The Aurora Stone (19 page)

“Ferryman, Ferryman, we wish to cross the Lake.

We have our payment; blood money is all you will take.

Ferryman, Ferryman, four await your vessel,

We are aware we cross at our peril.

To sail on the lake of the dead.”

The silence that followed was absolute, not even the water moved. Then before them materialised a great vessel, its mast was high, its sails grey and ripped. It was impossible for them to have caught a breeze, yet the boat moved through the oily water at speed. Once at the jetty, Eve was aghast but what she saw. A sailboat made entirely of creature bones. She could hear their screams, moaning she covered her ears and turned to bury her face in Sapphire’s breast.

You can hear the souls of the ones who did not pay the Ferryman, dear one.
Sapphire explained, their connection flaring.

But they did pay Sapphire, they paid with their lives! I don’t want to get on the boat, there has to be another way.
Eve replied as silent tears coursed down her cheeks.

Have courage dear one, you will not be alone, and though I once again cannot join you. This time, our connection shall not falter
, crooned the protector. Taking comfort and strength from her words, Eve wiped away her tears, picked up her bag and walked towards the nightmare that was the ferry.

“You have summoned me, Boy. Payment I require and payment I shall have, be it blood, money or your bones. I shall have payment before you step aboard this vessel.” The Ferryman’s voice reached them on the jetty, but they could not see him.

“We are a company of four, Ferryman, so four bloodied silver yits we have brought for payment,” Caleb replied to the sinister bodiless voice. He opened his hand to display the blood-soaked coins.

Eve covered her mouth to stop the scream that almost escaped her. Out of thin air, a skeletal hand appeared, tattered ribbons of grey flesh hung loosely from the appendage. Following the hand up the owner’s arm, she was relieved to see a dark cowl covered the creatures body and face if indeed it had a face. Eve could not detect an aura at all. The gaping black opening of the cowl seemed to be just that, a pitch black and empty. This sent chills down her spine. The ferryman was not of this world.

Taking the coins, the ferryman waved his arm and a gangplank appeared.

“Climb aboard, though remember, it is at your own risk that you sail these waters. If you wish to live, do not be led,” the creature said as he proceeded the group on board. Looking at Caleb, she reached for his hand, only to remember he had hurt himself to make the payment.

“It's fine, Eve. I have already healed the wound,” he assured her, showing his palm as proof. Taking his hand, she boarded the ship along with the others. Looking about, she saw there were no seats of any kind and the floor was filthy.

“How long will it take to make the crossing?” she asked Caleb just to fill the eerie silence.

“It takes as long as it takes, Light Carrier. It really depends on each of you.” Came the ferryman’s reply from directly behind her. Yelping, Eve scrambled away and turned to face him. “Yes I know who and what you are, Evangeline. Though you need not fear me, I take no sides but my own,” he said before heading for the wheel.

“What does he mean, Caleb, it depends on us?” Eve squeaked, she clutched his arm in a vice grip, which made Caleb wince.

“He means; the lake can play tricks on the mind. If we are distracted by its trickery, time becomes warped for us here, like a kind of limbo, but in actual fact, it carries on as normal everywhere else. I have heard tales of people being lost on this lake for years.” Seeing the look of complete horror on her beautiful face, Caleb realised far too late that, that could possibly have been the most stupid thing he could have said.
I am a moron! Goddess forgive me.
He thought while mentally kicking himself. Taking her in his arms, he held his love, while humming a song hoping to soothe her anxiety, and forget his stupid comment.

The boat barely stirred the waters as it carried the foursome across the lake. Eve tested her connection with Sapphire and was pleased to find it was still active. Caleb held on to her, humming a sweet song, which helped to calm her. He also kept her away from the sides. Though she didn’t know why Eve didn’t care, the last thing she wanted to see was the murky waters of this lake and to be close enough to see the grain in the bones that made up the ship.

Eli and Jericho were standing together by the mast, neither had anything to say, Eli glanced at the Miscurt every so often, only to find his stance and expression had not changed. Sighing, he moved to the port side and looked out at the mist that hung like cobwebs over the grey waters. After a few moments, Eli noticed a person swimming in the lake beside the boat, then another. Leaning over to get a better view, he was shocked to see his parents. Though he had been just a babe in arms when he was abandoned, his heart would know his mother anywhere. How beautiful she was, with her long hair flowing out behind her.

“Mother, Mother! It’s me, Eli! Let me help you aboard,” he called. Leaning further over the side to reach out to his mother. Caleb looked up and more roughly than he intended, pushing Eve from him and ran to Eli all the while calling for Jericho. Startled, the Miscurt reached Eli at the same time Caleb did.

