Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest (7 page)

Nancy Gray

Chosen

“I feel the rocks growing restless, and the crystals are singing a sad song for the village beneath the darkening castle. The lies of the Skeksis are poison that turns Gelfling against Gelfling. Poison, yes. All hope lies on the shoulders of a Skeksis servant and a sailor. A traitor and a fool.”

—Aughra

“Traitors and fools, Mother? The last time that the Gelfling turned against their masters, I was the cause. If one of these Gelfling is indeed a fool, then this is where I find my opportunity to strike at the usurpers once again. I will place the book right in the sailor's hands.”

—Raunip

Roseport

“I'm going to find it today. Today everything is going to change.” Zale said, grinning at his father.

He began to rummage around, looking for the final supplies to take on his trip. Before he went outside, he fastened a silver-and-black rag around his tawny hair to keep it out of his eyes, then put on his silver-and-black coat over his simple clothing.

His father followed him and sighed. “Are you sure that you want to get on that sailboat in this weather?”

“Ship, not sailboat, and yes. I'm very sure.”

Zale checked his ship one last time to see if everything was in order. The Nebrie hide sails were slightly battered from the last storm, but they still seemed very strong. While the paint was peeling on the side of
The Seastrider
, all of the wood was sturdy and not one board was loose. He had enough dried rations for a few days. After all, if he found the island, he would want to explore it.

“I know that you're too stubborn to listen to me, but please just promise me that you'll turn back if the sea is angry.” Zale's father looked at him with pleading gray blue eyes and continued, “I can feel Thra stirring, and I know that you can, too.”

He didn't want to admit his father was right, but as he closed his eyes to listen to the wind and the sea, he could tell that Thra intended to demonstrate Her power. But, instead of feeling that She was angry, Zale felt more that She was excited and wanted to play. Just like in his dreams, Thra was calling to him.

“I'll be fine, Da.”

“You know that you don't have to prove anything to me.”

Zale pretended to check his supplies again in order to avoid his father's gaze, “I know. But I can feel that the island is there. I've dreamed about it. Thra is telling me to go. Just keep the light lit for me.”

He glanced up at the lighthouse. It was a long tower carved into the white stone of the plateau. It looked almost like an extension of the cliff itself, not taking away from the beauty of the promontory. It stood out just enough to be seen, with the exception of the large crystal set on the top to reflect the light of the flare onto the ocean. The keeper's little domed house next to it wasn't so much small as cozy. It also was built into the cliffside, with a welcoming sort of simplicity, a shelter within the protective stone. It was also Zale's home, and his father was the keeper. The lighthouse was the reason that the village of Roseport was so prosperous. Many different clans sailed from all over Thra to trade their goods.

His father chuckled, “You know very well that I always keep it lit. I'm sorry. I know that you're old enough to take care of yourself, but I can't help worrying. You're so like your mother.”

Zale swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He clutched the pendant around his neck, remembering how much he admired it when it belonged to her. “I know, and I miss her, too.” He glanced up at the rose-colored stone on the top of the cliffside. “But she's always watching over me. I got my instincts from her, and I intend to follow them
this
time.”

His father put a hand on his shoulder. “I know you will. And even if you don't, you'll have Eily with you to keep your recklessness in check.”

Zale grinned roguishly. “I can't help that. After all, I got it from you.” And then he ran playfully in the direction of the village.

The streets were lined with merchants setting up temporary tents to sell their wares, in front of small domed houses built close to the cliffside with sandstone and weathered rock. Seashells cobbled the rough streets and adorned the houses. The sea spray clung to the shells, making them sparkle like the scales of a slider eel wriggling in the net of a Gelfling fisher. A few of the merchants struggled with their tents, trying to make sure that the wind didn't blow them away. It was always windy along the coast of the Silver Sea, but today the wind was a show of force. It made Zale grin at the thought of trying to tame it. Even though the clouds in the distance looked dark, he felt sure he could outpace the storm and once again win the race against Thra.

