The Secret Burial Grounds of Knocknakil

by Gregg Holt

  Suddenly the Shrake who was picking up the scent bounded in Lepy’s direction, increasing his speed with each leap. Simultaneously, Sucillian flew purposely towards the outnumbered Leprechaun. Graham and Lorna stooped behind some rocks, hoping that Lepy’s plan would work.

  The Shrake’s fangs protruded from its mouth, showing its intent. Sucillian released another awful sickening scream as he quickly advanced upon his victim.

  Just as they closed in on him his shout filled the air “Now Graham, now!!!”

  Although their instinct was to remain hidden, something inside drove them up and seconds later Graham and Lorna were up and running.

  Retreating down the hill their momentum quickly escalated towards the safety of the stream. Graham glanced back just as a Shrake leaped upon the wall attacking their last line of defence.

  “No!” screamed Graham, unable to control himself, just as they disappeared over the other side of the wall.

  The other Shrakes, hearing the cry, quickly turned, noticing Graham near the stream.

  Within seconds they changed direction, accelerating vigorously towards them, their menacing fangs protruding as they approached Graham and Lorna. Immediately they gasped, running away was not an option with the speed of the approaching beasts. Leaping forward, the first arrived, launching at Lorna’s neck.

  She lifted her newly-acquired walking stick, with the movement of a baseball player she swung and connected directly with the leaping creature. It let out a huge cry and fell onto his back stunned.

  The second attacker launched towards Graham, its claws preparing to strike. Graham took a step backwards and swung his blackthorn stick with all his might. He felt a large impact as the stick hit home with clinical precision.

  “So that’s what the sticks are for,” shouted Lorna, satisfied she had seen off the Shrakes.

  “Quick, run before they get back up!” Graham ordered. Instantly, he lurched forwards, quickly followed by Lorna.

  Another loud shriek blasted Graham’s eardrums; he stopped running and looked towards the origin of the noise and noticed Sucillian changing direction quicker than the wind. Immediately, Sucillian was airborne and closing in astonishingly fast.

  “Graham, come on!” Lorna shouted, pulling urgently at his arm.

  They both turned, running as fast as they possibly could towards the stream. Graham glanced back and noticed the cloaked danger closing in faster than they could run.

  Breathing frantically, Graham started running as fast as humanly possible, his balance was becoming precarious as he quickly passed over every bump.

  Again he glanced back, noticing Sucillian almost upon him, his sharp claw-like hands appeared from under his cloak ready to attack. Looking back, the safety of stream was only a few yards away.

  “Jump Graham!” Lorna demanded and they both jumped together towards the safety of the water.

  As Graham’s feet started to penetrate the water he let out a huge scream as a sharp stabbing pain derived from his right shoulder.

  Sucillian caught Graham digging his sharp claw deep into his flesh, instantly stopping his decent into the water and holding him aloft in mid air.

  Graham flapped with his hands looking upwards straight into the dark gaze of Sucillian. His elbow caught his claw and Sucillian lost his grip.

  Falling backwards Graham watched helplessly as it approached for a second attack, his claw prized ready to strike. An almighty splash engulfed his body and he submerged, falling deep into the water.

  He drifted downwards and the bubbles bounced all around his body and it went dark.

  Opening his eyes, Graham was relieved to notice the welcome sight of Carragah and Lorna stood there waiting for him in the cave.

  “Are you OK Graham?” Lorna asked, her dark wide eyes sorry and watering slightly, which she quickly wiped, hoping no one had noticed. “I thought he had you.”

  “Yeah I thought so.”

  “You don’t look so good,” she continued, pointing at his shoulder.

  Graham looked down and noticed his t-shirt was ripped and blood was coming from a wound.

  “Come Graham, let’s clean you up,” Carragah suggested.

  “What about Lepy I don’t think he has made it. He was attacked by a Shrake, he used himself as a decoy so we could get here,” Graham spurted out, not taking a breath, his heart heavy, thinking about the sacrifice Lepy had made to save them.

