Deltora Quest: The Shifting Sands Part 5

Smoke from the dampened torch, well padded with wet rags, billowed around him. He was not certain it would help, but certainly no other weapon would be useful here. Besides, ever since his dream, Queen Beeas words had kept coming back to him, and surely that was for a reason.

My guards do not like sudden movements, and are easily angered. Why, even I must use smoke to calm them when I take their honey from the Hive a He could remember the words so clearly. Strangely, here, at the droning, swirling hub of the Sands, his mind had cleared and sharpened. Perhaps the Hive was no longer calling him, because it had no need. He was where it had wanted him to be all along.

He looked up. His friendsa faces were tiny now. He was hardly able to see them against the glare of the sky. And below, the seething ma.s.s that was the Hive was whirling, rising to meet him.

He braced himself, closed his eyes. Then he felt it, like a hot, rough wind, a stinging whirlwind, sucking him in. It spun savagely about him, whipping him, pressing in on him, with a sound like thunder.

It was too strong. Too strong!

He could not see. He could not breathe. Spun in a raging torrent of sound, he did not know which way was up, which down. He knew only one thing: The Hive cared nothing for him. To the Hive he was not food, or a captive prize, or even a hated enemy to be defeated. To the Hive he was nothing but the carrier of the thing it desired. The Hive would suffocate him. It would rub the clothes from his flesh and the flesh from his bones. Then it would have what it wanted. What it had wanted from the beginning.

The Belt of Deltora.

Panic gripped Lief by the throat. He began to struggle, to scream a"

Softly, boy, softly. Gently, gently!

The crabbed old voice was as clear in his mind as if it had spoken right beside his ear. It was like cold water splashed in his face.

The screams died in his throat. He opened his eyes. He forced himself to be still, to stop gasping for air, to breathe evenly.

He opened his eyes a fraction. Through the narrow slits he saw that the smoke pouring from the torch had at last begun mingling with the whirling red.

And the whirlwind was quieting. The Hive was slowing, and thinning. It was retreating to the darkness at the sides of the cone. And the thing that its fury had previously hidden was at last revealed a" a glistening pyramid rising through the coneas center.

Slowly, carefully, Lief reached up and tugged the rope once. His downward progress stopped with a slight jolt as, far above, Jasmine and Barda received the signal.

For a moment he simply swung in s.p.a.ce, staring, fascinated, through the drifting smoke, at the astounding thing the living Sand had built, tended, and guarded for years without number.

It was a towering pyramid of cells made of gold, gla.s.s, gems, and bleached, white bones.

Lief told himself that he had expected this a" or something like it. But the reality was beyond anything he could have imagined.

Anything that would not decay, or would decay so slowly that it would have to be replaced only after centuries, had been gathered and used for the building. Skulls and bones of every shape and size were packed side by side with gla.s.s bottles and jars, coins, crystals and gems, gold chains, rings and bracelets, and yet more bones. The individual parts, small and large, had been fitted together with such care that the tower glittered like an enormous jewel.

It was an awesome sight. And unbelievably horrible.

It was a pyramid of death. How many human beings had been stripped of life for its sake? And what was stored inside those secret cells? The Hiveas young, no doubt. Eggs, then tiny squirming things, packed in the thousands, nursed and cared for, fed on a disgusting brew of decayed red flies, dead lizards, and whatever else slipped beneath the sand. Till they grew into a" what? Not insects of any kind he had ever known. Not insects at all, perhaps. Some other form of life he could not even imagine. Some tiny unit that would become part of the ancient thing that had lived on while all around it changed. The Hive.

Shaken with disgust, Lief ached to kick and tear at the tower, to see it fall and smash to pieces in the darkness below. In that darkness, no doubt, the giant Hive Queen lurked. He almost felt he could see her bloated shape, rippling in the depths, laying eggs, eggs without number.

But he knew that if he attacked the pyramid the Hive would be upon him. The smoke would not hold it back.

And the Belt was throbbing and burning. Somewhere in this gleaming tower lay the gem he was seeking. Was it the diamond? The amethyst? The emerald? He could see clear, purple, and green stones among those that sparkled in the pyramid. But which was the precious One?

He pulled his cloak and shirt aside to reveal the Belt, and looked down at it, peering through wreaths of smoke. He could hardly see the topaz and the ruby. But the opal shone, dancing with sparkling lights so that it seemed alive.

