03 Sky Knight (5 page)

‘It might be difficult to help people. I mean... the way you look...’

Sulphur shrugged. ‘This skeleton is a temporary home for me. I will take it up into the mountains somewhere. Somewhere in the far North perhaps. I will find something else into which I can pour my spirit. In time I may acquire a more pleasing aspect.’

‘Like what?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. I thought it might be quite nice to be a tree.’

Sky turned to Strata. ‘We should leave as soon as possible, I think. Like everyone else.’

‘Yes. I suppose,’ Strata said. ‘But I would have waited for him. I would have waited until that army came storming through here, and then my spirit would have waited still.’ She hid her face in her hands, but she was unable to disguise how her shoulders trembled with the sobs she was so desperately attempting to hold in. ‘I am sorry. He doesn’t know it, but I am. Ever since Nimbus became what he is, I blamed Cloud. I blamed him for what Nimbus was, for how he died, and how he was brought back to us. I blamed him for Glass, and the powers she has.’

‘I’m sure he understands.’

‘We left with such harsh words. I do not think he will ever forgive me. I hurt him terribly, and to wound an immortal is an awful crime. They must live with that pain forever.’

Sky took a deep breath. She didn’t know what to say, but she was starting to realise what it was she had to do.

This war had all but destroyed the world she used to know. Families had been broken apart, villages and farms had been abandoned to the enemy, and her friends had been scattered to the four winds.

Everything she held dear was slipping away from her, but she wasn’t prepared to let that happen without a fight.

‘Strata,’ she said. ‘My father is not good at being alone. Do you think you would be able to care for him while you are in the mountains?’

Strata looked at Sky with eyes full of doubt and regret. ‘Why would he be alone? What are you thinking of doing?’

Sky smiled. ‘Everything I can.’

Sulphur emerged from the corner, each movement grating unpleasantly and generating fine streams of dust. ‘It is dawn,’ he said. ‘I should go before someone sees me.’

Strata jumped to her feet, and clenched one of the skeleton’s hands tightly. ‘Whatever you may have done, I do not think you deserve to look this way.’

Sulphur’s hood slipped away to reveal the grinning skull beneath. ‘You are too kind, Strata. But unfortunately, what you think of me is not enough.’

‘Thank you for coming here.’

Sulphur nodded, pulled the hood back over his skull, and shambled across the room.

‘I hope you are able to do what needs to be done,’ Sky added.

Sulphur stopped in the doorway, his dark outline silhouetted against the morning sun. ‘I hope we all are,’ he said.

***

By the time Sky returned to the village square, almost all of the villagers had left. In the heatless light of dawn, Landmark was nothing more than a grave. Those who still remained were like phantoms, flitting from building to building, searching out those last few important items they needed for the journey ahead.

Privates Meadow and Silver were deep in discussion with Sky’s father, who was gesturing wildly, and pointing in the direction of the woods. When he saw Sky approaching, he called out to her. ‘Sky, come on. I’ve been waiting for you.’

‘Sorry, Dad.’ Sky gave him a quick hug, wrinkling her nose at the smell of alcohol on his breath.

‘Where have you been?’ he asked.

‘There was something I needed to do. I had to help Nimbus.’

Her father stiffened slightly, and his eyes narrowed. A muscle ticked in his jaw. ‘And is it done?’

‘Not yet. No.’

‘You and your father should be moving out,’ Silver said. ‘You aren’t safe here.’

‘He’s right,’ her father said, holding out his hand to her. ‘I have packed for the journey.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Sky said. ‘I can’t go.’

‘What do you mean, you can’t go?’

‘We all need to do our part. It’s time for me to do mine.’

‘Who have you been talking to, filling your head with this sort of nonsense? Talking about doing your part like you have some great destiny to fulfil. You are still just a girl, Sky.’

‘And Nimbus is still just a boy.’

‘Ah. I should have known. This is all that Wing Warrior’s doing, isn’t it? What has he said to you?’

‘He hasn’t said anything. This is my decision, and I’m sorry, but I can’t come with you.’

‘It was you who convinced me to go into the mountains in the first place.’

‘I know. I want you to be safe, and that means you have to leave.’

‘We’re a family, and nothing is going to break that up. Not any army Crow can throw at us, and certainly not any fool of a boy knight.’

‘You can’t come with me, Dad.’

