Frog and the Sandspiders of Aridian (15 page)

22

The Hatcheries

‘Have we got time to visit the Hatcheries?' asked Nadiah. ‘I think that Frog and The One should see them before we leave.'

‘I take it that you would be disappointed if you did not also go?' asked Katar.

‘I can never visit Pelmore without going to the Hatcheries,' admitted Nadiah.

‘If the truth be told, neither can I,' said Katar smiling. ‘We have enough time before we meet Cassaria.'

They walked along several passageways and across small intersections until they finally turned a corner and came out onto a large square. In front of them was a pair of high wooden doors set into a stone archway. The dark, ebony-like wood was intricately carved with spiders of all shapes and sizes. In front of the doors stood half a dozen Pelmorian guards dressed in black robes set with a white spider insignia. Their faces were stern and serious.

Katar led the group forwards and as they approached, one of the guards spoke.

‘We are honoured that Sand Master Katar visits us,
even in these troubled times.' He touched his forehead, bowed and stepped back as the other guards moved to either side. ‘The doors are yours to open,' he announced.

Katar moved to the doors and pressed several of the individual carvings. Each one then silently moved across the face of the doors and found a new position in the pattern. He then turned and spoke to Frog and The One.

‘Nadiah is well accustomed to the hatcheries, but as you have never been before I must instruct you on three things. Firstly, do not get separated from me. Secondly, make no quick movements or sudden noise and lastly, do not reach out and touch anything unless invited to do so. Is that clear?'

‘Of course,' acknowledged The One.

Katar looked at Frog. ‘Is that
clear
?' he emphasised. ‘Perfectly,' confirmed Frog.

He turned back to the doors, a guard on either side pressed a small spider carving, and the great doors swung inwards.

Nadiah heard Frog and The One gasp out loud. Even she, after many visits, still found it hard to contain herself on entering the Hatcheries.

They were at the top of a flight of wide semi-circular steps, which allowed them to look out across the cavern and take in the view. Ahead of them and intertwined across the whole of the far wall hung an intricate pattern of silk spider's webs, which stretched up some 50 metres. The bluish light from the crystals shimmered and glistened along the strands of the web, each thread as thick as a man's arm. A dozen or so
Sandspiders were poised, motionless, as though defying gravity, across the astonishing feat of natural engineering. The enormity of it was truly breath-taking.

They made their way down the steps to the cave floor and Katar led them to the base of the structure where, in hollows of soft sand, individual grey-white objects about the size of large watermelons nestled.

‘They're eggs!' exclaimed an excited Frog.

‘I think the clue is the fact that we are in the
Hatcheries
,' said The One, not unkindly.

‘But I thought that spiders built nests out of their silk and laid hundreds of eggs at a time,' said Frog.

‘That may well be in your world,' said Nadiah. ‘But, these are Sandspiders and as you know they can live for hundreds of years. Because of their longevity, they do not breed very often. In fact, a female Sandspider will lay just one egg every ten years.'

Frog looked up. ‘I count about twelve Sandspiders, but there are only eight eggs. Are you waiting for the others to lay?'

‘No,' replied Nadiah. ‘They have already had their young if you look closely.' She pointed to one of the Sandspiders. ‘You can just see the young one clinging on to its mother.'

They all took in the astounding sight until the Sandspider turned its position and the young spider was lost to them.

‘Come,' said Katar. ‘We have enough time to see the other spiderlings.'

They followed him to an antechamber where rows of small stables housed young Sandspiders. They were
about half a metre in size and the fine hair on their bodies and legs was a golden brown. Several men and women, dressed in the now familiar robes, moved up and down, filling water bowls and food dishes. Some were cleaning out stalls.

A young woman sat brushing and grooming one of the spiderlings; its forelegs arched over her lap while the bulk of its body sat on the straw next to her. They watched, mesmerised, as the creature trembled with pleasure each time the brush passed across its back. It also made a soft, high-pitched purring noise that left no doubt about its delight.

‘How old is it?' asked Frog.

‘About eight months if I'm not mistaken,' answered Katar. ‘They leave their mothers at six months and are introduced to a more solid diet.'

‘Which is?' asked The One.

‘Raw Saurs. They are, after all, carnivores,' said Katar.

‘How long until they grow to full size?' enquired Frog.

‘Ten years to maturity and during that time, at the training ground in Arachnae, they will choose and scent their rider and companion who will train them to hunt for themselves and to fight,' explained Katar. ‘This is a very special relationship because a Sandspider usually outlives the rider who will eventually have to introduce and prepare a younger rider to take over. Some Sand-spiders have as many as four dedicated riders during their lifetime.'

Nadiah nodded at them to look at Frog who was watching the young Sandspider intently. It may or may
not have sensed his gaze but, at that moment, it shifted its position and turned to face him, the eight, liquid-black eyes focussing on him. It seemed that the Sandspider tilted its head with curiosity and then it moved forward slowly until it sat at his feet.

Katar put a finger to his lips and signalled for everyone to be quiet.

