Spell of the Crystal Chair (7 page)

“No one remembers now. But it was a sad day. Ever since then, the Lowami and the Yanti have been fighting each other.”

“Are they very much like your people, Chief Den-helm?” Sarah asked.

“The tribes have been separated for many years. They are a darker people than we, with darker eyes and darker hair. Much like yours, Sarah.”

“Has anyone ever tried to bring peace?”

“I have tried many times, but Balog is a warlike man.”

“Is he the chief of the Yanti?” Wash asked.

“Yes. A very powerful man, and he hates our people.”

“His wife does not hate us,” Princess Fairmina said.

“That is true. Olah is a good woman, but she came from our tribe, you remember.” He turned to Josh. “She was taken in war from our people, and Balog took her for his mate. She was a very good young woman.”

“We grew up together,” Rimah said. “I think if the men would get out of the way and let the women settle it, the two tribes could live in peace.”

Laughter went up at this, and one of the elders said, “Next, your wife will want to be chief.”

But Rimah said, “No. That is not true.”

Denhelm went on explaining how the division of the tribes had brought war. “Many have been killed. It is not good.”

“Then, is that why you sent to Goél, Chief? To stop the war?”

“It is, but I would not have sent if it had not been for the Ancient One.” He nodded toward a very old man,
who had sat silently through the meal. The Sleepers were never to learn his name. He was simply called the Old One or the Ancient One. It appeared he was a priest, and everyone showed him the utmost respect.

“Oh, Ancient One, tell our guests of your vision.”

The old man rocked back and forth. It seemed he would never speak. His voice was thin and reedy when it came, but it grew clearer as he spoke.

“From time to time I have dreams. This one was sent from Goél, I believe.”

He fell silent again, and everyone waited. Josh was impressed at the reverence the Lowami had for their priest.

“In my dream I saw terrible things. It was all in a swirling mist, but terrible beasts came and attacked our people. Many died. I grew afraid, and then I heard a voice saying, ‘You must have help. Send to Goél. Ask him to send those who will help your people.’” The Ancient One stirred. “I then told my vision to the chief.”

“And I sent Fairmina to find Goél and ask for help.”

Fairmina started to say something but then did not.

Josh thought he knew what she was thinking. “I know you are disappointed, Chief,” he said. “You were expecting Goél to send a large army, and instead you have seven very young people, two dwarfs, and a giant.”

Denhelm straightened his back. His face was stern, and he said confidently, “Goél is wise. I have served him for many years. Indeed, I did look for an army, but Goél’s ways are past finding out.”

Suddenly the Ancient One said in a clear, strong voice,

The words hung in the air, and with that the meeting appeared to be over. The elders got up and left. The Sleepers bowed before Rimah, who had supervised the dinner.

“It was a fine meal, Queen Rimah,” Reb said.

She took their thanks, and then Fairmina was approached by Jake.

“You almost told your father that we weren’t much, didn’t you, Princess?”

Fairmina suddenly smiled, although she looked troubled. “Yes, I almost did. But he has always believed in the wisdom of Goél.”

“Have you ever met Goél? Before this trip, I mean,” Josh asked.

“Oh, yes! He has been to our village many times.”

Josh was puzzled. “He’s everywhere!” he exclaimed. “I don’t see how he gets around so much.”

“I think there is more to Goél than you and I will ever know. In any case, my friend Josh, I am glad that you have come. We need help, and you are the help that Goél has chosen. So, welcome to Whiteland.”

Josh felt pleased that they had been accepted by this strong woman who could fight as well as any man. He bowed to her and returned to the igloo that he shared with Dave and Jake. They were all filled with warm food and sat talking for some time.

Josh did not take part in much of the conversation. He was listening, but he was thinking,
Fairmina is kind, but actually we do need an army. If there’s going to be a war, there aren’t enough of us to be of much help
.

T
he Sleepers fell into the patterns of the Lowami tribe with little difficulty. The trip from the south had hardened them, and they found that they could bear the cold much easier now. Their warm, insulated underwear and furs made a big difference, but they knew also that the fatty food they were eating was building up their strength and their resistance to the cold.

