The Magical Realm of Shadows Part 1 Chapter 6

A Macabre Fortress

Lily and Brigit landed on a thick clump of ferns. “We must be in the woods near Aunty’s,” said Lily.

“I don’t think so, Lily, and why’s it so dark?”

The trees were enormous and it was difficult to say what time of day it might be – it was like the twilight time, somewhere between night and day. As they looked up, they could glimpse what seemed to be planets through the trees.

“They look like the rings of Saturn,” Brigit mumbled.

They picked themselves up and stood staring at each other; neither of them able to find the right words to speak.

Eventually, Brigit broke the deadlock. “Lily, where on earth are we?”

“I don’t know… I didn’t really think the cave would lead anywhere. I thought it was just one of Aunty’s stories.”

“So what are we gonna do?” Brigit asked.

“I don’t know, but we can’t just stay here… we’ll have to take a look around, try to find... Oh, God!” Lily suddenly realised they were missing Diana and Billy. “What could have happened to them? Oh, Lily, I hope they’re all right, Mam will kill us if we lose her little angel.”

“Maybe they didn’t follow us,” Brigit said hopefully. “Come on, I wanna get a good look at that sky.”

They moved down a leaf-littered natural avenue between the great trees. The wood was quiet except for the hooting of owls, leaves crunching and twigs snapping beneath their feet. The occasional sound of wings disturbed the air as flat-faced bats the size of flying foxes flitted above.

“Lily, you don’t think they’re vampire bats, do you?”

“No… at least, I hope not. Come on keep moving.”

Here and there they spotted a python wrapped around a tree trunk. The mournful howling of a wolf carried from somewhere in the distance.

Brigit gasped and froze on the spot. “Lily! I don’t like it here.”

“That’s why we have to keep moving,” hissed Lilly.

On reaching a glade and stepping out of the trees, they stared in wonder at the heavens.

“How can it be!” said Brigit, “I mean… if we’re underground?”

Lily opened her mouth but words failed to form, so Brigit continued.

“Look at the horizon, Lily, those shimmering lights. It’s just like the Aurora Borealis.”

“The Aurora what?”

“The Northern Lights. Don’t you know anything?”

“All right, Daddy’s little genius. Don’t get clever.”

It was difficult to drag themselves away from the magical sight, but they eventually moved on, keen to be clear of the forest.

The denseness of the forest finally gave way to pasture woodlands. Out in the open, everything was much more brightly lit, but without the harshness of daylight.

As Lily pulled her gaze away from the sky, she noticed someone approaching them. It was the figure of a middle-aged man dressed in a suit. His form kept fading in and out of transparency.

“Brigit, look. There’s a… a ghost coming. What the…”

The man paused a short distance from them. “Hello, can you tell me the way to the river and the ferry crossing, please.” He seemed very charming and polite.

“Sorry, we’re new here,” Lily managed to blurt out.

“Ah, I see. Well, shall we look for it together?” he asked.

“No!” said Brigit, “we have to find our brother and sister first.”

“All of you at once, eh?” the ghost sounded sympathetic. “What a shame. I’ll see you there later, no doubt. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” they chanted together.

They walked on in silence and began to climb the steep slope of a hill.

As they passed over the crest, they had to pause again in disbelief. The ground before them disappeared leaving only sky filling their vision, like they had reached the edge of the world.

Lily gasped. “Brigit, I feel dizzy.”

“What… Lily… it’s a small lake. We’re on a plateau.”

The shimmering waters of the lake mirrored the magical sky, the only difference being the luminous blue lights floating above its surface. Some of the lights just hovered while others span around them.

“What are they, Brigit?”

“They look like fireflies, only the size of pigeons.”

To their right, a simple stone circle stood at the end of the lake. They skirted the lake’s edge to their left, watching the mesmerising dance of lights. On reaching the opposite shore, they looked down to find a dense forest reaching towards a distant mountain range. Looming in the near distance was an even more astounding sight that took their breath away.

A fortress had been carved out of a huge rock by some incredible magic art, the entrance formed in the shape of a snake-haired gorgon. The image of an enormous dragon had been chiselled into the upper rock face. Higher still, was a row of fire-lit arched openings, shaped like eyes. Stone griffins and various gargoyles stood watch on the parapet and a flock of ravens circled overhead.

“Come on, Brigit, there must be someone in there we can talk to.”

“Are you off your head, Lily?” Brigit was horrified. “I’m not going there.”

“But we can’t just keep wandering around like a couple of spare ends, can we?”

“I don’t care! Whoever lives in that place won’t be the sort of people you can have a cup of tea and a friendly chat with. Let’s keep looking – maybe we’ll find someone who doesn’t live in a house from a horror film.”

They carried on walking until they reached the stone circle, then descended the hill and returned to the woods, travelling away from the hideous fortress.

As they walked along a woodland track, Lily’s sixth sense was troubling her. She urged Brigit to walk slowly and quietly, listening carefully.

“What is it?” Brigit’s voice trembled.

“I think there’s something in the trees stalking us.”

“Are you sure you’re not imagining it, Lily?”

“Maybe, it’s just a feeling, but keep your eyes peeled and listen out.”

They continued walking, warily scanning the trees on either side.

“There!” gasped Lily, “did you see that flash of white in the trees, over there?”

“No… where?” Brigit hugged Lily from behind.

“Come on, there’s a clearing up ahead, let’s get to it,” whispered Lily.

They entered the clearing to be halted in their tracks by a blood curdling howl, then froze in terror at the sight of a white wolf blocking their path. The beast's red eyes blazed fiercely, its lips drawn back to reveal drooling fangs.

The wolf loped towards them, bristling and snarling.

A dark shape hurtled out of the trees and covered the distance to the wolf in a few long bounds. Both forms went rolling across the glade in a tangle of legs and tails. They regained their feet and circled each other, snarling.

“It’s Gerri!” said Lily.

“Oh, Lily, do you think she’ll be all right.”

They heard the clash of breast bones, as the two beasts came together, but it was the white wolf that was bowled over onto its back. In an instant Gerri had straddled the wolf, her fangs bared and poised to seize its throat. The wolf went limp, baring its throat to the hound in submission. Gerri backed off a little, allowing the wolf to turn over and slide a short distance on its belly, before rising and running for the tree line.

The girls ran to the hound and threw their arms around her neck.

“Oh, Gerri,” cried Brigit, “I’m so happy to see you.” Noticing blood around Gerri’s neck, she started. “Do you think she’s hurt, Lily?”

Lily inspected Gerri’s neck. “No, I think it’s the wolf’s blood.”

The wolfhound shrugged them off and started to walk, barking at them to follow. They continued journeying into the semi-gloom.