The Secret of the Storm Cloud

by Sidney Gibson

  ‘Because nobody wants to remember it and if you’re destined to die there it’s uncertain how it will happen.’ Azel answered rather obviously.

  ‘I see. Has anyone made it through without getting killed?’

  ‘Umm, yes, yes I heard of somebody once. Can’t remember who right now but take my advice. Do as Giant Bilberry says and you’ll be OK. Yes, yes I’m sure you’ll be fine’

  ‘You don’t sound very confident’

  ‘Oh no. Look what we’ve got here’ exclaimed Azel hastily changing the subject. The forest had a deadly reputation and it wouldn’t do to unsettle Danial now that he had come this far. ‘Just look at this awful weather front we’re running into’

  To reach Fargon and enter Mystic Time Dimension it is necessary to climb into the stratosphere and clear the heights of the Blackguard Mountain range. They had hit a storm and were flying into a fierce snow blizzard which was rapidly building a solid wall of ice on the wind shield, blocking vision. The storm howled and roared about them, its force making the Warpsweeper buck and twist chillingly close to the jagged peaks towering over the dark ravines of Fargon below.

  ‘You often get this over Blackguard Mountains’ shouted Azel above the din. ‘and I wouldn’t be surprised if Anniolate hasn’t tracked us and making it worse. We’ll be out of it when we lose height, you’ll see’

  The Warpsweeper’s metallic voice rattled grumpily out of its loudspeaker ‘Have you selected my digitalised stabilising mode? Navigation management and auto speed is being adversely affected due to severe weather. Possible impact damage to lower structure highly likely. Suggest you select digitalised stabilising mode.’

  ‘As if you can’t cope with a little bit of wind and snow ’ shouted Azel, her voice barely audible above the hubbub ‘you always make this fuss, and if you think I’m going to start fiddling with your controls now you’ve got another think coming. Just slow down and calm down, OK? Anyway, we’ve cleared Blackguard Mountains haven’t we? I can’t see a thing’

  ‘We will be commencing descent in precisely nine minutes twenty three seconds’ said the Warpsweeper not bothering to answer the question properly ‘but I would advise you to engage my digitalised stabilising mode if you expect to get there in one piece’

  A particularly large jolt seemed timed to emphasise the broom’s request. Azel looked puzzled.

  ‘Which keys do I have to press?’

  Danial reached over Azel’s shoulder and pointed towards the warning lights flashing by the keys on the lower left of the control panel.

  ‘If you hold down ‘Ctrl’ and press ‘Fn’ and ‘Stbl’ together that will do it’ he yelled.

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Of course he’s sure’ rasped the Warpsweeper irritably ‘I’d advise you to let him get on with it’

  ‘Very well, er, now what did you say Danial, ‘Ctrl’ and press ‘Fn’ and ‘Stbl’ together......?’

  Miraculously, the buffeting and bouncing stopped, everything becoming smooth. The storm outside still banged and blustered furiously but the effect of the digitalised stabilising mode was incredible. The Warpsweeper had been effortlessly put back on course.

  ‘About time too’ it said. Perhaps next time you will take the trouble to set my controls correctly before we all get smashed up on a mountain in the middle of nowhere. It wouldn’t be my fault you know’

  ‘Danial ’ said Azel ‘is there a control to turn off this thing’s voice?’

  The Warpsweeper went quiet.

  ***

  At last they were safely over Blackguard Mountains and crossing the dry, barren plains of Fargon towards the not yet visible Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death. Glancing over his shoulder Danial could see the storm still raging over the Blackguard Mountains, their peaks hidden by swirling gale blown snow. He reflected that whatever dangers he might face in the next few days they couldn’t possibly be any worse than what he’d just experienced - could they?

  Azel piloted the Warpsweeper fast at low level to avoid detection by Anniolate, sucking up a thick covering of dust from the ground below. Its shining metalwork had become travel stained and dull, effectively camouflaged and virtually invisible.

  Gazing lazily over the plain from his large rocking chair in the garden, Giant Bilberry glimpsed a suggestion of something approaching at great speed. It was just above the distant horizon but as the horizon was nearly seventy miles away he wasn’t sure. Then the thing disappeared as if by a trick of light, and then, yes, there it was again. Bilberry stroked the grizzled grey stubble on his chin and wished he had taken the trouble to shave that morning if unexpected visitors were about to arrive. His eyes narrowed and he stared even harder into the distance. Yes, it was getting bigger and definitely coming his way. He stood up to get a better view as the Warpsweeper swiftly came to a halt overhead and majestically landed with a fading roar of engines and a plume of dust.

