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The Black Gate © November 2013 Dominic H. King

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The Black Gate

Twin Worlds trilogy Vol.II

By

Dominic H. King

For Mum,

who never stops encouraging me

Contents

Section 1: Separation

Section 2: Imprisonment

Section 3: Journey

Section 4: Loss

Section 5: Friendship

Section 6: Escape

Section 1: Separation

Chapter 1.i

Something pulled her through the darkness, dragging her towards the light. Snapping

back into consciousness felt like bursting to the surface of a lake after having dived to its depths.

Instantly, a high-pitched whining battered at her eardrums. The air tasted gritty and dry and she

lay face down on a hard surface. Not wanting to make any sudden movements, she cracked her

eyes open. Huge shapes moved slowly across her vision, and a dull light flickered from behind

them. She closed her eyes again and slowed her breathing.

Play dead until I find out where I am. And what else is here.

Instinctively, she reached out into her mind, searching for the level from where she could

feel for the beings surrounding her. She slid with practised ease onto her plateau, basking briefly

in a familiar sense of blue, fiery euphoria. She looked down from her mountain at the myriad of

colours that marked the thoughts of those nearby. Creatures surrounded her, their flows dark and

menacing. But there was something else; brighter flows which flickered dully. They were closer

to her, within touching distance.

Suddenly one of the dark flows below her burnt blood red and she slid off her mountain,

every muscle in her body tensed as she waited for the creature to strike.

This is going to hurt.

Chapter 1.ii

Something sharp slashed across his back, ripping him away from the darkness and he

cried out in pain. He tried to roll away onto his side but the pain in his back doubled and he

stopped moving. Opening his eyes he could see nothing but a great mass of hairy limbs so he

slowly twisted his neck to look upwards. The creature holding him down was grotesque. Beady,

black eyes and a pair of pincers set into a small head on a huge, multi-limbed body. It looked

familiar somehow but the pain in his back was flooding his senses and he was unable to retrieve

the memory.

What the hell is it? And what am I doing here?

Something dark flashed across his line of sight. The creature snapped its head round to

follow the blur and its grip on his back weakened. He rolled away quickly, feeling its claws tear

at his flesh. As he did so something dug into his hip. The creature took a swipe at him with one

of its many legs but he had already reached down without thinking to withdraw the sword that

was tucked under his cloak. As he slid it out, the sharp blade severed the creature's leg. It

screamed in pain and threw another of its huge, hairy legs at him but he rolled backwards rising

lithely to his feet. Without taking his eyes off it, he tried to look for an escape route. He seemed

to be in some sort of high-walled compound, around thirty paces square. In his peripheral vision

he was aware of other figures lying on the ground. The creature swung at him again, howling in

displeasure and he staggered as he deflected a blow to his right side and then to his left.

It’s trying to pin me against the wall.

He was just about to launch a reckless counterattack when he saw something moving

rapidly up behind the creature, little more than a blur of black. He retreated, reasoning that

whatever it was, it could hardly make his predicament worse. The figure in black soared

upwards, vaulting onto its back and bringing the end of a long black quarterstaff down hard on

the back of its head. As the quarterstaff sunk in, the creature gave silent shudder then collapsed

to the ground. The figure jumped neatly off its back and walked purposefully towards him.

“Your name is Kal,” the figure said, lowering her hood, “and I am called Daine. Come

on, we must rouse the others. More of the daemonspawn will be on their way.”

He stared back, his eyes wide in disbelief. The figure was a girl of perhaps nineteen

summers, with dark hair that fell past her shoulders and beguiling oval eyes that seemed to suck

him in. Something about her was familiar. A deep, heavy memory was pulling him away from

consciousness.

The girl in front of him began to blur and sway.

Chapter 1.iii

Daine watched Kal’s eyes flicker madly as he looked at her and she rushed forward to

grab him as he fell forward. She laid him down gently and decided to check the others whilst he

was incapacitated. Caephillius, the half-goblin, half-man, Wai Lin, the warrior monk, and

Beatrice, the Chief Temple elder lay face down on the ground around her.

Why are they taking longer to wake up? Because they’re older? Or because they’re not

from this world?

She crouched down next to Wai Lin. The monk was breathing, a look of serene calm on

his face; she gently stroked his cheek, then gripped him by the shoulders and shook him, but he

remained motionless. She shook him more firmly, but still nothing moved on his handsome light-

brown face. She moved over to Caephillius, but the ranger was as impassive as the monk. She

walked across to Beatrice and studied the thick strands of silvery hair on the Chief Elder’s head

for a moment.

The arrochom was calling for help when he found us. I’m sure of it.

Daine stood and listened hard. The sun hung blood red in a dirty grey sky and she

coughed as the cloying air caught in her throat. She glanced back at the boy convulsing on the

floor and found herself grinning at the complete role reversal, tracing the thin scar on her arm he

was responsible for.

Of course. That’s how the boy regained consciousness before the others.

The sudden realisation wiped the smile from her face. She withdrew a dagger from her

boot and ran across to Wai Lin.

“Sorry”, she said as she dug the blade into his bicep and traced it down about the width of

four fingers.

She felt him convulse beneath her grip and his eyes snapped open. He rolled away from

her onto his side and looked quizzically at the blood running down from the wound on his arm.

“Wai Lin,” she said in the eastern tongue, “it’s me, Daine.”

The monk fixed his narrow sapphire-blue eyes on her and blinked, frowning slightly.

“Wai Lin, we have a small window whilst that cut is still hurting. You have travelled

across the void into another world. My world. Your memory will return at some point, but for

now I can tell you that you are a warrior monk. You carry two dragon blades on your back.”

The monk moved his hand to his topknot of hair and then to the hilts of the two swords

that stuck up over his shoulders as she spoke. He looked more interested than concerned.

“This is a most bizarre sensation,” he replied, “I have no memory of who I am or why I

am here. But for some reason your face looks familiar.”

Daine saw his eyes begin to flicker and she reached out to grab him by his injured arm.

“You must stay with me, Wai Lin,” she said desperately, “there are more arrochom on the way.”

Chapter 1.iv

A shudder of nausea ran through Kal and he turned over to vomit. He opened his eyes but

the world spun violently and he closed them again. He lay back down. He had seen the girl

march up onto a dais in the middle of a great white stone temple where he was already standing

alongside another three men. Thirteen mages of great power and beauty surrounded them,

debating whether to hand him over to the daemonspawn. Two of the mages had been locked in

combat but then five of them, including the girl, a tall goblin, a small, powerfully-built man and

the Chief Elder had escaped down into a chamber underneath the temple. Holding the hand of

the small man he had stepped forwards into darkness.

He opened his eyes again and sat up. Sucking in deep breaths of musty tasting air, he

looked over to where Daine cradled a man’s head in her arms.

That’s the man whose hand I was holding.

His memory flickered dully again but this time he forced it away, not wanting to slip

back into unconsciousness with the daemonspawn around. He got to his feet, wishing he had

some water to wash away the bitter, burning sensation in his throat. The cuts in his back flared

with pain as he approached Daine and he winced.

