C8 Chapter 8

The others were full of compassion and thumped Gabriel on the back and smiled. He recovered enough to step forward.

I mustn’t stumble now. Or spill anything ...

Everything went well. Rune’s hands felt raw and hard and the brew was strange, a bit acrid but not bad.

When he returned to his seat, he was surprised at the sense of clarity he felt in his body. It was as if he was translucent all over. He was startled and looked at his hands, but they were just as they had always been.

Big candelabras illuminated the space, generating a warm glow. There was a tense mood in the room, which was, of course, due to the dignified ceremony.

Then they experienced something unexpected, strange and surprising.

It was Tula’s voice: “Marco of the Ice People and the black angels, son of the angel of light, he who is ruler of the black halls!”

Marco stepped forward. Tula spoke to him and to them all. “I’m sure you’re puzzled that Marco needs to drink this ...”

“Yes, we are,” replied Tova. “To be honest I’ve been thinking a lot about Marco tonight. As he’s able to move around in time and space as he pleases, couldn’t he simply land in the Valley of the Ice People and fix the whole struggle single-handedly?”

“I can well understand that many of you think like that. However, it’s not that simple if you think about it. First, you mustn’t forget that Marco’s legacy from his mother, Saga of the Ice People, makes him vulnerable. Second, and more importantly, as a black angel, he can’t function in this dangerous set-up.”

“Why not?” Nataniel asked quietly. Marco, who was waiting for his ritual, had turned towards them and Tova devoured him with her eyes. Oh, it really hurt to look at something so magnificent, something so perfect in every way!

“Why not?” Tula repeated. “Well, for the simple reason that the Sources of Life are only for human beings, not angels or spirits. This is why Marco will only be a human being on your entire, dangerous journey.”

Ellen was horrified: “What are you telling us? Marco, with all his incredible abilities? Whom we’ve had such great confidence in! Isn’t he to have those abilities now?”

“No. He won’t be allowed to use anything of what he was given freely as a descendant of the black angels. Marco, the human being, is to struggle against Tengel the Evil.”

“Then we lose one of our strongest cards,” Tova protested.

Tula smiled. “Not entirely. After all, Marco has learnt quite a lot during the hundred years he’s lived. Don’t forget that Man himself has an enormous capacity. What does science know today about all the glands and nerve centres that seem quite superfluous? What does Man know of the seven chakras? Believe me: only a fraction! Marco has received an extremely thorough education in everything human. Precisely with a view to helping you on your journey. As a black angel, he would be invaluable in the Valley of the Ice People. However, only a living human being is able to find the vessel of evil. So please accept this bowl, Marco!”

Oh, he’s so stylish, Gabriel thought. The handsomest man he had ever seen.

The black hair, which fell down his neck in soft curls. The straight back with the broad shoulders ... Absolutely out of this world!

A deep sigh next to Gabriel told him that Tova thought the same.

Marco bent his head over the bowl and Rune’s ugly face appeared above him. What a contrast! Nevertheless, gazing at Rune was also pleasant. Gabriel thought that this was the enigma of beauty. You came across it where you least expected it.

Appeal was probably the word. Attraction. Charisma. It wasn’t charm because charm is something entirely different.

Gabriel never stopped marvelling at the phenomenon: how tastes differ.

Marco returned to his seat, giving Gabriel a gentle smile.

“And that is the end of the initiation ceremony,” said Tula. “Now ...”

What a shock!

“What about Nataniel?” Ellen exclaimed.

“You mustn’t forget Nataniel!” Tova agreed, and Gabriel nodded. How could they forget the most important member of the Ice People?

Tengel the Good took a step or two forward: “Nataniel isn’t to drink the brew,” he said with a smile.

“Isn’t he ...?”

“No.”

This firm reply ought to have put a stop to all further protests and questions. They noticed that Nataniel was not only surprised but also sad. The rejection had confused him.

Of course, Tova didn’t have the sense to keep quiet. “Nataniel is the weakest of us all. He of all people should ...”

