ISOF (19 page)

A silence enveloped the figures clustering around the fire. Ben studied the faces before him. Hurt and anger appeared etched in each face as the flickering shadows emphasised every frown. Eager to break the solitude he felt, Ben gave a cough.

‘Leonard,' replied the old man smiling at Ben.

‘How did you know what I was going to ask?' enquired Ben with surprise.

‘Told you lad, vision.'

‘Vision?' snorted Ben. ‘Somebody told you we were coming and who I was.'

‘Really?' replied Leonard.

‘Yes, really,' grinned Ben. ‘Besides, that odd looking bloke we met at the gorge said you'd tell me exactly what was going on and what I was supposed to be doing.'

‘Ah,' grinned Leonard. ‘Briel has a habit of getting other people to do his work for him. Well,' he continued, ‘in my experience lad, if you tell people what to expect they simply ignore you because they always think they know best. You don't need an old man like me to tell you how to behave when the unexpected happens.'

‘That's rubbish!' snorted Mak. ‘You're just like the rest of them, all talking gibberish because none of you have a clue what's going on.'

Leonard smiled. ‘Maybe not,' he replied raising an eyebrow in acknowledgement. ‘All I can say is that you must play your part in that change or become like me, an old man left with his dreams.'

‘Is there anything you can tell us?' asked Ben, his face betraying the frustration he was feeling.

‘Two things lad,' replied Leonard. ‘Firstly, don't always rely on tradition to show the way forward.' Leonard's eyes clouded over as he stared into the night sky.

‘And the second?' asked Trep.

‘Get some sleep. You'll need your wits about you tomorrow.'

Clang, clang, clang!

Four pairs of eyelids struggled to reveal sleep-laden eyes.

Clang, clang, clang!

‘What on earth…?' mumbled Trep dozily.

‘It's not on earth,' groaned Ben. ‘It's from another planet, a different solar system and it doesn't belong in my dreams.'

Mak reluctantly pushed the fabric away from the window to reveal darkness. He fell back onto his bed and groaned.

‘It's still night out there,' he whimpered.

‘It's still night in here,' replied a bleary Noj whose eyes remained firmly shut.

‘
Clang, clang, clang!'
repeated the bell.

Ben had just managed to manoeuvre his legs towards the floor when the door to their room crashed open.

‘Get up, quickly,' yelled Leonard. ‘It looks like a part of the forest has been set ablaze.' He stood holding the door open for a moment and then sighed deeply. ‘I'd better go and investigate,' he muttered to himself and, without another word, he swept through the door and into the night.

Ben allowed his eyes to close once more as he tugged the bedclothes around him. Both Mak and Trep had succumbed to the warm embrace of the bed as Noj suddenly sat upright.

‘Cutters!' he spat. ‘There's only one group of vandals who would do such a thing.'

Within seconds four dishevelled bodies competed for space in the doorway. Each shivered as the cold of the night slithered around them. Ben, pulling his cloak as close around his body as he could, nodded towards the orange glow outlined by the darkness.

‘Best get a move on,' he suggested sounding far more confident than he felt.

‘I agree,' replied Noj. ‘But I think we'd better wait for Leonard before we make any moves. Besides,' he shrugged with a grin, ‘I'm not sure which way to go!'

At that precise moment, Leonard appeared out of the darkness. As four mouths opened, he held his hands up to stifle the impending barrage of questions.

‘We haven't time for unnecessary questions and long-winded answers,' he said tersely. ‘The Cutters have managed to get here quicker than I expected.' He clapped his hands together. ‘If you've got all of your things together, I'll lead you to the edge of the forest and send you off in the best direction…hopefully.'

Mumbling the last word, Leonard hoped that his lack of conviction concerning any travel plans had gone unnoticed. He quickly glanced at the group and caught Ben staring at him with a puzzled expression. Ruffling his own hair, Ben yawned and then blinked.

‘I'd be careful doing that,' said Leonard with the beginnings of a grin.

Ben, still ruffling his hair, frowned.

‘Doing what?' he asked as another yawn toyed with his mouth.

‘Three, potentially tricky manoeuvres all at the same time,' replied Leonard. ‘If you got them mixed up you could be in serious trouble.'

Ben gently shook his head and allowed the yawn to escape into the night.

