Читать книгу The Ice People 45 - The Legend - Margit Sandemo - Страница 8

Chapter 3

Everything was so quiet.

The wind swept through the pass, but it didn’t bother them. They sat sheltered within the warm circle that Lucifer had drawn with his hands.

Tova sat with her back against the cliff. She had a view of the valley. Right now, she hated the valley as it lay there in the gathering dusk. Hidden in fog, threatening, secretive. She couldn’t understand how Tarjei had managed to stay here for so long, surrounded by all Tan-ghil the Evil’s horror. Tarjei was able to read her thoughts and he smiled at her in sympathy. It was as if he was saying: “It wasn’t that bad. I’m just a spirit and quite free. The evil didn’t affect me very much.”

That comforted her.

“We have plenty of time,” Marcel explained. “Tan-ghil won’t get free in the foreseeable future.”

“Can Lynx create problems in the valley?” Nataniel wanted to know.

“Only by sending you to the Great Abyss, which he can’t do now. Not while I’m here.”

“What exactly is the Great Abyss?” asked Tova.

Marcel-Lucifer shook his head so that his black curls moved. “I don’t know. Just as the Demon’s Mountain is your secret, which Tengel the Evil doesn’t know about, he has the Abyss, which lies beyond our sphere of knowledge. All we know is that it’s a horrible place and that nobody has come back from it.”

Nataniel gritted his teeth. The loss of Ellen was still too painful to dwell on.

Gabriel, who sat with his pen hovering over his notebook, said: “What was it Your Highness wanted to tell us?”

“Right, I’ll tell you now. We in our remote world have long known of Tan-ghil the Evil and his journey to the Source of Evil.”

Gabriel wondered who “we” referred to. The archangels? Or the powers of good more broadly?

“We knew that only a human being could defeat him, because the Sources of Life are for humans, not for other creatures. If anybody was to make it, it would have to be a member of the Ice People, because they possess greater powers than other people. From an early stage we knew that somebody would be born into the Ice People with greater supernatural abilities than the world had ever seen.”

Marcel, Marco’s father, smiled, and Gabriel thought he had never seen anything so exciting. Despite the fact that he now appeared like a human being, without his wings or other attributes, Lucifer was different in some way that was difficult to define. You couldn’t help seeing immediately that he was something special.

The strange angel of light said: “You see, we’ve been keeping an eye on you, and when it was evident that Tarjei was the chosen one we were very concerned. Tarjei would never have been able to resist Tengel the Evil’s strength. So we decided to keep Tarjei’s abilities a secret from all, even himself. Then something very tragic occurred. A member of your own people, Kolgrim, killed Tarjei. We didn't expect that. So, Tarjei, we didn’t want you to die because you weren’t strong enough. Your death was a complete surprise to us. We hadn’t yet had time to figure out how we were to give you the necessary strength before it was all over. Believe me: we grieved over you.”

Tarjei nodded in gratitude.

With a new smile, Marcel continued: “Then we decided to intervene. As you know, I appear on earth once in every century. In 1660, there was no suitable woman of the Ice People. Villemo was still too young, but when I met her, I endowed her with extra occult abilities. She didn’t see me; after all, she was only a child. The same can be said of 1760: there was no woman of a suitable age because at the time Shira was too old to have children. But in 1860 ... there was Saga!”

“So it was no coincidence that Your Highness met her?” Nataniel asked, surprised.

“No, it was no coincidence. It was planned. I wanted to add more strength and greater abilities to the Ice People so that you could withstand Tengel the Evil.”

Lucifer got a distant look in his eyes. “However, it was a complete surprise to me that I became so fond of her that I couldn’t imagine the future without her. She bore me two sons. Unfortunately, one of them was lost.”

“No, he wasn’t,” said Tova eagerly, and they all began talking because they wanted to tell Marcel about Ulvar’s 'conversion'. Lucifer was delighted, and wanted to meet Ulvar as soon as possible.

Nataniel felt overwhelmed. “Was it planned in advance that I was to have the blood of the black angels in my veins? And the demons of the night and the storm demons?”