Frog knelt down and the Sandspider gently reached its two forelegs up and placed them on his chest; their faces were inches apart, the unblinking eyes of the Sandspider reflecting Frog's features. He rubbed the tops of its legs, letting the soft hairs run through his fingers and then he placed a hand just behind its head, caressing it as if he were stroking a cat behind its ears.

The purring went from a high pitch to a deep drone, reflecting the absolute bliss that the Sandspider was feeling. They were all lost in the moment when, suddenly, it stopped and the Sandspider quickly scuttled back to the lap of the young woman as if it has sensed some unseen threat.

Back in the large cavern, the giant Sandspiders tensed their many legs as a vibration rippled through the strands of their web.

‘What's happening?' asked Frog, jumping to his feet.

‘We must leave,' ordered Katar and turned quickly.

Nadiah and The One followed, but Frog paused for a moment and looked back at the young Sandspider. The girl now held a protective arm around it.

‘Thank you,' he said.

He ran after the others and by the time he caught up with them, Katar was in conversation with one of the Pelmorian guards.

‘There are tremors coming from the surface and upper levels,' said the guard. ‘Whatever is causing them must be something very destructive for the effect to be felt at this depth.'

‘When we leave, bring all of your men into the Hatcheries and seal the door behind you,' ordered Katar. ‘I fear that Lord Maelstrom and his horde mean to bring the battle to us and are intent on destroying every part of Aridian.' He turned to the others. ‘We must make haste to Cassaria. The time is quickly approaching when we will be needed.'

23

The Spear

Katar hurriedly took them back out to the plaza then down a short corridor until they came to a door, the image of a burning sun engraved at its centre.

‘It's the sign of The Chosen!' exclaimed Frog. ‘How did that get here?'

‘Only the Guardian, Cassaria, can answer that for you,' replied Katar. ‘I did not know of this place until she recently told me of its existence. All I am doing is following her instructions.'

He reached up, turned the image several times in different directions in much the same way, thought Frog, that you might undo a combination lock on a safe. There was a loud click and the sound of bolts withdrawing and then the door swung silently inwards. Katar beckoned them to step inside before following them and closing the door behind him. They were now in an oval room; at its centre were two semi-circular benches facing each other. A small crystal about the size of a fist was set into the centre of the floor, giving off an orange glow.

‘Sit,' instructed Katar, taking his place on one of the benches.

Nadiah sat next to him while Frog and The One sat opposite, facing them.

‘What now?' asked Frog.

‘Now, I am to instruct you to push your sword into the crystal,' said Katar.

Frog drew his sword and they noticed that it gave off a soft golden glow of its own. He pushed the blade slowly into the crystal, which suddenly gave off a spectrum of orange and yellow lights. The ground beneath them gave a judder and the walls of the room fell away from around them to reveal a myriad of stars and a black velvet backdrop.

‘What's happening?' shouted Nadiah.

‘Hold on,' replied Frog. ‘I think that we're going on a bit of a ride.'

The floor melted away in an instant, leaving the crystal floating in between them. They were then pushed upwards on a cushion of air and bright light; faster and faster they went until the stars around them dissolved into a blur.

‘I can tell you from experience,' said Frog. ‘Don't look down.'

‘Whoa!' exclaimed The One as he tightly gripped the seat of the bench. ‘There's nothing beneath us!'

‘Yes, I know. I told you not to look down. Been there, done that.' Frog smiled as he looked across at Nadiah and Katar who were following his advice and keeping their heads turned firmly upwards.

Seconds passed by until the momentum gently slowed and darkness surrounded them. Then the stone floor, ceiling and the walls reconstructed themselves with a new doorway appearing.

‘I guess that this is where we get off,' announced Frog, sheathing his sword.

‘Not I,' said Katar remaining in his seat. ‘I am to continue on to the surface and prepare my people. With good fortune we shall meet again soon.'

‘Thank you for taking us to the Hatcheries,' said Frog. ‘It's an experience that I will never forget.'

Katar nodded a thank you in return and they left him to continue his journey.

Nadiah led the rest of them to the door and tentatively pushed it open to reveal a simple, domed room. The stone floor was covered in runes and patterns. Cassaria stood next to a stone plinth on which sat the Hourglass and Rune Stone, surrounded by a glowing blue haze. Frog noticed that the sand in the Hourglass now filled two-thirds of the bottom chamber.

‘Welcome,' said Cassaria. ‘I understand that you have had some adventures since we were last together.'

‘Nothing much really,' joked Frog. ‘Just somebody trying to kill me again.'

‘Trying to kill all of us,' added The One.

‘Unfortunately, we will have to face worse,' said Cassaria. ‘Events are moving faster than I could have foreseen. Belzeera and Lord Maelstrom have been using their foul Magic to create monstrous burrowing machines and are using them to try and penetrate the lower levels.'

‘The cause of the tremors that we felt in Pelmore,' guessed Frog.

‘I have used my Guardian's Magic to put a protective barrier around the lower levels of our communities,
but it will not endure the attacks for very long. As we speak, Ameer moves the Aridian armies to the surface, to the Plain of Sighs for the defence of the Dimension. It is hoped that this will distract Lord Maelstrom and he will pull all of his resources together with the objective of defeating us first on the surface.'