What did that mean? He struggled to see in his mind the words about the powers of the opal in The Belt of Deltora.

a The opal, symbol of hope, shines with all the colors of the rainbow. It has the power to give glimpses of the future, and to aid those with weak sight. The opal a What came next? Lief screwed his eyes tightly closed to help him to think, but after a moment he opened them again, shaking his head desperately. He could not remember the end.

He looked up to the top of the pyramid. He knew that the gem was most likely to be there. It had been dropped into the Shifting Sands just before King Endon was overthrown. That was only a little over sixteen years ago, and the pyramid had been growing for many ages.

The first thing he saw was Jasmineas dagger, fitted point downwards into the very tip of the tower. It had been the last thing taken, so was at the top. One day the metal would rust away. But the crystal cross would survive, and other finds would take the place of the metal parts.

Below the dagger, neatly arranged, were many gold coins, and the Champion medal from the Rithmere Games. They were locked in place with a ma.s.s of shining white bones.

Lief shuddered. Not a sc.r.a.p of flesh still clung to the bones, but he knew that they were all that remained of Carn 2 and Carn 8, the Grey Guards. The Hive worked quickly.

He realized that the pyramid seemed clearer than it had before. For a moment he wondered why that was. Then he saw that the torch was smoking less. It was starting to die.

His stomach lurched. For how much longer would the Hive stay droning at the sides of the cone? As the smoke thinned a He looked below the bones and saw some small gla.s.s pots, some bracelets, two rocks, and what looked like the jawbone of a horse. And below that a"

His heart seemed to miss a beat. There, pinpoints of light piercing its smooth, dark blue surface, was a stone like a starry night sky.

The forgotten words from The Belt of Deltora flashed at last into his mind.

a The opal has a special relationship with the lapis lazuli, the heavenly stone, a powerful talisman.

The lapis lazuli! There it lay, carefully wedged into place, supporting the roof of an as yet empty cell. The fourth gem of the Belt of Deltora.

He reached for it, then abruptly drew back his hand. If he pulled the stone from its place, the things resting upon it would surely topple and fall. Then the Hive would attack. He would be dead before he could carry his prize to the surface, and the lapis lazuli, and the Belt itself, would be lost.

His only hope was to replace the gem with something else. Something of about the same size. Frantically, he felt in his pockets, though he knew he had nothing a" nothing a Then his fingers touched something in the top pocket of his shirt. Something small, hard, and oddly shaped. He pulled it out.

It was Jasmineas little wooden bird. And it was just the right size.

The Hive droned with growing suspicion. It was waking, becoming active, as the smoke began to disappear. Holding his breath, Lief reached again for the lapis lazuli. But this time he grasped in his other hand the little wooden bird.

He eased the lapis lazuli from its place. It warmed in his fingers, and moved easily, more easily than he expected, as though it wanted to be free.

The opal is calling it, he thought, feeling the answering warmth at his waist. He felt the lapis lazuli slip into his hand, and quickly pushed the little wooden bird into its place.

Not quickly enough. The top of the tower trembled. The droning from the walls of the cone became louder, more alert. The red cloud swayed inward. Its outside edge just touched the bare skin of Liefas chest, searing, burning. He smothered a scream of anguish.

Quietly, quietly a Sweat dripping into his eyes, trying to screen out the pain, Lief lifted a hand and tugged at the rope. Once, twice a Beside him, the pyramid swayed. If it should fall. If anything should fall a The dagger toppled from its place, turning in the air. Lief s.n.a.t.c.hed at it one-handed, just managing to catch it by its tip as he rose beside it, the dying torch tucked under one arm.

With agonizing slowness, he was drawn to the surface. Below him, the droning sound was rumbling, rising, as the Hive closed in, circling the pyramid once more. The Hive did not yet know it had been robbed. It was still sleepy and distracted because smoke still drifted in the air. The smoke was faint now, so faint a But it was still working its magic as Lief crawled into the fresh air above.

And as he stood up and turned joyously to Barda and Jasmine, as he opened his hand to show them the heavenly stone, the clouds that had covered the sky flew apart like torn rags. The stars and the moon beamed down again upon the dark earth like a blessing, and the lapis lazuli sparkled back at them like a tiny mirror.

It slipped into the Belt and glowed there, alive under the moon.

Lief turned to Jasmine. aI had to leave your little bird behind. But I brought you this in exchange,a he said softly, and gave her the dagger. Wordlessly she took it, slipped it inside her jacket, and held it close.

Lief swayed and Barda gripped his arm. aThe lapis lazuli is a talisman, Barda,a Lief whispered. aWe will be safe now. But let us leave this place.a Lief said little else as the companions walked slowly down the smooth red of the peak. At the bottom he let Jasmine smooth healing balm over the raw patches on his chest. It eased the pain a little. It made the long journey back to the edge of the Sands bearable.