  “I know but let’s concentrate on you for now,” Carragah said quietly and reassuringly.

  “Oh no, I lost my blackthorn stick,” Graham cursed.

  “Drat, so have I, must have dropped it in the stream,” Lorna realised.

  “Not to worry, there are plenty of blackthorn bushes around,” Carragah assured them.

  Quietness fell on the cave and the three of them were left with their own thoughts about brave Lepy. Graham’s head dropped as he replayed over in his mind the vicious animal launching his attack.

  They followed Carragah in silence to the circular room they had entered the previous day.

  “Please sit Graham, I will look at your shoulder,” Carragah said, pointing at the nearest chair. Graham winced as he sat, the sharp pain in his shoulder escalated.

  Carragah pulled away his t-shirt and Graham saw for the first time a large cut on the top of his chest.

  “Quite a nasty wound that Graham. It just so happens I have the right treatment for a wound like that,” and he pulled a small canister from his pocket and dipped his long finger in some shiny cream.

  Graham was starting to feel a little queasy and decided not to look.

  Carragah slowly rubbed the cream along the length of the wound and it started to heal. Lorna watched intently, although feeling nauseous, she just couldn’t turn away as the blood retracted back into the wound and the skin knitted back together until all that was left was a small scar,

  “Wow, that really works!” exclaimed Graham, moving his shoulder in a circular movement.

  Carragah turned and sat on one of the chairs at the round table. Looking at Graham he started to speak.

  “What bravery for a creature of such small stature, he is a true warrior,”

  “No doubt Sucillian will know there is a connection to Knocknakil and the stream, it won’t take him long to work out the rest. When he locates me he also finds the secrets hidden in the burial grounds that have lay hidden and at peace for over a thousand years. I am now getting older and weaker. I alone, cannot defeat him.

  “To defeat this tyrant will require bravery and people who believe in good over evil. As I said before, it is no coincidence that you two have come to me. It is because you two young achievers, untouched by evil, are to defend these grounds at all costs. The time has come for me to show you the burial chambers. No one should ever enter these ancient chambers and ever discuss them with anyone. You cannot be sure that everybody is as they seem. I trust in you both but honestly don’t know how you can defeat Iroquois. The only thing I can really tell you is he won’t stop; he will never stop following you to the ends of the earth until he finds what he is looking for. Your shoulder looks better now Graham. Come, follow me, we have a lot to do but I’m afraid we don’t have much time in which to do it.”

  Chapter 10

  Burial Chambers

  The door shuddered and then hurled open, Lepy staggered into the round room.

  “Are you OK?” gasped Lorna, relief written all over her face.

  “Not too bad, I forgot how fast those little suckers could be. Anyway, that one won’t be bothering us again,” Lepy replied as a wry smile appeared on his face.

  Graham quietly assessed Lepy, noticing some scratches on his arm, he appeared to be relatively unscathed and he let out a huge sigh of relief. Within seconds he felt like a sudden weight had lifted off his shoulders which eased the tension on his heavy conscience.

  “Everything OK Lepy?” Carragah asked.

  “Yes, he put up a bit of fight but nothing I couldn’t handle. That Sucillian
was very close though, I noticed what happened with Graham.”

  Carragah did not respond; he walked towards the door at twelve o’clock, stood there for a few seconds and then turned one of the torches on the wall sideways. Instantly, the floor started to shake, dust and rock fell from the ceiling engulfing the whole room. A large rumble vibrated, shaking the very foundations of the underground cave and replicating a large earthquake. The children fell to their knees as if praying the earthquake would pass. Dust increased, filling the torch-lit room and restricting Graham’s view as he frantically tried to peer around the room only for his eyes to be bombarded by thousands of little particles of earth. Recklessly he fought to keep them open against the onslaught.

  Slowly the flickering candles fighting against the blitz started to win the battle.

  Gradually Lorna, wiping the minute specks from her mouth, started to notice a short spiral staircase created by the fallen rocks.

