Minkaro raced away from danger, plunging through the stormy waters with Yu-ning, Jonas, Sarah, the captain, and the young man looking on in sadness and silence. Within less than a minute they arrived at the white boat, and one by one they climbed aboard as the crew welcomed each person with a warm blanket. The other passengers were all staring at the terrible scene—the place where the ship had once been was now empty, and the whirlpool seemed to be moving away from the naval vessel. They were out of danger, but their hearts were heavy as they grieved for their lost friends and loved ones.
As the imperial naval vessel headed east, the storm began to abate, and within an hour the sea swells were smaller. The rain kept on, but it too had lessened. The water changed color too, growing less dark. It seemed they had left the Darq waters behind.
As much as Yu-ning wished she could stay with the naval vessel, she knew she had unfinished business away south, on Farcara Island. After refilling her pack with fresh water skins and provisions, she climbed down one of the steel ladders, assisted by Jonas. “You will be safe in the imperial city on Tunzai, Jonas. Perhaps we will meet again some day!” she said.
Jonas waved goodbye as Yu-ning settled herself in the saddle, removing Lightcaster from around her shoulder and tying it securely to the back of the saddle next to her pack. Minkaro pulled away from the white vessel and headed due south. Soon the ship was out of sight, and they were back on course toward their original destination. The farther they traveled, the fairer the weather. Through the night they traveled without incident. The sky was clear, and the stars were out, but there was an increasing chill in the air.
Early the next morning, Yu-ning awoke to find Minkaro swimming with renewed urgency. “They are back, Yu-ning.” About a half mile behind them she could see four dark dorsal fins slicing through the smooth waters. “How did they pick up our trail so easily again, Minkaro?” asked Yu-ning, as she turned around to look at their pursuers.
Behind her, though, she found her answer. “Minkaro, look! My pink crystal necklace is leaving a trail of light in the water—maybe that is how they picked up our trail again!” Though the sharks were color-blind, they must indeed have found Yu-ning and Minkaro by the light trail they left in their wake. Yu-ning quickly dropped the necklace under her jacket, which caused the pink lights to stop glowing. But it was too late—the creatures had them in their sights, and no longer needed a light trail.
By midday, the Darq creatures had cut in half the distance to their quarry. They sensed that they were gaining, and increased their speed. Soon, Yu-ning and the pink dolphin could see white shapes ahead. “Icebergs!” shouted Yu-ning.
“Perhaps I can drop you on one of the larger ice floes, Yu-ning, and once again lose those horrible creatures!” As they ventured south, chunks of sea ice increased in number, but none were large enough for Yu-ning to climb upon. The Darq creatures were now only about a quarter mile behind them.
The ice floes were all around them now, and the air had turned frigid. Yu-ning removed the jacket from her pack—the down jacket Metatron had given her before she left Darqendia—and buttoned it all the way up. She looked around again, fearful that the creatures had gained even more ground. Instead, it seemed that they had fallen behind—the distance had grown between them. “Minkaro, look! They are falling behind!”
It seemed too good to be true, but Minkaro saw that Yu-ning was right. As he looked back, the four fins stopped all together. They were turning around! “Yu-ning! It’s the cold—they cannot tolerate the icy waters. Remember how I told you that when I dove deep, they stopped their pursuit? It is the same thing here—they are giving up!”
As the pair surged onward, they saw the four dorsal fins fade in the distance as the creatures swam northward, in the opposite direction. “Thank you, One,” Yu-ning whispered as Minkaro glided across the glassy water in the direction of Farcara Island.
Twenty-Five
Escape
DEEP DOWN, Romeo knew he wasn’t on Rainbow Island, running with Yu-ning on the beach. He knew he was drowning. The heavy cloth from his makeshift rope entombed him, the weight dragging him deeper into the churning waters.
Still, the water was purple and glowing around him. Then he saw it, bobbing against his chest—his crystal heart necklace was glowing, and a soft purple light was shimmering in the water around him. But if I am drowning, thought Romeo, whose hand is that?