‘And what about us?' asked Nadiah. ‘Is it now our time?'

‘Indeed it is. Frog, you must stay close by my side. Our strength is with your sword, the Rune Stone and the Hourglass. I shall defend us all with whatever Magic that I can summon. Nadiah has the power of the Sisterhood to aid us.'

‘And I have a bullwhip?' said The One with disappointment.

‘You have something more than that, something much more powerful,' smiled Cassaria. ‘The parchments on which the ancient Guardian symbols are written. Do you still have them?'

The One rummaged inside his robes and finally withdrew the rolled-up skins.

‘I'm supposed to fight with these?' he asked, bemused.

‘You have learnt the meaning of the symbols. You know their power. Study them well because when the time comes, your knowledge of them will be vital. You will also have need of this.'

She stretched her arms out over a particular circular rune on the floor and brought her gold bangles together. The centre of the rune began to ripple and liquidise. Slowly, a steel blue, metal tip began to rise up followed by a long wooden shaft until, finally, a spear hovered in the air in front of her.

‘Take it,' she instructed The One.

He reached forward and grasped the spear as the floor returned to normal and Cassaria dropped her arms to release it into his grip.

‘The Spear of Providence,' she said. ‘A relic from the Guardians of old. It has their symbols on its shaft. You will need to interpret them for it to release its power and its purpose.'

The One studied the shaft of the spear and saw that there were four intricate markings etched into the wood. The sharp, flat iron spearhead also had the same four symbols engraved into the metal on either side.

He looked at the parchment and then to the spear.

‘You want me to try and decipher it now?'

‘As soon as you can, but whatever you do,' warned Cassaria, ‘do not utter the words until the time is right.'

‘How will I know when?'

‘I will tell you. Now, we must complete the circle. Join hands with me around the Rune Stone.'

They formed a circle, holding hands.

‘Breathe slowly,' she instructed. ‘Close your eyes and empty your minds of all troubled thoughts.' The blue haze around the Rune Stone expanded outwards and around them all. ‘I call upon the Magic of the Guardians and the power of the Rune Stone to protect us against the evils that we go to face. Bring us together and bind us in thought and deed and let it be seen that we have been embraced by its light.' Then she spoke in the ancient Magic tongue.

There was no bright, spectacular flash, but as the
blue haze receded back to the Rune Stone and they opened their eyes, the transformation in their attire was immediate for all to see.

Frog was clothed in robes of the deepest sea blue, while Nadiah's had turned to crimson. The One stood draped in colours of brown and green. Only Cassaria's robes remained an unchanged ice blue.

‘Well, this is different,' said Frog inspecting himself. ‘I would have preferred green.'

‘These robes afford us some protection, but be aware; we are not immune to Lord Maelstrom's vile Magic,' said Cassaria. ‘Now it is time for us to leave.'

She lifted the Rune Stone and the Hourglass from the plinth and led them all back through the door, to the now empty room where they sat down on the benches. This time she placed the Hourglass with the Rune Stone in its cradle onto the small crystal in the floor.

A blue haze filled the room and again the ground beneath them gave a shudder as the walls and the floor fell away around them. A warm breeze that rippled the material of their robes lifted them silently. There was no sense of speed, just the sensation of moving upwards.

It wasn't long before there was a slight jolt and the floor and walls reformed around them along with another doorway.

Cassaria picked up the Rune Stone and the Hourglass and led them out through the door, along a passage and to another door. As they followed her through it, they felt the temperature drop and saw that they were now in the small courtyard of a ruined
and derelict building. Sand covered the floor and there were only two sections of crumbling wall left standing. It was night-time and the sky was full of stars. They moved out of the shadows and followed Cassaria, until they stood together, looking out. The panorama before them revealed itself under the light of the two, pale, featureless moons. They were now stood on a ridge of sand, some 20 metres high and overlooking a desert plain. The ridge arced away to their left for what seemed two or three miles. To their right at about a hundred metres from them was a break in the dune, a natural entrance on to the plain. Then the ridge resumed, curving back to run parallel with the other side. In the distance, a fortress stood dominating the far skyline, its twisted spires reaching into a black, swirling cloud that hovered menacingly. Spreading out from the fortress, they could see, even at this distance, large scattered fires burning, the flames licking at the sky and illuminating the incalculable army assembled there. Hoards of giant scorpions and indescribably twisted creatures with clawed and pincered weapons were gathered to the right and to the left. In the centre, legions of robed figures waited anxiously. Among them stood the great towering war machines.

‘Dear Lord,' breathed The One.

‘Those things in the wooden towers,' observed Frog. ‘They look like giant corkscrews.'

‘The tremors that we felt; that's what he's using,' said Nadiah. ‘He is trying to burrow into the centre of Aridian itself, tunnelling down so that his army can invade our communities and cities.'

‘Hopefully, we will have distracted him from that mission. The time draws near,' said Cassaria to Frog. ‘He knows that we are here and he will come for you and the Rune Stone.'