“Mother! It’s me, Eli, reach for my hand,” he called out again, now only the tip of one boot was touching the deck.

“Grab him, Jericho, but do not look into the water!” Caleb yelled, having to compete with Eli’s calls to his mother. Nodding, Jericho grabbed the distressed elf, just has he pitched forward over the side. It was at this point Eve rushed over. Shouting to her to keep back and not to look into the water, Caleb reached over Jericho, which was no mean feat, and placed his hands over Eli’s glazed eyes.

“But…what’s happening? Eli says our mother is down there how can he know that he has never seen her?. Eve asked as she moved closer to the rail.

“NO!” shouted Caleb his eyes flashing with fear. “There is no one in the water, it is the curse of the lake. Those who gaze into its waters will see what their heart yearns for, it is what kills people. They think they see someone they love or something they covert and over they go to get it. Once in the water, there is no getting back on this vessel,” he explained.

Ashen faced, Eve moved back to the middle of the deck and covered her face with her hands and wept.

Thankfully Eli, exhausted by his ensnarement of the lake, fell asleep. Jericho carried him back to the mast and sat with him, all the while keeping a vice-like grip on his right ankle should he awaken and feel the need to return to rescue his mother. The next hour or it could have been a week, nothing changed on the lake of the dead, there was nothing but the silence. Caleb held Eve until her tears stopped and then resumed his humming.

Suddenly there was a grinding sound and the ferry slowed, then stopped.

“We have arrived,” came the voice of the ferryman. Eve did not need telling twice, as soon as the gangplank appeared she was across it and back on solid ground. Eli came to, the moment he was placed on the bank. He was groggy for a few minutes, but soon he was fully himself and horrified at his behaviour, but saddened that the vision had not been real.

“There will be time for lamenting lost loved ones later, now we must move. We still do not know if that creature made it back alive, it is better we find the Princess and retrieve the Stone as soon as we can.” Jericho stated, his tone clearly implying that negotiation was no an option… Getting their packs together, they turned to face inland and joy of joys only a few miles away they could see the brown walls of a castle.

“Come on, we can be at the castle in an hour or so.” Caleb encouraged, picking up a long branch from the tree line just on their right to use as a staff. The ground was covered in long grass for about a third of a mile and was boggy. However, after stopping for the fourth time to pull Eli out of the boggy ground, Caleb instructed everyone to fall in line behind him and he would use his staff to test the ground and map out a clear path for them. The rest of their journey went a lot more smoothly after that, and soon they had passed through the bog and were greeted with a gravel road that meandered its way to the castle.

Grace had fallen asleep in Ariana’s arm.; The three girls had been in the laundry room for a while, Winter had marked off six sun rises on the wall with a piece of chalk she had found. With no sign of the noise that filtered to them through the vents in the door of stopping, they were resigned to the fact that they were in here for the foreseeable future. Winter was gazing out at the moor that surrounded her castle. It was so peaceful out there, how she wished they could all climb through this barred window and escape this nightmare. Reaching inside her hoodie, Winter clutched her mother’s stone and sent up a silent prayer that help would come.

“I don’t believe it!” Winter exclaimed a while later; time seemed to drag in the confines of the room. There, walking along the road right towards the castle was a group of travellers. Using her exceptional sight, Winter was able to see the company was made up of three males and a female. One of the males was a Miscurt. Wondering what the strange troop was doing on the moor, Winter turned and beckoned Ariana to wake Grace, help was on its way.

“How are they going to help us, Winter? They do not know to look through this window; they will head for the grand entrance and get caught up in a brawl for their trouble.” Ariana said; despair seeping into every word. Winter was not going to allow these creatures to miss them. Looking around the room, she was pleased to find several heavy stones that were used to wash the linen. The scullery maids held true to the traditional methods.

“Right, as soon as they are close enough, I am going to smash the glass in the window and call for help, we will just have to hope that the noise going on in the rest of the castle is loud enough to mask the sound,” she rushed, as excitement and fear coursed through her in equal measure. Ariana didn’t look convinced but admitting they had very little choice, she gently woke Grace and explained the plan to her.

“Finally!” Winter said. She had been sitting watching the travellers progress, and now they were close enough for her to put her plan into action. “You two, cover yourselves with a sheet in case any shards fly back into the room,” she instructed as she positioned herself ready to smash the glass and call out.