“Nataniel isn’t weak,” snapped Tengel the Good. “He’ll be able to fend for himself with his DNA.”

Thank you very much. Gabriel was bored stiff with the knowledge of Nataniel’s unique heritage: he was one of the chosen among the Ice People; he was related to the black angels; he had the blood of the demons of the night in him; and of the storm demons. And he was the seventh son of a seventh son. He was really well endowed!

Why wasn’t he allowed to drink the brew?

Tengel the Good had changed the subject. “You know that I’m the leader of the ancestors of the Ice People. If you want help from our ancestors, you must get in touch with me.”

Sol moved and stood next to him: “And summon me if you need assistance from some of our witches.”

“But you’ll have to fight on your own,” added Tengel the Good. “We can only act through you, never intervene directly.”

“And it doesn’t mean that you can shout for help all the time,” added Sol with a wry smile. “You know the expression ‘crying wolf’. We may grow weary of appearing at the least bit of danger and then not turn up when you really need us.”

Tengel the Good added: “As far as the black angels are concerned, Marco and Nataniel are the only ones who are allowed to summon them. Please remember that the black angels can only help those two, not the rest of you. When it comes to the demons, we’ll decide, in consultation with Tula and others, whether they can appear or not. That is not your business. Right now, the so-called general staff are making their plans in another chamber in this mountain. They’re responsible for the large crowd of demons.”

Suddenly, Marco stepped forward, and what he had to say made the four human beings pale. He was very serious. “I think the time’s now right to disclose what will happen if you’re not sufficiently on your guard. Earlier this evening, Typhoon, the storm demon, explained how many Tengel the Evil was able to kill. He mentioned that he could banish the Ice People’s ancestors back to the spheres of the dead; he might even be able to get them in his power: this is uncertain. Typhoon also said that all demons could come under Tengel the Evil’s whip if he wanted. And that you four human beings are very vulnerable ... but Typhoon doesn’t know everything. There’s a much greater danger. Well, two, in fact ...”

“Which are?” whispered Tengel the Good.

“Tamlin can tell us about one of them,” replied Marco. “Tan-ghil may throw you out into the immense void where Tamlin floated for quite some time. However, Vanja found the link with the enchanted spot up on the mountain ridge above Gråstensholm. That route that Heike and Vinga once opened. So the void isn’t the worst thing ...”

The others waited, anxious and tense.

“No. Tan-ghil has another danger ready for us ... I believe,” Marco added hesitantly. “A rumour is circulating about what is called the Deep Abyss ...”

“That doesn’t sound nice,” said Targenor. “What is it?”

“We don’t know,” said Marco, and by “we” he probably meant his friends the black angels. “There are whispers about the Deep Abyss or the Big Shaft. Nobody really knows. Only that it has to do with Tengel the Evil and that he has gotten rid of demons and similar troublesome spirits by sending them to this place. He can’t kill them, but this is where they are marooned forever. So I ask you to be vigilant, and not to expose the demons to such danger. After all, they are our allies and don’t deserve to be sacrificed in such a manner.”

“Of course, we won’t treat them like that,” said Nataniel. The others nodded in agreement.

Gabriel shuddered. He didn’t like the sound of the Deep Abyss. He hoped never to end up there. Because what would his parents say? Not to mention his beloved dog, Peik?

Ellen asked Marco: “Didn’t Typhoon say that Shira is the only one who’s safe from Tengel the Evil? When can we summon her?”

“Shira only has a single assignment,” said Tengel the Good, “and that is to pour the clear water into the dark – when you’ve found it – and thus render it harmless. You’re never to summon her before that has happened. She must be spared until the big moment.”

“Then the struggle will be over,” said Nataniel.

“Hopefully. Shira ... now it’s your turn to continue the ceremony.”

The short woman with the Asian features stepped forward. She bowed before the five.