Two Podlings were also trying desperately to set up their tent before the wind could blow it away, but their small size was making it very difficult. One of them looked like she was too old to be doing such hard work, with her round, wrinkled face and long white hair, while the other looked years too young, hardly much older than a child. Zale frowned. He had heard the rumors that the Podlings were disappearing all over Thra, but he never dreamed that it had gotten so bad. Normally there would be several Podlings in one tent touting their wares, all of them in their prime, but these two looked like they were desperate to trade. He rushed forward and grabbed one corner of the tent, staking it to the ground as quickly as he could and helping them hold it steady while the young Podling boy staked the rest of the corners.

The white-haired Podling put her hand over Zale's and said, “Fala Vam.”

Zale didn't need to know the language to understand the look of gratitude on her face. He smiled back. The boy took out some Nebrie cheese wrapped in pod leaf and handed it to Zale. He tried to refuse it, but the boy shoved it back into his hand and nodded.

He shrugged. “Fala Vam?”

The old Podling nodded her head.

The two Podlings began to arrange turblaroots and more Nebrie cheese on the table. Zale glanced at the bag of supplies over his shoulder and sighed. He had a few seeds that he was intending to eat as dried rations. While they made good dried rations, to the Podlings any Sifa seed would be a rare find that could be traded for many goods back in their village. Zale took the bag of assorted seeds from his pack and motioned at all of the roots and Nebrie cheeses. The mouth of the young Podling hung open in surprise.

The old Podling opened the bag, and her beady eyes grew wide. Zale motioned at the contents of the table again, signifying he wanted to trade the seeds for their goods. She motioned at the boy, and he immediately began to put the contents of the entire table into a large sack.

The boy grinned at her and whispered, “Gorah, viseligche!”

It was nice to see her genuine smile. Zale held on to that thought, took his bag of Podling food, and wandered toward the fishing homes. The locals typically gave him dirty looks as he passed. He was used to being considered the village fool. He smiled and waved in exaggeration at those scowling at him.

Well, I did need supplies for the journey, though I'm not a big fan of turblaroots or Nebrie cheese. Oh well, food is food. Those Podlings needed the seeds more than I did. If only I could make my neighbors here that happy. One day, I'll earn their trust again. . . .

As he began to reach the fishing homes a familiar voice called out, “Zale, Zale!”

He turned and grabbed the little girl just as she was trying to tackle him, tickling her mercilessly. She giggled and squirmed under his arms, laughing in the carefree way that only a young Gelfling could. Then Zale propped her up on his shoulders and pretended to be a Landstrider. He smiled slightly, noticing how she looked just like a younger version of her sister. “Sherilie, you get bigger every time I see you.”

The little girl beamed and said, “Big!”

“Where is Eily?”

“She's with Ma and Da. Why?”

“I'm taking her on another adventure.”

Sherilie began to bounce on his shoulders. “I wanna go.”

“Not this time, but I promise I'll teach you to sail when you're older. Maybe one day I'll even build a ship for you.”

The little girl kicked her legs in excitement. Zale flinched as her heel struck him in the ear. “Is this how you treat your striders?”

Sherilie pointed straight ahead. “Go, strider!”

Zale shrieked in a high-pitched impersonation of a Landstrider's whistling cry and ran in the direction of Eily's house. It wasn't the largest of the fisher homes, but it was, in his opinion, the most beautiful. The house was made of sandstone that matched the white sand of the beach perfectly. Shells of rich oranges, pinks, and reds outlined the doors and windows, and rose ivy crept up the sides, making the home look as though it were in perpetual sunset. However, Zale loved the way the place
felt
far more than the way it looked. He deeply breathed in the scent. It made him feel whole. He felt her family's honest, warm familiarity so keenly that it made him ache to be a part of it. In comparison, his lighthouse was a beacon of loneliness. However, today he felt something was a little bit off. He could sense tension in the air.