  The dust settled to unveil a cluster of enormous stone obelisks set in circles at the edge of a small group of low, thatched roofed round houses. Beyond them, stretching as far as the eye could see was a dense green canopy of treetops.

  ‘That must be the forest’ thought Danial.

  ‘That’s the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death’ announced Azel triumphantly as though surprised to have found it. ‘And here’s Giant Bilberry himself’

  ‘Well hello ‘dere Miss Azel. My oh my, fancy you ‘comin right on by here after all this time’

  Giant Bilberry’s face beamed from ear to ear. He stepped forward with an enormous smile, crinkling the wrinkles round his eyes. His rich, deep voice was softly spoken despite his obvious strength. A powerful arm wrapped around Azel and squeezed her shoulders against his waist.

  ‘Ooh, Bilberry’ she exclaimed ‘you’ll take my breath away. Hhhow have you been since I last saw you?’

  ‘ I’s bin fine Miss Azel ‘an getting along nicely ‘til I hear you been in a spot of bother with ‘ole witch Venefica ‘an that evil Anniolate. An who’s this fine young gentleman with you?’

  ‘Oh, sorry. May I introduce QW’s nephew, crown prince Danial. He’s with me on a mission. That is why we are here. And we’ve no time to spare’

  ‘Your highness this is a great privilege’ said Bilberry giving a little bow ‘any way I can help a friend of Miss Azel jus say the word.’ His weather beaten hand stretched out, enveloping Danial ’s hand, wrist, and half his arm. He shook it gently. Danial was surprised at its warmth.

  ‘The pleasure’s all mine’ he murmured a little overawed by the sheer size and presence of Giant Bilberry.

  ‘Now den, what is this ‘ere mission you’re on?’ asked Bilberry.

  Before Azel could answer a shrill voice shouted from inside the house ‘Bilberry, Bilberry? What are you doing out there?’

  ‘We got visitors, honey’ shouted Bilberry ‘Miss Azel ‘an prince Danial ’

  ‘Who? Miss Azel ‘an prince Danial ? Here to see us?’ called the voice. ‘Well what you ‘doin boy keeping them out there. Bring them in for a mug of hot chocolate ‘an some ‘o my flapjack I jus been bakin here’

  Mrs Bilberry appeared in the doorway in a pink checked apron, drying her hands on a bright green tea towel.

  ‘Come right on in folks. You must be exhausted. Come right in and sit yourselves down’ Turning to her husband she scolded ‘Bilberry, I don’t know what you’re a thinking about leavin these folks outside without offering them anything to eat or drink or nuffin’

  ‘Sorry honey.’ said Bilberry meekly.

  Azel and Danial almost disappeared as they sat down on the Bilberry’s huge squashy, leather sofa. It was struggle to reach their hot chocolate without spilling it.

  ‘Now den, what is this ‘ere mission you’re on?’ asked Bilberry again, his mouth full of sticky crumbs. Munching at the somewhat scrumptious flapjack
it took a moment for Azel to answer. She relayed the tale to Bilberry who continued to stroke the stubble on his chin as he listened. When he heard that Danial intended to go alone into the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death he looked shocked.

  ‘I wouldn’t recommend you even thinkin about entering that forest without at least five days trainin. The last human being who went in without trainin didn’t come out and nobody knows what happened to him. It’s full of wickedness in there’ he said darkly.

  ‘Five days?’ exclaimed Danial ‘I can’t wait five days! Look, Phemie’s prisoner in the Grey Castle. There’s no telling what she might be going through. I must get her out as soon as possible. In fact,’ he said standing up suddenly, ‘I’m leaving right now’

  Azel and Bilberry exchanged anxious glances.

  ‘Now just wait a minute, Danial ’ said Azel ‘Bilberry’s quite right. You must get advice before you rush off. Yes it’s urgent. I know that, but just hold on and listen to Bilberry.’

  Danial hesitated ‘Oh all right. But I‘m still going today, OK?’

