The Fathomless Fire

by Thomas Wharton

  “Of course I’ll stay with her … but can I get back to Fable in time, before she leaves? It’s so far away.”

  To Will’s surprise the blind man smiled.

  “Is it?” he said quietly.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You already know there are other paths through this world than the one we tread with our feet. You can find her before it is too late, Will Lightfoot, but not by turning around now and going back. You must go further on this journey you’ve already begun. Lightfoot was meant to journey to the ghostlands and bring back the rain. Then the grass would grow again, and the wisent would return. And the Sky Folk might see their folly, before it is too late. That was his journey, and it must become yours.”

  Will swallowed hard. He turned to Shade, who sat, calmly waiting.

  “I came for my friend,” he said. “That’s all. I’m not the one you’ve been waiting for. You said so yourself.”

  To Will’s alarm the Dreamwalker’s sightless eyes seemed to fix on him, and see him.

  “Have you not heard me, Will Lightfoot? Only by keeping on, not going back, can you return to the weaver of worlds in time to help her. How that can be, I have not dreamed. But it is so. Lightfoot was meant to find the Sky Folk, and so must you, if you wish to help the weaver of worlds. The dream of my people and your own story must meet and walk together. And your friend the wolf must go with you.”

  Will turned to Shade.

  “I can’t ask you to do that, Shade,” he said. “The Sky Folk want to capture you. If they do they might poison you like they did those other wolves.”

  “I will go with you, Will Lightfoot,” Shade said, rising stiffly and limping over to Will. “Rowen of Blue Hill is my friend, too.”

  Will hung his head, unable to speak. After a long time he took a deep breath and looked up.

  “I’ll go,” he said. “I’ll find these Sky Folk, if it’s the way back to Rowen. But if I’m not the one you’ve been waiting for, then I can’t bring back the rain.”

  In the sky a great flock of birds appeared. They were very large, with black wings and sharp talons. None could say what sort of birds they were, for such creatures had never been seen before in that land, but all who saw them knew fear.

  – Tales from the Golden Goose

  WHEN HE STEPPED OUTSIDE the lodge with Shade, Will found Finn and the other knights arguing. They broke off when he appeared. Finn turned to him with an impatient look, as if he had been wondering what had taken Will so long.

  “Will,” Finn said, “you and Shade will return home to the Bourne with Balor and Doctor Alazar. I’m staying with the Dreamwalker and the children. I’ll accompany them until they find their people. Then I’ll be setting out on my own, for the ghostlands.”

  Will shook his head urgently.

  “No,” he said. “I have to go with you, Finn. And Shade too.”

  They all turned and stared at Will in surprise. Finn frowned.

  “I’m afraid not, Will. It’s too dangerous.”

  “But the road home will take too long. We won’t get back in time, before Rowen leaves Fable. The Dreamwalker said I—”

  “You are a knight-apprentice of the Errantry now,” Finn interrupted him sharply. “Your duty is to obey your superiors. I told you when we started out that I would order you home when I judged it was unsafe to keep on. That time has come. Your part in all of this is over.”

  Anger boiled up inside Will. Finn was so concerned about his brother that he couldn’t see or hear anything else. But Will had to make him see…

  “Yes, it is unsafe to keep on,” Alazar said suddenly. “For any of us, Finn, including you.”

  “I’m not turning back when I’ve finally come this close,” Finn said. “Think of what Shade told us, about Brannon Yates. On the run and half-dead because of these Sky Folk, whoever they are. Who knows what’s happening now to the rest of Corr’s men? I will not go back to Fable and wait while Caliburn and the Council debate what to do…”

  He broke off. His fists were clenched so tightly the knuckles were white. Will had never seen him like this, and he was suddenly afraid for Finn as he never had been before.

  “Finn won’t be alone, ’Zar,” Balor announced. “I’m going with him.”

  “No you’re not, Balor,” Finn said. “You will accompany Will, Shade and the doctor back to Fable. They will need you on the road.”

  “You need me, too, Finn. You know I’m worth any three other knights put together.”