There! He grabbed Yu-ning’s hand, and she was pulling him upward. As he teetered just on the brink of consciousness, his final thought was that it was impossible. Yu-ning is far away—a world away. She is safe on Rainbow Island, isn’t she? But the hand definitely was grabbing his, and he felt himself surging upward.
He broke the surface, air exploding into his lungs. Suparna was paddling in the water, and Metatron was on his back, leaning low—it was the wizard who had reached down to grab hold of Romeo’s hand. Suparna helped push Romeo upward as Metatron pulled the exhausted boy onto Suparna’s wing. The bird turned himself around to exit the large sea cave.
Romeo dragged himself onto Suparna’s back, wrapping his arms around Metatron as they emerged from the cave into the choppy waters below the cliffs. Magic poked his head out of Metatron’s pocket and jumped onto Romeo’s shoulder. “I am so happy that you made it, Romeo. Our plan worked!”
“Magic, I hope you are right. Hopefully the warlock and his dragon won’t discover I am gone until we are far away from this terrible place!”
Romeo saw that they were directly below the obsidigon’s lair. The foreboding cliffs of Baggul Island loomed above them, sending a shiver down Romeo’s spine. “Hold on—here we go!” said Suparna as he took flight, heading east toward Tunzai Island, the home of the imperial princess in her floating palace. As they made their way away from the island, Romeo was full of questions. “Metatron, how did you find me?” the boy asked.
“Magic returned to the cliff above the obsidigon’s lair just before dawn, and told us your plan about the underground river,” said Metatron. “We flew above the island, using the low clouds as cover. We kept circling the island, looking for you along the coast. It was Magic who spotted a very faint purple glow coming from that sea cave. We quickly deduced that it was your purple crystal heart that was causing the light. Thankfully, the cave was large enough for Suparna to enter.”
Romeo held the small purple gem in his hands, thankful for its light and for his friends. “Thank you, Magic. Thank you, everyone, for helping me.” The small frog jumped into Romeo’s pocket, a smile of contentment on his face.
“Romeo, did you see any sign of the Seven Sacred Crystals?” Metatron asked.
“No, Master. I didn’t really have a chance to explore, though—they threw me in the cave prison straight away,” Romeo said.
“That’s all right, Romeo. We will find the crystals. For now, we are off to Tunzai Island, to seek counsel with the Royal Empress. I must give her a full report on everything that is happening.”
They flew east as the sun rose before them, warming Romeo’s chilled bones and raising the spirits of the small party. Romeo’s purple heart crystal rested against his chest, casting its light outward. As they flew across the sky, a vivid purple trail of light could be seen for miles behind them.
As Suparna flew away from Baggul Island, little did he know that the very gem that had saved Romeo’s life was also leaving a telltale trail for the enemy to follow. And it didn’t take long for the dragon to realize the boy was gone: the obsidigon could no longer smell Romeo’s flesh.
Enraged, Hobaling mounted the dragon and set out with terrible speed, heading in the direction of his quarry. The purple path was faint but visible, making easy tracking for the obsidigon and the warlock.
Twenty-Six
Farcara
“WE ARE SAFE FOR NOW, Yu-ning, for those creatures won’t follow us into the frosty waters around Farcara Island,” Minkaro said. In the distance, a breathtaking island appeared, with tall, snowcapped peaks rising above the sea. The pai
r swam into an immense fjord—a steep ocean passage with ice and rock jutting up hundreds of feet on either side. The fjord narrowed and came to an end where a long, rocky beach met the water. Just beyond the beach was a village. Here Minkaro and Yu-ning parted ways, the dark-haired girl removing her pack along with Lightcaster.
“I will come to this spot, Yu-ning, every day at noon to rendezvous with you once your business is done. Use your pink crystal to signal me when you return. Best of luck, and may the light be with you.” Yu-ning crossed the rocky beach and then turned to wave goodbye. Minkaro decided to stay the night in this protected place—close to the village, in case Yu-ning needed him.