They had the stars to guide them now. They had the lapis lazuli to offer protection against the dangers of the night. But it was not until they had reached the rocks that edged the Sands, and had climbed out onto solid land, that Lief was able to speak of what he had seen.

aThank the heavens that you and the Belt are safe,a murmured Barda when he had finished.

aAnd now,a said Jasmine more cheerfully, awe have the fourth stone. Only three more to go. And surely they will be easy, compared to this.a Lief was silent. It was some moments before his friends realized that he was asleep.

aThey will be easy, compared to this,a Jasmine insisted, turning to Barda.

Barda was looking down at Liefas exhausted, sleeping face. He was thinking how much older the boy looked. He was thinking of all they had been through. What might yet be to come.

Jasmine would not be ignored. She tugged at his sleeve. aBarda! Do you not agree?a she demanded.

Barda was not wearing the Belt. The opal could not give him glimpses of the future. But a shadow crossed his face and his smile was grim as he answered.

aWe shall see, Jasmine,a he said. aWe shall see.a This book has been compiled in secret. If the work had been discovered by any authority, I, its author, would have paid with my life. Or so I believe.

The risk was worth taking. Forces are working in Deltora to suppress the facts of our past as well as those of our present. Lies are everywhere. King Alton believes that the kingdom is thriving. He thinks that if monstrous perils once existed in far-flung corners, they exist no longer.

I know this is false. Because I, who once wore the silken gloves and velvet tunic of a palace librarian, now scavenge for food in the gutters of Del. I now know what the common people know, and more. I could never have imagined such a future for myself. But I regret nothing.

Perhaps I would never have fled from the palace if the kingas chief advisor, Prandine, had not ordered me to burn The Deltora Annals. The threatened destruction of the Annals, that great, vivid picture of Deltora over the ages, was more than I could bear. And so it was that while pretending to obey Prandineas order, I saved the Annals and myself.

This book contains material drawn from The Deltora Annals as well as new information I have gained in the past few years. It describes many of the dreadful, mysterious beings that haunt this land. Some of these creatures are as evil and unnatural as their master in the Shadowlands. Others are native to Deltora. All grow stronger every day. Yet the king does nothing to offer his people protection. They hate him for it. But why should he help, since he does not know the monsters exist? None of them are spoken of in the palace except as beasts of legend, dangers of the past.

Books such as this are needed to correct the lies that have become official truth. The people are too busy sc.r.a.ping a living to write down what they know. Writing, in fact, seems almost to have disappeared among them. I fear that lies may one day become the only afactsa available to students, unless people like me act to prevent it.

What the future holds for us, and for Deltora, I cannot say. But when my hopes dim, I take heart in remembering another thing I did before I left the palace. It concerns yet another book a" The Belt of Deltora. It is simply written, but full of wisdom. From the day I first found it in the library, I believed that it was of vital importance, and that it contained the keys to Deltoraas future, as well as its past. I kept it hidden, for I knew that if Prandine saw it, it would quietly disappear. I had planned to take it with me, but at the last moment something moved me to change my mind. I hid it, instead, in a dim corner where it would only be discovered by an eager searcher.

I cling to the hope that one day Prince Endon might find it. Even Endonas friend, young Jarred, might do so, for though Jarred has no great love of books, his wits are keen. He may remember the library if one day he is in urgent need of knowledge. I know in my heart that if Deltora has a future, it lies with these young ones. It would be my joy to know that in some small way I have helped their cause. In faith a"

Josef Writing in the city of Del in the 35th year of the reign of King Alton.

Grey Guards, slavish servants of the Shadow Lord, appear human, but are monsters in the truest sense. Created by their master to enforce his evil will, they lack all normal human emotions, relishing cruelty and destruction above all else. They have great physical strength, are capable of enormous speed and endurance, have keen sight and hearing, and frequently hunt by scent. Their chief weapons are leather slings with which they hurl egg-shaped missiles known as ablisters.a Blisters burst on contact, releasing a burning poison that causes agonizing death. Grey Guards have no understanding of the terms amothera and afather,a and live, work, and fight in clan groups, or apods,a of ten. Each member of a single pod is identical with his brothers (female Guards are unknown). Most observers believe that pod members are aborna together, probably as mature adults, by some vile means as yet not understood. All Guards are known by their pod name followed by a number. Members of the Carn pod (pictured), for example, will be called Carn 1, Carn 2, and so on till Carn 10 is reached.