  Carragah descended the stairs, fell to his knees and grabbed something, holding it tight in his hands. He moved away from the vault and then climbed back into the room.

  As the dust cleared, Graham observed him holding a small iron Celtic cross. It appeared old and in poor condition yet Carragah treasured it close to his chest.

  “We will wait until the summer sun is near dusk before venturing out to avoid any unwanted attention,” he said, sitting at a chair.

  Sometime later the three of them followed him silently back through the swallow hole and back onto the farm. Carragah led them across the many hills on the farm land, leaving behind the now tranquil stream, still tightly clutching his prized possession. The Friesians watched cautiously as they passed, their tails flicking tirelessly against the incoming insects.

  Passing one of the many trees sporadically spread out on the farm, a rush of energy came over Lorna and she jumped grabbing a branch snapping it off.

  “LORNA!” Carragah shouted, quite clearly infuriated.

  Instantly she looked around, unclear as to the reason for the reprimand, nervously her dimples twitched as the anticipation built.

  The stern look in Carragah’s eyes eventually faded as he realised how nervous she was and wise compassion returned.

  “Lorna, it’s a trait I cannot understand, why did you snap that branch?”

  “I dunno, it’s just a tree.”

  “No Lorna, it’s not just a tree, it’s part of the delicate balance of nature. It allows us to breath, build and keep warm. Drawing off the lands natural energy sources they can actually be an ally…” Noticing Lorna’s nervous and blank look he decided the rest could wait and he turned and walked away.

  “Lecture,” Lorna said sarcastically, a little embarrassed.

  Silently they bypassed the farmhouse which was quiet with no sign of the owner. Through the gates they passed until they arrived at the ancient stone circle. Turning to Graham he spoke softly. “You three wait here, I won’t be long!”

  He walked into the primeval circle as the sun was starting to reach the last stages of its journey.

  “What’s he doing Lepy?” Lorna demanded, slowly starting to edge forward to get a better view and not waiting for an answer.

  Carragah kneeled against one of the rocks and started to speak in an unfamiliar tongue. “Tain ke awth.”

  “Now what’s he saying!” Lorna barked, fleetingly looking at Lepy.

  “Wait here!!” ordered Lepy and Lorna stopped still in her tracks, stunned by the tone of the leprechaun’s voice.

  Carragah lifted the small cross which was only slightly larger than his hand up into the air as he continued his ritual.

  Graham noticed a carving on the largest rock where Carragah knelt; it was a small Celtic cross just like the one the druid priest was holding.

  “Do you know what he is doing Lepy?” Graham politely asked.

  “It’s an old Celtic ritual, my grandfathers used to tell me tales about them. I have never witnessed one until now; this is probably the first ritual in these parts for hundreds of years.”

  “Wow, cool,” Lorna shouted, gazing over at the ancient priest, “a real life ritual.”

  The ancient priest’s cloak flapped gently in the breeze. Holding the cross in front of him, he placed it into the recess on the rock. Four clasps, which were hidden in the stone, snapped at each point of the cross, holding it in place.

  “It is nearly time, we must now wait for the sun to set,” Carragah explained, looking up at the sky.

  “Why what happens then?” Lorna asked a little abruptly.

  “Have patience my friend, all will be revealed in time.”

  Lorna grunted and sat on another rock, holding her chin in her hands like a bored school girl.

  “Tell me Graham, how is that shoulder of yours?” Carragah asked, pointing in his direction.

  “I forgot all about it, it feels a lot better thanks to you,” Graham replied, prodding it with his hand. A deep sense of gratitude and fondness grew in Graham’s heart as he warmed to this mysterious man who until yesterday was an old Irish tale.

  The August sky started to turn pink as the sun lowered in the sky. Carragah rose to his feet and moved behind the largest rock which was about the same height as him.

