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398 lines
19 KiB
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<head>
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<title>The Shadowmaster - Chapter 26</title>
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<div class="section" id="xhtmldocuments">
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<h1>26</h1>
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<p>
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Jack could hear it breathing, rough and ragged as old leaking bellows, and wondered why none of them had noticed it before. A shape loomed some distance
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ahead of them.
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>"Answer!"</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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"We're just passing through," Kerry said nervously.
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</p>
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<p>
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"None traverse this low road." The voice echoed from wall to wall. "Save those who answer true."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack edged forward. Corriwen was at his side. Rionna held the staff up. It gave off a faint blue illumination, just enough to make out the shape in front
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of them twice as tall as a man, but squat and rough, as though it might have been made of stone itself. Two great horns twisted over its hooded eyes.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Who are you?" Jack asked. He stood at the edge of what seemed like another pit which yawned between them and the massive presence.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I am the <em>Crom Cruach</em>. It is my doom to guard the low road. I judge who passes by, and who stays."
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</p>
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<p>
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"We can't stay," Kerry piped up, shaking water from his boot. "We're on a mission."
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</p>
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<p>
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"You are at the end of your journey, or the beginning. Answer me thrice and you may pass. Fail and you remain forever with the lost."
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</p>
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<p>
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With that, a grinding rumble filled the air. They all turned in alarm.
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</p>
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<p>
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The two pillars at the mouth of the cavern moved slowly towards each other. Jack saw they were not pillars, but the edges of two massive doors.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Wait!"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I wait for no mortal."
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</p>
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<p>
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"But you haven't asked the questions."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Ah, the impetuosity of man. I had….forgotten the haste of mortals."
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</p>
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<p>
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The creature bent forward and now that his eyes had become accustomed to the gloom, Jack saw that it was not squatting as he had thought, but sitting hard
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against the cave wall. Both of its colossal arms were manacled to three heavy chains. Its moss-covered legs were pinioned to the rock floor by bands of
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stone. Whatever the <em>Crom Cruach</em> was, it was a prisoner here.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Answer me three riddles, and you may pass. Fail one and your journey ends here."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Go for it, Jack," Kerry urged. "You're the brains."
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</p>
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<p>
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A long silence followed, broken only by the ragged breathing of the <em>Crom Cruach</em>. Its head sunk to its chest, as if the horns were too heavy to
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carry. Then it spoke:
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>"I always run, though lie abed.</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>My mouth is furthest from my head</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>The only time you see me still</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>Is in the grip of winter chill."</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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As soon as the verse ended, the grinding sound started again behind them. Inch by inch, the doors began to crawl towards each other. The grinding sound was
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like a clock ticking off the seconds. He closed his eyes, repeating the rhyme to himself over and over again. The heartstone pulsed warm in his grip.
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</p>
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<p>
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When he opened his eyes, Kerry was looking at him with urgent expectancy.
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack smiled confidently. "You're a river. Always flowing. Under ice in winter. And the river mouth is at the sea, far from the headwaters."
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</p>
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<p>
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The grinding of the doors stopped. Kerry wiped sweat from his forehead.
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</p>
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<p>
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The creature flexed huge muscles and heaved on the chain. They all looked and saw, rising up from the depths, a single black pillar a yard wide. It reached
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the height of the rim and stopped.
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</p>
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<p>
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"It's a stepping stone," Corriwen said.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Only one," Kerry observed. "We need more than that."
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</p>
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<p>
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"We all have to think," Jack said, "and think hard. Don't just leave it up to me, because I could be wrong. And if I am, then we'll be stuck here. We have
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to get them right, every one, because that door will close anyway."
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</p>
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<p>
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The guardian leant back against the wall, lowered its great head yet again. Its voice boomed out once more:
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>In poor man's green and drab I flee</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>To travel wide the distant sea</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>And after many season turns</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>In silver mail a king returns.</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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The doors began to grind together. Jack gripped the heartstone, willing images to come. All he could see was Kerry, lying on his front beside the stream
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waiting for a fish to swim close. Nothing else would come. He tried to concentrate, read something into the mental picture.