“I was allowed to keep a small part of the clear water in a special little bottle,” she said in her melodious voice. “As you know, I have often needed this water. I’ve sprinkled it on evil flutes and ghosts and sick people. So now my bottle is empty and I have no new drops to fritter away. Now all the water in the big bottle I got by the source must be saved for its true purpose: it’s to be poured into Tengel the Evil’s vessel. You are the ones who are to take the clear water to the Valley of the Ice People. There, and only there, after you’ve reached Tengel the Evil’s hiding place with the dark water, can I come to your assistance. You mustn’t try to go near the water of evil because it will kill you. Only I can do that. Please summon me at that time, and not before!”

They nodded stiffly in solemn excitement.

Shira turned and, with the help of Tula, she picked up four small water containers, carefully wrapped in protective coverings.

“There are five of you,” she said. “But Gabriel isn’t to have a bottle. He’s present as an observer only. The other four should each take a container: if one of you can’t reach the Valley of the Ice People, we’ll have a spare bottle.”

The four members each received a small parcel.

Shira admonished them: “Please conceal them well. Never forget them and never leave them out of your sight!”

“Of course not,” Marco said. “We’ll protect them with our lives.”

Tengel the Good took over: “You’ll probably all get there. However, if you find that it’s more advantageous, then you should split up. What I’m now telling you is only preliminary. Later on, you’ll meet the ‘general staff’ and work out the plan; all except Gabriel, who is let off.”

This time, the boy didn’t protest. This stuff about planning and general staff didn’t sound very enticing.

“This is how you split up, if necessary. Tova will go with Marco ...”

Tova gasped. She and Marco! Oh, bliss. Right up to Tröndelag – up in the mountains. Alone! But Targenor quickly shattered her illusions. “Gabriel will also join Marco, because he’ll be safest that way. Rune will also most likely join you for some of the way.”

“Whatever for?” Tova thought grimly. But she regretted her thought immediately. Rune and Gabriel were very nice people, and hadn’t she already taken Rune to her heart?

“Yes, Rune,” she said, gazing at the strange mandrake person. “I was just about to ask how he fits into the picture. Why will he only come some of the way with us?”

“Rune moves about as he pleases. He can come and go,” Tengel said. “He’s not subject to human laws of movement. You’ll find him where you need him, otherwise not.”

Tova gave Rune a smile. “Then we’ll need you all the time. Your handsome face ...”

Rune returned her smile, embarrassed as usual, and then he turned away as if he was unable to meet her smile any longer. Tova thought that perhaps she hadn’t chosen her words very well. Perhaps Rune thought that I was being sarcastic, but I wasn’t. I can’t afford to accuse others of being ugly when I’m not very pretty myself.

“You must be the first to try to reach the location of the water vessel,” said Targenor. “As you know, it’s virtually impossible to get near it, but if you can just get close enough, you can summon Shira. In the meantime, if Tengel the Evil has had time to awake or his spirit is too strong in the Valley of the Ice People, it’s up to Nataniel and Ellen to detain and distract him so he doesn’t see what the others are up to.”

Ellen had to protest: “No, no. Nataniel and I can’t be together, that just won’t work! We love one another and giving in means death to us.”

But Nataniel had other things on his mind. “What if we don’t see Tengel the Evil, even if he’s standing right next to us? I mean the real Tan-ghil, not his spiritual force?”

“He can’t hide himself that easily,” Targenor replied.

“He certainly did a pretty good job of it last time,” Rune reminded them. “When he entered Heydrich’s body.”

“At the time, we didn’t know that he was capable of doing anything like that. Now we know better.”

“Wait a moment,” said Tova said. “Wasn’t Halkatla told that she could join us?”

“Halkatla is a witch, a spirit, Tova,” Sol replied patiently. “She can only be summoned through me, and then you might not even see her. Please remember that tonight is a special night.”

“Marco and I have seen you from time to time?”

“Well, I suppose you have, because both of you are stricken. But the thing is we don’t quite know where Halkatla stands.”

“She’s sweet,” Tova replied quickly.

Sol put on a naive smile. “She probably is. Anyway, we’ll have to put her to the test. You may need her somewhere along the way. But she can’t be with you all the time as if she were an ordinary person.”