Zale glanced up at Sherilie. She could sense it as well. She had a frown on her face and looked like she was about to cry as she stared at the door. Zale gently set her down and rummaged through his pack, “Sher, I have some Nebrie cheese here. Will you take it and trade it for some sweetsap clusters for the both of us?”

The little girl's expression immediately brightened. “Thank you, Zale!”

As Sherilie ran toward the merchant tents, Zale put his head against the door and listened.

Eily snapped, “I don't care about the weather. I'm going sailing today.”

Her father said, “That boy is a bad influence on you. If you keep spending so much time with him, everyone will get the wrong idea and no one will approach you.”

“He's my friend.”

Her mother sighed heavily and muttered, “Will you at least stay? The striders are restless. This storm is going to be dangerous. The air feels heavy—”

“I promised I would go. Besides, we've sailed through worse storms before.”

Her father groaned, “Please, Eily. You need to think seriously about this. You can't sail into the setting suns forever. Soon you'll have to grow up. Think about your future.”

“I am. That's why I'm going.”

Her father muttered, “If you're having trouble choosing, the village elder can help. When she gets back from the Council, we can consult her on the matter. Claw Mountain is a long way away, so it will give you more time.”

“I don't want to consult the elder. If I
have
to pick someone, then I'll do it.”

Her mother sighed. “Eily, we just want what's best for you. We love you.”

“I love you, too. But I need more time to think about it. Today, I'm going to search for an island. If I find it, I'll have another choice, won't I?”

Zale tried to step back as the door swung open, but Eily bumped right into him, nearly knocking him over. He blinked at her for a moment. Her brown hair was loose, hanging wavy around her face, and her tunic was tucked neatly into a long woven skirt. Her hair stunned him the most. She usually pulled it back into a braid or a low ponytail to keep it from being buffeted by the wind. With it loose around her face, she looked
pretty
. It made him feel as though he should look away, as if he had caught her at a bad time.

Eily just rolled her eyes at him. “You really are a bad influence you know, spying on other Gelfling. Are you ready to go?”

Sherilie ran toward them holding three sweetsap clusters on sticks and grinning from ear to ear. She handed two to Zale and then dove into hers as though it were going to run away.

As they walked in the direction of the docks, Zale handed one to Eily. “Have a bite to eat first. With the way you were exercising your jaws, you might need some more energy.”

“Har har. This does look pretty good, though.”

They sat, watching the sea as they enjoyed the sweet delicacy. Off in the distance, Zale saw a large creature with silver, shimmering skin breaking the surface of the water. Crystalwhales were breeching. They were singing in low, undulating tones that sounded almost sad.

Sherilie frowned. “Do you think Thra is crying?”

Zale smiled. “No, sweetie. Crystalwhales always sound like that.”

“Why do they shine? That one looks like it has a crystal nose.” She pointed at her own face.

“They swallow crystals to digest the sea crawlies they eat. Sometimes that makes other crystals grow on their skin and bones. See how my charm shines? It's made of crystalwhale bone.”

Sherilie listened to the whales for a moment and then suddenly began to cry. “Thra is crying. I can hear her.”

Eily picked her little sister up and hugged her. “What makes you say that, Sherilie?”

Sherilie sniffed. “Can't you hear it?”

Zale felt a shiver run down his spine. He thought he did hear something, not with his ears, but with his heart. It was something low, like a strange resonance beneath the earth. He had a feeling that its source was very far away, but it was as though the crystals within the ground were wailing. The whale song seemed to be in unison with the outcry for a moment, as though the somber tone was resonating within their very bones. Somehow, it made him feel sad. The doleful song combined with the backdrop of thick, heavy storm clouds made him almost want to give in to his father's advice.

No
, he thought.
I can feel it. I dreamed of that island. Today is the day.

Zale swallowed his last bite of sweetsap. “I'm ready now. Let's go.”