She glanced up at him sharply. “Recovered? Good,” she said and handed him a knife.

“Take this and wake the woman.” She pointed to an older lady lying a short distance away.

He looked back at her, slack-jawed and feeling very stupid. “Erm…what am I supposed

to do with this?” he said.

She gave a harsh laugh. “HA! Didn’t retrieve that memory, huh? You need to draw blood

to wake her. Like I did to Wai Lin here,” she said pointing down to a gash in his arm that was

oozing blood. “And Kal, stick it in yourself if any more memories start coming back. I need you

conscious”

He looked down at the woman lying on the ground. Her face was lined but she remained

beautiful and somehow still radiated authority, even lying on the dusty earth.

She was there too. Her name is…

Daine hissed at him in apparent exasperation and he quickly knelt down next to the old

woman, placing the blade of the knife on her bare upper arm. He traced the point of the blade

lightly down the skin. Almost instantly the woman gasped as though coming up for air and

opened her eyes. She looked at him, then at the knife in his hand. He felt a brutal burst of nausea

smash into him and fell back onto the ground, dimly aware of the girl shouting at someone to

stop.

Chapter 1.v

Daine fought back the nausea with all her mental strength and shouted at the Chief Elder.

“Leave him alone! He meant you no harm! He needed to wake you!”

There is no time for this. The arrochom could be here at any second.

The Chief Elder now stood, Kal convulsing at her feet. “Who are you?” she roared, her

amethyst eyes boring into Daine’s.

“I am called Daine” she replied. “A Katsooni, known as Matsooni in your world. We

have crossed the void between our two worlds. Your name is Beatrice.”

The Chief Elder glared down at her and Daine felt herself weakening. She could see

Beatrice’s eyes flickering slightly but she had one finger of her right hand pressed in against her

temple, apparently in an effort to keep her memories at bay.

Wai Lin coughed suddenly, making her jump, and rolled over to vomit on the grass. He

wretched again then rolled back into her arms to stare up at her, his piercing eyes for once misty.

“I know you, now, Daine” he said.

“And who are you?” Beatrice asked.

“I am a monk of the East,” Wai Lin said, switching to the western tongue of Murucia. “It

seems we came here on a quest, although I did not fully understand its nature from my memory.

You are the Chief Elder of the Temple. I was able in some part to control the memories I saw.

With a mind as powerful as yours, you might be able to access them all at once, although I do not

like to speculate.”

Beatrice was shaking now and Daine could feel the nausea lessening. Then the Chief

Elder’s knees buckled, her finger fell away from her temple and she collapsed forward onto the

ground.

“You remember everything?” Daine said in awe, turning to Wai Lin.

“Not quite,” he replied, “but I felt as though I was flying, looking down on everything I

have done. I saw many things at high speed so I did not grasp the detail but I do not think this is

the time to sink back.”

“No,” Daine said quickly. “I have already killed one arrochom. There will be others on

the way. We need to get out of here fast. By the way, it seems either blood or pain – I’m not sure

which – keeps the memories at bay. I’ll see to Caephillius. You see to Kal.”

She helped Wai Lin to his feet then grabbed her knife from the ground in front of

Beatrice and moved over to Caephillius. She slid the blade down the sinewy green flesh of the

ranger’s upper arm and jumped backwards in case he took being roused as badly as the Chief

Elder had. The ranger opened his huge yellow eyes slowly and heavily like a bear waking from

hibernation. He blinked once, his long forehead wrinkled in confusion as he rolled into a sitting

position and reached across with his left hand to inspect the wound on his upper arm.

“I know you,” he said.

This is becoming really tedious.

“Yes, Caephillius, my name is Daine,” she said. “You are a Matsooni from the White

Isle. We were…”

She tailed off. The ranger’s eyes had begun to flicker but it was the noise that made her

stop talking—a high-pitched whine and the thunder of many legs charging across the ground

towards them.

Chapter 1.vi

Kal dug a finger into one of the fresh wounds in his back to keep the memories at bay as

the monk had showed him. He was weak, thirsty and horribly disoriented but the presence of

Wai Lin next to him was comforting. He looked over to where the woman Kal now recognised as

the Chief Elder was lying and was glad to see she was unconscious.

Bloody stupid idea waking her up like that.

“What is it?” Wai Lin shouted across to Daine, who had pressed her ear to the ground.

“Arrochom,” she replied.

“How long do we have?” the monk said.

“Not long,” she replied. “We have to start moving.”

“Can you stand?” Wai Lin said, looking down at him.

“I’ll be okay,” Kal said.

He scrambled to his feet which sent another flash of pain rippling across his injured back.

The monk moved off to check on the Chief Elder. Kal breathed in deeply to steady himself, but

the gritty air made him cough. He looked up. The sun hung listlessly in the sky; its dirty red fire

seemed to offer no heat and merely illuminated how thick the air seemed to be with dust. The

compound walls were high and he could see nothing over them but the grey sky.

“Don’t just stand there gawping! Look for a way out of here,” the girl called over to him.

She was crouching next to the tall goblin, apparently trying to wake him.

Who made her chief?

The boy clenched his jaw and fists in frustration but reasoned that he needed to find out

who he was before getting into an argument. He set off round the edge of the wall, looking for a

door or some means of clambering over it. He completed a full circuit without finding any means

of escape. The walls themselves were five or six paces high and quite smooth to the touch. He

tried to climb up, but could get no purchase on the stone and he slithered back down to the

ground. He could hear the whining of the daemonspawn getting louder now.

“I can’t find a way out,” he said, approaching the girl.

The Chief Elder was back on her feet, dazed but more sure of herself than before and she

looked at him intently, her purple eyes boring into his. He could feel the memories tugging at

him, so he dug a finger into one of the wounds on his back again and the flash of pain drove

them away.

“Then our only escape route is over the top,” the Chief Elder said. “If they are coming

from that direction,” she said pointing at the far wall, “then this wall offers us the best chance.”

“Caephillius, let’s go,” Daine said, pulling the tall goblin to his feet.

“Err…have you noticed how high the wall is?” Kal asked.

“We are going to have to improvise, Kal” Wai Lin said taking him by the elbow.

Kal followed the rest of them over to the wall, shaking his head in disbelief. Are these

people deluded?

Wai Lin crouched down on his haunches in front of it the wall and said: “Daine, you

first.”

Daine ran over and leapt nimbly onto his broad shoulders, taking his outstretched hands

for support. Kal was just about to ask whether they were expected to build a human tower, when

man and girl squatted lower and counted together: “One. Two. Three.”

They sprung upwards in perfect unison and Daine soared through the air. Kal looked up

in awe as she reached the top of the wall and grabbed onto it with both hands and hauled herself

over the edge.

“Kal, you next,” the monk said.

Oh no. Why me?

He walked over unsteadily, his feet heavy and his breathing ragged.

I’ll never be able to get that high.

“Just push off on ‘three’” Wai Lin said as Kal clambered onto his shoulders.

“One.”

His palms were slick with sweat.

“Two.”

His legs were trembling.

“Three.”

