Jack Shian and the Destiny Stone

by Andrew Symon

“Listen,” said Ossian, “we nearly starved to death on the bridge comin’ here, and we’re even worse off now than when we arrived.”

  “Ossian’s right,” said Gilmore, grimacing as water from above dripped down his neck. “The whole point of coming here was to get the Raglan stone; and now the Kildashie have taken it away. We have wasted valuable weeks.”

  “But we have the Gusog feather,” said Iain Dubh.

  “Your feather is not going to get us off this island!” shouted Arvin. “Whatever time-tricks it plays for you on Nebula are no use to us now! The solstice starts tonight!”

  Jack looked around. This wasn’t the same cave they’d arrived in; so how could it be the Bridge of Impossibility?

  “Iain Dubh,” he said, “can the Gusog slow things down and give us more time to get away?”

  “Gusog doesn’t slow time,” said Ishona impatiently. “It changes us.”

  “Then what are we to do?” demanded Gilmore. “We can’t stay in this cave for ever. We’ve no food, and that blasted swamp-water keeps dripping in.” He jumped sideways as another gush of water fell from above.

  “Wait a minute,” said Jack. “If this is the Bridge of Impossibilities, then it must be opened, right?”

  “By dark magycks,” said Armina ominously. “This is no place for children to be playing.”

  “I don’t think this is some game!” shouted Jack angrily. “This bridge is our only way off here! We must open it.”

  “Why don’t you use the Mapa Mundi to show us where to go?” demanded Finbogie.

  “I … I haven’t got it.”

  Armina let out a howl of dismay.

  “But I can get it back,” shouted Jack, trying to be heard above the wail.

  He strode up to his father and put his hand out.

  Smiling, Phineas handed him the sceptre.

  “There’s no power for them here without your eagle,” said Gilmore gloomily; but Jack took it firmly, and then turned to the girl.

  “Where do I summon him?”

  The girl pointed at a pale rock in the cave wall. Jack marched sombrely forward, and hit the rock face three times.

  “Papa Legba! Papa Legba! Papa Legba!”

  The air seemed to hold its breath; and in that moment of stillness, the frail old man reappeared. He limped towards Jack.

  “Are ye ready?”

  It was the same thin reedy voice.

  “We are.”

  “And how many are ye now?”

  Jack did a quick headcount. “Seventeen. One was killed up in the swamp, and three more in the castle.”

  “But ye’re nineteen,” continued the old man.

  Jack looked round, and started.

  Morrigan and Hema stood by the opposite wall, brandishing their wands.

  24

  The Rainbow Bridge

  Hema walked slowly up to Papa Legba and smiled.

  “So good of you to let us have this.” She indicated the Mapa Mundi around Papa Legba’s neck. “My daughter fooled that Shian boy into bringing it here. Of course, you’ve met my daughter before – she opened the Bridge.”

  Papa Legba’s lip curled.

  “I open the Bridge.”

  “But Papa,” continued Hema, “these pirates have attacked our castle. We gave them shelter and food, and they have done violence to our sisters. You must not allow them to escape.”

  “Oh, he won’t.”

  In a flash Morrigan withdrew her sword, and thrust it through the old man’s chest. As it had before, his body crumpled to the ground.

  The prisoners stepped back, but Jack ran forward and crouched down. He cradled the old man’s head, then turned to look at Morrigan. The fury inside him was so great that he couldn’t even form words to spit at her.

  Then the old man shivered, and Jack felt him shake his head.

  He’s alive!

  As the old man levered himself up to a sitting position, there was a palpable change in mood. The escaping prisoners seemed to grow a little in stature, even as Morrigan shrank back.

  “Ye have not learned yer lessons well enough,” snarled Papa Legba, rising to his feet. “To leave Tula demands not only blood, but tears.”

  He turned to address the prisoners.

  “Where are your dead friends?”

  “Above in the swamp,” replied Phineas. “We cannot leave their bodies there.”

  Papa Legba drew a sceptre from his coat, and directed it at the cave ceiling. With a whoosh! there was a collapse of stone and bog, and the four bodies floated down to the cave floor.