Uncharted

Zale pulled the crystal lens away from his eye and muttered a curse beneath his breath that he hoped Eily wouldn't hear above the howling winds. The stress of the voyage was getting to both of them. He could almost feel the accusing glance from her intelligent, mud-brown eyes. Eily's hair was plastered against her head like seaweed, and her tunic and wings billowed out behind her like sails. It struck him that at that moment she didn't look like much of a sailor, but then neither did he, really. The rag holding Zale's hair back was in danger of being blown away. He knew that his coat, though crafted with more care and better material, was weathering over the years as well; the silver-and-black designs had faded until the coat looked mostly gray. But, it held too many good memories to simply be replaced.

From the way that Eily was struggling with the sails and frowning up at the overcast sky, she was clearly thinking what Zale already knew—they were lost, and the boat was being tossed around like a Fizzgig in the jaws of a whoof.

Standing up, Eily shouted, “We need to try to turn back. I don't think the boat can handle this storm.”

Zale corrected her. “Ship, not boat. And, you know that I would never let my ship be torn apart. I would rather return to Thra as a skittering stone in another life than to lose
The Seastrider
.”

“Fine,
ship
. We've lost sight of the coastline and the light from your father's lighthouse. I think Thra is telling us that we need to go back.”

“If we've lost sight of the coast, that means that Thra wants us to keep going. Besides, I know that we'll reach the island anytime now. It's just hard to see with all of this rain pouring off the sight crystal.”

“The Silver Sea is punishing us for using Nebrie sails.”

Zale turned and fixed his silvery-gray eyes on Eily. “You should be thanking Thra that we have these sails at all. Anything thinner than Nebrie hide would be torn apart by these winds. Besides, if I don't use them, then the Nebrie would have died for no reason. Now help me steer.”

Eily frowned and stared at the sails as though she wanted to say more, but instead she just muttered, “Well, it would help if you would tell me which way you want to go.”

The rain was pelting Zale so hard that it stung. He flinched as he glanced up at the sky. Even though the third sun hadn't set entirely, there was hardly enough light to see anything at all. The clouds were puffy and thick, and as purple as a fresh bruise. In the distance, the edge of the storm was turning a sickly green color that he knew was an ill omen. He couldn't see the stars, and none of the three moons would be visible until the last sun sunk below the horizon. There was no way to orient the ship towards the coastline.

“Just try to keep us on top of the water for now. We'll have to wait out this storm before we can go anywhere. Just pray that the waves don't get any higher.”

Eily muttered under her breath, “That's what I figured. Typical Zale—if there's trouble just ride it out. But then, I guess if I had a good-luck charm I would, too.”

He flicked his ear in irritation at Eily to show that he heard her insult, but he didn't dignify it with a response. His mind was too preoccupied with the weather for any more banter. The winds had died down too abruptly, and their sails were going limp. Even the rain that had pelted him only moments before had come to a stop. The clouds behind the two Gelfling were bulging downward as though they were about to give birth, and from the way they swirled around, forming a whirlpool in the sky, he knew what they were about to produce.

Eily whispered, “I don't like this.”

Off in the distance, a thick, silvery tendril of water swirled and twisted upward to meet the bulge in the cloud until if formed a long, dark funnel. Zale watched in horrified fascination. It would've been a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight if he wasn't on the ocean, but right now it was the last thing he wanted to see—and could, indeed, be the last thing he ever saw.

Eily shouted, “
Waterspout!
”

Zale rushed to the other side of the ship and peered through the seeing crystal, trying to look for any evidence of land. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the funnel cloud was looming closer and closer. Even though it was only by intuition, he felt sure that there was land just out of sight of the lighthouse. It was what he first crafted his ship to find.

“
Ship.” Who am I kidding? Eily's right—we're on a sailboat! An overglorified sailboat! If those twisting winds come within a mile of us, we'll be sucked out of the water and spat out like rotten crawlies.

