Читать книгу The Ice People 46 - The Black Water - Margit Sandemo - Страница 7

Chapter 2

When they had collected themselves, Nataniel said, matter-of-fact: “We certainly can’t get out that way.” His blue aura began to shine again.

“Switch on your torches,” Gabriel urged them.

“Yes, yes, little genius,” smiled Marco, and the five strong searchlights were switched on again.

“What did they send down to us?” Tova wanted to know, and she went closer cautiously and walked around the thing that had fallen from the sky.

They saw a couple of huge horns, and a whole lot of things they recognized very well.

Nataniel was delighted. “The Ice People’s treasure. Now it will be put to its proper use.”

“Yes, and here we have Targenor’s sword,” exclaimed Marco, and lifted it. He looked very impressive, standing there holding it. It was a huge sword.

Unknown artisans had forged it eons ago. It had been given to Tan-ghil by the Source of Evil ...

Or ...

“What do we know about this sword?” said Tova pensively. “If Tan-ghil was given it by the source, there must be an element of evil in it. Would it be a good idea for us to use it?”

Marco smiled. “Now you’re going to hear the story of Targenor’s sword. Its history was never told in the Demon’s Mountain, because Rune didn’t know it properly. But I was curious when we were all gathered in the great halls, and that was when I asked Targenor. It turned out that he didn’t know its true origins either. Because its history hadn’t been told. The only thing we knew was that Tan-ghil had told Dida that the sword was given to him by the source, that it had tremendous power and that Targenor was to have it so that it could protect Tan-ghil on their journey.”

“That’s true,” said Nataniel, “and that’s all we know.”

“But Targenor and I wanted to know the rest,” said Marco with a gentle smile. “So while everybody was partying in the Demon’s Mountain, Targenor and I managed to establish a connection with Taran-gai’s four spirits in a secret hall in the mountain. Tula helped us choose it.”

“Did the spirits come again?” asked Tova, in a voice full of incredulity. “They were so reserved the first time!”

“They came,” said Marco. “They aren’t as uninterested as they pretend to be. I know very well that they have nobody left who believes in them. So they were pleased to come. They told us that Tan-ghil had not received the sword from the Source of Evil at all. He had stolen it. When he came out of the grottos, ragged and totally exhausted, he had the cheek to enter the nearest grotto, which was that of the Western Wind. This was on the Mountain of the Four Winds of course, where the grotto of evil lay to the north, and that of the clear water to the south. Anyway, he stumbled into the western grotto, and there was the sword. It stood by the entrance and greeted him, shining in his eyes. Dishonest as he was, he stole it. The spirits told us that it had been left there by somebody who had come to try to reach the source of the clear water. But he hadn’t been sufficiently pure-hearted and had been killed on the way. He had not been permitted to take his fine sword into the Grotto of Purity, so he placed it in one of the others. It had stood there ever since, until Tan-ghil came. The spirits told me that it was forged in times immemorial. It hasn’t anything to do with evil or goodness. Instead, I suppose it’s a symbol of valour and strength. It also possesses a secret power or force, which neither Tan-ghil nor Targenor had the chance to find out anything about.”

“Well, that sounds promising,” said Ian. “And Targenor wanted us to have it now?”

“Yes, but I don’t know why.”

Nataniel had squatted down by the treasure.

“I would like to know why on earth we got that vision in our heads.”

“Wasn’t it Heike who just contacted you telepathically?”

“Yes,” replied Nataniel. “About ... the mountain ridge above Graastensholm.”

“Are we to believe that there’s a link there? Between Heike breaking through into the grey world and this wall?”

Tova shuddered. “Ugh. I don’t want the grey people to come up!”

“Are they the ones who are outside guarding us?” asked Gabriel breathlessly.

“No, not at all,” said Marco. “The creatures outside are the same as the ones as we saw on the moor. Tall, dressed in black.”

Nataniel had been lost in his own thoughts. “I think you’re right that there’s a connection, Marco. Between the glade in the mountain ridge and this wall. We can only enter here through magic.”

“But Heike and Vinga spent several weeks preparing themselves,” Tova protested. “We haven’t got time for that!”

“No. Let’s consider carefully what we saw, and then choose the most important things from our train of thoughts.”

Everybody in the crypt fell silent. In order to save their batteries, they switched off their torches. But Nataniel’s aura shone anyway, even if it gave the others a pale bluish glow.