From time to time the snows came. Then they would huddle in their small houses or else in the Long House. They learned to admire the spirit and the kindness of the Lowami people. Chief Denhelm was a man of great natural courtesy. His wife had a spirit that was quiet and gentle. The villagers, with few exceptions, were friendly, and as the days passed they found themselves liking their hosts very much.

A boy named Conmor had grown especially close to the Sleepers. He was a bright young fellow, short and muscular, very strong, and also very curious. He could never get enough stories of what Oldworld was like, and he plied the Sleepers with questions constantly.

Early one sunshiny morning, Conmor announced to the Sleepers, “We’re going hunting. The meat is getting low. You are invited to join.”

“Hey, that’s cool, Conmor!”

“Cool?” Conmor looked puzzled. “Yes, it is cool. You would think it cold, I suppose. But why do you tell me that?”

“Oh, it’s just something we say.” Josh laughed. “That means it’s nice—it’s good—that we can go hunting with you.”

Conmor’s white teeth flashed against his dark, tanned skin. “I see. So when you like something, you say it’s cool.”

“That’s right.”

“Good. I will say that, too,” Conmor said. “Yes. It’s cool to go hunting. I will show you your weapons.”

“What are we going to hunt?” Dave asked as they walked to where the hunters were gathering.

“Something to eat.”

Wash laughed. “I guess that answers your question. Anything that we kill we eat.”

“Why, of course,” Conmor said with surprise. “Why else would we kill something if not to eat it—except one of the Yanti, of course.”

“You think we’ll run into any Yanti?” Jake asked.

“I do not think so. We will not be going into their territory.”

The chief was going on the hunt. So was his daughter. Everyone had donned white furs, which camouflaged them against the snow.

“I guess those white furs make it easier for us to sneak up on seals or something.”

“Yes, and sometimes we can harpoon a whale. They come in quite close. But I do not expect any today. We will try for a walrus. Have you ever eaten walrus?”

“Nope,” Reb said. “I’ve eaten lizards, though.”

“A walrus is not much like a lizard, but they are fat and give much strength.”

The hunters started out, waving at the women as they left.

Josh was pleased to find he could do much better on his snowshoes now. He was also surprised to see that the land was not as barren as they’d first thought. Although it was winter, small clumps of trees were still green. They passed herds of reindeer that were scraping the snow away, looking for food.

“Why, there’s still green grass down there!” Reb exclaimed. “You wouldn’t think it would be green this time of the year under that snow.”

“It is especially beautiful here in the summer. Then everything is green—the trees, the grass. I hope you will be here to see it,” Fairmina said.

Secretly Josh was hoping that their quest would be over by then, but he had learned not to try to guess what would happen on any mission.

The hunters did not find any walrus after all, but under the skillful direction of Fairmina they located another herd of reindeer. They were a strain not familiar to Josh, very large, and it took considerable skill to sneak up on them.

But after a long stalk, the hunters rose up and let fly their arrows. Sarah’s arrow took down one large specimen.

“Well shot, my daughter,” Denhelm said. “You use a bow well.”

When they’d brought down the meat supply they needed, Denhelm said, “Now, the fun is over, and the work begins.”

“What is that, Chief?” Josh asked.

“We must get these animals back to camp. They will feed us for many days.”

“Aren’t you going to dress them out and leave the hides here?”

“Leave the hides here!” the chief cried. “That would
be waste indeed. We use all of the animals, even the antlers and bones. You will see.”

Getting the large beasts back was hard work. The hunters first made three sleds of saplings and loaded the animals on them with great effort. Then, using leather thongs, they made themselves the beasts of burden to drag the heavy reindeer over the snow.

“Now I know how those sled dogs feel,” Reb complained. He leaned forward against his harness and looked back to see the sled moving slowly after them. “This better be good to eat. They are sure hard to come by.”

By the time they had traveled for two hours, Josh—and probably the rest of the Sleepers—was close to being exhausted. And then Volka, who was pulling one sled easily by himself, suddenly let out a yelp. Looking up, Josh saw an arrow in the giant’s shoulder.