Zale put the sight crystal in front of his eye one last time—only to see a long, dark landmass in the distance in front of them. There were no lights or structures that he could see, but it was definitely a beach with a thick tree line. Even though he hated himself for it, he kissed the bone charm hanging from the chain around his neck in gratitude.

“Eily, it's land!”

Eily turned from the sail and rushed forward. “Where?”

“If we keep the sail at that angle and paddle, we should hit it.”

“I think I see it. There could be a reef . . .”

“Do you have a better suggestion?”

Eily sighed. “No. Kiss that charm again for me.”

They picked up the oars and began to paddle. The sound of the waterspout continued to make Zale's head pound. It was getting too close. It was as though the spout was actually chasing them.

The two Gelfling stared straight ahead at the land as though they were hypnotized. Zale couldn't even feel the ache in his arms as they rowed; adrenaline coursed through him like liquid lightning. As they began to see the details of the shoreline, he heard a scraping sound beneath the boat. A crack formed within the splintering wood as the reef began to poke through. It made his heart stop for a moment and his mouth go dry with fear.

“We're hitting the reef,” Eily shouted. “Help me, Zale. We need to push off somehow, or we'll have to swim for shore.”

The waterspout got closer until Zale could see the bits of flotsam swirling within it. He turned and looked into Eily's eyes and became acutely aware of her fear. He could smell it permeating the salt-saturated air. She was obviously thinking they were going to drown. He vowed in silence that he wouldn't let that happen. Even if it meant that he wouldn't make it, Eily would reach the shore.

Before she could stop him, Zale jumped out of the boat, pushing his feet against the coral and shoving with all of his might. He ignored the pain as some of the coral poked through his shoes and cut the bottom of his feet. There was another horrible scraping and groaning sound, and the boat became dislodged.

Eily grabbed Zale by his coat, pulling him aboard.

She shook her head in disbelief and shouted, “What were you thinking?”

“I wasn't. Help me paddle.” Water was pouring through the crack. Zale frantically stuffed his sack of supplies into the hole and shoved his extra shirts into the smaller leaks around it.

He heard Eily groan, “We'll never make it.”

“We're almost there. Keep paddling—and whatever you do, don't look behind you.”

As Zale said it, he disobeyed his own advice and turned to look. The funnel was so close that he could actually see the water being pulled in. He saw fish struggling to swim away, jumping out of the water only to be sucked inside and spin in confused chaos. The waterspout was so wide that his sailboat would be just another piece of driftwood to be washed out to sea. He suddenly felt that he could paddle much faster, and his limbs soon caught up with his mind. He didn't stop until their hull scraped the sand of the beach.

“We made it. Look,” said Eily.

Zale turned and faced the sky just in time to see the swirling clouds dissipate like a nightmare from a waking dreamer.

“It's that charm of yours. It gets us out of more tight places—”

“That wasn't luck, Eily, just some fast thinking and faster paddling.”

“Sorry, Zale, but finding an island just in time was luck. I wish
my
totem was lucky.”

“I'll trade with you. Besides, how lucky can it be? We lost sight of land during a storm, were nearly killed by a waterspout, the ship is damaged, and we have nothing to show for it.”

“I'm just grateful to be alive. Besides, we do have something to show for it. You found your island. It's something we can mark on the map once these clouds clear out and we can see the constellations again.”

Zale grunted slightly and nodded, then sank in sudden exhaustion on the land. He ran his tan hands through his hair and readjusted the rag that he wore to keep it from his face. Then he leaned back on the cool, damp sand. Eily dropped to her knees, and they stared quietly at the sky, both intending to wait out the rest of the storm. However, nature seemed to have other plans.

Glowing purple balls of lightning drifted around the clouds, and Zale saw a few more bubbling to the surface of the water and rising up to meet them. He cringed, thinking of the fish caught in the electric tendrils of light. He had been in danger of meeting the same fate when he'd jumped overboard to dislodge the ship, but at the time it hadn't seemed important. He glanced at Eily, realizing that if they didn't leave the beach soon, the ball lightning could still be a problem.