Chapter 1.vii

Daine held her breath. Kal mistimed his jump. He had pushed off a fraction too early,

losing some of the power from Wai Lin’s sharp lift. She lay forward over the edge of the

compound, which she could now see was actually a deep pit which had been dug out of the land.

She stretched out a hand to grab him. His eyes were wide with fear as he stretched out his right

arm towards her. She dug her toes into the ground, trying to brace herself for the sharp tug, and

then he grasped her left wrist. Instantly she began sliding forwards across the dark mud.

He’s going to pull me back down.

With an effort that strained every sinew in her body she heaved. Kal swung sideways and

his left hand grasped the edge, his fingers sinking into the soft ground. She felt the pressure

relent in her left arm and she pulled him upwards as he struggled and kicked, trying to get a

foothold on the wall.

“Come on, damn you!” she snarled.

And then he was up and over, lying on his back and panting like a dog.

“Sorry,” he wheezed, “I must be heavier than you.”

He was about to stand but Daine pushed him roughly back to the turf and pointed. She

had counted at least thirty arrochom streaming across the plain towards the pit. Their weak eyes

would never spot them lying on the edge, but those still below would be trapped. The closest was

just fifty paces from the pit. Then she rolled over onto her front and looked down to where

Beatrice was crouched on Wai Lin’s shoulders.

“We each grab one of her hands” Daine said and Kal nodded.

Beatrice sailed towards them, her face expressionless. Daine reached down with her left

arm and Kal mimicked her with his right. When her fingers closed around Daine’s wrist the

wrench was much lighter, and she and Kal were able to haul Beatrice over the lip of the pit with

ease. The first arrochom was less than three paces from the edge of the pit now and Daine looked

down to where Caephillius and Wai Lin seemed to be remonstrating with each other.

“Come on!” she shouted as the first arrochom flew over the edge of the pit, crashing hard

into the muddy ground.

What the hell are they doing down there?

The sight of the arrochom seemed to spur them into action and Caephillius stepped onto

Wai Lin’s shoulders. Both crouched down low and then the ranger was flying upwards. Daine

felt his long fingers snake around her left wrist and saw Kal had grasped his other arm. Together,

they pulled him over the side.

Arrochom were pouring over the edge now. The first one seemed to have died on impact,

but the others were landing on it in a dark, hairy mass of legs. Wai Lin stood below, the dragon

blades stretched out in front of him.

Her insides went cold.

“Wai Lin!” Daine screamed down “What are you doing?”

“Run, Daine” he called upwards without looking. “Death is the only adventure left for

me.”

“Come, Daine,” Caephillius, laying his hand gently on her shoulder.

“We are not leaving him,” Daine snarled at him, slapping his hand away.

We can save him. We can kill them all.

But even as she thought it, she knew they could not. All of the arrochom had piled into

the pit now. Those that lived were slowly encircling Wai Lin. One of them leapt towards him,

but the dragon blades flashed and the creature howled in pain as its two front legs were severed.

Two more reared up and jumped forwards at him from either side. He whirled each blade and

white puss spurted from their wounds, but a third had leapt at him from the front and he failed to

fully block it. The arrochom slashed down, its claws raking down the monk’s face and body.

“Wai Lin!” Daine screamed.

She felt strong arms pulling her back, away from the edge, but she fought back, flipping

over and kicking out. She struck Caephillius in the shoulder. As he released her she scrambled

forward again, but as she got to the edge her legs were enveloped in a firm embrace. Below her

the monk’s face and torso were covered in blood. At least ten arrochom had him trapped against

the wall over to her left. They seemed to be toying with him, lashing out in twos and threes.

“Wai Lin! To me!” she shouted down, dragging herself forward and reaching out her

hand.

I’ve seen him run up walls before. He can do this.

The monk raised his mangled face towards her and nodded. He raised both swords above

his head, cried “Shan’Men” and charged straight at the nearest arrochom. It seemed to take the

creatures by surprise for they shrunk back and he vaulted over them. He somersaulted as he

landed, moving fluidly into a sprint, and sliding the Dragon Blades into the sheathes on his back.

He hit the wall twenty paces from her, running up it in a smooth arc.

He’s going to make it.

But his momentum faltered and she saw a look of terror flash across his face. He pushed

off the wall and leapt towards her. Daine clawed her way forward and stretched out her hand

towards him. Her whole body was hanging over the edge now, held only by those behind her.

Time seemed to slow as the fingertips of his hand brushed against her own. She looked into his

face.

“It is my time,” he mouthed.

And then he was falling.

Chapter 1.viii

Daine’s scream chilled the blood in the Kal’s veins. He and the tall goblin pulled her

back over the edge and she went limp, sobbing uncontrollably. Below them the arrochom dived

on the monk’s body and Kal snapped his gaze away, unable to watch. A burning guilt hollowed

out his stomach.

He must have known he could never make that jump; otherwise he would have tried it

sooner. Unless he was waiting for all the arrochom to get into the pit to make it easier for us to

escape.

“We must go now,” the Chief Elder said.

“He is gone, Daine,” Caephillius said. “But do not let his sacrifice be in vain,” he

continued.

He lifted Daine to her feet and draped her left arm over his shoulder. Kal moved quickly

to her right side to mirror the tall goblin’s actions.

“We must find shelter somewhere,” the Chief Elder said. “I have no doubt those creatures

will make a tower out of their dead to get to us.”

Kal screwed up his face as he scanned the horizon. It was completely barren. The muddy

earth was black and dead. Rotten tree stumps dotted the land, but there was no other sign of life.

Not a bird chirping or even a mouse scurrying across the ground. He felt the memories tugging at

him, dragging towards unconsciousness…

…he lay beside a river in a blackened field…

Suddenly he felt a sharp pain flash across his back and he snapped back into

consciousness.

“Ah!” he cried out, looking for his assailant.

“Sorry, my friend,” Caephillius said, his yellow eyes wide in apology, “but I saw you

slipping away from us then.”

Kal grimaced back. I cannot keep doing this forever.

“This way,” the Chief Elder said suddenly, and strode off across the ground without a

second glance back.

Kal looked from Daine to Caephillius. The ranger shrugged and so they set off after the

Chief Elder, half carrying, half dragging Daine between them.

Was she in love with Wai Lin?

The bleak landscape showed no signs of abating as they trudged on. The thick, gritty air

stung his throat which was already parched from thirst. His vision began to blur, the pain in his

back seemed to weaken to a dull throb and he could feel the memories begin to crowd in at the

edge of his consciousness. He was just about to tell his companions he had to rest when he heard

a piercing, inhuman scream from behind them. Looking over his shoulder, he saw one of the

daemonspawn had clambered over the edge and was scuttling across the ground towards them.

“We are close to something here, I can feel it,” the Chief Elder said, raising her head and

almost seeming to sniff the air. “Can you hold off the creature while I take Daine to look?”

Kal dug his hand into the gash on his back once more, grimaced and nodded to the tall

goblin. They passed an utterly inconsolable Daine to the Chief Elder, and turned to face the

onrushing daemonspawn. Kal drew his sword, shifting his weight from foot to foot in an effort to

get his muscles moving. Caephillius moved out in an arc away from him waving his long arms

above his head, but if the creature noticed it did not seem to care. It was just ten paces from Kal.

