C7 Chapter 7

This wasn’t quite what they had expected – that time would stop completely while they were in the Demon’s Mountain and that they would find themselves in a void between two moments.

Time did pass, and the night moved on, but so incredibly slowly that they didn’t notice it at all. A minute in the world of the living was an ample hour on the mountain. Otherwise, they would never have been able to cover everything in that short spring night.

Life outside the world of the demons went by as usual. The Ice People’s families slept soundly in hibernation so they wouldn’t wake up and discover that their loved ones were gone. Gabriel’s dog was slumbering soundly where it lay on the floor next to the bed. It had pulled down its young owner’s trousers to lie on, pressing them into creases of its own design, probably to his mother Karine’s despair. The dog was dreaming that it was chasing a cat, whimpering and kicking with its paws in its mad chase in its sleep. The blasted cat won – it found a tree – and the dog relaxed. It was disappointed. What a stupid dream!

Abel Gard snored loudly and uninterruptedly in his and Christa’s big double bed. Nataniel’s seven brothers slept, ignorant of what was going on in that world outside the world.

Splendid old Linden Avenue, the family’s principle seat and rallying point, was empty. All its inhabitants were away on Valpurgis Night. Only the down-to-earth partners among the Voldens and the Brinks and the others were left at home. And they slept tight without knowing that all their houses and farms were being monitored, as they had been all through the past winter.

They were all gathered under the dark trees in Gråstensholm Parish, with a view of the quiet Linden Avenue ...

“Did you find them?”

“Not a trace.”

“That’s strange. It’s as if the earth has swallowed them up. All of them!”

“The boss is impatient. I’m beginning to feel nervous.”

“It’s not our fault that they’re hiding.”

“He should be pleased that we’ve been on guard during this hellishly cold winter. Shit!”

“I was freezing like a pig.”

“Me, too.”

“And me. We ought to be on strike!”

“Just you try! Do you remember that one who tried it? There wasn’t much left of him. They could hardly ident ... ident ... him.”

“Identify.”

“Oh, shut up, you fool. You can’t even talk properly!”

“Shit! You think you’re so bright just because you passed a matriculation exam. Still, things didn’t turn out too well for you, did they?”

“Stop quarrelling! You know what he promised us if we do as he wants, don’t you? Invincibility, right?”

“That’s true,” said a new voice. “The lad shot at me but the bullets just bounced off like hail. That’s really something!”

“Yes, but it’s only for us thirteen,” said the one who seemed to be the brightest. “The others, those on the edge, they don’t have such protection. They’re just simple henchmen.”

They all leaned in closer to one another.

“Have you ever seen him?”

“Number One? No.”

“No, I’m not talking about Number One. I’m talking about the one above him.”

The wise one said pompously: “I don’t think anybody has seen him. I’ve met Number One because I’m Number Two ...”

“Have you? What was he like?”

“I don’t really know,” said Number Two, ill at ease. “I didn’t like him at all. He was sinister. I can’t say in what way.”

“What did he look like?”

“Well, er ... I suppose he looked like you and me. But terribly pale. He spoke so strangely. So ... with great effort. A cold type. Icy-cold! Be very careful around him!”

“Was he the one who spoke to us when we were enlisted?”

“No, that was another voice,” said the bright one. “Tell you what: I think that voice was the boss himself.”

“Number One’s boss?”

Number Two nodded slowly and solemnly several times.

They fell silent. None of them wanted to say anything. None of them dared to speak about the voice they had heard – in their minds. The summoning. The order. Although they suspected that all had heard the same thing, nobody dared to break the ice.

That voice ... never would they forget that terrible voice when they heard the invocation. They knew that they would have to obey; anything else was out of the question. They had to obey Number Two, who got his orders from the mystical, ice-cold Number One, who in turn got his orders from ... the voice.

Actually, they didn’t mind obeying, because that whispering, slightly glib, dragging voice that they had heard only once not only had them in its power, it also promised a lot in return. Everything they could wish for.

Wealth, honour, superiority over all other little creeps, success with the opposite sex – there were both men and women among the thirteen – luxury and abundance.

So what did a bit of inconvenience matter, in the shape of long hours and a difficult terrain from time to time?

Soon, soon they would no longer have to spy and monitor. Soon they would be allowed to attack this family which their boss couldn’t stand.

But now they were anxious. If they didn’t soon succeed in finding the ones they were supposed to be guarding, the wrath of the Big Unknown would strike them.

They knew that would be the worst imaginable punishment in the whole world.

Gabriel was completely baffled.

The four figures stood in front of them on the veranda. The boy had turned slightly aside and therefore saw them from the side. In the semi-darkness of the night, he saw next to him a man in a brown cowl that hid his face. Behind that man he detected a bright-red cowl, as if the whole man was on fire. There was a woman there, in a clear blue, shimmering robe, like air itself. The fourth figure, standing farthest from Gabriel, was wearing a robe of shifting grey, green and blue – like playing waves.