Tova was stubborn. “Nataniel, I’m serious about this. I have no wish to meet the grey people. They’ve never done the Ice People any good.”

Marco replied instead of Nataniel. “We’ve no idea what’s hidden behind this wall.”

“No,” said Nataniel. “We don’t know for sure that the grey people live behind it.”

“Then why did we receive all these things?” hissed Tova. “And why is Heike reminding you of his experiment that time?”

Nataniel was tired. “I don’t know. All I know is that we haven’t got time to argue with one another. And how else would you get out of this death trap, Tova?”

She looked around. “No, you certainly have a point there,” she muttered.

Gabriel felt a bit lonely in his corner, so he took a few steps towards the others. He stumbled on something and fell forward.

The others immediately switched on their torches.

“The horns,” said Ian. “You tripped on them, Gabriel. Are you all right?”

The boy put his hand on one knee and rubbed the other. “Oh, I’m fine. I’m not hurt. But do you know, one of the horns is loose.”

“Is it really?” said Nataniel. “That must have happened during the fall.”

“The demons don’t make such mistakes,” said Marco. He was on his knees next to the horns. “Yes, I thought so. The horn isn’t broken. It’s been loosened deliberately.”

“Why?” asked Tova stupidly. “Who did that?”

Neither Marco nor Nataniel answered her. They were focused on the horn.

The huge yak horn took up a lot of space on the stone floor. The other one was still stuck in the animal’s skull.

“Here’s the hole that the flute was placed in once,” said Marco. “And where it fell out, by Eldafjord.”

“Oh, wait.” Nataniel was breathless. “Here’s another hole, and I swear it wasn’t here the last time we saw the horns. Here, look! At the tip.”

Ian whistled. “Wow!”

“So you can blow into it,” said Tova, impressed. “But aren’t yak horns difficult to get a sound out of?”

“Not if you know how to,” said Marco. “But I’m afraid I don’t.”

“Neither do I,” said Nataniel.

“I played the trumpet once,” Ian admitted humbly. “But it won’t be the same ...”

“Won’t it?” Marco asked challengingly.

“You never forget the technique. But such a primitive instrument ... Of course, I could always give it a try.”

“I think you should,” said Nataniel calmly.

“Please do,” said Tova. “At least, you’re bound to make those who blocked our exit wet their pants. They’ll be shocked!”

Ian put the horn to his mouth. He had to move right up to the entrance to have enough room.

“That’s right, Ian,” said Nataniel. “You should turn towards the mystical wall!”

Ian filled his lungs and pressed his lips to the tip of the horn.

A roar filled the tiny crypt. Gabriel put his hands to his ears and the others moaned.

Ian blew for a long time and held the tone indefinitely.

When the sound had died out, not a sound could be heard. They all feared that they had gone deaf when the terrible roar, which had made the wall shake, had disappeared. But a thin, vibrating tone was left. It was so high and piercing that they hadn’t registered it at first. As they listened, its tone became deeper until the echo resounded, weaker now but like the sustained lowest C of an organ.

The walls began to shake once more. At first vaguely, hardly noticeably, then so much that the five had to hold on.

Up slid the short far wall, and a gate opened with a roar.

Afterwards they understood that the roar had come not only from the cliff itself moving. It was also the very distant whirr that had risen to a howling roar as it came much closer to them.

Inside the newly opened gate – which was shockingly narrow – there was complete darkness.

They looked at one another.

“Could Tengel the Evil have predicted this?” asked Nataniel doubtfully.

“With the horn?” asked Marco. “I believe he took enormous care of the horns in the Valley of the Ice People. He fumed when the first Jolin ran away with them and the whole treasure. But I don’t think he would have used our method of getting in here. You must remember that he was very skilled in witchcraft. I’m sure he had other ways of entering this crypt. I’m sure that we’ve been able to get in now because our friends, who are no doubt gathered in the Demon’s Mountain, figured out that this would work in an emergency situation, which it did.”

“Switch on your torches,” said Nataniel curtly. “We’re going in.” He was the first to enter. Marco signalled his thanks with a squeeze of Ian’s shoulder. This was praise that Tova and Ian appreciated.

Each of them took a portion of the Ice People’s treasure with them.

As soon as all five were inside, the cliff door slammed shut with a roar.

“There’s no way back,” Tova muttered. “I think this must be how Shira felt in the grottos.”

“Yes,” replied Marco.

“The horns!” wailed Gabriel. “We didn’t bring the horns with us!”