Here we go again.

As it leapt at him, he threw himself forwards rolling under its legs, and bringing his

sword up with him as he rose. He felt the blade slice into sinewy flesh and the creature howled in

pain. He spun to deflect another attack, but the daemonspawn was crumbling to the floor, dull

white puss sinking into the dry brown earth.

“Quite a trick,” Caephillius said, jogging over to him. He looked impressed.

“Thanks,” Kal said. He wiped the puss off his sword with his cloak and sheathed it. “I

cannot last much longer. The memories…they are too powerful.”

Caephillius laid a long-fingered hand on his shoulder, and then called out to the Chief

Elder: “What are you looking for?”

“Something below us,” the Chief Elder called back vaguely. She seemed to be wandering

aimlessly around, looking down at the ground, barely aware of Daine hanging limply on at her

side. “There is something below us. I can feel it.”

Kal dropped to his knees. He dug his fingers into the wounds on his back but the pain

registered little more than a flicker. His breathing was slow and shallow.

These people are mad. I’m going to die before I even know who I really am.

He took one last look up towards the pit to where another arrochom was scuttling across

the turf when something caught his eye; a break in the barren landscape. He blinked unsure

whether it was tiredness or thirst clouding his vision. But no, it was definitely there. Something

long and flat was protruding up from the ground about thirty paces to their left. He had no idea

what it was, but it looked so out place he knew it must be what the Chief Elder was looking for.

“There!” he croaked, pointing towards it.

The goblin turned and followed his gaze. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “Come on!”

Caephillius grabbed him under the armpit and dragged him to his feet. His feet slid across

the dry earth as they stumbled forwards. He was grateful for the support of the goblin who was a

lot stronger than his slender physique suggested. He felt like he was about to pass out but willed

his legs on. He could hear an arrochom whining madly as it scuttled towards them. The air in his

lungs was choking him. Blearily he looked up to see a dark hole had appeared in front of him. He

tried to slow down but his boots found no purchase and he slid forwards. He called out in alarm.

And then the ground fell away.

Chapter 1.ix

Daine slid down the dark tunnel, grateful for the pitch blackness that hid her from the

world. Behind her she could hear the wails of the arrochom fading away. The creature’s front

legs had been pinned by the metal trapdoor as Caephillius closed it after she and Beatrice dived

in.

I hope it suffers for a very long time.

She felt numb, not caring whether she lived or died. All she could think about was Wai

Lin. Those piercing sapphire eyes that were like sun-dappled oceans from another world, those

high cheekbones, that beautifully tanned skin, those wonderfully toned arms…

There must have been another way. A way to save him.

She was so deep in thought that the water took her completely by surprise. But as she

sank below the surface, her burning grief was dissipated by the sudden chill that seemed to

penetrate through her skin and seep into her soul. She could see nothing in the watery darkness

but felt wonderfully at peace so she waited until her lungs burned before kicking back up to the

surface. As she burst out she shook the hair from her eyes, taking in what little she could see of

the dark tunnel half filled with flowing water that carried her on its gentle current. It felt clean

and crisp as it dripped down her face and she scooped some of it into her mouth, closing her eyes

and smiling as it soothed her parched throat.

I need to pull myself together. This is not like me. Not like me at all.

She heard a voice echoing through the tunnel ahead of her: “Daine! Where are you?

Daine!”

“Here,” she called back, hearing her own voice bouncing off the walls and the water.

She paddled forwards and as she rounded a slight bend, a bright pair of yellow eyes

loomed up out of the darkness. She was about to shout out in alarm when she realised they

belonged to Caephillius. He seemed to be standing on a shelf raised above the flow of the river

and reached down a hand to pluck her out of the water.

“There you are,” the ranger said, looking down at her. “I was afraid we had lost you.”

“I’m alright,” she said, embarrassed by the look of concern on his face. “What is this

place?”

“Fascinating indeed,” Caephillius replied. “Some sort of underground river system. And

the air tastes very different, somehow fresher.”

Daine breathed in and nodded. The world outside was not what she remembered: cold,

lifeless and with air so heavy and gritty it made your throat itch.

“Where are the others?” she said.

“This way,” Caephillius said, ducking and walking down the low passage behind him that

led away from the river.

Daine ran her fingers across the slick, wet stone as she followed him through the

oppressive darkness. The surface was so smooth she guessed it had been running water rather

than a mason’s tools which had carved them from the rock. That meant they were old but she

couldn’t recall coming across them before.

They would have made an excellent escape route.

After around twenty paces they emerged into a wider tunnel where Caephillius could

straighten his back. Her vision was adjusting to the darkness and she saw Kal ahead. He sat with

his back against the wall, Beatrice crouching over him, both her hands on his skull. Her eyes

were closed and she was mumbling inaudibly.

“What’s she doing?” Daine asked.

“Not sure,” said Caephillius, “but the poor lad was in a bad way.”

“Are you not struggling with the memories?” Daine asked. She had been almost

completely incapacitated by her returning memories at times when she had crossed into his

world.

“I think as the mind gets older it develops a certain resilience,” the ranger said, scratching

his long, narrow forehead, “or maybe it is because I have forgotten so much. Either way, I

remember our purpose in this world and much of the reason why we left. Other details remain

hazy, but I’m sure they will return in time. And what of you? How does it feel to be back?”

“Weird,” Daine replied. “The air up there tastes worse than smoke, the earth looks dead

and the sun is cold. But deep inside me, it feels like home. I feel somehow whole again. Or at

least it did until…”

She trailed off. Wai Lin’s fingers brushed against hers and he was falling, his eyes at first

alarmed but then strangely peaceful.

Caephillius laid a long-fingered hand on her shoulder. “He was a great man,” he said

simply.

Daine was about to retort that he was a stupid man when Kal starting coughing. He rolled

to one side and vomited. In the dim light, Daine thought she could see blood running from his

nose.

“Water,” he croaked.

Daine felt a pang of sympathy as she remembered how he had brought her a canteen of

water in the windmill. I didn’t know who I was then either.

“Hang on,” she said and retraced her steps down the low stone tunnel.

When she reached the river, she realised she did not have a canteen so started scooping

the water up and into her mouth. She crept carefully back down the tunnel with her cheeks

puffed out and the liquid swishing around inside. She walked across to Kal pointing at her

swollen cheeks. He cupped his hands tentatively but she pointed at his mouth, which he then

opened as he tipped his head backwards. Positioning herself just above him, she slowly allowed

the water to trickle from her mouth into his. She could smell the vomit on his breath, but his

desperation was palpable so she forced herself to go slowly.

“Thanks,” he croaked when she finished.

“No problem,” she replied, stepping away.

She glanced up at Caephillius who was failing to conceal the smirk breaking across his

long, bony face. “What?” she said, hands on hips.

“Nothing,” the ranger said, his yellow eyes twinkling in the gloom. “It’s just you could

have asked me for this,” he continued, tapping the canteen at his belt.