  “This is no time for your stupid swaggering, Balor,” the doctor snapped. “I don’t agree with this at all, Finn. This party of ours is small enough as it is, in a huge and dangerous land. We don’t even know how far we are from the Bourne. And now you want to split us up.”

  “I don’t want to, but there’s no other way,” Finn said. “Balor, Will is your apprentice. Your duty is to stay by him, no matter what. I shouldn’t have to tell you that.”

  Balor glowered, his face turning redder than it normally was. He appeared to be about to respond with angry words, then he sighed and nodded.

  “Yes. Yes. Of course. But what about your duty, Finn? You know this is foolishness. It’s against the code of the Errantry. Return to Appleyard with the rest of us. Don’t do this.”

  “I’m sorry, Balor,” Finn said, turning away. “But I have to find Corr, and nothing is going to stop me.”

  “Then you’re more like him than I thought,” the wildman muttered.

  Finn froze for a moment but he didn’t look at Balor. Instead he turned to Will and put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Tell the Marshal what we’ve discovered,” he said. “There are many families in Fable who’ve been waiting for this news.”

  Will was about to protest, but the steely look in Finn’s eyes silenced him. Somehow he and Shade would have to find a way to give Balor the slip on the road home. But for now it was best to act as if he had given in.

  “Let’s see to the horses,” Finn said, and turned away.

  Will noticed that Balor was studying him, but he avoided the wildman’s gaze. Then he saw that Hawk had been standing in the doorway of the lodge, watching them with wide, frightened eyes.

  “If he goes in search of the Sky Folk,” Hawk said to Will, “he won’t come back. No one ever does.”

  It was decided that before everyone departed it would be good to have a quick meal. Balor got a blaze going in the fire pit near the Dreamwalker’s lodge, took out his cooking gear and got to work making a soup with some of the food he carried in his provisions. Shade hunkered down beside Will, who sat on a log and said nothing, keeping his anger and frustration held tight. Hawk and his sister stood nearby, watching everything in silence. Will looked up at them and saw that they were frightened by all that had happened, and probably hungry. All this time they had been waiting for him, for the one who would bring back the rain. His anger faded.

  “Come on,” he said, beckoning them closer. “There’s plenty for everyone.”

  Shyly, Hawk and his sister came forward and sat beside Will on the log. The girl fixed her solemn gaze on Balor, and it wasn’t long before the wildman noticed. He served out the soup to everyone in tin mugs, then sat down to drink from his own, avoiding the girl’s eyes.

  “Would your father like to join us?” Alazar asked the boy.

  Hawk shook his head.

  “He has gone into the Dream Country. He walks there almost all the time now. He’s looking for the Sky Folk, to see if they’re coming this way.”

  Will glanced over at the Dreamwalker’s lodge. The way Hawk spoke about his father’s journeys in Dream, it almost sounded as if the boy believed he was actually travelling in some other land.

  Finn had been packing his gear, and now he came over and sat down without a word. The small fire fluttered like a rag in the wind.

  Balor cleared his throat. As he lifted the pot to pour himself another mug of soup, the girl leaned towards her brother, her eyes still fixed on Balor, and
whispered something. Hawk nodded.

  “What did she say?” Balor asked.

  “She said…” Hawk hesitated, biting his lip.

  “It’s all right,” Balor said, “I have a thick skin.”

  “To go with your skull,” the doctor murmured.

  Balor ignored him. He smiled at Hawk.

  “Come on, lad. I won’t be angry, I promise.”

  “She thinks you are the bear,” the boy said.

  “A bear?” The wildman shrugged. “Huh. I’ve been called worse things.”

  “She said you must be the Great Bear.”

  “Really? Well, that’s even better.”

  “The Great Bear who protects Lightfoot.”

  “Protects Will? Of course I would, if it came to that.”

  “It will. Father says that you will battle the stone giant.”

  Balor scowled.

  “Stone giant? What stone giant?”

  Hawk was about to reply, but his eyes went wide, gazing at something behind the wildman. They all turned.

  The Dreamwalker stood near them. Will stared in disbelief. He hadn’t heard a sound, and he’d had the Dreamwalker’s lodge in view the entire time they’d been sitting at the fire. He was sure he had not seen the blind man come outside.