  “Papa,” said Hema ingratiatingly, “my daughter is young, and should have known better. But I will see she is punished for her rashness.”

  “I carry out the punishments.”

  Hema backed away as Papa Legba levelled his sceptre at Morrigan. As the bolt hit her, her sword flew out of her hand and into his own. With a nimble skip, he hopped over to her cowering body, and thrust the blade into her heart.

  “Cardilacrima!”

  Papa Legba withdrew the blood-stained sword, and Morrigan fell instantly.

  “Mor!” Fenrig shouted, but even as he ran to kneel by her body he knew it was too late. “She was my sister!” he yelled at Papa Legba.

  “Good enough for me,” said the old man simply, and he thrust the sword into the rock by Fenrig’s knee, staining the ground.

  A single tear rolled down the young Brashat’s cheek, and splashed into the dark red ooze on the ground. There was a further tumble of stone and bog as a hole appeared in the ceiling, and a shaft of coloured light fell into the cave.

  “The air’s fresh!” shouted Jack.

  “The Rainbow Bridge is open,” said Papa Legba with satisfaction. “Ye and yer comrades will reach Novehowe by the solstice.”

  “What about the … the ones who died?”

  “I’ll bring them along,” said the old man simply.

  “Are you coming with us?”

  “I am. And I’m takin’ this old hag along wi’ me.”

  Papa Legba now directed his sceptre towards Hema, who had started scrabbling at the cave wall, trying to climb up and out. The bolt hit her back, and she tumbled back onto the cave floor.

  “What about my sister?” sobbed Fenrig.

  “She’ll stay here. This is where she belongs.”

  Phineas put his arm around Jack’s shoulder.

  “Ready for another journey?”

  Jack nodded. “We should thank the girl – she knew about this cave.”

  The escapees were lining up now to step into the rainbow shaft. The Ashray disappeared into the light, but the girl held back, just on the edge of the rainbow’s beams, and beckoned to Jack and his father. As they approached, she held out her hands, inviting Jack and Phineas to take them. As they held hands in their small circle, she looked slowly from one to the other, then gave a little cough before pulling them into the rainbow.

  Jack felt himself pulled upwards, spinning at terrific speed. The low road was nothing to this – even when travelling solo. This was 100 times faster and colder. It was more disturbing, more … nauseating. Jack retched.

  I haven’t felt travel sick for ages …

  Embarrassed by this feeling, Jack did not even dare to open his eyes for several minutes; and when he did, he could see little. Jack felt as if he was being spiralled and compressed at the same time. If his teeth were chattering, the wind whistling past drowned out the sound.

  This wasn’t like flying with the horses. This was … well, like nothing Jack had ever experienced before. What does light feel like as it passes through the air? Jack didn’t know, but he was sure he felt something like that. He tried to focus, but it was impossible. A vague, pixillated shape must have been his father; and another, that must have been the girl. He clutched their hands firmly, closed his eyes again, and prayed for the journey to be over.

  The spinning didn’t slow down, but after a while Jack felt the coldness grow less intense, and he risked opening his eyes again.
The pixillated figures were still there, and he was aware of light rushing past at great speed. His own velocity was so great that Jack had trouble distinguishing how much juddering was due to speed, and how much was just him shivering. He felt nauseated again, and closed his eyes.

  With a jolt, they landed.

  * * *

  Jack gasped, trying to get his breath back. Although they were no longer airborne, it felt like the wind was trying to cut him in two. Shivering, Jack slowly opened his eyes. Without realising it, he had released his grip: the blurred figures of his father and the girl were further away. As his eyes found their focus, he could see that each was leaning against a large standing stone. A light dusting of snow was visible as the last rays of the rainbow faded. Storm clouds scudded by.

  Jack looked round to find the others. Ossian was three stones to his right; and Enda was next to him, with Iain Dubh and Ishona further along. In fact, everyone was standing by a huge upright stone. Arranged in a circle, the twenty or so stones were irregularly spaced several yards apart.

  The nausea slowly left Jack, and he saw his father stagger over to the girl, who still had her eyes tightly closed.