Daine was glad that the darkness hid the colour rising in her cheeks.

Idiot. Why did I rush off like that?

“What now?” she said, turning away from the ranger’s knowing smile and looking at the

Chief Elder.

“This way, I think,” Beatrice said, pointing down the dark tunnel ahead of them.

But then a mirthless laugh rang out around them and Daine’s insides went cold.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” the voice said.

Chapter 1.x

Kal looked around quickly, searching for the source of the voice. He felt light-headed and

his memory was hazy but at least he knew who he was now.

And who I am here to save.

The tongue the voice used was dimly familiar and although he could not make out all the

words, the sinister undertone left him in little doubt that they were in trouble. The darkness was

so oppressive he could only just make out the others around him. The voice could have come

from anywhere.

Daine called out in the same tongue, her words hanging eerily in the still air. Kal caught

the words “friend” and “peace” and was glad she sounded non-confrontational. He had

remembered enough of their first two meetings to know that this was not always the case.

The voice barked out what sounded like an order and Daine said: “He says to keep going

down slowly.”

“It’s either this way or make a run for it back to the river,” Beatrice, said. “But

undoubtedly whoever or whatever is down here knows these tunnels better than us.”

“Not sure we have a choice,” Caephillius said.

Kal nodded. “They might know something about my father,” he added, more in hope than

expectation.

“Come on then,” Daine said, striding off into the darkness.

Beatrice followed her and Kal felt the ranger’s long fingers in his back, gently urging him

on, so he stepped forwards as well. As they walked, the light did not get any better but the air

remained clean, which was a welcome relief for his scratchy throat.

How can the air be fresher underground?

His mind felt much clearer down here too, although he felt that was more to do with the

Chief Elder’s hands on his skull. As he crashed into the water he had been ripped from his

memories, but as soon as he had climbed up onto the shelf, they had started to return. His skull

had been pounding but he held the memories off long enough to haul first the Chief Elder and

then the ranger up over the edge. Then the memories crashed over him again; his father, who lay

in a chamber in this world, stopping the brutal Reaper from crossing into his own world; his

mother, who was slain by the Reaper’s creatures, in front of his very eyes; the Supreme Shadow,

Thaan, who had helped him escape from Murucia, and Thaan’s brother, Browler, who had

sacrificed himself in the Fortress under the Mountain; his father’s best friend Juquor, the mage

who had masterminded the whole thing. He had snapped back into consciousness a couple of

times, but the Chief Elder’s hands on the sides of his head and the words she muttered soothed

him and he was soon reliving past adventures.

Now as he walked down the dark tunnel, he thought back to his father lying in the

darkness, illuminated only by that patch of green light. He was certain now the Reaper would

have it heavily guarded.

Looking up he saw light ahead but for some reason it did not bring him any comfort. The

hairs on the back of his next prickled. He was about to suggest turning back when he heard a

rumbling followed by the sound of metal scraping over metal and then a dull thud behind him.

The ranger moved off into the darkness to investigate.

“Metal door,” he said moments later. “Locked. We must have triggered something with

our footsteps. Only one way to go now.”

They started moving forwards again. The light got steadily brighter and Kal could see the

tunnel opened out into a great cavern. A dull, rhythmical chanting grew louder with every step.

I do not like this.

Before they broke out of the tunnel the Chief Elder slowed and turned to them. The

chanting was frenzied now, whipping and roaring around the cavern ahead of them. She shouted

over the noise: “Best be on our guard, we may have walked right into a trap.”

Kal gave an involuntary gulp and walked out behind the girl.

His stomach fell away.

The tunnel led into a metal cage some twenty paces across. At the sight of them, hoards

of dirty, scantily clad figures rushed forwards. Their faces were contorted, deranged, as they

shouted and screamed, spat and rattled the cage. Kal turned back the way they had come but a

great metal plate had already slid down to block the tunnel. He looked around at his companions

and was not comforted to see that their faces mirrored his own terror.

Daine stretched out her arms in a conciliatory gesture and repeated the line she had used

back in the tunnel which Kal understood now as: “We are friends. We come in peace.” But the

mob either did not understand or did not care.

Kal scanned the faces in front of them. They were mostly men and women, but he spotted

the odd dwarf and goblin amongst them, although they were all so dirty it was difficult to tell

them apart. But it was the children that really caught his eye: feral, scrawny little savages who

hissed at them through rotten yellow teeth.

How can they live like this?

The dull, rhythmical chanting started up again and the mob started banging on the cage in

deafening unison. Kal’s palms were slick with sweat and his heart hammered in his chest. Daine

called out to them but Kal could not hear her voice over the noise and then, with a jolt that sent a

shiver down his spine, it dawned on him what they were saying.

Kill.

Sudden movement above his head caught his attention and he looked up aghast to see two

arrochom, struggling madly in a huge net, being lowered down towards them. He tapped the

ranger and the Chief Elder on their arms and pointed upwards. Together with Daine they backed

away slowly to the edges of the cage, although this brought them in range of the mob and Kal

had to keep one eye on the sharp sticks the children were trying to skewer him with. The

arrochom clawed wildly at each other as they squeezed through the top of the cage. Daine had

her quarterstaff outstretched and the ranger his daggers. Beatrice shrunk back against the tunnel

entrance and seemed to be muttering some incantation.

As they hit the ground, the net fell away and the arrochom scrambled upright. Kal twirled

his sword in his right hand then set himself. The creatures shrieked so loud he could hear them

over the chanting of the mob. It reached a crescendo.

And then the arrochom flew at him.

Chapter 1.xi

Daine dropped to one knee and rolled forward as the arrochom lashed out at her face with

the claws that studded its every leg. As she rose she brought her quarterstaff round in an arc,

smashing it into another of its legs with a satisfying crunch. The creature wailed then tried to

jump on her, but she skipped backwards, and it stumbled and fell. She was only dimly aware of

the mob screaming as she focused on the arrochom in front of her. Both creatures looked

emaciated as though they had been held without food for many days. Hunger made beings

dangerous, but also desperate. Caephillius was behind her, waiting for the right moment to flip

one of his daggers. To her right, Kal was a blur of silver as he slashed at the great hairy legs of

the other arrochom, nimbly stepping out of the way as it tried to pin him against the wall.

He can fight.

The arrochom lurched forward at her again. She feinted to her right, and then rolled down

to her left, seeing something fly past her as she did so. The creature stumbled backwards, a

dagger now covered in white puss right between its eyes. Rising, she sprang forwards but

something caught between her legs and she fell hard onto the ground, the quarterstaff spilling

from her grasp. She rolled over to see a girl no older than four summers, holding a long stick and

laughing hysterically. Cursing, Daine sprang backwards, away from the edge of the cage as the

arrochom staggered forwards again. Her quarterstaff was behind the creature so she backed

away, hoping for an opportunity to sprint past it. Caephillius launched another dagger from over

her shoulder but the creature raised a leg to deflect it. It was five paces from them now.

Caephillius sent another dagger spinning through which lodged in its cheek, but it barely seemed

to notice.

I just need to get behind it.

