Cavern Of Fear

15 - The Bargain

Clef took his grandmother’s arm and pulled her gently away. At the same moment, the carved panel behind the cage began to slide silently aside.

Through the gap the prisoners could see a narrow band of shore and a sheet of scarlet water. On the other side of the water the cavern ended in a natural wall of high, sheer rock, gleaming red. And in the rock, directly opposite the cage, yawned the entrance to a cave.

Ropes attached to the top of the cage spanned the water and led directly into the cave. Lief saw, to his horror, that several members of the crowd had taken hold of one of the ropes. The cage lurched and began moving towards the water.

‘Stop!’ Lief shouted. ‘We can help you! Use us not to feed The Fear, but to destroy it!’

The goblins pulling the rope hesitated.

‘Do not listen to the Longhair!’ roared Worron. ‘The ceremony must continue!’

The cage jolted and began to slide again.

‘We are warriors!’ Lief shouted. ‘Together we have defeated many monsters—some of them the servants of the Shadow Lord. Free us, return our weapons, and we will rid you of The Fear forever!’

Again the cage stopped moving. The goblins who had been pulling the rope began arguing in low voices.

‘I say we let them try!’ called Azan from, the middle of the crowd. ‘They are Longhairs—tall and strong and skilled in battle. Their weapons are of steel. If they could destroy The Fear—think what it would mean to us!’

‘No!’ Worron’s face was twisted with anger. ‘Are you mad? If we free the Longhairs, they will turn on us, and the power is not strong enough to hold them all.’

‘We will not harm you—we swear it!’ called Barda. He pointed to Lief. ‘This is the king of Deltora. The magic belt he wears is proof of it. Did Doran tell you no tales of its power?’

Many in the crowd pressed forward curiously as Lief pulled aside his cloak to show the belt at his waist. Plainly they had indeed heard of the Belt of Deltora.

Worron’s eyes narrowed with suspicion as he, too, peered through the bars of the cage.

‘It resembles the belt in the tales,’ he said slowly. ‘But I see no magic in it.’

‘Perhaps your feeble eyes are not worthy, goblin!’ roared Glock, ignoring Barda’s efforts to quiet him.

Lief’s heart sank as he saw Worron’s face harden and draw away.

‘You see?’ Worron cried, turning to face the crowd. ‘Longhairs lie and cheat as easily as they breathe. Did you hear what that one called me? Does it not remind you that Longhairs killed the traitors who went to seek the sun in ages past, calling them “goblins” to excuse the slaughter?’

Glock’s lip curled. ‘If you are not goblins, what are you?’ he muttered under his breath.

‘We are not liars, Worron!’ shouted Jasmine, desperate to undo the damage Glock had done. ‘We will keep our word! We have good reason to do so. We need to pass through The Glimmer. We need to reach the other side. And for that we must face The Fear in any case.’

‘I believe she is speaking the truth,’ quavered Nols. As heads turned in her direction, she lifted her chin and continued more loudly. ‘Whatever you say, Worron, we cannot turn our backs on the chance to rid ourselves of the Fear. Such a chance may never come again.’

‘And if the Longhairs betray us?’ sneered Worron. ‘If they run, steal boats, and take to the seas? What of The Giving? We have already had the final warning.’

Nols looked at him proudly. ‘I was the chosen Gift before the strangers came here. If they fail us, I will take their place in the cage.’

‘If Nols is willing to trust them, then so am I!’ called a high-pitched voice in the crowd. Many other voices shouted agreement.

But Worron shook his head, frowning. ‘The Fear cannot be destroyed,’ he said, folding his hands. ‘The sacrifice it demands is hard, but suffering is the way of the world. And if The Glimmer is sealed, so much the better. We have no wish to know those who live on the other side.’

‘Now we come to it!’ shouted Clef passionately. ‘A hundred deaths or one, it is all the same to you, Worron. As long as nothing changes!’

He ran to the cage and began opening the lock.

‘Stop!’ Worron shouted in rage. He raised his hand. There was a flash, the light dimmed, and Clef was struck motionless.

There was a moment’s tense silence. Then Nols walked slowly to her grandson’s side.

‘Free him, Worron,’ she said quietly. ‘Or we will take back the power we gave you.’

Worron bared his teeth. ‘You cannot—’

‘We can,’ said Nols. ‘We can, and we will.’