In ancient days Grey Guards, then rarely seen in Deltora, were thought to be immortal. It is now known that, though they do not age visibly, they suddenly weaken and die after seven years. The mistaken belief in their immortality arose because when the members of any one pod near their afail datea (as the seven-year limit is known), they are recalled to the Shadowlands and replaced by a fresh set of ten bearing the same pod name, and with exactly the same appearance.

These ferocious creatures first appeared in Deltoran skies in the last years before the rise of Adin. They were identified as Ak-Baba a" huge, vulturelike birds said to live a thousand years, and previously seen only by travellers to distant lands. The Deltora Annals contain several descriptions of Ak-Baba from the days when Deltoran sea trade and exploration were common {days sadly long gone}.

It is now recognized, however, that the seven Ak-Baba patrolling Deltora are wild birds. They are creatures of the Shadow Lord, used to spy, destroy, and accomplish tasks that require great speed. They are more ferocious than their wild cousins, and, as well as feeding on dead flesh, will attack living creatures without hesitation. They possess teeth as well as a tearing beak and claws. A foul smell surrounds them, lingering for hours after they have departed. And, most important, their minds appear to be linked to that of the Shadow Lord, for they do his will without spoken command. Our conclusion must be that they have been altered, or bred, to suit the Shadow Lordas purposes.

No weapon has yet proved successful against them. Even the mighty winged Dragons of old could not defeat them. Several eyewitness reports of terrible sky battles between single Dragons and up to five of the Seven Ak-Baba are included in The Deltora Annals. The fights raged for days, but always the Dragon was at last destroyed. It is no doubt the Seven Ak-Baba are responsible for the gradual decline in Deltoran Dragon numbers, and their present (believed) extinction.

It was the season for skimmers, and this year more skimmers than ever were coming over the Wall of Weld.

From dusk till dawn, the beasts flapped down through the cloud that shrouded the top of the Wall. They showered on the dark city like giant, pale falling leaves, leathery wings rasping, white eyes gleaming, needle teeth glinting in the dark.

The skimmers came for food. They came to feast on the warm-blooded creatures, animal and human, that lived within the Wall of Weld.

On the orders of the Warden, the usual safety notices had been put up all over the city. Few people bothered to read them, because they were always the same. But this year, in Southwall, where Lisbeth the beekeeper lived with her three sons, they had been covered with disrespectful scrawls.

No one knew who was writing on the notices a" or so the people of Southwall claimed when the Keep soldiers questioned them. Like everyone else in Weld, the Southwall citizens were very law-abiding. Most would never have dreamed of damaging one of the Wardenas notices themselves. But many secretly agreed with the person who had done so.

Rye, the youngest of Lisbethas sons, had the half-thrilled, half-fearful suspicion that his eldest brother, Dirk, might be responsible.

Dirk worked on the Wall as his father had done, repairing and thickening Weldas ancient defense against the barbarians on the coast of the island of Dorne. Brave, strong, and usually good-natured, Dirk had become increasingly angry about the Wardenas failure to protect Weld from the skimmer attacks.

Sholto, the middle brother, thin, cautious, and clever, said little, but Rye knew he agreed with Dirk. Sholto worked for Tallus, the Southwall healer, learning how to mend broken bones and mix potions. The soldiers had questioned him when they had come to the healeras house seeking information. Rye had overheard him telling Dirk about it.

aDo not worry,a Sholto had drawled when Dirk asked him anxiously what he had said in answer to the questions. aIf I cannot bamboozle those fancily dressed oafs, I am not the man you think I am.a And Dirk had clapped him on the shoulder and shouted with laughter.

Rye hoped fervently that the soldiers would not question him, and to his relief, so far they had not. Rye was still at school, and no doubt the soldiers thought he was too young to know anything of importance.

As the clouded sky dimmed above them, and the Wall darkened around their city, the people of Weld closed their shutters and barred their doors.

Those who still followed the old magic ways sprinkled salt on their doorsteps and window ledges and chanted the protective spells of their ancestors. Those who no longer believed in such things merely stuffed rags and straw into the c.h.i.n.ks in their mud-brick walls, and hoped for the best.

Lisbethas family did all these things, and more.

Lisbeth sprinkled the salt and murmured the magic words. Dirk, tall and fair, followed her around the house, fastening all the locks. Dark, lean Sholto trailed them like a shadow, pressing rags soaked in the skimmer repellent he had invented into the gaps between the shutters and the crack beneath the door.