At that exact moment Fairmina cried, “The Yanti! The Yanti!”

Instantly the hunters threw down their harness and scrambled for weapons. Suddenly the air was filled with arrows.

The Yanti had taken refuge behind a slight hill, but Fairmina and her father proved to be excellent tacticians.

“You take the right, daughter. I will take the left. The rest of you hold the center.”

Fairmina called out several names, Josh’s among them, and these ran to the right.

“We will come up beside them on the right, and my father will lead his band to the other side,” Fairmina said. “Those in front will keep them distracted. Have your arrows ready.”

Josh was stumbling to keep up when they came
upon the enemy. Taken totally by surprise, the Yanti let out yells of fear. They turned and fled, leaving one fallen Yanti behind.

“Shall we chase them, Father?” Fairmina cried, as Denhelm appeared with his party.

“No. They are fresh, and we are weary. Let us see to our wounded and get the food back to camp.”

Fairmina stood a moment over the fallen Yanti and looked sad. “There will be an empty place at their table tonight.”

“But they started it,” Reb said.

“I know, but this one is dead. Now his mate and his children will have no provider.”

It was a side of Princess Fairmina that Josh had not seen before.

“She’s really got a tender heart under that tough way of hers,” Dave said. “I didn’t know that.”

“I did,” Sarah said unexpectedly. “She talked about it one day. She really hates killing. But she has to do it because she’ll be the new chief.”

“Well, I guess a war leader has to be tough, all right,” Jake said, “but I hate for it to be a nice young lady. Too bad the chief didn’t have a son to take over when he gets too old.”

None of their number had been killed, but several were wounded. One man was placed on Volka’s sled. And Volka, whose injury was just a scratch to him, pulled the extra load easily.

“I guess that’s enough adventure for us for one day,” Josh said. His nerves were still jangled from the battle. He turned to Sarah who was pulling at the harness beside him. “Were you frightened?”

“Yes, I was. And, besides, I hate to shoot at another human being.”

Josh wanted to ask if she had shot the arrow that had killed the Yanti, but he saw that she felt very bad. He had the suspicion that she had, so he said, “It was something we had to do.”

“I guess so, but I hate it.”

Not more than five minutes later, a scream went up from one of the Lowami warriors who was in the front.

“What is it? What’s he seen? More Yanti?” Wash yelled.

They did not have to wonder long, for those in the front began falling back, all shouting something.

Fairmina suddenly was beside Josh. Her eyes glittered with hatred.

“It is an ice wraith. And we cannot flee and leave our wounded. We must fight it.”

The very name
ice wraith
seemed to go through to Josh’s bones, freezing them more than the cold weather. He had heard rumors about ice wraiths, but the Lowami feared them so much that they could not even clearly describe them.

Chief Denhelm was getting his warriors in order. “Archers in the second line! Spearmen in the first line! You archers, try to wound him!”

“A spearman has little chance against an ice wraith,” Fairmina said, her face tense. She notched an arrow to her bow and said, “You shoot a good bow, my Sarah. Get as many as you can into the wraith.”

Josh swallowed hard and stared ahead. He still could see nothing, but then suddenly a movement caught his eye.

“There he is! Archers ready!” Fairmina called out.

The line of archers drew their bows. The others
held harpoons and spears at the ready. All crouched, waiting. And then Josh saw the ice wraith.

It was a terrifying beast. It loomed enormous, as it burst out of a grove of trees. It stood upright, and Josh’s first thought was,
It looks like a T-rex
.

Indeed the wraith did walk on huge hind legs, but, unlike the T-rex, it had huge forearms. And it was entirely covered with a growth of smoky white fur. The creature even looked like smoke as it swept across the snow. He understood why it was called a “wraith.”

The most frightening thing was not the size or the saberlike claws, but the mouth full of teeth. Josh stood frozen with fear.
One bite of those teeth, and a human being would have no chance
. He had heard stories whispered that an ice wraith could bite a saber-toothed tiger in two with one snap of his jaws.