‘You would dare to tell your father what he can and can’t do? You forget your place.’ His words were harsh, fuelled by fear and alcohol. ‘I am your father, and you will not leave me now.’

Sky took a step away from him. ‘There’s nothing more to say, Dad. I will meet you again in the mountains.’

‘Nothing more to say?’ A look came into his eyes; an emotion wedged awkwardly somewhere between anger and dread. It was a look Sky had seen before, on days when she had come back home late, or if she hadn’t made the dinner right, or if Nimbus came to call on her before her father had gone to the tavern.

Sky knew what came next.

‘Nothing more to say?’ her father roared, grabbing her hair. ‘Think again, Girl. I’m not going to let you walk out on me the way your mother did. We’re leaving this village right now. Together.’

‘No, Dad.’

Sky lost her footing, and fell in the mud. Her father began pulling her along like she was a sack of potatoes, hauling her towards their house. ‘You said we had to go into the mountains,’ he puffed. ‘You said that’s where we would be safe together.’

‘Dad. Please. You have to let me go.’

‘I don’t have to let you go anywhere. You’re mine. My family.’

‘You have to let me go.’

A hand clamped on her father’s shoulder. ‘You have to let her go,’ Private Silver said.

Sky felt the grip on her hair loosen, and she scrambled away. ‘It doesn’t have to be this way, Dad,’ she said.

‘I see you’ve made your decision,’ he said. ‘You have chosen the boy.’

‘I haven’t chosen him. I’m going to help him. I’m going to come back to you.’

Her father grimaced, as though he was hearing the echo of words that had been told to him once before, many years ago. ‘They never come back,’ he said to Silver.

‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to arrest you,’ Silver said. ‘We can’t have this sort of behaviour.’

‘You don’t have to do that,’ Sky said.

‘The law is the law,’ Silver said. ‘He will be bound and escorted to the mountains when we leave.’

‘That’s not necessary. Really.’

Her father hung his head in shame. ‘It’s okay. These men are doing what they must do.’ He looked up from under his brows. ‘As, I suppose, you are. But know this. If you go, if you choose the boy, then you will have killed me.’

Sky swallowed uncomfortably, and shuffled her feet. ‘Private Meadow, Sir. Would you please take my father somewhere where he will be comfortable?’

She choked back a sob, and wiped her nose with the back of one grubby sleeve, as her father was led away across the square.

‘Has that happened before?’ Private Silver asked her.

Sky shook her head. ‘He cares for me a lot. Sometimes he doesn’t know the best way to show it.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t judge him too badly.’

‘It is not my place to judge. Private Meadow will make sure he is well cared for.’

Sky fell silent, kicking her toe in the soft earth.

‘Is there something else?’ Silver asked.

‘There is. Captain Obsidian left Onyx for you. I need to ask if I may have him.’

‘Why?’

‘I’m going to rescue Cloud.’

Silver laughed. ‘Rescue Cloud?’

‘Crow’s taken control of Crystal Shine, and he is keeping Cloud there. I have to free him, or Crow will have an advantage over Nimbus.’

‘I see. You’re serious. You intend to ride out to Crystal Shine, stroll right on in, and set him free?’

‘Pretty much.’

‘It’s a tall order. Many would say it is suicide to even consider it.’

‘Perhaps, but I have to try. Don’t I?’

‘I think, maybe you do.’ Silver rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. ‘But you do not have to try alone.’

CHAPTER FIVE

For a long time the whole world was darkness, but slowly Nimbus became aware of shapes and sounds and smells.

Fluttering shadows; some human, some less so.

Voices.

Seaweed.

Harsh laughter.

Something monstrous that could not be seen, but loomed like death over the universe.

Motion.

The dragging currents of the ocean, twisting him in a dance that would never end.

Pain.

Memories.

Failure.

Salt, sand, warm air, sunlight.

Heat.

Morning.

A new day.

***

Nimbus woke on a beach. Utterly exhausted as he was from his losing battle with the mighty ocean, for a moment he just lay there, sorting out his thoughts, trying to piece together the events that had got him into this position in the first place.

He had been flying. Journeying to Serpent’s Coil.

There had been an attack. There had been teeth and scales in the water.