“How many have you got left?” Daine called over her shoulder.

“Last one,” the ranger replied.

Great.

“Okay, let’s do it,” Daine said.

She ran forwards, dodging as the great hairy legs swung around her. She heard the

creature scream and rolled to her right, out from under it and started sprinting towards where her

quarterstaff lay at the edge of the cage. But those nearest her weapon saw what she was doing

and many hands grabbed it even as she did. Their rotting breath scorched her nostrils as they spat

curses in her face. She tried to yank the quarterstaff away from them, but they held on grimly.

And then she felt them pull hard in unison. Her forehead slammed into the bars and she felt

many hands begin to snake around her arms and ankles. Dazed, she tried to wriggle free but their

long nails dug into her skin and held her tight against the cold metal lattice.

“Leme do ‘er! Leme do ‘er!” a boy at the front cried out, brandishing a stick with a

wickedly sharp point.

“Easy, easy,” a woman cackled madly, “you gotta do it slow.”

Daine looked around desperately, but Caephillius was still trying to evade the arrochom.

The boy placed the tip of the stick on her stomach and looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with

malice.

“You better hope you kill me quick,” Daine snarled down at him, “or you will find out

how it feels to have a Katsooni as an enemy.”

“Ha!” a man barked. “The last of the Katsooni!”

The boy pulled the stick back and Daine closed her eyes, praying he would not have

enough power in his blow to puncture her stomach.

Then she heard a high-pitched scream.

Opening her eyes Daine saw the boy was coughing up blood, his eyes wide in

astonishment as he looked down at a deep gash in his own stomach. Then she realised Kal was

next to her, his blond hair whipping around his face as he cut and slashed at the hands that held

her. The mob roared their displeasure and surged forwards again, but he pulled her away from

their clutches and dragged her back towards the far wall nearest the tunnel. Both arrochom were

down so she and Kal slid down against the wall. She collapsed back on him, too exhausted to

care that his arms still encircled her.

“Thanks,” she panted in his ear.

Kal did not answer but merely gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Daine stared blankly back across the cage at the beings who would love nothing more

that to tear her limb from limb. The world she left behind had been a dark place but that was

largely of the Reaper’s doing. Something had undoubtedly changed in the two years she had

been away.

What has happened to them? And why did he call me ‘the last Katsooni’?

Caephillius trudged wearily across to them, his bare torso punctured by deep red claw

wounds. The sight of the ranger snapped Daine out of her trance and she jumped to her feet.

“Sorry, Caephillius,” she said quickly, “I got detained.”

The ranger glanced down at Kal who sat on the ground gazing up at her. “So I see,” he

said with a faint smile.

Daine looked sharply up at him, her teeth gritted but Beatrice appeared at her side before

she could retort.

“My thanks to you all,” she said. “I fear I have proved about as useful as a paper hat in

the rain. I now know that I am a mage of some considerable power but for some reason I cannot

access my knowledge or skill.”

“It’s because you’re trying to do it in reverse,” Daine said. “It was the same for me in

your world. You will have to…”

The cold voice rang out around the cavern again cutting her off: “Well fought today, but I

fear we can offer you neither water nor food for your efforts. Although, as honoured guests, you

are more than welcome to eat the daemonspawn.”

The crowd laughed and cheered at these words. They dragged their sticks across the bars

of the cage.

“Now you should get some rest,” the voice said, quietening them instantly. “We will have

some more visitors to introduce you to tomorrow.”

Above their heads, a dark figure moved across the cage to slide close and lock the

trapdoor through which the arrochom had been lowered. The mob started to filter away through

the cavern, a few to honour them with a final curse or ball of spittle. They extinguished the

torches on the wall as they went, plunging them into complete darkness.

“Wait!” Daine shouted. “What do you want with us?”

The only response she received was her own voice echoing back to her off the cave walls.

Chapter 1.xii

Kal stared up at Daine, the beat of his heart quickening. For a moment the side profile of

her face was gloriously illuminated by the glow of the last torch at the far end of the cavern: Her

high cheekbones, smooth brown skin, beguiling oval eyes and messy shoulder-length black hair.

Then the last torch was extinguished and they were plunged into complete darkness. He shook

his head slowly, the left hand corner of his mouth curled up in a wry smile.

After all we’ve been through, how does she still look that good?

“Well, looks like we’re in for a long night,” the Chief Elder said. “Daine, perhaps you

might continue what you were saying until we were so rudely interrupted.”

“Of course,” Daine said and the two of them shuffled away.

“Mind if I sit next to you?” the ranger said.

Kal could see his huge yellow eyes like two beacons piercing through the darkness above

him. “Please do,” he said, glad of the company.

“We have not been formally introduced,” the ranger said, “my name is Caephillius. I am

a ranger, that is to say...”

“I know,” Kal said, who vaguely remembered meeting a half-man, half-goblin before in

his village. “I met someone like you in Pacullia when I had about ten summers. It didn’t click

when I saw you back at the Temple, but somehow I recognise you now.”

“So your memory is fully returned?” Caephillius said.

“Not quite,” Kal said, “I cannot remember too much detail. My memories feel somehow

distant.”

“Yes,” Caephillius said, “rusty, like a sword you have not used for a long time. Talking

of swords,” he continued, “Tell me, Kal, how is that you fight so well?”

Kal thought of Juquor, Browler, the Taskmaster and the Supreme Shadow, Thaan. He

could see their faces, but only vaguely, as if from a dream. “Great teachers,” he murmured.

“Aha, great modesty as well,” Caephillius said. “You are correct. Very few get far

without some guidance along the way but do not underestimate your own abilities. You are a

young swordsman of exceptional poise and technique. I would not like to be your enemy.”

Kal mumbled his thanks, feeling pride swell up like a huge bubble inside him. “Are you

from the same group as Daine?” he asked, eager to change the topic.

“Yes and no,” the ranger said, his eyes narrowing. “She comes from this world and I

from yours. But apart from gender we are very much alike, and indeed we come from two Orders

which are at once the same and the opposite.”

He passed Kal his water canteen. He took a couple of small sips and then they sat in

silence for a while before Kal said, “Why do you think the Reaper wants to break into our world

so badly?” Kal said.

“There are a couple of explanations that have come to me,” he replied, “although there

may be others locked in the untapped recesses of my mind. They are not necessarily mutually

exclusive; both may have a role to play. Anyway, one is that he still wants revenge on the world

that defeated him all those years ago. He is a being of great power who is accustomed to victory.

The other struck me only when we came to this world. It would appear to me that this world is

dying.”

Kal frowned, thinking he must have misheard. “Dying?”

“Yes,” Caephillius said thoughtfully, “the sun, the air, the soil, the people. Something is

rotten in this world. It will soon be dead, I think.”

Kal puffed out his cheeks and exhaled. “How long do we have?”

How long does my father have?

“Impossible to say,” Caephillius said, “but we will certainly have long enough to achieve

what we came here to achieve, don’t you worry about that. Now, my eyes are weary and as we

do not seem to be going anywhere this evening I will take a few moments rest. I bid you

goodnight.”