  Graham, Lorna and Lepy watched as the sun descended towards the ocean. Slowly it passed by the rocks and just as it met the horizon the sunlight shone through the stone circle shining directly through the two nearest rocks and landing on the furthest stone which housed the old iron cross.

  At the centre of the antique cross a bright red light started to develop. Within seconds the scarlet glow was blinding; the party shielded their eyes. The rock trembled and Graham and Lorna watched in amazement as the cross slowly started to turn clockwise on its own.

  Instantly, two of the large rocks where the beams of sunlight had shone through started rising. Large mounds of earth scattered, displaced by the momentum as they slowly climbed skywards. As they rose, a beam appeared horizontally across the two rocks which looked like the top of a doorway. Still the rocks ascended, revealing a secret entrance with a staircase descending deep into the ground. Eventually the rocks stopped moving as dust rose from the ancient doorway.

  Slowly the cloud disbanded and a stone doorway caught the last rays of the sun as it fell sleepily from view.

  “Lepy, would you be so kind as to lead the way?” Carragah asked, pointing at the entrance.

  Lepy quietly moved towards the entrance and removed his small globe from his pocket. He held it aloft inside the doorway and a brilliant light appeared.

  “That light reveals secrets that are hundreds of years old!” Carragah said, moving slowly behind Lepy.

  “Come,” he said, beckoning to the children. Lorna cautiously moved forwards, giving Graham a friendly firm push so he went first.

  “Hey, Lorna I bet hardly anyone has ever seen this place before!” Graham said in awe, satisfied yet deeply concerned about what lay ahead.

  “Yes sure,” Lorna replied a little dismissively, her hands holding Graham’s waist as she peeped over his shoulder, using him as a human shield.

  Moving slowly down the three flights of solid stone stairs, a short passageway was exposed with the dazzling light, heavy stone blocks purposely placed on top of each other to create the chamber.

  Quietly, the fearless leprechaun piloted the party through an archway at the bottom of the flights of stairs. As Graham passed through he noticed three chambers, one leading left, another right, the third declined at a steep angle deeper into the ground.

  “What do the inscriptions say?” asked Lepy, pointing to some writing above the third entrance.

  Carragah studied them carefully. “It’s a very old dialect, I think it says ‘grounds are sacred, death’. Sorry, I can’t make the rest out!”

  “No, no it’s fine, don’t bother,” Lorna interrupted, clutching Graham a little harder.

  “I do remember some legends about a ghostly warrior,” Carragah continued.

  Lorna and G
raham looked at each other apprehensively as colour drained from their cheeks, feeling the heavy melancholy deep in their body.

  Carragah pointed into the chamber on the left and ushered them to go through and look inside.

  “Erm, no it’s OK Carragah,” Lorna replied a little dismissively.

  “You will be fine,” he replied, pushing his hands forwards as if he was ushering the cows.

  Graham swallowed deeply, wondering why he was accepting the challenge, maybe it was just trust.

  “I hope we don’t see that warrior or I will have a heart attack!” Lorna said, linking Graham’s arm even tighter, practically stopping his blood supply.

  Slowly and a little braver with Lorna clasping him, Graham edged towards the arched dark entrance. The arch reminded Graham of old castles he had visited on school trips but his pounding heart ensured he knew this was for real.

  There was no light inside the chamber and Graham stood still, even with Lorna trying to push him forward.

  “Here, I think this will help,” Carragah said, handing Graham a torch.

  Graham smiled as he instantly recognised the torch as a modern battery-operated torch.

  “Well this is the twenty-first century!” Carragah smiled, moving away.

  “Come on then Graham!” Lorna said impatiently, giving him a little nudge in the direction of the doorway.

  “You go first Lorna,” Graham replied, trying to hand the torch to Lorna.

  “No way!” she replied, keeping her firm grip of his arm.

  Graham switched on the torch and the beam shone deep into the entrance. He took a deep breath as he put his first foot forward.

  It was really spooky as they entered, cobwebs hanging from the ceiling brushed against Graham’s face, making him jump for a brief second.