  Bilberry sighed. ‘Well if that’s how its gonna be, but listen up careful ‘an there’s just a chance you‘ll make it. And if you like’ he added cautiously ‘you can take Silhouette’

  ‘Silhouette? Who’s Silhouette?’ asked Danial.

  ‘Silhouette’s my dog. I rescued him after he escaped from the Shadow Men who were ill treating him. He’s a great guard dog, super intelligent and he’ll let you know of any danger. In the dark of the forest there are all kinds of predators who play deadly games with each other but it’s the Shadow Men you gotta watch. They go hunting with blow pipes ‘an poisoned darts lookin for strangers like you. You gotta keep outa their way’

  Bilberry’s eyes rolled, bulging with vivid imagination at what horrors the Shadow Men might perpetrate. ‘They’re foul sub-human savages they are. Fingernails like claws. I’ve heard tales ‘as when they’ve caught someone and paralysed ‘em with a poisoned dart, they slash ‘em nearly to death. Then they chain ‘em up in a hole in the ground ‘an keep ‘em alive by only throwing ‘em scraps of food what’s well past its sell by date.’

  Danial looked uncomfortably at Azel. She smiled benignly.

  Bilberry continued. ‘I’ll take you ‘an put you on the right path but you must, repeat must, stick to it whatever happens. Yeah? Silhouette will guide you to the swamp and somewhere there you’ll have to call for Sylphia,who’s an invisible spirit of mists. Now you won’t be able to see her properly, cos she’s nearly invisible see. She’s sort of um, well kinda wispy an indistinct. You’ll know when she’s there’

  ‘What has Sylphia got to do with this?’ interrupted Azel stuffily, ‘he has to get across the causeway. I don’t think he should waste time with Sylphia’

  Danial recalled what he had been told about getting to the castle “you’ll have to trek across a narrow causeway over a swamp infested by yellow toothed rats bred for making evil spells; narrow and treacherous” And then there were the poisonous nettles and slashing brambles to get past.

  ‘Ah well,’ said Bilberry ‘there’s a secret tunnel leading to a loose floor slab in the castle’s cauldron room. Anniolate don’t know nothin’ about that so with a bit of luck he can get through without bein’ discovered. He’ll still have to find where she’s bein kept prisoner and with all dem low life’s pokin about the castle things will be very dodgy’ he added a hollow, nervous laugh.

  Talk was getting Danial nowhere fast. With an impatient sigh he struggled to his feet from the depths of the Bilberry’s sofa and strode over to the door. ‘I’ll be on my way then. Did you say where you put the special equipment?’

  ‘Hang on a minute, Danial. Hang on’ said Azel ‘how are you proposing to get Phemie home once you’ve got her out of the castle?’

  ‘Um, not sure. Cross that bridge when I come to it. What do you think?’

  ‘The Warpsweeper will be left here for you and I shall make my own way to Lower Chantment. If you think you are able to fly it that is’ added Azel.

  ‘Me? Fly the Warpsweeper?’ said Danial casually taking on the challenge ‘Yeah, sure. That’s fine’

  ‘Very well then. The equipment’s waiting for you outside. I suggest you lace up with the seven league shoe laces and take a spare pair for Phemie’

  ‘How did you make that happen?’ asked Danial in astonishment. He had not seen Azel do any unpacking ‘And how will you get back to Lower Chantment without the Warpsweeper?’

  ‘I told you it’s my secret’ said Azel with a knowing wink at Bilberry ‘No trouble at all’

  ***

  ‘Silhouette!’ shouted Bilberry ‘Here boy. Walkies!’

  Instantly, an out of sight scrabbling sound signalled the arrival of a long haired scruffy dog bounding round the corner. It was Silhouette. Eyes like brown sauce and a lolly red tongue. He skidded to a stop and sat looking up at Bilberry, tail wagging.

  ‘Listen here boy’ said Bilberry cradling Silhouette’s head in his hands. ‘You ‘an me have a job to do ‘an I want you to show his highness Prince Danial the way through the forest. Guide him to Sylphia’s place at the swamp. Then come home. OK?’

  Silhouette’s tail stopped wagging. The forest was not the place he wanted to be, not with the Shadow Men roaming wild and probably still looking for him. He did not relish the idea at all and cowered, gently licking Bilberry’s hand.