“No, the last was Tengel the Evil’s doing. With the help of Lilit, he placed a spy in Linden Avenue: Tamlin, her son with Typhoon. But Tamlin fell in love with Vanja of the Ice People. I sent my black angels to help and convert the demons of the night. I succeeded in that and they have been a great help and joy to us. Especially Tamlin, who has lived in my halls. But now I hear that we’ve lost him. I’m very sorry to hear that ...”

Marcel was lost in his own thoughts. Then he said slowly: “The Great Abyss ... that nobody returns from ...”

The others were silent. They knew that he was pondering the same thing he had done all along: what was the Abyss? And must they really regard their loved ones as lost forever?

It was a bitter thought. But deep down they knew that there was no hope. Whoever was cast into the Great Abyss disappeared forever. The dead could come back as spirits and helpers, but there was no return from the Abyss.

“Yes,” said Nataniel dreamily. “So now I know why I have the blood of the black angels in my veins. And the night demons and the storm demons. I knew that I was the chosen one of the Ice People. But I am also the seventh son of a seventh son. Was that not a coincidence either?”

“No, no,” replied Marcel cheerfully. “We arranged for Christa to meet Abel Gard, who was a seventh son who had six sons. Well, actually there were seven but we knew that one of them wasn’t really his. Now it so happened that another person entered the picture – young Linde-Lou. He very nearly made things difficult for us. He was a member of the Ice People we didn’t know anything about. As soon as we got to know him, we came to like him a lot, me perhaps because he was my grandson. I’ve tried to compensate for the bitter life he lived on earth. Now he’s happy – except in one particular area ...”

Marcel fell silent. He looked pensive.

“Linde-Lou is a wonderful person,” said Nataniel passionately.

“Oh, absolutely,” replied Marcel-Lucifer, giving Nataniel a strange look.

Everybody saw it but nobody had time to interpret it. Afterwards, Tova said that Marcel seemed to have plans. Perhaps he was merely thinking of Linde-Lou’s future? Perhaps he would take him with him to the Black Halls?

“Well what about Shira?” said Marco. “Surely she’s also crucial in our struggle to conquer Tengel the Evil?”

“Shira is the most important of all. Her walk through the grottos, once the four elements had selected her, was done only for the sake of Taran-gai. But that wasn’t really the case. We were the ones who got in touch with the four spirits of Taran-gai: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.”

“I’m sorry,” said Gabriel humbly. “Just for the sake of the notes I’m taking ... Who are ‘we’?”

Lucifer smiled. “Just write ‘The Higher Powers’, Gabriel. I oughtn’t to tell you who we are.”

Gabriel nodded eagerly, with the tip of his tongue in one corner of his mouth.

Nataniel was silent. He was thinking of what he had heard about Shira’s journey through the grottos. About the letter that Daniel had written to her on the deserted beach: “... I live only on the outskirts of the evil story you will be drawn into. I don’t know all the threads in this enormous net that is being spun around us ...”

Daniel wrote that more than two centuries ago, and they still didn’t know how big the net was. Nataniel was beginning to feel dizzy.

Ian said quietly to Lucifer: “I suppose it’s about the eternal struggle between good and evil, isn’t it, Master?”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right,” replied the angel of light, turning his fantastic eyes towards Ian so that he felt dazzled. “But you should know that everything isn’t black as soot or white as snow.”

“I realize that, Your Highness,” Ian said. He wondered if Lucifer was thinking of himself and his black angels. Ian knew that demons aren’t evil and that spirits of light aren’t all nice and kind. He had learned a lot since meeting the Ice People. He had had to change his view of black and white a very great deal.

Far, far out on the ice, Tengel the Evil was roaring in despair.

Lucifer glanced at him sideways over his shoulder. “He’s stuck. But you never know with him. It’s impossible to know what powers he can collaborate with. We should be on our guard.”

The angel of light got up and the others followed immediately.

“The fog has lifted,” said Lucifer. “It’s almost up here now, and there’s good visibility down below. But the sun has set so I advise you to wait until dawn, as I said earlier. Tarjei, Rune and I will leave you before long, but first there are some precautions I must give you.”