“Why not?”

“Because it requires quite a lot of energy to manifest ourselves,” Tengel the Good explained.

“I didn’t know that, you’ve never told us. Then you must be quite exhausted now?”

“Not tonight because, as you know, tonight is special. Now we’re like ordinary, living human beings.

Tova became concerned. “Something has been bothering me ... Let’s assume that we succeed in defeating Tengel the Evil – or that we don’t do so and succumb ... In both cases, your ‘guard duty’ is over, isn’t it? Then I’ll never stand a chance of becoming a member of your illustrious crowd!”

“You have a point,” said Sol. “Actually, I don’t know what happens next. Perhaps Marco knows the answer?”

The exceedingly handsome man smiled. “I think we should talk this over afterwards.”

“Well, yes. If we have the opportunity,” muttered Tova.

Tengel interrupted them. “I think we have enough to worry about for now, Tova. Let’s move on. As you know, we’re to meet the so-called general staff, which Alexander Paladin is directing. There we’ll have the chance to take a look at Silje’s diary. Since young Gabriel will take leave of us here, I think we should go over the most important pages in the book with him now. Do you agree?”

They did. An extremely old and worn book was placed on the table and all five bent over it. They could discern the little picture that Silje had painted on the cover. Now everybody could see how truly artistic she was.

Tengel the Good treated the book solemnly. He turned to a page with a drawing of a map. It still bore signs of Kolgrim eating bread and butter: the spots had made the parchment transparent.

But the drawing was clear enough. Silje had marked the spot where Sol had once seen Tengel the Evil.

“Today, Sol saw a dangerous man,” read Tengel the Good. He had never been particularly good at reading, so Sol read out the text on the opposite page. Gabriel, who had the great honour of standing closest, couldn’t understand how she was able to decipher the strange letters.

She read laboriously: “We had walked higher up than usual that day. Then we reached a ledge on the cliff where we looked down towards the valley. Down below was a big pile of stones ... This must have been the ledge that Kolgrim threw himself from. I have a vague recollection of it, but I was so young at the time. Then we followed a brook upwards to the left. The brook came out of nowhere, but we continued farther upwards. We wanted to reach two tall standing stones that we had never been to before.”

“I remember them,” said Tengel the Good. “They’re often mentioned earlier in the legend.”

Sol read on: “It became difficult for us to keep climbing. It was so steep and the children were tired. Tall boulders lay scattered everywhere; they had fallen down from the mountain and the standing stones were much bigger close up.”

Silje’s language was very old-fashioned, but Sol was ‘translating’ it into modern idiom as she read.

“It was a very beautiful, open plateau. There was a projection of rock with small shrubby birch trees. I’ve never seen birch grow at such an altitude, but I suppose this was because there was shelter and sunshine. As usual, Sol ran ahead of us. She disappeared behind the cliff, but when we reached it she came rushing towards us, absolutely white in the face, and pulled and tugged at us, shouting: ‘Dangerous man!’ She absolutely banned us from turning the corner of the cliff. So we obeyed her and turned back, and she ran ahead of us all the way, stopping and urging us to walk faster. In fact, she was absolutely out of her mind.”

“Yes, that’s clear,” Ellen said. “That was how Kolgrim found it. And Tarjei. But didn’t Sunniva speak about two places?”

“Yes,” said Marco. “We’ve marked the other place on the big map that was made after this one. Sunniva’s observation lies even further to the west of the valley. Of course, we’ll need to take a copy of the sketch map with us.”

Gabriel plucked up courage and said: “If I’m to tell about everything that happens, I suppose I’ll join Nataniel and Ellen?”

Targenor smiled. “You can’t be in both places at the same time if you have to part company. So it would be safer for you to be with Marco rather than Nataniel, who might have to face the evil one head-on.”

Gabriel nodded, matter-of-fact. He had to admit to himself that both alternatives sounded equally frightening. Nevertheless, he wanted to play a part.