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</p>
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<p>
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Behind them the doors rumbled. Corriwen put an encouraging hand on his shoulder, but despite it, Jack could find no solution.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Easy peasy," Kerry snorted. "Even I know that one."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Well, be quick," Corriwen ordered.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I'm a fisherman, and you're a salmon, aren't you? You start out a little green parr and go off to sea, and come back a big silver king of the river and
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just ready for the pot."
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</p>
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<p>
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The doors halted again. The guardian began to haul on the second chain and inch by inch, the second pillar rose up from the darkness and locked into place.
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Between them, the darkness seemed to descend forever.
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry punched the air, grinning from ear to ear. Rionna grabbed his hand and held it tight.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Not such a darn fool after all, eh?"
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack checked the doors. They were a mere yard apart. This time they would meet each other and close the cave-mouth completely. Now everything depended on
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the final question.
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</p>
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<p>
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It came before he was ready for it.
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>If you give me, give me free</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>Yet in giving, still keep me</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>Trade me not for fame or token</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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<em>Be unworthy if I'm broken.</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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"Jeez," Kerry breathed. "That's a tough one."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack pressed the heartstone to his forehead eyes closed in concentration. The seconds ticked away.;
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</p>
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<p>
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"Come on, Jack," Kerry whispered. "You can do it."
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</p>
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<p>
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The only image that came was of Corriwen high in the cage of Wolfen Castle in Eirinn, when she had stood up for the boy who was her fellow captive. But
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what that meant, he couldn't imagine. Nothing else would come.
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</p>
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<p>
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Behind them, the doors crashed together. This was it. They were trapped. And Jack could not think of the answer to this riddle.
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</p>
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<p>
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Corriwen touched him on the shoulder.
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</p>
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<p>
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"I learned at my father's knee," she said. "For he and my brother were men of honour and taught me well."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Taught you what?" Kerry asked.
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</p>
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<p>
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"That to be a Redthorn is to be always true. True to your heart and true to your word."
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</p>
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<p>
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She turned to the creature on the far side of the chasm.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You are a promise," she called in a clear voice. "A promise freely given and always kept. A promise never to be broken.
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</p>
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<p>
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For a long moment, the only sound was the rumbling breath in the shadows. Then they saw the great arms reach again and the chain groaned under tension,
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link by link. A third pillar rose up from the depth of the pit.
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</p>
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<p>
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"What a babe!" Kerry grinned from ear to ear. He got one arm around Corriwen's neck and hugged her tight.
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</p>
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<p>
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"No time for that," Jack told him. They couldn't go back. They had only one choice. "Come on!"
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</p>
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<p>
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Without a pause, he leaped onto the first pillar, trusting his own speed and balance, and made it to the far side of the chasm. Corriwen followed, light as
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a cat. Kerry took Rionna's hand and together they used the pillars as stepping stones.
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</p>
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<p>
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The horned creature sat still, breathing raggedly. Up close, they could see it had a broad and bestial face. Its hands were huge and horny, but its great
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feet bore cloven hooves. There was a gap between it and the wall, leading to a narrow passage. It was the only way past.
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</p>
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<p>
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"May we pass?" Jack thought he'd better ask.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You answered," it rumbled.
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</p>
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<p>
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"Where does this lead to?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Your doom, child. Doom for every mortal." It sounded as old as time and very, very weary.
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</p>
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<p>
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They began to skirt past it, wary of those powerful hands that might reach out and smash them flat. But it didn't even move. Behind them, the three pillars
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slowly sunk down out of sight and the chains rattled up again.
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</p>
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<p>
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Kerry led the way to the passage, but Rionna paused beside the guardian. Two red eyes regarded her from a hideously wrinkled face.
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</p>
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<p>
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"You are trapped here. How long?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"So long, I have no memory of it."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Can't you break free?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"If I could, I would. I long for movement."
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</p>
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<p>
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She turned to Jack. "No creature should be chained."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack looked at the clamps that pinned its legs to the floor. They were old and eroded, but still solid.