They were grateful for that. To be honest, they weren’t exactly thrilled at having to walk down into the unknown valley.

Lucifer looked at his son. His eyes were sad. “Marco, my dearest, beloved son, it was with a heavy heart that we decided that you were the only one who could fight the enigmatic Lynx.”

They saw Marco’s face stiffen. Not from fear but rather disappointment. “But I have one of the bottles!”

“It’s important that you carry the bottle with you in your struggle with that abominable man. For we believe that he’s under the influence of the black water – otherwise he wouldn’t be so frightened of getting close to those of you who carry the bottles.”

“But Father, do you mean that I should get close to him with the bottle of Shira’s water and then spray it on him? Because, if so, we will have one bottle less!”

“That can’t be helped. Lynx is a danger to you all. Right now, Lynx is the biggest challenge. We have no idea what can break him. This theory about the clear water is merely guesswork. If only we knew his identity.”

Now Rune raised his creaky voice: “I know a little more about him now.”

Everybody turned to look at the mandrake boy.

“Please tell us, Rune!” said Lucifer.

“He’s German, his first name is Fritz and he probably lived in the early 1920s.”

“How do you know that?” asked Tova.

Rune told them how he felt he could recognize Lynx’s slightly formal dress and the glistening pomade on his hair, which was typical of the 1920s, and how he had recognized many Germanic traits in Lynx.

Nataniel interrupted. “That’s what I’ve felt intuitively all along.”

“So just as a test, I blurted out the name Fritz. German soldiers were often called Fritz or Jerry. But both Lynx and Tan-ghil reacted with near panic and shock when I pronounced the name. That was when I realized that Lynx’s real name must be Fritz.”

Marcel looked at Rune attentively. “Are you sure? What I mean is, did they really react so strongly?”

“Absolutely. I was shocked myself. Tengel yelled something. He was hysterical. But at that very moment, the earth began to shake. That was the very moment when Your Highness broke through the crust of the earth, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Marcel-Lucifer was distracted. He stood lost in his own thoughts, while his eyes radiated inner agitation. Then he returned to the present. They all pondered what Rune had said, turning it over this way and that.

So Lynx was one of the dead. Yet he didn’t seem dead at all. It was quite obvious that he was neither a spirit nor a ghost.

At last Marcel spoke. “What you’ve just told us is very important. That Lynx and Tan-ghil were so horrified when you happened to pronounce his name shows that we’re faced with name-magic.”

“Name-magic?” echoed Gabriel.

“Yes,” replied Lucifer, regarding Gabriel absent-mindedly. “And in this case it’s probably about the magic that has to do with hiding your true name.”

“I know about that,” Marco said eagerly. “I’ve read about it. The ancient Celts used it, and the Red Indians in certain forms. And voodooism ...”

Marco’s father nodded. “Many traditional cultures knew of this type of magic, and Tan-ghil probably picked it up in East Asia. So ... to know Lynx’s identity is the most important thing now. For you, Marco, in order to have any power over him, you need to know his name and who he is. This is the first commandment of name-magic.”

“I understand.”

“This is precisely why you’ve been chosen to fight Lynx, who is rather too much of a mystery, even for us. If you have to perform magic, you are groping in the dark if you don’t know who is to be conjured. Actually, this is the rule for all kinds of magic, but here it seems to be more important than ever. If Marco can use Lynx’s real name, his work, place of origin and other vital information, then he will have the upper hand immediately. Do you understand?”

“Yes, we don’t know much about name-magic,” said Tova. “But that sounds right.”

“Yes,” smiled Lucifer. “You must feel you have the advantage, Marco, when you stand and face Lynx. Since we’re talking about name-magic, remember that your name means ‘the brave one’! You may need all your courage now, because Lynx won’t mince his words. If you get too close, he’ll hurl the strange sling, or whatever we are to call it, at you.”

Marco nodded. “And if I don’t get close enough to him, I can’t sprinkle the clear water on him. It’s a dilemma. I can see that.”