  “I hate to break this up,” announced Iain Dubh. “But we need to find some shelter fast. Those storm clouds are about to break. And Papa Legba’s just arrived with his prisoner.”

  Papa Legba strode over, shoving Hema forward unceremoniously. Her hands were bound behind her back.

  “I doubt we’ll make Novehowe before that storm breaks; but there’s a house not far away. We can shelter there.”

  The first raindrops started to fall as the group set off down the road. More standing stones loomed up on their left as they walked along – only three this time, but just as big.

  “We’re still Shian size, aren’t we?” asked Jack. “Are they Shian stones?”

  “They go back a long way. Back to when the Shian and the humans mixed freely,” said his father.

  “But what are they for?”

  “Let’s get to the shelter, shall we? We’ll have time to talk there.” He smiled encouragingly at the girl, who was limping slightly.

  The rain had started to fall in earnest now. Great smudges of water that soaked and depressed spirits in equal measure. As the group hurried along, Ossian went and put his arm around Fenrig’s shoulders. The young Brashat’s eyes were moist, and he dabbed at his cheeks.

  “I’m not crying,” he said to Ossian.

  His attempts to stem the flood were not enough, however, and the tears fell, mixing with the rain.

  “Of course you’re not.”

  The storm broke over them in earnest now. Ossian’s own eyes were wet, but Jack couldn’t be sure whether it was rain or tears. It was strange to see Ossian in this light. Walking down the road, comforting Fenrig. He was almost … tender.

  It was a bedraggled group that finally made it to the house by the road. The sky was dark with clouds, and no lights showed from the windows.

  “What is this place?” asked Armina.

  “It’s an old human mill. It won’t be occupied at this time of year.”

  Papa Legba approached the building with confidence, still shoving Hema in front of him. Levelling his sceptre at the door, he fired a charm. The lock clicked, and the door swung open.

  “We’ll be safe in here.”

  “It’s not the solstice, is it?” asked Finbogie.

  “Not ’til tomorrow. We’ll rest up here for the night. Novehowe’s just across the road.”

  The group congregated in the front entrance.

  “I’ve put a bell hex around the house – the humans won’t know we’re here. And you should all eat. Here – I’ve some fey biscuits.”

  “Where exactly are we?” asked Iain Dubh as he chewed thoughtfully.

  “You mean you’ve never been to see the NorShian before?” demanded Papa Legba.

  “Of course,” said Ishona emphatically, “but never by the Rainbow Bridge. Did it really take the whole day to get here?”

  “It’s a short day,” smiled Papa Legba. “It’s midwinter.”

  “So where are the NorShian? And our comrades who were sailing here?”

  “They’re all preparing for tomorrow, as should we. First, I’m going to take care of this nuisance here.”

  He aimed his sceptre at Hema’s head, and a hex felled her instantly.

  “Have you killed her?” exclaimed Armina.

  “Just saved her for tomorrow. She can put her case then.”

  “Speaking of tomorrow, we’ll need to be up early,” said Iain Dubh. “I’ll take Ishona and the Nebula men, and we’ll get some rest.”

  As the Nebula crew got up to leave, Arvin said, “We’ll bring Kedge. Come on, Daid: give Finbogie and Gilmore a hand.”

  As the most tired of the travellers left to go and sleep, Enda took his sceptre out.

  “Papa, we thank you for bringing us out of Tula. But we gathered that you …” His voice trailed off.

  “You thought I only dealt with dark magycks?” replied the old man sadly. “Well, I must confess that until recently …”

  He twirled the ring on his finger; then advanced towards Jack.

  “I never got round to returning this to you,” he said, handing the Mapa Mundi over. “It would never have been safe in Fractals’ Seer. Those Boabans would have cut you to death and taken it.”

  Jack gratefully took the Mapa Mundi back and tied it around his neck.

  “Your ring,” he said. “It’s the same as mine … as Tamlina’s.”

  “It is.” Papa Legba showed the ring on his finger to the assembled group. “She and I were old friends. We both came late to Gosol.”