‘Hopefully what?' asked Ben.

‘Hopefully you'll get away before the Cutters pick up your trail and go tearing after you,' said Leonard.

Trep shuddered. ‘I don't like the reference to
tearing,'
he said. All sounds a bit terminal to me.'

Leonard, scratching the side of his nose while trying desperately to hide a smile, jerked his head towards the night. ‘You really do need to start making tracks,' he said calmly. ‘I can delay the Cutters for a while but, sooner or later, they'll see through my deception.' He gave a broad grin. ‘Even Cutters can't be fooled all of the time.'

‘I don't mean to be disrespectful,' said Ben. ‘But how are you going to delay the Cutters, have you seen the size of them?'

Leonard tapped the side of his nose. ‘I have ways and means lad,' he replied. ‘Let's just say I have a few party tricks that I can use to entertain them.' Mak and Trep looked at each other and shook their heads.

‘Ludicrous!' snapped Mak. ‘You haven't got a chance. The Cutters will walk right through you.' He turned to look in the direction of the forest where flecks of burning could be seen against the night sky. ‘They'll have the whole forest burnt the way they're going.'

‘That will not happen,' replied Leonard firmly. ‘They will soon discover that not everything or everybody folds to their force.' For a moment, Leonard appeared to be lost in thought. Just as Ben thought a polite cough might be necessary to nudge him into the present, Leonard suddenly shrugged and turned to face them.

‘Right,' he said, having apparently arrived at a decision. ‘We need to get you moving while I give the Cutters something to think about.' Striding forward he beckoned the others to follow. ‘This way,' he called over his shoulder.

Scuttling forward, Ben began to whisper urgently to Leonard.

‘I been told to look out for a certain girl,' he began.

‘Haven't we all,' chuckled Leonard.

‘No, what I mean is…'

‘I know what you mean,' replied Leonard. ‘But it's not something I can help you with. Some things you have to take responsibility for yourself.'

‘You don't understand,' replied Ben angrily. ‘I have to find a girl and…'

‘I do understand,' insisted Leonard hastily. ‘And all I can say is trust your own instinct.'

‘Instinct for what?' asked Mak appearing at Ben's shoulder.

‘Nothing,' muttered Ben, thankful of the night to cover his embarrassment.

For the following minutes, no one spoke as they hurriedly made their way through the forest. Both the night and the forest seemed to wrap the group in a dark blanket, which made everything seem distant, as if the journey so far had been a story told to them by aged parents of events long ago. Leonard's abrupt stop immediately snapped them all back to the present reality.

‘You need to be away and I need to be about my business,' declared Leonard. ‘There's not a lot I can tell you at this point other than keep on this path until daylight, then look for a rocky outcrop, which should appear, if you've gone the right way, over towards the west of the forest.'

Just as Ben was about to ask the obvious question, Trep let out a groan.

‘For goodness sake,' he said. ‘I'm sick of being passed from one crazy barn-pot to another and told very little other than some rambling saga that's about as convincing as a waterproof sandal.'

Ben closed his mouth and nodded in agreement. Both Noj and Mak looked intently at Leonard waiting for his response.

‘Well,' said Leonard eventually. ‘I understand your frustration but…'

‘Frustration!' yelled Trep. ‘It's not frustration I'm feeling it's anger. I'm angry at the way everyone, including you,' he added pointing at Leonard. ‘All of you conveniently forget that we have minds of our own, we're not children!'

Trep stood facing Leonard with arms folded and lips set firmly. The only sounds to be heard were those of creatures going about their nocturnal duties. In the distance, a faint crackling of burning leaves could be discerned. Leonard scratched at his earlobe and then grinned broadly.

‘Point taken,' he said, his grin broadening into a smile. ‘So, what would you like to know?' He stroked his chin and then nodded. ‘You only have sixty seconds mind, or you'll place yourselves in more danger by keeping me from delaying the Cutters.'

‘That's just great,' moaned Ben. ‘At last you're willing to tell us all that we want to know squeezed into sixty seconds. Fantastic!'

‘Take it or leave it,' replied Leonard flatly.

Noj, who was desperate for them to put as much distance between themselves and the Cutters, sighed. ‘OK,' he said. ‘Get on with it.'