They all stood there as if the air had rushed out of their lungs. What had they done? How on earth were they ever to explain their loss to the others?

Ian threw himself against the closed door in the cliff, but, of course, it was in vain.

“Oh, hell!” said Tova, expressing what they all felt.

Nataniel pulled himself together. “There’s nothing for it but to continue with our task.”

“No, wait a moment,” said Marco. “How could it happen that none of the five of us remembered something so obvious as those huge horns?”

“You’re right,” said Tova, collecting her thoughts. “None of us noticed them. I think our helpers didn’t want us to drag them with us. They had done what they were supposed to do for this task.”

These remarks soothed them. Then they began to take a closer look at their surroundings.

Compared to the primitive crypt they had left, this cave was more finished. Perhaps that wasn’t the right word, but the walls were smoother, and they immediately discovered some decorations on one of them.

“A new gate,” said Gabriel.

“Yes, this one is clear,” said Nataniel. “Tengel the Evil must have done a lot during the thirty days and nights he was here.”

“We must remember that he was skilled in witchcraft even then,” Marco pointed out. “He hardly dug out these grottos with his own hands.”

“No, of course he didn’t. But the question is, did he have help doing it.”

“From whom? Who was his helper?”

“Why not ask who his helpers were!”

They focused on the pattern on the new gate. It seemed to be an inscription ...?

“The signs are impossible to decipher,” said Marco, after examining it for a while.

Nataniel stood in thought, then he said: “I’d love to have Benedikte here so that she could decipher them for us.”

“Could she do that?” asked Tova.

“Not literally. But perhaps she could decipher them intuitively.”

Marco shook his head. “You know perfectly well that Benedikte can’t be here. She can only advise you. Via telepathy.”

“Well, let’s get her advice, then!”

“That sounds sensible.”

They concentrated on Benedikte, and a moment later her thoughts came to them.

Marco frowned. “She’s suggesting Sigleik to me.”

“Yes,” said Tova. “And Heike.”

Nataniel looked up. “You’re right. Let’s get in touch with both of them. If you take Sigleik, I’ll get in touch with Heike.”

The room was quiet again. Ian and Gabriel listened anxiously to the loud noise coming from behind the decorated door.

“I’ve got Heike now,” Nataniel said quietly.

The other two were silent. It was obviously more difficult to reach Sigleik, who wasn’t so used to the Ice People making contact between spirits and the living.

“We must wait,” said Marco. “What kind of signals are you picking up from Heike, Nataniel?”

“He’s telling us that we must find everything that he and Vinga used when he wanted to break through the wall into the parallel world.”

“Ugh!” said Tova.

“No,” said Nataniel. “Heike assures us that this has nothing to do with the grey people.

Ian wanted to know: “Do the spirits of the Ice People know what’s on the other side of these gates that we’re walking through?”

“No. All they know is how we can possibly get through.”

“I see,” said Tova. “Wait ... I believe Sigleik is getting through to me.”

“Now please be quiet everybody,” said Marco, “because he’s not so good at this.”

They waited.

Marco turned visibly pale. Tova’s eyes became bigger and bigger.

“Oh, no!” she whispered:

“What does Sigleik say?”

“He’s deciphering the inscription,” said Marco calmly.

“How exciting,” said Nataniel. “Let’s hear it!”

“It’s not at all exciting,” replied Marco. “It’s simply frightening.”

All five were silent again.

At last, Marco and Tova relaxed. “Thank you, Sigleik,” said Marco. “Now we have it.”

“Well?” asked Nataniel impatiently.

Tova sighed. Both she and Marco seemed very tired. Spiritually tired.

“As soon as we have a moment,” she said, “we must get in touch with Ulvhedin.”

“Ulvhedin? Why?”

“When you’ve heard Sigleik’s interpretation of the signs on the door, you’ll understand.”

“Well, what do they say?”

Marco sighed. “Don’t you remember what Sigleik told us in the Demon’s Mountain? About how Tengel the Evil had impressed upon him what he had to learn by heart?”

Gabriel shuddered violently. “No, not that again!”

“Yes, Gabriel. That’s what it says on the door: ‘Sgignat va pche urhosgat mnene ijstja vot.’”

Nobody spoke.

Then Nataniel said, matter-of-fact: “Well, now we know who is outside guarding us. The pale men dressed in black that we saw on the moor.”

“Yes,” said Tova. “The bog men. This is their realm. They are the ones who helped Tengel the Evil build these grottos.”