Kal sat awake in the darkness for a while longer, listening to the ranger’s soft snores and

trying hard not to think about what these animals had in store for them the next day. His thoughts

kept coming back to his father, also lying alone in the darkness, surrounded by creatures who

wanted him dead.

I have to find a way back to him.

Eventually his eyelids began to droop and he dropped into sleep...

...he was standing in a chamber. A pale green light illuminated an old man who lay in the

centre. He tried to walk forward but a great hairy leg was blocking his path. Two red eyes burned

through the darkness across the chamber. Fireballs erupted from them and he tried to throw

himself out of the way but they had formed a ring around the old man. Someone was laughing.

He reached for his sword, but it was stuck in its scabbard. He desperately pulled at it but his arms

had turned to jelly. He could hear the sound of metal on metal, but he would never free it in

time…

…his eyes snapped open and instinctively he looked up. Someone or something was

above them. He tried to blink the sleep from his eyes and adjust his vision to the darkness.

Was the trapdoor open?

He looked across at the ranger but he was still asleep so he stood and walked forwards

quietly until he was directly under the trapdoor. The figure above him seemed to be beckoning

him upwards. He crept back over to Caephillius and gently kicked his leg. The ranger woke with

a start, a dagger outstretched in his hand. Kal hopped backwards and put his finger to his mouth,

then pointed upwards. The ranger followed his direction, blinked once in surprise, and then

looked back at Kal quizzically. Kal shrugged his shoulders. What have we got to lose? He

walked over to where Daine and the Chief Elder were huddled near the tunnel entrance. Beatrice

was already awake. Kal pointed upwards and she nodded then gently roused Daine who was

lying with her head on the other’s lap. They both stood quietly and followed Kal back over to

where Caephillius was standing.

“A trap?” the Chief Elder breathed as they all huddled in together.

“Could be,” the ranger said. “But I do not feel they would choose to kill us off down

some dark tunnel. The people from today would be most displeased not to be with us in our final

moments.”

Kal smiled and shook his head. He has a funny way with words, this one.

“Okay, all agreed?” the Chief Elder said.

“Agreed,” Kal and the others said in unison.

Better go first if I’m leading them into danger.

“Follow me,” he said.

Chapter 1.xiii

Daine watched as Kal began to climb the metal lattice at the side of the cage, nodding her

head in appreciation of how much he had matured since she first met him.

The boy I met has become a man.

As he reached the juncture of cage wall and ceiling he grabbed onto the bars above him.

He then started crawling slowly backwards like a spider, keeping his boots interlocked in the

lattice at all times. Daine’s breath held in her throat as he reached the trapdoor. The dark figure

was still there and she half expected it to raise the alarm or stamp down on Kal’s fingers. But he

let his legs fall, quickly rotated so that he was facing the trapdoor, then swung his legs up

through it. The dark figure was gesturing urgently and Kal motioned for the next one to come up.

“You go,” Caephillius said to her.

She did not bother to enter her mind. There was a presence in the cavern that was

blocking the flows from her plateau, shrouding the view from her mountain in darkness. So she

strode forwards confidently, trying to hide her nerves. The climb to the ceiling was fine, but

crawling on the ceiling felt completely unnatural and she willed herself not to look down.

The boy made it look so easy.

More than once she felt her boots slipping, but eventually she got to the trapdoor. She did

not fancy repeating Kal’s trick so instead she slowly pulled herself up and around. Kal bent

down to offer her a hand but she shook her head and straightened beside him. The Chief Elder

was already following her up and she looked around quickly for the dark figure. In the gloom all

she could make out was a bushy, white, unkempt beard and a dirty white loincloth. She was

about to open her mouth to ask who he was, but the man wagged his finger urgently then pressed

it to his lips.

Then she heard a small squeak of alarm and saw one of Beatrice’s feet slip, and then the

other one went so she was just hanging by her arms. Daine and Kal dropped down in an instant

to each grab hold of one of her wrists. Her arms felt so frail beneath her fingers.

It’s easy to forget how old she is.

“You’ll have to go backwards,” Kal said, “come on, we’ll guide you.”

The Chief Elder looked scared for the first time since Daine had met her but she nodded.

She released a grip on the bars with her right hand, and then quickly grabbed the one behind it

with a sharp exhale of breath. She repeated it with her left hand, Daine shadowing her every

movement. Caephillius remained below, ready to break her fall. She had only moved another two

rungs back when light started to pour into the cavern.

They’re coming.

The small man began hopping about and waving his arms agitatedly.

“Caephillius,” she hissed down, “we’ve got her. Come on!”

The ranger shook his head stubbornly.

I cannot lose him too.

“Come on,” Daine said to Beatrice. “You can do this. Two at a time.”

To her credit, Beatrice gritted her teeth and started going faster, swinging herself

backwards until she reached the trapdoor. She looked wan and pale as they pulled her up.

“Not myself at all,” she muttered, “thank you both.”

They could hear voices echoing through the cavern now as Caephillius smoothly

scampered up the cage, his long fingers and toes making light work of the climb. As the small

man slid the trapdoor back across the cage, people starting appearing at the far end of the cavern,

silhouetted by the firelight behind them.

“This way,” the small man hissed, beckoning them to follow him.

Daine looked up at Caephillius who gave a small shrug and then followed the man across

the ceiling of the cage. As they reached the back wall, the man crouched down and slid through a

gap fissure in the rock face. Daine made sure her quarterstaff was secure in its holster on her

back then squeezed down after him. She found herself in a small, simple but well-maintained

cell. A straw mattress lay in one corner and a pile of books sat on a desk in another. She turned

to face their rescuer as Beatrice, followed by Kal and then Caephillius slid into the room.

“Our thanks,” she said. “Who are you?”

“I am the jailer,” he said. His bright blue eyes were partially hidden behind thick, bushy

eyebrows the same colour as his beard.

“Why did you rescue us?” she said.

The man frowned for a moment; accentuating the lines in a face Daine guessed was at

least sixty summers old. “The cage is supposed to be for the daemonspawn who try to pursue us

down here,” he said, rubbing his hands anxiously. “They cannot swim and get caught in the river.

They are then lowered into the cage to fight. We have had other beings in there before, but no

one has lasted past the first fight. I would have rescued you sooner…” he trailed off and looked

down at the ground.

“But what happened here?” Daine said. “Why is everyone living underground? And why

are they so feral?”

“The Steaming Mount across in Lallandia erupted,” the jailer replied. “A foul ash cloud

blew across the land, killing all the crops. The air out there chokes you. It is thick and black and

foul. The sun provides little heat. And the daemonspawn are everywhere. In recent times, the

Reaper’s wrath has been terrible. Where once he let villages remain if they fed and watered his

army, he now burns everyone and everything. When we found the underground river, I led my

people down here to keep them safe. Alas, others found it and it has been taken over by more

unsavoury types.

“The voice we heard?” Daine asked.

“Yes,” the man replied, “I spoke out. This is my punishment. It is I believe to shame me.

But now we must move. That voice has many eyes.”

Daine looked around at her companions. Caephillius and the Chief Elder were looking at

her blankly, but Kal’s face was screwed up in concentration as though trying to remember

something.