Leonard thrust his hands into the deep pockets of his coat and smiled. ‘Once upon a time,' he began.

‘Sixty seconds!' growled Trep. ‘Don't waste time.'

‘Just kidding,' chuckled Leonard. ‘Anyway, a good while ago, before any of you were born,' he added with a wink. ‘There were four Wise Beings. The different races of these lands looked to the Wise Beings for guidance in all things. For generations peace reigned throughout the lands and, as the people thrived so did an ancient tree that grew where the three rivers joined.' Leonard paused briefly, his eyes seeing a different time. With a sharp intake of breath he continued.

‘However, slowly, but surely, a group of disaffected individuals began to challenge the ways of the Wise Beings. These individuals wanted to do things differently, to do things their way.' Leonard shrugged. ‘Before long, several dissident groups emerged, each competing for power and influence. All too quickly violence erupted and no one felt safe to leave the confines of their own communities. Then, without any warning, and with feuds and power struggles a way of life, the Jaresh emerged from the sea.

Leonard looked at the four youths in front of him. A wave of sadness seemed to hang over him. Swallowing deeply, he continued.

‘The Jaresh viciously quelled any attempt to drive them back into the sea. Their power and force was unparalleled, and all too quickly people recognised that an unseen force co-ordinated every move the Jaresh made. At the same time, the ancient tree that had once flourished slowly withered and, eventually died.'

‘Why didn't everybody join forces and fight the Jaresh?' asked Ben.

‘Ah, well,' replied Leonard. ‘To do that would have required all the dissident groups forming an alliance, something which none of them would agree to.'

Noj shook his head. ‘Divide and rule,' he said sadly.

‘Precisely,' agreed Leonard. ‘They made it easy for the Jaresh and whatever force controlled them.' He sniffed noisily. ‘Word had it that it was the Wise Beings who were behind the conquering Jaresh. It was believed that they had sent the Jaresh as a punishment for being ignored. Nothing could be further from truth,' snapped Leonard angrily. ‘For those who knew the truth, the rumours were cruel. The Wise Beings had only ever given guidance for the good of the people. They had never sought to be Rulers or some kind of deity. The Wise Beings gave their wisdom freely and the people freely chose to ignore it and now the consequences are there for all to see.'

‘OK,' said Ben. ‘Where do we fit in?'

Leonard smiled at the directness of Ben's question. ‘The Wise Beings,' replied Leonard, ‘chose to withdraw themselves from the people of the lands. Some say that in a time of great need, the Wise Beings would emerge once again to help guide the people of the lands to freedom.'

‘King Arthur!' yelped Ben. ‘You're talking about the legend of King Arthur and his knights.'

Trep and Mak rested their heads against each other and groaned.

‘Are they ill?' enquired Leonard.

‘No,' grinned Noj. ‘Just suffering from another
Benism.'

‘Whatever,' Ben grunted. ‘It's not my fault you have limited understanding.'

‘Before,' said Leonard hastily, ‘we get distracted by any unnecessary verbalism. May I remind you that it is imperative that you start to put more distance between you and the Cutters than there is between your ears?'

‘Now just a minute,' snarled Trep. Before he could say any more, Noj placed a restraining hand on his shoulder.

‘He's right,' acknowledged Noj. ‘We need to get moving.' He nodded towards the dim outline of the path that Leonard had indicated earlier. ‘Best foot forward then?'

Tugging at his cloak once more, Ben looked imploringly at Leonard. “Isn't there anything you can tell us that has some relevance to our journey, like which bus to catch or something?'

‘Bus?' replied Leonard. ‘I think you are a little in advance of yourself young man,' he replied with a grin. ‘However, what I will tell you is to look towards the tree that stands at the confluence of three rivers.'

As he made reference to the Tree, Leonard looked at Mak. The two held each other's gaze for a few moments until Mak blinked. ‘Away then,' he said turning his face from Leonard.

‘Thanks,' said Ben, giving Leonard a half-hearted wave.

‘My pleasure,' replied Leonard. ‘Another thing, don't forget to look in the mouth for a precious tooth.'

Before anyone could make a comment, Leonard had disappeared, supposedly to use whatever tactics he could to delay the Cutters, or so everyone hoped.