Good-luck charm or not, being killed by a ball of lightning would mean I had the worst luck in the world. Thra doesn't hate me that much.
It was beginning to rain again, but this time he felt large chunks of ice mixed in within it, hitting him in the face.
Then again, I could be wrong.

Zale groaned and sat up, stretching and muttering. “I guess we'd better find some shelter for the night.”

“You're right. But, I wish we could stay on the beach. That foliage doesn't look very friendly.”

Zale scanned the jungle. There were tangle vines and clam-mouthed pods, predatory plants that would trap their prey and digest it quickly to fertilize the soil. The vines would've been easy to see in the daylight because of their orange coloration, but it was getting dark. He could already tell that the island had an abundance of dangerous plants, which made him wonder about the wildlife as well.

“Help me pull
The Seastrider
up. We don't want her to get swept away.”

Eily silently complied until the boat was beached almost entirely into the tree line. The rain stopped, but now hail was pelting them. It was starting to sting, and Zale noticed that the balls of ice were big, the size of screecraw eggs.

Zale sighed, “Well, at least the hail won't hit us as hard with that canopy to soften the blow. We need to look for wood to repair the ship, anyway.”

“Let's try to find some dry wood for a fire first. I feel like I'm never going to get dry.”

Zale groaned and murmured “Don't remind me” as he walked into the thick foliage, carefully avoiding the vines dangling from the overhanging branches.

Even though the forest was dense, there was a thin path carved through the thicket. Clearly, it was a path made by only one person, and it hadn't been used for a very long time. Thick creeper thorns were starting to encroach on the path, and Zale kept jumping in surprise, thinking that someone had grabbed him whenever his coat would get caught on one. He was reminded of how out of place he was in the forest. He was used to the sea spray, and the large cliffs and plateaus around his village. Zale glanced at Eily, wondering if she was thinking the same thing, but then he remembered her parents often scolded her for wandering into the jungle on the outskirts of the settlement when she was little. In the forest she was more comfortable. As he watched, she demonstrated the fact by carefully pushing a vine out of her path with a stick.

“Eily, can you take the lead?”

She helped him pull the creeper thorns off of his coat, “I was hoping you would ask. The foliage isn't friendly, but there are ways to tell where it's growing.”

The clam-mouthed pods were harder to spot. They seemed to be surrounded by higher shrubs and their brown, green, and blue camouflage blended in with the forest floor. Zale and Eily both knew that if they accidentally stepped on one, the long, needle-sharp leaves would come together and easily sever a foot. Even the small pods were dangerous, but Zale spotted one that was easily big enough to swallow him whole. He cringed and skirted carefully around it. It made him even more grateful that Eily was leading the way.

Eily whispered, “I think there's a house up ahead.”

Zale nodded and raised a finger to his lips. Even though the thicket was blocking his view, he could just barely see what looked like a dilapidated house blending in with the trees, making it look as though it belonged to the forest.

Or hiding within the forest
, Zale thought.
This could be a criminal's house, belonging to one of the anarchists that the Skeksis are always leaving posters about. I should be afraid, but why do I feel like I've been here before?

The house was definitely designed by a Gelfling, probably of the Wealding clan. It wasn't domed shaped like the houses of his Sifa clan. They were built into thick rock faces or crafted out of stone to withstand the storms that swept across the ocean. The walls were made of wood that was carved to fit together, and the roof was a steeple. Vines crept up the sides, and large holes dotted the wood as though something had broken into it. As he got closer, he could make out creatures skittering around the inside of the house. It hadn't been abandoned for long, though. The sleek chimney still had soot marks around the edges.

Eily whispered, “I don't think anyone lives here anymore. Do you think we should sleep inside? I think enough of the roof is left to at least keep us dry.”

The hail was starting to tear through the canopy. Even though Zale didn't like the look of the house, it would keep them safe and dry.