“Sorry,” she said, “no time to explain now.”

“Do you trust him?” Caephillius said.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Good enough for me” he said, “lead on.”

She turned to the man who was looking at her expectantly. “But what about you?”

“My race is run, child,” he said. “My people are despoiled beyond all recognition. But

they are not intrinsically bad. Just misguided. If you ever get the chance there may be some you

could rescue; some who could yet live in normal society.”

Daine nodded and gritted her teeth. “I will do my best,” she said.

Chapter 1.xiv

The old man clasped his hands together in front of him and bowed to Daine. She looked

sad yet there was an unmistakeable determination in the way her jaw was clenched. Then the

man turned and slipped through another fissure in the rock Kal had failed to spot in the murky

light of the cell. The girl went after him, followed by the Chief Elder.

“Into the unknown again,” the ranger said, stretching out a long-fingered hand to let Kal

pass.

Kal smiled. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Slipping out of the cell he found they were in another low tunnel. The old man was

talking fast to Daine up ahead. Kal had followed their conversation as well as he could but he

only picked up about one word in four. It gave him a sense of what was going on, but lacked the

detail.

Bit like my memory at present.

“This tunnel leads back to the river,” Daine called back over her shoulder.

“Is he not coming with us?” the Chief Elder said.

“He is going to try and buy us some time,” Daine said.

Kal felt a pang of guilt slice through him as he looked at the man. He was so small and

skinny he doubted he would be able to hold that rabble off for more than a few seconds.

“My deepest thanks, sir” Caephillius said, stepping past Kal and shaking the old man’s

hand.

The old man looked up at the ranger and smiled warmly.

“Let’s go,” Daine said.

“Thank you,” Kal said to the old man in his language. He shook his hand as Caephillius

had done.

The old man blinked in surprise that he had understood then said: “Go with my blessing.”

The tunnel was much more winding than that which they had taken from the river, but

they kept up a good pace. They had gone less than a hundred paces when a great cry of pain echo

out behind them and Daine quickened her pace. The tunnel forked in places but the old man had

evidently told her which path to take for she barely slowed. Pangs of hunger and fear fought for

position in Kal’s stomach. His throat was dry and his legs felt heavy but the thought of his father

and the horror behind drove him on.

“What’s the plan, Daine?” Caephillius called from behind him.

“The river will eventually lead us back to the surface,” she shouted back over her

shoulder.

“That simple?” Kal said.

“No” she replied. “They have a great net over the river which they use to catch arrochom

who fall in the same way we did. The old man thought we should be able to swim through it.

After that the river forks in two. We need to take the right fork to get back to the surface.”

“I assume the net will be guarded?” Caephillius said.

“Oh, undoubtedly,” Daine said.

They jogged on in silence until the air became slightly fresher. Kal brushed his fingers

across the walls and found the stone was very damp. Ahead of them he could see the tunnel

opening out. Daine slowed at the end of the tunnel.

“The net is very close to the point at which we will enter the river,” she said.

“And it is definitely wide enough for us to pass through?” the Chief Elder said through

ragged breaths.

Glancing at her, Kal thought that she did not look well at all. Her skin was pale and

tinged with green. Her brow was covered in sweat.

“The old man said so,” Daine replied, her face mirroring the concern Kal felt. “Let’s go

steady,” she continued, lying down on the ground then crawling forward like a snake to crane her

head round to the left.

As she crawled back, Kal realised he had not breathed in a while and he exhaled shakily.

“The net is about fifty paces downstream,” Daine said quietly. “I don’t think we can get

through the holes in it, but there are gaps around the sides and probably the bottom. There are

beings milling about on this side of the bank. Some of them look armed.”

“Do we dive in and make a break for it,” Caephillius said. “Or try to slip in?”

But the voice cut in before anyone could answer. “Come out, come out, wherever you

are,” it taunted them. “We would like a nice fish supper.”

Kal’s stomach fell away as the voice reverberated through the tunnel. They know we’re

coming.

“Looks like we’ll just have to go for it,” Caephillius said, a dry smile dancing across his

lips.

“Remember, make for the right hand side,” Daine said. “Ready?”

“Ready,” Kal said with the others in unison.

He took a deep breath and dashed with the others down the tunnel. He dived into the cool

water which ran just five paces below them. It was dark but the water was clear so Kal dived

down and let the current take him towards the net. The drag was pulling him towards the left

edge and he had to fight to stay on the right. Stones peppered the surface but lost their power

before they reached him. His chest began to burn but he could see the net now so he kicked on. It

was attached to the river bed by two huge hooks at either corner so he swam down and squeezed

underneath it. He crawled up the net and surfaced as slowly as he could. He sucked in the air

gratefully, but almost instantly felt something slam into the net, just feet from his head. He

ducked down again and looked around for the others. Caephillius and Daine were away to his

left, pulling themselves through the gap between the river bank and the net, but the Chief Elder

was nowhere to be seen. He slid along to his right and then he saw her. She was lying face down

in the water, drifting slowly towards the net, a stream of blood trailing out behind her. Kal

clenched his fists.

Damn it, I can’t just leave her there.

He slid all the way to the right and emerged slowly in the shadow of the river bank.

Mercifully no one spotted him and he filled his lungs, scanning the shore. Men, women and

children lined the river edge, using basic slingshots to hurl stones into the water. They seemed to

be focussing their efforts on the far side of the net where they evidently thought the others would

have to emerge.

Suddenly a shout erupted from the bank and he ducked back under the surface just as

stones began to hail down around him. He kicked lower, feeling them bounce off his torso and

legs, and then swung round back towards the net. Reaching it, he withdrew his sword and began

to saw clumsily through the rope near the surface. He had cut through one cord and then another

when he felt the net shudder. Looking down he saw that the hooks had somehow been released

and the bottom of the net was being dragged upwards by a great pole to pull prey from the water.

He sheathed his sword and reached out for the Chief Elder’s hand as she bobbed towards him.

He grasped it with his right hand, keeping his left firmly on the net. As he surfaced and gasped

for air, he could hear howls of laughter from the bank where they obviously thought they had

snared two of the escapees.

Watch this.

He pulled the Chief Elder towards him and through the hole he had made in the net.

Flipping her onto her back and grasping her firmly around the neck he began to kick backwards

away from the net. Stones crashed into the water around them, but the current was taking them

out of range.

He heard a shout from the other side of the river: “Kal! This way!”

He looked over to see Caephillius and Daine waving at him, close to the river bank on the

far side. He turned his body and tried to kick towards them, but the current was strong and the

Chief Elder in his arms was deadweight. The divide in the river was just ten paces away and he

tried to kick back across the current again but his legs had lost their power.

“Kal!” Daine shouted again. “Come on! Give it one more kick.”

They were just five paces from where the river divided now and picked up speed. Kal

stopped fighting the current and slid around to face them.

“Go!” he shouted. “We’ll find each other again. We always do!”

Daine’s wet hair clung to her face making her look younger and more vulnerable than

usual. She raised a hand in farewell.

And then she was gone.