They were speaking to Tun-sij and their voices sounded authoritative. But Gabriel also sensed insecurity behind their stern words. That puzzled him. Could it be that they ...?

He saw that Earth’s cowl had big holes in it. And the cowls worn by Water and Air weren’t quite as clear as he had thought at first ...

This was as far as his thoughts went because the spirit of Fire said in a sharp voice to Tun-sij: “You’ve dared to invoke us. Why?”

Tun-sij bowed deeply. “We thank you deeply for coming, great spirits of Taran-gai. We ask that it will please you to stand on our side in the great struggle against the human creep.”

“We’re already on his side. Tan-ghil is the only human being who still upholds us.”

So, there was the answer, which was exactly what Gabriel had expected: the spirits had come because it was more than two hundred years since they had last been summoned. Nobody lived in Taran-gai anymore. They were nervous because they feared for their further existence.

Tun-sij, who stood with a very straight back, said: “We worship you, highly esteemed ones.”

Earth replied sharply: “You’re dead. Only the creep lives. He’s the only survivor of Taran-gai’s old family. Those who live near Taran-gai now are lawless dogs.”

“However, we have the living with us here. They’re of the Ice People. Direct descendants of those who left Taran-gai eight hundred years ago to seek their fortune in the west. Perhaps they ...?”

Good heavens. Surely Tun-sij doesn’t want us to convert to her faith? Gabriel was shocked. Grandfather Abel would never allow that!

The spirits twirled around, inspecting each and every one critically. The first they caught sight of was Mar.

The spirit of Water said bitterly: “Oh, so Shama’s worst henchman is here? That’s interesting.”

Mar said: “One can always change one’s mind.”

“How convenient to be able to do that.”

But the three other spirits had already seen Shira and for a moment, they just stood there, frozen.

Shira bowed to them and they returned her greeting in a very respectful manner.

They took a quick look at Targenor, Tengel and Sol.

They stopped long and thoughtfully by Marco and the black angels and then bowed their heads in respect.

They were very reserved towards the various demons. The spirit of Fire said: “We don’t understand these. Have you made allies of evil powers as well?”

Tamlin, who was with his mother, Lilith, replied: “We’ll take whoever we can get. Demons also hate and fear Tan-ghil.”

“You should know,” Fire answered. “You’re partly one yourself.”

The black angel laid his perfectly shaped hand on Tamlin’s shoulder. “He is. He’s stronger than you would imagine. My ruler has taken him under his wing.”

Gabriel thought that was almost literally true. But he was far too excited to be able to laugh right now.

When they came to Rune, the spirit of Water started. All four wrinkled their brows and bowed in respect. They touched his arm gently.

Earth said sharply: “What’s this? Not a human being, and not a spirit! If it wasn’t so unlikely, I would have said that it was a tree.”

Rune smiled and said: “Tan-ghil once owned me. Do you recall a small, magical root? A mandrake.” He pointed at Marco and the black angel. “They transformed me into the human being I was destined to be from the very beginning.”

“I remember that root,” said Earth. “It had great magical power, and Tan-ghil yearned for it. And we were close to it at one point later. Daniel, who came from a distant country, had it with him when he helped Shira, the Virgin of the Source of the Clear Water. I can see that you have strong helpers in the struggle against that human creep!”

“So strong that you’re thinking of changing sides?” Tova murmured sarcastically. Gabriel pinched her side admonishingly. Fortunately, the spirits didn’t seem to have heard her.

The man with the playful eyes, the spirit of Water, said: “You must know that we’ve never wanted to serve him. On the contrary! However, he was the only one left who adhered to our creed, so we had no choice.”

Tun-sij said gently: “So ... so you’ll help us?”

The spirits didn’t reply immediately. What interested them the most were the living people in the audience.

Ellen, Gabriel, Tova and Nataniel. “Who are these four?” asked the beautiful spirit of Air. “The fifth one doesn’t count because he belongs to several worlds.”

She was referring to Marco.

“That’s also the case with another of them,” interrupted the spirit of Fire with a pensive glance at Nataniel.

The spirit of Air said: “We can’t interfere with someone who’s so fundamentally involved in a faith other than ours. That leaves only three: the two women and the young boy.”

Gabriel thought they must be able to sense that Marco and Nataniel were very close descendants of one of the main figures of Christianity. It’s all so strange that I find it difficult to keep track. Oh, boy! My classmates should have seen this!

The very next moment, he was so tense and excited that his hair stuck out and his eyes were as big as saucers. The spirits were entirely focused on him and the girls.

Tova protested. “We’ve many more living members now. I believe we are twenty-two in all. The others are inside the mountain.”