“So why didn’t they attack us?” Gabriel exclaimed.

“I think I can answer that,” said Nataniel. “They are beings of the earth, aren’t they? But we, the chosen ones, are protected by the spirit of Earth! They can’t strike us!”

“Blessed be the spirits of Taran-gai,” murmured Tova.

“Yes, but we have to get on,” said Nataniel urgently. “Time is moving fast for us and Tan-ghil is approaching. Hurry, help me with the treasure. I must follow the same procedure as Heike to get in here!”

They unpacked the treasure feverishly. While they dug out all the components needed, Ian asked: “What did you mean about Ulvhedin? Is he needed?”

“Ulvhedin conjured the bog men back down into the earth,” Tova explained. “He’ll need to do so again, because these are definitely not the same bog men as the ones in Denmark. But right now, they don’t pose a danger to us. We’ll have to summon him later on. If there is a ‘later on’.”

“Now, now. Don’t be pessimistic,” Nataniel warned. “We need to stay positive.”

“Don’t I know it! Sorry! Anyway, you’re right. Tan-ghil meant to teach Sigleik some signs, but nothing came of it.”

Marco held up a small book. “Here’s the description of Heike’s preparation. But as you know, Heike and Vinga spoiled all the descriptions of how to raise the grey people ...”

“They’re not the ones we need now,” said Nataniel. “What does it say in the book? What rituals have they left us?”

“Only which signs are to be inscribed on the body. They must be the ones that are necessary to traverse the border between the two worlds, the real and the parallel.”

“Good grief,” said Nataniel when he saw all the material they had to copy. “We’ll never have the time for that.”

“Yes we will,” said Tova. “I’ve got the colour ready. Take your clothes off now!”

Nataniel hesitated.

“Oh, hell,” hissed Tova. “Are you going to be shy?”

Nataniel sighed and pulled off his clothes from the upper part of his body.

“Are you the only one who ...?” asked Ian.

“We haven’t time for more,” answered Nataniel. “And you know that this is my task.”

Gabriel looked around the unpleasant grotto. Were they supposed to wait here? While they worried about Nataniel’s fate? He realised that this was beginning to be very much like Shira’s walk through the grottos. With others waiting in an outer grotto without knowing what happened inside.

But things weren’t about to happen exactly like that. Not this time.

They worked furiously at drawing the prescribed patterns on Nataniel’s body. This didn’t happen without quarrels. “Move, I can’t reach!” “For God’s sake, Tova, that bit doesn’t go there!” “Oh God, there’s so much missing!” “Shut up and keep working!”

And Nataniel lay there motionless and could do nothing. Nothing but feel stupid and useless and above all naked!

But that didn’t seem to embarrass the others. They took it completely in their stride. Only he himself was ashamed.

I’m not used to showing my body, he thought. I’ve no love stories to look back on. Apart from one, the one with Ellen. But we weren’t allowed to touch each other. And then I lost her.

No, mustn’t think of the pain now. Focus on your task, Nataniel! Finding the black water of evil.

“There,” said Marco, straightening up. “Now it’s done!”

“It looks a bit sloppy,” Tova admitted. “But every single sign is just about in place. Although I must say, Gabriel, your half-moons look more like gnawed cheese rinds.”

Gabriel was slightly offended. “What about my stars?”

“They look like wrecked starfish without arms.”

“That will do,” ordered Marco. “Now stand up, Nataniel!”

“Can’t I at least put my underpants on?”

“Those lovely spotty ones,” said Tova. “Surely he can be allowed to do that, can’t he, Marco?”

Marco hesitated. “I don’t really know. No, that would be ridiculous. Part of the point is his nakedness. I think he needs to be completely naked.”

Nataniel looked angrily at Marco but realized that he was right. He gave Marco his small bottle and other bits and pieces they might need. Nataniel wouldn’t be able to carry anything with him.

“Well, what happens now?” Ian asked.

Nataniel stood quietly and pensively in front of the inscriptions on the 'gate'. “I’m prepared now, protected by all these signs on my body,” he said. “I think I’ll try to shout the inscription out loud. Towards the door. I damn well expect it to open for me.”

“Try!” said Marco encouragingly.

In a loud voice, Nataniel pronounced the strange, unfathomable words, which had once brought a Danish professor in touch with the underworld.

When Nataniel’s voice ceased, everything was very quiet. They all felt that they were standing in a grave without dead bodies.

Perhaps it was their own grave?