  ‘I’m sorry boy’ said Bilberry softly, ‘I’s promised your help. Anyway, I’ll be with you part of da way’

  Silhouette slowly stood up, stretched, and shook himself making his collar jingle loudly. He would do whatever his master wanted.

  ‘Are we ready yet?’

  It was Danial. Impatient, shoes laced with the seven league laces, and backpack full of special equipment casually over one shoulder.

  Azel and Mrs Bilberry watched with concern as the two men and Silhouette marched resolutely across the thin strip of scrubland towards the Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death. As they reached its darkened edge both turned and waved, Bilberry a hand to his forehead to shade against the sun. Then, in a moment the forest swallowed them up and they were gone from sight.

  Chapter Eleven

  The Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death

  Danial was glad of assistance from the magic boot laces as he followed Bilberry trampling down the newly fallen wet leaves strewn over the path. He was not using the maximum seven leagues in one stride, but there was no way he could have kept up without them. Silhouette lolloped along without effort.

  They had been walking in silence for almost two hours when Bilberry said, slightly puffing as they climbed an overgrown hill, ‘I’ll take you as far as de Wishing Tree at Three Winds Clearing and then Silhouette will take over’

  Slipping and sliding on the steep muddy path they struggled to the top. Bilberry stopped, out of breath stretching his back, hands on hips.

  ‘Phew. Dat was some climb, man. Look, there’s the Wishing Tree. You can see it from up here’

  Danial thought it didn’t look much like a dangerous forest. A dark canopy of broccoli green wrapping snugly around the hill and a soft mist settling coldly on the evening air may have offered a hint of foreboding, but it really didn’t seem to be that bad. In the direction of Bilberry’s pointing a gnarled and twisted tree dominated the space of a clearing. Its stooped branches touched the ground and glowed strangely in the fading light.

  ‘Its two thousand years old’ said Bilberry. ‘They say it’s called the Wishing Tree ‘cos three separate winds make its branches creak ‘an it sounds like it’s talking and granting wishes. A lot of mumbo jumbo to me. Any ‘ole tree does that’

  ‘Perhaps any old tree will grant wishes if you listen to its branches creaking’ said Danial quietly ‘it may be the only way a tree can communicate’

  ‘Dunno’ said B
ilberry unhelpfully.

  ***

  They slithered down the hill and trekked towards Three Winds Clearing, Bilberry becoming increasingly nervous and agitated. When they finally made it the winds blowing from three directions felt eerie. The Wishing Tree groaned and whispered as its branches swayed heavily.

  ‘I is go’in home now’ said Bilberry, eyes rolling and bulging apprehensively as they scanned the forest. ‘Silhouette, you take good care of de prince now. Show him the way ‘an den follow me home soon as you can’ He turned to Danial. ‘Dat one there is the path to take but it fades away some ‘an that’s where you must follow Silhouette. Stay with it man. OK? I gotta go’

  Something’s really scaring Bilberry pondered Danial. He’s almost frightening me now, but I’m alone and have to be brave even if I get frightened.

  ‘Great, Bilberry’ he said aloud. ‘Thanks for bringing me this far and have a .....’

  But Bilberry had gone already, leaving just Silhouette and him standing together in the gathering darkness.

  Three separate paths radiated from the clearing and Silhouette chose the third one. Grotesque shapes emanated from the misty glower of the gathering darkness and crooked shadows emerged and disappeared among tangles of overgrown vegetation. A dense wall of trees shut out what light remained, weirdly muffling their footsteps. The Forgotten Forest of Uncertain Death existed in a perpetual state of menacing enchantment, and every step drew him closer to the reality of its ominous reputation.

  Not knowing how long it would take to reach the swamp Danial lengthened his stride to cover ground more quickly.

  ***

  Squelch. Without warning Danial ’s foot sank into a polluted hole of black sludge. The filth oozed around his ankle, sucking it in wanting to pull the rest of him after it. In front, Silhouette stopped running and padded back barking, telling him to keep going. But it was too late. His balance lost, Danial began to sink fast.

  Silhouette barked more anxiously as the sludge sucked Danial ’s leg deeper into the hole. With horror, he realised it was not sludge holding him stuck but thousands of minute slimy fingers reaching up, clawing at his leg, pulling him down.