The Flight of the Griffin (7 page)

Clouds of gulls escorted them in - wheeling and crying with the hope that
The
Griffin
was a fishing boat with scraps to eat. They passed into the little port, and were surprised to see Loras running along the harbour wall waving at them.

They watched him run past a three-masted ocean trader being unloaded with the help of a large wooden crane swinging bales and crates onto the quayside. A waiting army of carts and porters were busily moving the cargo up to the warehouses and trading halls of the town, causing a heady aroma of spices to fill the air. A group of urchins were urging the porters on, hurling insults and jokes, ready to run in and snatch something if the chance was presented to them.

‘Ahoy
The
Griffin
,’ shouted Loras happily.

Tarent stood up from where he’d been propped against the wall reading and raised a hand in greeting and they both ran down to where
The Griffin
was coming in to dock.

‘How did you know we’d be in today?’ shouted Pardigan, as he threw a mooring rope to Tarent.

‘We could still be days away but you look like you’ve been expecting us.’

Tarent glanced over at Loras who was helping tie the other end of the boat to the docks. ‘You better ask our magician friend about that, he had a visitor,’ he answered cryptically.

When
The
Griffin
was safely moored, sails stored and they were signed in with the Harbourmaster, the boys all gathered down below. Tarent replaced the coins in the stove, visibly relieved not to be carrying them around with him, while Quint and Pardigan told of Pardigan’s conversation with the cat. Loras was in awe of the book and its magical abilities. He was sitting with the cat on his lap, stroking her fur, but had to put her down to see and touch the book for himself.

‘Well?’ said Quint. ‘What shall we do? We find ourselves in the middle of an adventure and being asked to take it to another level,’ he glanced around the group. All eyes were on him, including those of the cat. He carried on, ‘This seems too good to miss but it also sounds dangerous. We know someone’s following us and that he’s after something that we have,’ he glanced across at Pardigan, ‘or rather took. I can only think it’s the knife and book. To stay here means sooner or later he’ll find us. The book at least gives us a chance to move on and I for one vote that we take the challenge, whatever it is.’ He sat back down.

Pardigan stood. ‘Let's do it!’ was all he said before resuming his seat.

Loras was nodding all the time, clearly excited. ‘Oh yes, we must. A chance like this for magic and adventure is…is…is, oh absolutely, my vote is yes.’

Tarent stood and stared down at the book, then nodded to Loras. ‘Did you tell them how we knew they were coming in today?’

‘Oh, right,’ said Loras excitedly. ‘Of course.’ He held the cat up, which hissed a warning for being handled too roughly. ‘Oops sorry,’ said Loras. ‘Well…Mahra here came to see me and told me you were coming.’

‘But the cat has been with us,’ said Quint. ‘You’re telling us that the cat, who by the way, was on our boat out at sea. That this cat here; came to see you from on another boat a long way away. It had a chat with you, then came back to our boat?’ Loras nodded happily. Without waiting for an answer Quint glared at the cat. ‘Cat or Mahra or whatever your name is, I think you owe us an explanation before we go making any decisions on what we're doing. Right now we’re being played with and I don’t like it.’

The cat stood up, stretched, and walked around the centre of the room her eyes flashing bright blue as she glared back at Quin
t and leapt up onto the table, changing form as she landed. Sitting in front of them was a girl with short dark hair. She was small, about the same size as Loras, had a pretty face with big blue eyes and was dressed from head to foot in tight grey leather. She looked around at their shocked faces, eyes flashing an even brighter blue, and giggled.

‘Hello, boys, I’m Mahra and I suppose you’re right, maybe it is time we had a little chat.’

‘Well, she didn’t look like that when she came to see me,’ said Loras, ‘How do you do that? Where do you come from? What…’

‘What are you playing at, Mahra?’ interrupted Quint angrily.

She turned to regard him with feline eyes. ‘Calm down Quint…I’m not playing games with you; I’m merely your…guide or advisor, if you decide to take the challenges. Your friend here stole the book and knife,’ she nodded at Pardigan. ‘I watched him do it. It doesn’t matter how he got it. The question you now face is whether to continue with what
he
started.’ She sighed and settled herself more comfortably. 'I have been the guardian of that book for centuries and there has never been a group that have managed to open it until now. I’m actually starting to believe after all this time that we may finally get to complete this. Maybe then I can do something else other than follow a book about for years and years.’

‘So how do you change into a cat and how did you get to Loras?’ asked Quint, calming slightly now that Mahra was talking with them.

‘I can change when I want to. I’m not too sure what my true shape really is any more, I think it’s this one, but I do so love being a cat, and an owl, so maybe I’m really one of those.’ She thought for a moment. ‘No, I think that this is my real shape, I just don’t use it much.’ She looked down at her arms. ‘I mean, it’s not much good for anything is it? It can’t fly, it’s not very agile, what’s it for?’ She seemed to drift off again, and her eyes started to close, and then opened again.