Nothing happened except this expectant, rather eerie silence. It was so dense, and wasn’t there a hint of mockery, of disgust, in it?

“No,” said Nataniel. “That was clearly not enough.”

Tova felt despondent. Why are we standing here, she thought, making fools of ourselves? To begin with, we may be using completely the wrong technique, and anyway there may be no entrance in that wall.

Marco was more resolute. “We’ve been given the whole of the Ice People’s treasure, after all. What else did it say about Heike’s ritual?”

“Nothing,” said Tova. “They deleted it all so that the grey people wouldn’t get a grip on the Ice People again.”

But now Nataniel had another inspiration. “Maybe the formulas no longer exist. However, we know something about them!”

“No, we don’t,” protested Tova.

“Yes, we do,” said Nataniel, with a hint of triumph in his voice. “We know that all those horrible brews he drank up there in the mountains contained a particular ingredient.”

The others looked questioningly at him, thinking hard.

“Of course,” said Marco. “Tiny bits of the mandrake.”

Tova grew angry. “But Rune isn’t here! Anyway, I’ve no intention of chopping bits off him.”

“No, no,” said Nataniel gently. “There’s no need. Look what Gabriel is doing.”

He removed his small mandrake and pulled it over his head. “It’s been a great comfort and help to me,” he said, slightly sadly. “Still, I’m willing to sacrifice it. But cut into it gently because I don’t want it to feel any pain.”

Nataniel touched it. “Dear child, we don't want to destroy it. Only borrow it. Although this is only an ordinary little root – not like Rune, who was the world’s first mandrake.”

“It has emotions,” said Gabriel quietly. “I believe Rune did something with it. Gave it some extra properties ...”

“I think so too. I’ll just hold it up against the door. Then we’ll see how much power it has.”

“Wait a bit,” said Marco. “I don’t think we were given all this treasure for us to use only a few things. Let’s lay them out on the floor in magical circles. In front of the door.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Tova cautiously.

“Marco is quite right,” agreed Nataniel. “That’s what they’re for.”

All five helped to form the unique patterns of the various objects of the treasure on the floor. They were in no doubt as to how all the objects had to be placed.

“How do we know all this?” Tova wanted to know.

Nataniel giggled. “We’re using our intelligence. No, quite honestly I think it has something to do with the drink we all had in the Demon’s Mountain. You remember, the drink was to give us resistance stronger than steel, love of ancestry that invigorates and strengthens, the ability to see what should be hidden, sufficient endurance to defy death, the ability to see in darkness, swiftness, boldness, valour and humour, power over other creatures and also enough firmness to be able to kill, if necessary. We’ll certainly need all these!”

“Yes, really we ought to have been dead long ago,” said Tova eagerly. “But we aren’t there yet. We don’t know what awaits us.”

“No, you’re right,” said Nataniel. “Ugh, if only I didn’t feel so naked – and ridiculous!”

“But you don’t seem naked,” said Tova. “All those signs on your body are like a whole suit of clothes. It’s true!”

“Yes,” said Marco. “You’ve nothing to be ashamed about.”

“Thanks. Still, I wish we were all equally naked. But that’s probably asking too much. Well, if we’ve finished the magical patterns on the floor, we’ll try again, right?”

They were all fully concentrated. They knew that if they didn’t achieve anything this time, they had no more suggestions.

Nataniel had already lifted the mandrake towards the 'gate' when he turned once more. “Before I do this ... I want to thank you all for all you’ve done for me. If we don’t see each other again, I mean.”

“Please shut up or we’ll begin to weep,” said Tova. She sounded as if she might do that at any moment. “Go ahead!”

Nataniel turned back to the inscriptions. He recited with a loud voice while holding the small mandrake towards the mystical signs.

At the very next moment, they were all groping for something to hold on to. The whole mountain shook beneath them. It sounded as if the wall let out a sigh as the cliff reluctantly divided itself to create an opening.

But the next thing took them by such complete surprise that they could do nothing but let out yells of horror.

At the very moment the door slid open, a roaring suction dragged them into the opening. Nataniel, who was standing closest to it, was sucked in so quickly that the door hadn’t even opened fully. He was hurt as he hit the hard stone edges.

This was the whirr that they had heard at first, which rose to a roar as they got closer. Now everything was one furious roar, a hurricane that nobody could withstand.

In that instant, all five were catapulted into a howling vacuum, in which Nataniel’s body whirled onwards in front of them like a torch of blue lighting.