Yu-ning entered the village and was greeted at the local inn by a kind woman with soft eyes. She glowed with the light of love, and Yu-ning was heartened to be out of the darkness of the ghost ship, in a place where people were kind and friendly. The innkeeper told her that she did, indeed, know of the legend of Joshua, who the village elders believed lived near the top of the island’s tallest peak, called Snowy Mountain.
“This is the mining town of Caer-a-mor, young lady. Our livelihood depends on that mountain that towers over our village. We mine basalt, magnesium, and potassium from the mountain.” The innkeeper explained that there were daily expeditions up the mountain—treasure hunters seeking their fortune, chasing stories of hidden caves with gold pieces the size of a fist. “You can normally find treasure seekers at the trailhead early in the morning. You could hike to the top with such a group, I would think. But don’t get your hopes up, little one. No one really ever finds anything.”
She recalled Anne, the girl from the factory on Darqendia, telling her about the village. Yu-ning asked the innkeeper if she remembered the sisters, Anne and Ariadne. “Oh yes, the sweet dears,” said the woman. “So sad about their parents, killed in a mining accident. I believe the girls are at school now, on Malinga Island.”
Yu-ning was too tired to explain what had actually happened to the girls, so she said, “They are both fine—they live on Rainbow Island now, and attend a different school.” The innkeeper was glad to hear news of the orphaned sisters. She showed Yu-ning to her room, where the weary traveler was happy to have a hot bath, a tasty meal, and a full night’s sleep in a comfortable bed. She awoke before the sun, refreshed and ready to face Snowy Mountain.
After a simple breakfast, Yu-ning prepared to leave. As she stepped outside, the innkeeper stopped her. “You don’t want to climb the mountain unprepared,” the innkeeper said, handing Yu-ning a pair of hand-woven gloves and a thick scarf. Yu-ning thanked her and headed out.
She easily found the wide trail behind the inn, which led steadily upward toward the foot of the mountain. During the night it snowed, and a pure white blanket dusted the entire valley. The peak of Snowy Mountain was impressive—it rose majestically above the beach and village, its lower slopes covered in pine, with vast amounts of snow covering the treeless upper peaks. The summit was reflecting the light of the early morning sun, taking on a pinkish hue. It was a breathtaking vision. Yu-ning was amazed as she gazed at the beautiful peaks and valleys leading up to the crest, framed in pure white snow.
It was a brisk morning, and the air was frosty, but she was dressed for it, thanks to Metatron and the jacket he gave to her, as well as her new gloves and scarf. She walked for almost a mile toward the base of the mountain, her leather boots insulating her feet from the cold snow. Yu-ning paused every now and then to rest and look up at the sky. It was a blissful and quiet journey, and before she knew it, she was at the base of the mountain.
At the very foot of the peak was the trailhead, but before she could see it, she heard the voices of a crowd of people. They were not peaceful sounds, and Yu-ning could sense discord. Rounding a bend in the trail, she saw a small group of adults and children standing at the trail’s entrance. All the adults seemed to be speaking at once; no one was listening to the other.
Three adults were gathered together looking at a large map laid out on a rough wooden table next to the trailhead sign. Two were standing to the side, shivering and looking miserable; the remaining adults were gathered at a distance, chatting secretively. Yu-ning noticed that when they weren’t distracted by their parents’ unseemly behavior, the three children had moments when they were overcome by the landscape. They looked up at the tall snow-covered mountain with smiles of innocence and awe. When they refocused their attention on their parents, their faces fell again, and they became solemn. This made Yu-ning’s heart sink; she knew she needed to offer help. She walked toward them with a purposeful stride.
The crowd turned toward her and stared with cool suspicion as she approached. “Hi, everyone, why are you all standing here?” she asked, trying to inject an air of friendliness into the crowd. She smiled broadly. The people looking at the map turned back to their survey, annoyed by the interruption.
A man narrowed his focus on her, wondering if she could help them, and broke the silence. “We are studying the mountain. This is the highest mountain on the island, and within it are labyrinths and veins of gold. We are studying the maps so we can decide upon the best route.”