Struck dumb with fury, Worron’s eyes raked the crowd. He saw no sign of support there. Instead he saw anger, determination, and—hope.

Sulkily he raised his hand again. The light returned to normal. Clef stumbled slightly, shook himself, and without a word began fumbling once more with the lock on the door of the cage.

In moments the door was open. One by one Lief, Barda, Jasmine and Glock hobbled to freedom. They stretched their arms and legs in relief as Clef and Azan cut their bonds. Others in the crowd brought their weapons.

‘Now we will see,’ sneered Worron, standing well back.

‘I think I will warm my sword on him before we go,’ Glock muttered, flexing his cramped hands.

‘Save your sword for the beast!’ snapped Jasmine. She measured the distance to the cave with her eyes. ‘How best should we reach it?’

‘I have a plan,’ Lief began. ‘The cage—’

‘I know what you are thinking, and I agree,’ Barda interrupted. ‘But you are no part of this, Lief. You must go to high ground, and wait.’

Lief shook his head. ‘I cannot do that. I will not.’ The thought of Marilen waiting anxiously at home flashed into his mind, but he thrust it away.

‘Do what Barda says, Lief,’ said Jasmine. ‘You have no choice.’

‘You will go to high ground or be carried there,’ growled Glock. ‘You must be protected.’

‘It is too late for that!’ Lief exclaimed. ‘No-one here is safe now. If we fail to kill The Fear, it will destroy the village. And there is no way out of this cavern.’

Clef, Nols and Azan had been watching them anxiously. Now they came closer. ‘Please delay no further,’ muttered Clef. “The Fear will any moment grow tired of waiting.’

Still the companions hesitated, Lief glaring defiantly at the rest.

Kree screeched and flapped his wings. Jasmine looked up, alert.

‘The thing in the cave is stirring,’ she murmured.

But the goblins knew it already. They were all shuddering and drawing back. Some of the children had begun to cry.

Lief leaped past Barda and swung himself onto the top of the cage. ‘Make haste!’ he shouted.

Seeing that he had taken matters out of their hands, Glock, Jasmine and Barda clambered after him.

‘Take the ropes!’ Lief called to Clef and Azan. ‘Pull us over to the cave!’

As Clef and Azan ran to do his bidding, a harsh, grating call sounded over the water. It was low and full of menace. Foam-flecked waves began to surge from the cave. Water splashed against the wall and flooded through the open panel into the cage and beyond.

‘You see?’ Worron hissed to Clef. ‘Your defiance and your grandmother’s foolishness will be our death!’

Clef made no reply. Shoulder to shoulder with Azan, he was heaving on the rope. The cage slid down the shore and reached the water. A few in the crowd cheered.

‘Our torches are lost, and the cave is dark,’ Lief called. ‘Can you light it?’

‘Worron can,’ Clef called back. ‘If he is willing. He has all our power in his hands.’ He turned his head to where Worron stood scowling furiously. ‘Will you light The Glimmer, Worron?’ he asked. ‘If it is what the people want?’

‘No, I will not!’ Worron shrieked in a frenzy of rage. ‘How dare you ask it of me? You have chosen to go against my orders. You will all die because of your folly. And I will not lift a hand to help you!’

Another fearsome cry sounded from the cave. The crowd retreated in panic. Even Clef and Azan took a stumbling step backwards, and the rope slackened and sagged.

But Nols stood her ground. ‘Keep pulling!’ she shouted. Clef and Azan gripped the rope and heaved once more. The violently rocking cage with the four companions clinging to its roof was lifted clear of the waves and began moving away from the shore.

Lief looked back. Foam swirled around Nols’ ankles as she stared at Worron, her face filled with contempt. Her voice floated clearly across the water.

‘Since you were chosen I have followed you loyally, Worron, despite my doubts. But now you show your true colours. You are a tyrant and a coward! You…’

‘The old crone’s tongue is as sharp as yours, weakling,’ Glock sniggered to Jasmine.

‘Hold your own tongue, Glock, or I will tear it out by the roots!’ flashed Jasmine. Satisfied at having stirred her to anger, Glock snorted with laughter and was still.

And so it was that Nols’ final words came to their ears loud and clear. Words that hit Lief and Barda like thunderbolts.

‘I withdraw my trust in you, Worron,’ Nols cried. ‘You are not fit to lead the Plumes. You are not fit to be Piper.’