  “I’m cold.” The Ashray sneezed.

  “We can get some heat from this.” Finbogie wedged his sceptre in an umbrella stand, and muttered under his breath. It glowed, softly at first, then began to radiate a warmth that flowed through the cold house.

  “Thank you for leading us away from the Boabans,” said Jack to the Ashray. “And you,” he added to the young girl. “You knew where the bridge was.”

  “We are indeed in your debt,” added Phineas. “Thanks to you, we have reached Novehowe in time for the midwinter solstice.”

  The girl looked up at him shyly.

  “Tell us about yourself,” continued Phineas. “How come you ended up on Tula?”

  “I am Cleo.”

  25

  The Fourth Brother

  There was a stunned silence. Phineas dropped to his knees in front of the young girl.

  “Cleo?” His voice was no more than a whisper.

  She squinted uncertainly at him, and nodded.

  “Your mother is Sheena of Rangie?”

  “She calls herself Adriana,” said the girl in a strange accent. “But I know her name is Giovanna.”

  Giovanna?

  Jack walked unsteadily over to the two of them. He felt like he was at sea again.

  Phineas’ brow was furrowed, then he smiled.

  “It’s the same name, in Italian. Were you brought up in Italy?”

  The young girl nodded, and managed a half-smile.

  “Near Roma. You are Phinny-us?”

  “Phineas. Yes.”

  As Phineas reached out and took her hand, she held her other hand out towards Jack.

  “And I know your name. You are Jeck.”

  “Jack,” he corrected her.

  “That’s right: Jeck.”

  “But what happened to your mother? Why did you leave?”

  Cleo sat down on the floor and hugged her knees.

  “She wanted always to be with the humans. She lived with one.”

  Phineas nodded sadly.

  “Lived?”

  “He left. Perhaps once a year she would take me to the Shian places nearby. But when we got there she would argue, and we would not stay. I was never allowed to mix with the people there.”

  “So she brought you up as human?”

  “She hated her old life
. When I asked questions about the Shian, or my family, she got angry. One day, she said she would send me to see what Shian life was really like.”

  “You don’t mean Tula?” gasped Jack. “Why didn’t she just send you back to Rangie?”

  “She never talked of it. But she said one place would cure me of wanting to live as a Shian.”

  “The girl is right,” butted in Papa Legba. “It was just before Tamlina showed me the power of Gosol. I was summoned, and I took the girl to Tula.”

  Phineas’ eyes narrowed.

  “You mean you used dark magycks to spirit my daughter to that … hellhole?”

  Papa Legba hung his head.

  “It was the way I lived – in the past. I have tried to make amends: I found her again, and I showed her how to reach the cave. I hoped one day it would help her.”

  “How long were you on Tula?” Jack squeezed Cleo’s hand.

  “She came to me three years ago,” squeaked the Ashray.

  “You mean you’ve been there since you were nine?!”

  Cleo nodded sadly. “I was bonded to the Boabans for seven years.”

  “My first friend for eighty-nine years,” said the Ashray. “My bonding was forever. But when you all arrived, I knew we might escape.”

  “Did you know who we were?”

  “Of course. Morrigan sent messages to her mother; she thought it was no danger to tell us. Hema believed none could escape.”

  “And did you know who I was? I mean, to you?” asked Phineas.

  “Mama talked sometimes of family. I knew only your names. But she kept one thing – an old paper. It has your name.”

  Cleo handed Phineas a tattered parchment. Unfolding it carefully, he smiled; then frowned, dropping the document. Picking it up, Jack read aloud:

  “If sphere and silver you would gain, the seat of pow’r you may attain,

  But seek ye first the key to own: the Creator key, the Raglan stone.”

  “I found this document,” continued Phineas, “when we opened up the square under the castle. The houses had been uninhabited for years – there was all sorts of stuff.”

  “And that’s when you went to look for Tamlina, isn’t it?” said Jack.

  “Not straight away. Sheena must have taken the paper: she hated the thought of me going after ‘Shian treasure’. I searched for ages; when I couldn’t find it, I knew I had to find Tamlina.”