  Hawk jumped up and took his father’s arm. Will looked at his companions and saw that they were as stunned as he was, but no one said anything.

  The Dreamwalker lifted his head towards the sky to the north, into the thickest of the clouds. Will watched Hawk looking at his father with an intense, unbroken gaze.

  “We are too late,” the blind man said. “They are coming.” He turned to Shade. “They have picked up your trail.”

  Everyone rose to their feet.

  “How much time do we have?” Finn said.

  “They will be here very soon,” the Dreamwalker said. “There are caves on the hillside not far from here. Places you can hide. My son will guide you there.”

  “Father…” Hawk began, but the Dreamwalker raised his hand.

  “Take your sister with you. When the Sky Folk come I will tell them I am alone here.”

  “If they bring their wolves, they will track our scent to the caves,” Balor said.

  “I will deal with the wolves if it comes to that,” Shade said.

  “You must go. All of you,” the Dreamwalker said. “The caves will conceal you, and if the wolves come, you will be able to hold them off better there than here.”

  Balor threw sand on the fire and started packing up the cooking gear. Alazar gathered the horses. Finn buckled on his sword.

  “Balor, take everyone to the caves,” he said. “Keep them safe. If you can get away, head south for the Bourne.”

  The wildman stared at him.

  “Finn?”

  “I’m staying with the Dreamwalker.”

  “That’s madness.”

  “Go with the others, Balor. They’ll need you.”

  The wildman glared at Finn, but then his shoulders slumped. He sighed, turned and came over to Will and the doctor.

  “Let’s go,” he muttered.

  “This is wrong, Finn,” the doctor shouted over the rising wind. “You’re endangering all of us. If they find you here, they’ll suspect there are others nearby. If they search, they’ll find the caves.”

  “There’s no time for this, Alazar. Go.”

  At a shout from Hawk, they looked skywards to where he was pointing. Amid the broil of clouds there was one darker than the rest, moving distinctly on its own towards them. It was descending, and was holding its shape while all around it the other clouds were roiling and shearing apart in the wind. From within its blue-grey depths came a dim pulse of lightning. Will stood, transfixed. If these were the Sky Folk, what should he do? He was supposed to find them, and here they were, but they were after Shade.

  “Come on, Will,” the doctor shouted. Will stirred and looked around. Shade was standing near him.

  “Let’s go to the caves,” Will said. He couldn’t let them take the wolf. He would help Shade escape now, if he could, and go after the Sky Folk when he knew his friend was safe.

  Hawk helped his sister onto the dun pony and led the way from the camp. Balor and Alazar followed with the horses, and Will walked beside Shade, who was still limping but able to keep up. When Will looked back, Finn was standing in the middle of the camp, watching them go. The Dreamwalker stood next to him.

  They climbed the grassy slope nearest to the camp. Hawk led them over a rise studded with boulders, and down the other side, into a shallow, stony ravine that might once have been the channel of a stream but was now dry and overgrown with tall grass. Ragged clumps of brambles grew in crevices of the rock. Hawk pointed to a darkness under the brow of a jutting slab of rust-coloured stone.

  “That is the largest of the caves.”

  They all dismounted and led the horses. The camp could not be seen from within the ravine, but they could still see the dark cloud. It was much closer now and seemed to have slowed until it was hanging almost motionless overhead. The sun had been blotted out, as if dusk had fallen in a moment.

  The cave entrance was large enough for the two ponies to be led unwillingly inside, but there would not be enough room for all of them and the horses, too.

  “We’ll set them loose for now,” Balor said. “They’ll run from whatever’s inside that cloud. We can find them later.”

  Hastily, he and Alazar removed the tack from the horses and set them running with shouts and slaps to the flanks. Cutter and the other horses seemed to understand what was needed of them. They set off together at a gallop down the hillside and away from the camp and the approaching storm. Moments later they were out of sight.

  “Into the cave,” Balor shouted. With the two ponies, they all crowded into the dark, cramped space under the stone slab. Shade hunkered down beside Will. Hawk came in last and sat closest to the entrance, watching the sky. The rank smell of the terrified ponies filled the small space.