The man next to him elbowed him in the ribs as if he had divulged too much information. He and his wife stared at Yu-ning. The woman said, “Do you come from here? Do you know this place?”
Her husband continued, “We are on an expedition, and we hear that there are treasures inside this mysterious mountain.”
“Treasures?” Yu-ning asked inquisitively. The adults stayed silent and continued huddling around the map; they looked guarded and tightened their circle. “I don’t think there are treasures in this beautiful mountain,” Yu-ning remarked. “Not from what I’ve been told,” she added.
One of the children, a boy around nine years old, whispered to Yu-ning, “I heard them say that this mountain has hidden caves full of gold. They want to find the gold, but they don’t know if the information is accurate.”
“Oh, I see. Well, look at this magnificent mountain—I believe there are treasures waiting for us. What’s your name?” Yu-ning asked sweetly.
“James,” the boy replied, smiling. Yu-ning held out her hand and James took it.
“Well, James, the only way to find out is to climb up the mountain. I’m sure it holds treasures of a different kind, don’t you? Look how magical it is. And what are your names?” asked Yu-ning, gazing at two little girls who looked to be about seven years old.
“My name is Marisol, and this is my sister, Solimar. We are twins. But my sister is deaf, so if you want to talk with her, you need to speak where she can see your face—she reads lips!”
“Oh, but I know some sign language, Marisol. We learned it at my school!” With that, Yu-ning signed to Solimar that she was happy to meet her. Solimar’s face lit up when she realized Yu-ning understood sign language, and she started gesturing very rapidly back to Yu-ning.
Yu-ning began to laugh, and said, “Whoa, you are going really fast! I can’t follow you. Sorry—I wish my signing was better!”
Solimar started to laugh too and said, “That’s all right. I can just read your lips, and talk to you that way.” Yu-ning was amazed at how clearly Solimar could speak. She was already feeling a warm kinship with James and the twins.
Yu-ning tried to gather all the adults together and said, “We can go find the treasures together. We can climb this beautiful mountain. I am trying to find a man named Joshua—some say he lives at the top.”
A man replied, “She is right, we should start our climb. We’ve come all this way to make this expedition. Moreover, we’ve been standing here for hours. I’m not going home empty-handed.”
“Yes,” another man agreed. “Either we do it now or we turn around.”
“Well, we don’t even know if there are gem deposits; it may just be a legend,” said James’s mother. This theory elicited a withering look from another woman in the group.
“Come on, Mom, look at how beautiful it is, just like this girl said,�
� James said, turning toward Yu-ning. “What’s your name?”
“Yu-ning,” she said cheerfully.
“Just like Yu-ning said. Let’s climb it; let’s do it!”
Yu-ning removed her pink crystal heart necklace from under her jacket in an attempt to bring more light into the tense situation. A glow of pink mist surrounded the children, but hopeful smiles were lost on the parents, who didn’t seem to notice the pink light. They turned back to one another and continued talking about safety measures. The children looked crestfallen.
Yu-ning saw brightness out of the corner of her eye and turned in anticipation. It was One. He appeared at Yu-ning’s side dressed in brilliant white clothing, beautiful white light flowing around him, mixing in with the hues of her pink crystal. Yu-ning, James, and the twins saw him and were astounded by his awesome presence and the warmth of his divine light. Yu-ning introduced One as her special friend. Several adults noticed the children’s strange behavior and walked over to investigate. The children’s eyes were wide and their smiles were broad and beautiful. They were entranced.
James’s mother interrupted this reverie. “What are you kids doing?” she said. “James, stop daydreaming; I told you I needed you to help us hold these maps.”
James looked at his mother and said softly, “You don’t see the man dressed in white, Mom?”
“See what?” she said, with mild irritation. “James, I don’t have the patience for your games right now. We have to get moving; it’s getting colder.” She led James away from the girls, but as she pulled him away his eyes remained fixed on One. The children realized none of the adults could see One, and they knew they were in the midst of something magical and special.
Journey to Rainbow Island Page 23