“Precisely. This is exactly why I want to invoke name-magic. It could weaken his judgment and strength. How much, we don’t know.”

“Wait a minute,” said Nataniel. “There’s something I don’t understand. Tengel the Evil has to drink from the black water in this valley so that he can reach his full strength and deadly dangerousness. But if he has done something with Lynx by means of that water, he must have some of it with him, mustn’t he?”

Lucifer thought for a while. Then he smiled. “To be honest, I don’t know what he’s done with Lynx. We have just assumed that it had something to do with the evil force of the black water. But it’s a wise thought, Nataniel. We’ll bear it in mind. Yes, you’ve every reason to be proud of yourself!”

Then Lucifer went over to his son and put his hands on his shoulders. “You mustn’t think that I’m asking you to do this light-heartedly. But you’re the only one who can do it. Nataniel would probably be able to, but he must be spared for his assignment. I trust and rely on you, Marco!”

Marco thanked his father with a slight bow of the head. “Surely it’s not enough to know that his name is Fritz and he’s German?”

“No, it’s not enough. We must find someone among the Ice People who can tease out more information about him.”

They looked inquisitively at Marcel.

“Of course, it can’t be any of you. We need to get in touch with one of the ordinary members of the clan.”

“André?” Nataniel suggested. “After all, he’s a genealogist.”

“André has always had more skill in his hands than in his head,” Lucifer replied. “Besides, he’s too old. We can’t risk anything happening to him.”

“Might it be a dangerous task?” asked Ian.

“We don’t know. If Tan-ghil noses out what we’re up to, he won’t be thrilled. We need somebody who has strong resources.”

“Jonathan?” Tova suggested.

Marcel smiled. “With all due respect, Jonathan can be rather forgetful sometimes.”

“I know!” Nataniel exclaimed. “My mother, Christa! She’s Tamlin’s daughter and she’s intelligent. She knows where to search, and she’s been rather low since Dad died and I left. She could do with a distraction.”

“Christa is a good choice,” said Marcel, and once again they saw his cheerfully calculating expression, which they had all seen before but could no longer remember in what context. “I’ll send someone to her straight away. It will be someone she can fully trust with a message.”

“Linde-Lou?”

“Precisely. It will do him good because, as I said, he’s not in such a good frame of mind right now. I want so much to do something for my poor grandson.”

Nataniel began to feel concerned. Perhaps he was beginning to understand Lucifer’s whimsical smile? No, that was just a passing thought.

Gabriel had noticed nothing. He said quickly, matter-of-fact: “After all, Christa and Linde-Lou are both your descendants.”

“You’re quite right, my young friend. Now I have four in action: that’s just about all of them. Only Vanja and Ulvar are missing.”

“They’re fully committed to defeating Tengel the Evil!” Ian said gravely. “It calls for great sacrifices.”

“Yes, Irishman, it does,” Lucifer replied just as gravely. “But I’ve also exposed myself to danger, not just others. And now goodbye, my friends. From unknown hiding places we’ll follow your journey into the valley, even if we can’t interfere. The struggle is yours and only yours, children of humankind. Don’t forget that. Marco, my beloved son! You’re now a human being, not a black angel with special privileges by virtue of your origin.”

“I’ll remember, Father,” said Marco calmly.

“Linde-Lou will bring you the information that Christa gathers about Lynx.”

Once again, Lucifer’s face showed that strange expression with the absentminded smile, which made them understand that in spite of everything he was a fallen angel and anything but a white angel. Tova thought suddenly that she could feel a cold wind blowing through the mountain pass and she shivered.

Lucifer took Tarjei and Rune with him and they went back across the glacier. After a while, they disappeared in the fog.

Tengel the Evil could no longer be seen or heard. But they suspected that he was intent on crossing the glacier despite the burden of corpses that he was dragging.

The five chosen ones retired for the night. Lucifer had let the warmth remain in the earth and they wrapped themselves in their light coats and rain capes.

Marco looked up into the fog that enveloped them as his thoughts wandered. His whole life passed before him in this fateful hour. He realized that his task was virtually impossible.