  The wind was fierce now. Leaves, grass stalks and even small branches flew everywhere. The ponies whinnied and rolled their eyes in fear. Hawk held their rope bridles and spoke softly to them. A deep, low rumbling began from within the cloud and the earth shuddered. Pebbles danced crazily across the cave floor. All at once white fire stabbed out of the gloom beyond the cave. For an instant everything blazed like bright midday. Will ducked his head as the earth seemed to tilt under him and a tremendous roar filled his ears.

  When Will looked up again, the wolves were there.

  There were six of them, all with dark, matted fur and red-rimmed eyes. They had arranged themselves in a semi-circle near the mouth of the cave and stood motionless, watching. Hawk, who was crouching closest to the entrance, rose and backed up slowly into Will, who clutched his arm. He could feel the boy shaking.

  “What are they doing?” Balor said. “Why haven’t they attacked yet?”

  “Because of me,” Shade said, and before Will could stop him, he pushed forward between Will and Balor and limped out of the cave.

  “Shade,” Will breathed desperately. “They can tell you’re wounded. They’ll attack.”

  Shade did not reply. He walked slowly towards the wolves until he was only a few feet from them, then he halted and made no other move. One of the wolves, the largest, bared his fangs and growled warningly. Shade gave no responding growl but stood still as a statue. The large wolf crouched as if he was about to spring at Shade, who remained still. Just when Will was sure the lead Sky Folk wolf was on the brink of leaping to the attack, Shade moved.

  He moved faster than Will would have thought possible. Silently, with a great bound, he leapt at the lead wolf and an instant later had him on his belly, pinned and writhing. The other wolves flinched and backed away. Some let out anxious whines.

  Shade, his paws on the lead wolf’s chest, made a sound then, something between a growl and a bark. It was a short, harsh sound that startled Will and made him flinch like
the wolves. Will had never heard Shade make such a sound. It was a statement of who was in command.

  The lead wolf scrambled out from beneath Shade and crawled away to rejoin his fellows. Shade paced back and forth in front of the wolves, who whimpered and ducked their heads.

  “They will obey me, for now,” Shade said to Will. “If their masters come I do not know what will happen, so I will lead them away from here, northwards.”

  “But Shade,” Will cried, “how will we find you?”

  “I will find you, Will Lightfoot,” Shade said. “No matter what happens, we will be together again.”

  Suddenly he gave a loud yip and sprang away out of the ravine, and without a moment’s hesitation the wolf pack bounded after him, eager and panting, like submissive dogs following their pack leader.

  “That’s it, then,” Balor said. “Shade’s given us a chance. Let’s find the horses and make a run for it.”

  “Wait, where’s the boy?” Alazar shouted.

  Hawk was no longer beside Will. Moon was still cowering at the far end of the cave beside Balor. Will darted out of the cave just in time to see the Horse Folk boy disappear over the rim of the ravine in the direction of the camp.

  Will called his name, and ignoring Balor’s shouts for him to come back, he scrambled up the side of the ravine. At the top of the hill he paused. He could no longer see Hawk, but only a short distance away the dark cloud had touched the earth, its edges creeping like tentacles over the ground, almost surrounding the camp. The Dreamwalker and Finn were visible as tiny figures for only a moment, before they vanished in a sweeping curtain of cloud. For an instant Will had a glimpse of a huge dark shape within the cloud, something descending to the earth, but it was gone again before he could tell what it was.

  A moment later Hawk appeared again below Will, from out of a fold in the hillside, running for the camp. Will shouted at him to stop, but the shrieking wind swallowed up his voice.

  A flash of lightning struck so close it made Will stagger and fall to his knees. As he picked himself up, he saw a tall figure in a dark grey cloak appear out of the mist, moving towards Hawk with a net in its hands. Another cloaked figure emerged from the mist on the other side of the Horse Folk boy, and another followed swiftly behind. All the Sky Folk were masked to the eyes in grey, and the second and third each carried a long metal stave topped with a black sphere.