And Rye, red-haired and eager, watched them all as he did his own humble duty, clearing the table of Sholtoas books and setting out the cold, plain food that was always eaten at night in skimmer season.

Later, in dimness, the three brothers and their mother huddled around the table, talking in whispers, listening to the hateful, dry rustling of the skimmersa wings outside.

aFolk at the market were saying that there was a riot in Northwall this morning,a Lisbeth murmured. aThey said that the Wardenas signs were set on fire, and the crowd fought with the soldiers who tried to stop the damage. Can this be true? Citizens of Weld acting like barbarians?a aIt is true enough,a Sholto said, pressing a hardboiled duck egg against his plate to crack the pale blue sh.e.l.l as noiselessly as he could. aSkimmers killed three families in Northwall last night. It is only the first riot of many, I fear. When people are afraid, they do not think before they act.a Dirk snorted. aThey are sick of the Wardenas excuses. And they are right. Everyone on the Wall was talking of it today.a aAnd you most of all, Dirk, I imagine,a said Sholto drily.

Dirkas eyes flashed. aWhy not? It is obvious to everyone that a new leader must have risen among the barbarians a" a warlord determined to conquer Weld at last. Every year, more skimmers come. Every year, we lose more food and more lives, and work on the Wall falls further behind. The Enemy is weakening us, little by little.a aWe do not know there is an Enemy, Dirk,a Sholto muttered. aFor all we know, the skimmers come here of their own accord. For skimmers, Weld may be nothing but a giant feeding bowl, in which tender prey are conveniently trapped.a Ryeas stomach turned over.

aSholto!a Lisbeth scolded. aDo not say such things! Especially in front of Rye!a aWhy not in front of me?a Rye demanded stoutly, though the bread in his mouth seemed to have turned to dust. aI am not a baby!a Sholto shrugged, carefully picking the last sc.r.a.p of sh.e.l.l from his egg.

aWe might as well face the truth,a he said calmly. aA wall that cannot be climbed, and which has no gates, is all very well when it keeps dangers out. But it works two ways. It also makes prisoners of those who are inside it.a He bit into the egg and chewed somberly.

aThe skimmers are being deliberately bred and sent!a Dirk insisted. aIf they were natural to Dorne, they would have been flying over the Wall from the beginning. But the attacks began only five years ago!a Sholto merely raised one eyebrow and took another bite.

Dirk shook his head in frustration. aAh, what does it matter anyway?a he said, pushing his plate away as if he had suddenly lost his appet.i.te. aWhat does it matter why the skimmers invade? They do invade a" that is the important thing! Weld is under attack. And the Warden does nothing!a aHis soldiers fill the skimmer poison traps,a Lisbeth murmured, anxious to restore peace at the table. aHe has said that orphaned children can be cared for at the Keep. And he has at last agreed that the end-of-work bell should be rung an hour earlier, so people can arrive home well before a"a aAt last!a Dirk broke in impatiently. aThat is the point, Mother! The Warden has taken years to do things that a good leader would have done at once! If the Warden had not delayed cutting the hours of work, Father would not have been on the Wall at sunset in the third skimmer season. He would still be with us now!a aDonat, Dirk!a whispered Rye, seeing his mother bowing her head and biting her lip.

aI have to speak of it, Rye,a said Dirk, his voice rising. aOur father was just one of hundreds of Wall workers who fell prey to skimmers because of the Wardenas dithering!a aHush!a Sholto warned, raising his eyes to the ceiling to remind his brother of the skimmers flying above. And Dirk fell silent, pressing his lips together and clenching his fists.

Like all the other citizens of Weld in skimmer season, Lisbeth and her sons went to bed early. What else was there to do, when sound was dangerous and the smallest c.h.i.n.k of light might lead to a skimmer attack?

Rye lay in the room he shared with his brothers, listening to the rush of wings outside the shutters, the occasional scrabbling of claws on the roof.

He prayed that the wings would pa.s.s them by. He prayed that he, his mother, and his brothers would not wake, like those ill-fated families in Northwall, to find skimmers filling the house, and death only moments away.

He crossed his fingers, then crossed his wrists, in the age-old Weld gesture that was supposed to ward off evil. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, but he knew that sleep would not come easily. The closely shuttered room was stuffy and far too warm. Sholtoas words at the dinner table kept echoing in his mind.

Weld may be nothing but a giant feeding bowl, in which tender prey are conveniently trappeda.

From Ryeas earliest years, he had been told that inside the Wall of Weld there was safety, as long as the laws laid down by the Warden were obeyed.

Certainly, the laws were many. Sometimes even Rye had complained that they were too many.