‘Oh yes, this is important, so listen. It doesn’t matter what decision you make, but every one of you must decide for yourself and make a conscious decision. Don’t just follow your friends; decide if this is the path for you, or not. The future is fraught with danger, the path will often be uncertain, but then, isn’t that the case whichever way you choose to walk in life?’

She stood and walked around staring deeply into the eyes of each of them. ‘
The Book of Challenges’
was written a long time ago, by a magician who foresaw a time in the future when this planet would need to be set on another course. The reality you all take for granted is set in a fine balance between Chaos and Order. A great spell was cast to stop the world slipping into a time of Chaos by altering the consciousness of every living thing. The spell was sealed within three crystal skulls and each was carefully hidden until it was time for them to be united, this will allow the spell to complete and balance to be restored.

To do this, the Magician needed to enlist the aid of others who wouldn’t be born for many generations. I was charged with guarding the book and the knife and to await those that would one day use them. It’s been a very long time, but maybe now we’re truly at the end of time, our heroes have finally been found, and we can try and find the skulls.’ She yawned. ‘I need to sleep; it’s just one of the things about being a cat for so long. Make your decisions, and if all of you are in agreement, each place a hand upon the book and the next pages will be revealed.’ These last words were softly spoken as she transformed back into the cat and lay upon the table already dozing off.

‘But what about the person following us?’ asked Pardigan, ‘What are we going to do about him?’

Mahra lifted her head and said in a sleepy voice, ‘He follows now but won’t find you…yet.’

‘Yet…? Yet…? What does she mean yet?’ exclaimed Pardigan, jumping to his feet, but this time Mahra really was fast asleep.

They talked until way past dark and broke the discussion to eat beans and bread before continuing, reading Magician Pew’s rhyme several times. They all liked the mention of gifts, especially Loras who was sure they would be magical gifts, but they were also concerned about the dangers, particularly, in Pardigan’s case, the one following them, but in the end they had only one choice. The unknown dangers would have to remain unknown for now. There was little they could do about them so there was no point fretting. Finally, each stood and, making their decision, placed a hand upon the book.

The last was Pardigan, who hesitated, staring around at the others, aware of the importance of the moment. Laying his hand upon theirs, he said, as the others had before him, ‘My decision is made; we should take the challenges and see this future for ourselves.’

The knife in the book’s spine flared, causing Mahra to wake for a moment, and then it went back to its normal state. They stared round nervously at each other.

‘Well,’ said Pardigan, ‘Let's open it.’

Tarent reached for the book and keeping it flat on the table so they could all see, he opened it. Moving past the introduction, he found that the next page was no longer blank. He read it aloud…

They all stared at Loras.

‘I think that must be you, Loras,’ said Tarent turning to face away with the others.

Loras glanced about the group. They had their backs to him, leaving him quite alone with the book - he grinned nervously.

‘All right, here goes,’ he said, closing his eyes. As he lowered his hand the stone glowed and small blue streaks of energy flickered up from the book. When the glow faded, the boys turned expectantly. Loras appeared almost unchanged; the difference was in his eyes.

‘What is it, Loras?’ whispered Pardigan. ‘What happened? What’s it done to you?’

Loras shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I don’t feel much different, except…except it all seems so…so clear in my mind, like…like a cloud has been lifted.’

‘I’m not sure I want to put my hand anywhere near that book,’ muttered Quint. ‘I think it’s messed with his head, he’s gone a bit weird, hasn’t he?’

‘Weird!’ said Loras. ‘No, I’m not weird, watch.’ He pointed at the mast and everyone fell to the floor. It wasn’t wise to be anywhere near Loras when he was pointing at anything, lest you lost an ear or something.

They glanced up when there was no explosion.

‘Oh Source!’ said Pardigan, peering over the table that he’d dived under. ‘Loras, that’s incredible!’

Loras was still pointing at the mast but tears were streaming down his face and he was smiling. ‘Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of being able to do that?’

From out of the old wooden mast, a single small branch now grew with three leaves and a tiny acorn.

‘The book has taught me to control and understand the magic I’ve practised, and the chance to learn more and become a real magician.’

It was the first time any of them had heard Loras say anything like this; he was always one to argue that he was already a real magician. They glanced around at one another and then down at the open book, another page had become visible.

Seeing that Loras was all right, well a bit strange, but apparently unharmed; Pardigan moved his hand to the book. Again the gem flared a dazzling blue and Pardigan felt fingers of ice creeping up his arm and down his spine. Pressure built behind his eyes, then the gem, and his world, returned to normal. He noticed firstly that he was wearing different clothes, which startled him. Everything was a light grey - a cape with its hood folded down was draped over his shoulders, soft black boots came up almost to his knees and he instinctively knew he had a knife tucked in the left boot. He was also aware of another knife at his side and checked his belt to confirm this.

‘Well?’ said Quint, concerned for his friend.

‘I’m not sure,’ whispered Pardigan. ‘I don’t feel very…different…yet.’ He glanced around the boat and then out of the porthole, ‘I do feel something…calling me…it’s…strange but…’