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</p>
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<p>
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"If I help you, would you help us?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Help you? How?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"We face another trial. Do you know what it is?" He drew the great sword. Before the thing could reply, Jack brought the blade down on the centre of the
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clamps. Sparks flew and the old stone broke into pieces.
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</p>
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<p>
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The creature let out a long slow sigh. Its hooves scraped on the stone.
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</p>
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<p>
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"So good! So good to move." It swung its head towards him. "Hear me now. Two brothers guard two doors. One door leads to burning fire. The other lets you
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pass. You may ask one question."
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</p>
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<p>
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"What question?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"You decide. But be warned. One tells only the truth. The other only lies."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Brilliant," Jack muttered under his breath.
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</p>
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<p>
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"And another thing. Find the means to pay your way, or sleep forever."
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</p>
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<p>
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"That's it?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"I can say no more."
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</p>
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<p>
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It stretched its legs out and brought them up again. Its eyes rolled beneath the twisted horns. It sighed again. "So <em>good</em> to move."
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</p>
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<p>
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Jack and Rionna turned away and left the old monster to what pleasure it could find.
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</p>
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<p class="break">
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<em>***</em>
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</p>
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<p>
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The brothers were not at all what Jack expected. As the path descended further into the old rock, he explained to the others what the guardian had said.
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</p>
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<p>
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"We have to think carefully. We only get one chance at this."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Doesn't sound very fair to me," Kerry grumbled.
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</p>
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<p>
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"This is not a place of fairness," Rionna said. "We are beyond the good in the under-place."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Well, the big horny guy at least did us a favour. That has to count for something."
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</p>
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<p>
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An hour later, they came to a dead end. Two stone doors stood facing each other. On each was carved an identical face, both covered in lichens and cobwebs.
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As they approached, two pairs of stone eyes slowly opened and regarded them coldly.
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</p>
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<p>
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"One lies," Jack said. "The other tells only the truth."
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</p>
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<p>
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"So how do we work out the safe door?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"We ask the right question."
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</p>
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<p>
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"But they will both give the same answer," Corriwen protested. "If you ask which way is safe, each will claim that it is their door."
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</p>
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<p>
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"That's the test," Jack said, gloomily. He had been thinking about this as they walked, and had so far failed to come up with an answer. "It's just another
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riddle."
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</p>
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<p>
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"One lies and the other speaks true," Rionna said, almost whispering. "But that is their weakness too."
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</p>
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<p>
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"How so?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"Each knows what the other will say, whether true or false. And therefore each will give the same answer to only one question. And that answer will be
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wrong.
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</p>
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<p>
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She planted Megrin's staff down between her toes and faced the left-hand door. When she spoke, her voice was clear and sure.
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</p>
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<p>
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"If I ask your brother which door leads to fire, what would he say?"
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</p>
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<p>
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The stone eyes looked at her. The features began to twist and writhe with a rough, grinding sound. The mouth opened slowly and a gravelly voice replied.
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</p>
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<p>
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"He would say my door way leads there-to."
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</p>
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<p>
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"Then we choose your door too," Rionna said before anyone could stop her. Kerry's breath drew in sharply.
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</p>
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<p>
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For a long moment there was silence, then, a puff of dust trickled out from a crack in the wall which gradually widened as they watched.
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</p>
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<p>
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The door opened and a chilling blast of air almost took their breath away.
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</p>
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<p>
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"No flames," Kerry said, letting his breath out slowly. "But I still don't get it. How did you know?"
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</p>
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<p>
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"The answer would be the same," Rionna said. "No matter which brother you ask. The liar will lie, but the answer would still be the same."
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</p>
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<p>
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"It's going to take me forever to work that one out," Kerry admitted.
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</p>
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<p>
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Together they walked through the portal. It swung shut behind them with a heavy, final thud.
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</p>
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<p>
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And they found themselves standing on the bank of a bleak, dark river.
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</p>
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</div>
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</div>
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</body>
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