“Did you hear that?” Jericho said, stopping suddenly. Everyone shook their heads. “Listen…there!” he said pointing off down the left side of the castle, “Breaking glass.” Everyone stood perfectly still.

“Over here…Please…. Help!” came the muted plea on the breeze. Jericho turned to the group, looking each in the eye he said.

“Now we have two options, believe the girl calling is in need and go and assist, or seeing as this is the Coven that houses the Royals, it could well be a trap. So do we walk into a possible trap or knock on the front door.”

“What if the girl is calling us over because she knows there is a trap waiting for us on the other side of the main door?” Eve asked completely calm, her eyes switching between gold and deep fern. “Once close enough, I will be able to tell if this is a ruse and then we can make a new plan,” she finished. Not able to find a solid counter argument, the men agreed to go and see what the mystery girl needed help with.

“Oh thank goodness, my name is Winter, my friends and I have been forced into hiding, there is a strange madness that has descended on the Coven, fights haven broken out all over the castle. Even my father is brawling.” Winter rushed once the group had reached the window.

“How can we help you?” asked Eve kneeling a short distance away so she could get a good look at the striking Vampire. Though her aura was faint and mixed with a sickly grey colour, Eve was sure that the girl was being honest, and her pale aura was a soft violet, which had she been fully alive would have lost its greyness and pulsed with vibrancy.

“We need to stop the fighting somehow; I don’t know if you can help, but I didn’t want you walking into a vampire war zone, especially as we haven’t had fresh blood in a while,” Winter explained with a gulp; she was trying to look anywhere but at the sweet pulsing vein in the red head’s neck.

Turning to Caleb, Eve asked if he would be able to create a diversion so they could help these girls escape. Frowning, he said yes that was possible, but surely freeing three hungry Vampires was a very bad Idea. Eve just smiled at him, knowing he wouldn’t refuse her. Sighing, he headed back to the corner of the building and began to chant. Once satisfied, he returned the group.

“That should do it, I cast a nullifying charm, if this is just blood lust and contagious rage they should stop. If it is something more, then the ones who remain enraged will need to be contained,” he said, then added, “Could you let me know if the fighting stops please, Miss Winter; so I know if further intervention is needed.”

“It’s just Winter, and sure,” she replied.

Minutes passed, and Winter could still hear sounds of angry vampires, though it was greatly reduced. She relayed this to Caleb, who sighed and explained that it was possible there was a possession taking place, most likely Ghouls, which would mean the creature Jericho wounded, survived long enough to pass on his knowledge.

“What’s the plan then?” Eli asked he was bored with the looks the vampires were throwing him, they were making the hairs on his neck stand on end.

“What happens next is we go in there and kick the ghouls out of the Vampires, if you are not up for that, you can stay here and keep the girl's company.” Jericho bit out, flexing his biceps. He might be Eve’s twin, but Eli was really starting to get on his nerves, she was more, in every way.

Jericho and Caleb made their way to the main doors, hearing footsteps behind them they turned to find Eve chasing after them. Caleb tried to send her back but Eve was having none of it. Time was of the essence; so he gave up, and the three approached the main doors, keeping as close to the wall as possible.

“Ok, once the doors are opened, I am going to hope and pray that there is only one active vampire in there, two at most,” Caleb muttered. “If there are more, Jericho, I am going to need you to keep the others busy.”

“Wonderful, I haven’t had a good fight in ages! I could do with the exercise.” He replied cracking his knuckles and neck. On the count of three, Jericho kicked the doors open and burst into the grand entrance hall, it was a mess, dismembered bodies scattered the marble floor. There were no active vampires in sight so slowly the three entered. They made it as far as the ballroom, four doors down the main hall when a vampire burst from the room, Jericho punched it, connecting with its jaw and sending him reeling back into the room. Caleb acted quickly, he exorcized the ghoul and banished it to the land of its forbearers, and so they continued for the next hour. However, by the time the last vampire had been exorcized, Caleb was pale and sweating.

“Eve!” Jericho yelled, as suddenly a vampire grabbed her from behind and held her up by the throat.

“You have banished my brothers and sisters, but where did it get you? I have the Light Carrier by the throat, one quick twist and your salvation is dead, permanently this time,” the vampire spat. Reaching to her hip, Eve grabbed for her dagger, finding it just as her vision became spotty due to lack of oxygen, she thrust the blade back- ward, stabbing the vampire in the midriff. It was enough; it bellowed and released her sending her crashing to the ground gasping for air. Using the last of his reserves, Caleb banished the last ghoul and slumped to the ground.