As vivid as any image the Wing Warrior sword could have shown him, the sight of a gigantic monster latching onto Cumulo and yanking him out of the sky came into Nimbus’s mind. With a barely suppressed scream, he jumped to his feet, looking around for signs of the beast.

The Everlasting Ocean inched up the sand towards him. The wide expanse of the foaming tide seemed so innocent, so normal; but just the thought of those mysterious waters bubbling over his feet made Nimbus tremble with fear. Evil lurked somewhere in that green sea: an evil powerful enough to wrestle a dragon into submission.

But what was it?

Instinctively, he reached for Venom. His sheath was gone.

With a horrible sinking feeling, he moved one hand to his throat.

‘Don’t worry,’ Captain Spectre said. ‘I’m still here.’

‘I’ve lost Cumulo,’ Nimbus said. He was shocked by how cracked and fragile his voice sounded; how weak and pathetic it now seemed. ‘I’ve lost him, Captain.’

Spectre materialised close by. The morning light diffused through his physical appearance, as it would through a cloud, while he looked around the beach thoughtfully. Ahead, there was only the ocean, and the bobbing horizon that concealed the mainland from view; behind, a gigantic spire of black rock blotted out the sky.

‘So, this is Serpent’s Coil,’ he said. ‘It’s tall. I wonder if there’s a way to the top.’

‘Didn’t you hear me?’ Nimbus snapped. ‘Cumulo is gone. Something in the water took him.’

‘I heard.’

‘Then what are we going to do?’

‘I’d check over there.’ Spectre pointed along the beach to a cave set back into the base of the cliff. One end of a chain, the links of which were each as big as Nimbus, had been embedded in the unyielding rock. The other end of the chain trailed into the damp cave interior. ‘That’s where I’d put a dragon.’

‘Do you think he’s okay?’

‘I should think he’ll be fine. Just like you are. You’ve been brought here for a reason.’

There was a growl from within the cave, and then Cumulo’s head emerged. His scales were a sickly green colour.

‘Cumulo,’ Nimbus shouted, tears of relief springing into his eyes. ‘Cumulo, you’re...’ He paused, noticing how Cumulo appeared reluctant to come out of the cave, and even more reluctant to look at Nimbus directly. ‘Cumulo?’

‘It’s about time you woke up,’ the dragon said. ‘It would be nice if, once in a while, you could go a whole day without losing consciousness. It really is rather bothersome.’

‘Cumulo, what’s wrong?’

Cumulo blinked slowly, and let his tongue flicker across his teeth. Far above, a lone seagull cried out sadly as it moved over the cliff tops.

‘Do you remember when we first met, and we had to find a way out of the cavern?’ Cumulo asked.

‘Of course.’

‘Then you will remember that we woke something that had lain dormant beneath the mountain for even longer than I had? A creature that caused the river to rise up.’

A barbed knot of fear coiled around Nimbus’s heart. ‘What’s happened, Cumulo?’

‘That thing has found us, Nim.’ Cumulo swung his head around, revealing a series of heavily bleeding cuts along the right side of his snout. ‘And it is strong.’

‘Goodness,’ Captain Spectre said. ‘What manner of creature could do this to a dragon?’

‘Is it bad?’ Nimbus asked.

Cumulo inched forwards, drawing the rest of his body out of the cave mouth. His back left leg had been ripped open, he was missing several scales from his flanks, and his wings were tattered. But worse than all those injuries was the thick metal collar that had been clamped around his neck, and which was attached to the gigantic chain embedded in the rock face. As he heaved himself onto the beach, the chain clanked heavily; and that sound was more painful for Nimbus to bear than any physical wound.

‘My injuries will heal. My pride, however, has taken a bit of a dent,’ Cumulo said.

‘This is a monstrous thing indeed,’ Spectre said.

That anybody could treat the last of the dragons in such an undignified manner sent waves of fury surging through Nimbus’s body. ‘How could this happen?’ he said.

‘We were ambushed. You fell.’ Cumulo shook his head, and it was obvious to Nimbus that the dragon was deeply ashamed. ‘I tried to save you, Nim, but I couldn’t. That thing. That serpent. It was too strong. It rolled me until I didn’t know what was up and what was down. It beat me without even trying. I thought I was better than that. I’m sorry.’

‘You have nothing to apologise for, Cumulo.’

‘You could have died.’

‘Well, I get that a lot. Besides, I’m the one that should be sorry. We never should have come here.’