.
‘It must be two hundred cubits long and half as wide,’ Sylvion said. ‘I thought the great hall in Ramos was big but this is far larger.’ They walked into the hall and found in the centre of the ceiling above a mighty shaft rose up through the rock to the sky, and so let in the diffused light which enabled them to see. Directly below it was a platform the size of a small room with steps leading up at one end, but it stood no more than waist high above the floor. At the far end of the mighty hall, opposite the entrance through which they had just passed was another large doorway. The floor was highly polished and quite slippery because of the shallow water covering it. They stood in the centre of the hall by the raised platform and looked about.