“They don’t count,” said Tengel the Good. “They must in no way be drawn into the struggle.”

The spirits looked at the three living creatures. Gabriel thought that he could read a desperate hope in their seemingly expressionless faces. The spirit of Earth said in a sharp voice: “You must have confidence in us if we switch to your side.

Tova said: “We certainly do. You’re standing right here!”

“That’s not enough! You mustn’t believe half-heartedly, just because you need us.”

Gabriel heard Tova murmur something between half-closed lips: “And you need us.”

He prayed that the spirits hadn’t heard the remark.

What would Grandpa Abel say about all this? That his son Nataniel and his grandson Gabriel, and Nataniel’s girlfriend Ellen, were to adopt another, almost pagan creed? This was something Grandpa would never tolerate. But weren’t the spirits right? Weren’t all religions a cry for help?

It was Ellen who solved this embarrassing situation. “It’s not difficult for us to believe in you and to worship you, spirits of Taran-gai,” she said diplomatically. “After all, you’re simply the universe: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. We humans should pay much more attention to you before we spoil you!”

Earth was surprised and said: “Decay has already set in. My robe bears marks and wounds and I’ve wondered why. Can the human creep really ...?”

The spirit of Water interrupted him. “The colour of my robe is no longer clear. Something has made it dirty.”

“The same with mine,” said the spirit of Air.

“It will get worse,” said the black angel softly.

Ellen nodded. Her tone was serious: “I believe that you two, Air and Water, are the ones in the most dire straits. Anyway, I doubt that Tan-ghil will do anything to stop the pollution that’s going on, which will kill our planet someday. I think he will encourage it instead.”

The spirits looked at one another and their shifting glances showed how anxious they were.

“Why do humans behave like that? Destroying the earth beneath them and their whole existence?”

Nataniel sighed. “Each generation thinks only of itself. It is short-sighted. Because of money – or because it’s the easier solution. We want to obtain everything in the easiest possible way. This is why sophisticated appliances and dangerous materials are invented.”

“Like quick-acting detergents that mean you don’t have to make an effort. Or aerosol sprays. Or toilet paper decorated with hearts and Christmas elves so the company can make a bit more money from people’s stupidity,” Tova said sharply.

Nataniel adopted a milder tone. “We human beings have always been good at destroying things. Now and then, deliberately. Sometimes with good intentions because we know no better. At other times because of thoughtlessness or folly.”

Ellen said gently: “Nowadays, people are beginning to think of these values. It will be our duty, Tova’s and Gabriel’s and mine, to work towards a better understanding for you all.”

Gabriel had his grandfather in his thoughts when he asked: “Can we do this? Is it possible to mix two such different faiths together? I mean, you can’t believe in both at the same time, surely?”

As usual, Tova had a cutting remark: “When it’s such a damn fine thing to believe and not know, surely one religion can be just as good as the other. I’ve no problems with that.”

The gentle Ellen said: “If human beings were to see the beginning of the end of the world, they might take to your religion and worship you, no matter what faith they profess?”

The spirits gazed at her intently and then nodded, satisfied with her answer.

Earth pointed out: “But that ... doesn’t mean that you will also begin to worship Shama!”

“Oh I see,” murmured Tova. “So there are conditions.” Then she said aloud: “Oh, no. We’ll behave ourselves.”

Then the spirits spoke to Tun-sij: “We’ve made up our minds. We prefer your suggestion.”

Everybody heaved a sigh of relief.

“But don’t summon us often, because it won’t help,” said Fire. “We’ll only watch the struggle, and not work against you. But first ...”

The spirits walked solemnly over to the three human beings. Just as Irovar had once seen them do with the newborn Shira, they went from one to the next in a line, touching their foreheads.

The figure dressed in brown said: “Nothing that comes from the earth will harm you.”

“The water will carry you but not engulf you,” said the man with the shining eyes.

“The winds of the air will make your journey lighter,” the woman said.

“The fire will warm you but not burn you,” said the man in the flaming cowl.

“But stone won’t give you any protection,” warned the spirit of Air. “Please remember that. Stone and metal belong to Shama’s realm.”

“Bullets and gunpowder,” muttered Tova, “and daggers and clubs and ...”

Gabriel didn’t say anything. He was speechless after having looked straight into the eyes of the four spirits for a few seconds and felt them each touch his forehead. It was as if he had gazed into a dance of flames and the merry song of the waves, up into the immense universe or down into the interior of the earth. Then, suddenly, they were no longer there. The spirits were gone; no matter how much he searched, they weren’t to be seen anywhere.

“Yes,” said Tun-sij slowly and pensively. “Yes, yes.”

The pale early light had changed into a stronger, golden tone. The mountain landscape lay in the very first light of dawn.

Night was drawing to an end.

After a long, thoughtful pause in which everybody tried to digest everything, Tula said tonelessly: “We’ve finished on the veranda. Now all that’s left are the closing ceremonies. We’ll divide ourselves further so that only the nucleus of the group is left. Come, please follow me!”

They entered the large hall that also showed the signs of dawn following the long and eventful night. Everything was so calm, the horse people’s steps and voices echoed softly in the hall.

Tula placed her arm around Gabriel’s shoulders and bent down to him as they walked. “You don’t have to attend anything more, my friend. Just a short ceremony, then you can return home with your mother and all the others.”

Gabriel, who had just begun to think that it was all getting too much for him, changed his mind immediately. “I want to be here anyway. It’s important that I remember everything so that I can write it down afterwards. I don’t want to be sent home like a child. I’m one of the chosen ones, and that’s an honour for me.”

“Very well, Gabriel, my own relative. I like that. But everything will soon end here and your families mustn’t wake up and start wondering where you are. Come. You must go in here with Tova and the others.”

Gabriel saw how the excited little Taran-gai were being shown into the large banqueting hall, together with most of the Ice People. Then even more people were shown inside, so that those that followed Tula and Gabriel were surprisingly few.

Targenor and Rune and Tengel the Good and Sol. And Shira, Marco, Nataniel, Ellen and Tova.

That was all. Then the door was closed behind them.

They were in a small room with completely black walls, ceiling and floor. In the background stood a broad, low table consisting of a single wooden board of immense thickness. There were a number of objects on the table, which Gabriel didn’t have time to identify before Targenor and Rune stood in front of them.

A few elegant old-fashioned chairs stood in the room. They were shown to their seats, with the five chosen members in the first row.

There were eleven people in the room. All except Rune were members of the Ice People.

Targenor spoke to them.

“As the Ice People’s only king, I’ve been assigned to perform this ceremony. It’s so secret that only we are allowed to take part. Otherwise, I’m sure that many would have been found worthy to be here as well.”

Targenor lifted the big sword that Tan-ghil had once given him. “Marco, Nataniel, Ellen, Tova and Gabriel, come up here and fall on your knees!”

As if they were being knighted, Targenor let the flat side of the sword fall on their shoulders – one after the other. But the words he spoke were of another world. They didn’t understand them despite the fact that during this night they had been able to speak and understand all languages. Gabriel realized that what he was hearing was the age-old invocation of the ancestors of the Ice People. It was secret and holy; only those that knew the art of invocation understood it.

Anyway, Gabriel understood that they were now in the middle of an initiation ceremony.

After the sword had been laid on the table, they were allowed to sit down once more. Tula stepped forward.

In her clear voice, she said: “Dear chosen friends, you’ve already been given some sort of protection by the four spirits of Taran-gai: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. You also heard them say that you must beware of everything that is mineral or metal. This is because Shama rules over these two things and we have no power over him. The Ice People and their allies have also sworn to protect you, because you’ll be facing many dangers and you have many unknown enemies. Neither the protection of the spirits nor ours will help you entirely, but it can make your journey easier for you.”

Then Tula lifted up a small bowl. “In this brew, the various groups have given you the best they’re capable of. This will make your resilience stronger than steel. The Ice People’s spirits have given you love of the family, which encourages and strengthens you when you’re most inclined to give up. The shamans of the Taran-gai have contributed the ability to see that which is supposed to be concealed. The black angels have provided you with stamina when your strength is exhausted so that you can almost defy death. The demons of the night will give you the ability to see in the darkness, and the storm demons will make you swift. The demons of the Ice People will give you nerve and courage and positivity when you would prefer to have fled. The abandoned demons are subject to the command of one who has drunk this brew – and the demons of forfeiture will provide you with the ability to kill when necessary. This could be valuable for you because most of you five hesitate to kill, don’t you?”

They nodded solemnly.

With a wave of her hand, Tula asked Rune to step forward. She handed him the bowl. “Tova Brink of the Ice People,” she said in a loud voice. “Come up here and receive this drink from the Ice people’s best and most loyal friend!”

As she walked solemnly over to Rune, Tova whispered: “Me first?” He held the bowl with his mutilated hands and Tova placed her hands on his for support.

It was very solemn.

Gabriel wanted to know what it tasted like when she came back but he didn’t dare break the solemn atmosphere.

Tula shouted: “Ellen Skogsrud of the Ice People!”

Ellen stepped forward and was given a new bowl to drink from.

Gabriel thought that it was all extremely solemn and sophisticated. He had to swallow.

Then Tula took a third bowl and gave it to Rune.

“Gabriel Gard of the Ice People!”

Gabriel hiccoughed and swallowed some air. He began to cough badly.

Oh, dear! Now he was spoiling the fine, other-worldly mood. He could have sunk through the floor in shame.