They left the room. Gabriel went with Nataniel. He gazed at Marco’s impressive figure in front of them.

“There’s something that I don’t understand, Uncle Nataniel.”

“You’re too grown-up to call me uncle now, Gabriel. Just call me Nataniel. What is it you don’t understand?”

“Why has Marco waited until now to summon us all? Why did he have to wait until Tengel the Evil was ready to come out of his hibernation? Surely it would have been safer if we had journeyed to the Valley of the Ice People while he hibernated, wouldn’t it?”

“I’ve thought the same thing myself,” Nataniel admitted. “And I’ve reached the conclusion that Marco must have had a very special reason for waiting so long. That Tengel the Evil is waking up now must have been a part of Marco’s calculations. He had to keep to an unknown time frame. Unfortunately, the two incidents almost coincided.”

“I understand. But if the evil one was to wake up, our mission would be a whole lot worse, wouldn’t it? Then it might lead to a struggle?”

“Yes, with his physical self. But you must bear in mind, Gabriel, that he wouldn’t let us into the Valley of the Ice People that easily. He has many allies, and his spiritual force in the valley isn’t to be sneezed at.”

They parted company out in the hall. The others entered another room while Gabriel was led into what was known as the banqueting hall.

Even at a distance, he could hear a loud buzzing, though he was unable to discern any single words. It sounded happy and lively, and when he entered the hall, he saw that everybody was talking kindly to one another and they all looked very happy. There was probably a kind of borderline between the demons and the others, but it wasn’t sharp. A long, festive table had been laid at the far end of the enormous hall.

Gabriel felt that he could now relax. He found his mother in the crowd and went up to her. She gave him a big hug, and everything was just fine.

Morahan couldn’t just drop off to sleep even if he was tired. Thoughts whirled in his head, anxious to touch on what he least of all wanted to dwell on – but, of course, they would end there anyway. He had to create a smokescreen to get rid of them. He knew that his mental crisis was drawing near.

His anxiety, which had seized him in this simple but clean hotel room, told him so.

While he was getting ready for his journey, he had had those thoughts to lean on. He was doing something with his hands, making plans with his brain: he could occupy himself.

Now there was a void.

He heard his own, abnormally superficial breathing.

No, don’t listen to it. Please!

The pain-relieving tablets? If he took a big handful of them, he might be able to sleep. Forever?

No, not yet. He had made his mother a silent promise to see the regions she had always longed to go back to, just one single time. That hadn’t been the case, so he wanted to journey in her place. It was the least he could do for her: that one of her children would have the opportunity to see this part of Norway.

He lifted his arm, gently twisting it against the light from the window. He could see its contours. He had a stable, well-shaped hand.

Soon it wouldn’t exist anymore.

Morahan liked his hands – they were like his friends.

It was a fateful mistake to look at his hand like that. He curled up on his side in bed, pressing his lips together to contain the scream that wanted to get out. A wild, powerless sense of protest filled him; he felt an urge to bang his fists into the wall, to strike, flee, scream, scream ...

But he couldn’t do any of it. It was a small hotel with thin walls: he had heard the neighbours’ voices earlier that evening; he had to behave himself properly.

With his knees pulled up and his knuckles pressed against his teeth, he lay shaking all over for a long time before he could relax.

For goodness sake, Ian Morahan, why did you embark on this journey? You should have stayed at home, accepting the help you could get!

But the thought of that dismal working-class district of Liverpool made him feel uncomfortable. Walking around there, waiting for the inevitable? Trying to hide everything from his mates – or perhaps plucking up courage and telling them what had happened? Seeing them withdraw, trying to take the thing in their stride – something that is virtually impossible for anyone. Or even worse: seeing them feel sorry for him and hearing their soothing, comforting words, perhaps being exposed to cloying concern from them and their wives? Friends that he hadn’t been terribly close to up until now.

He breathed out and stretched out in bed once more.

No, this was a much better option. For God’s sake, he was damn used to fending for himself! He was strongest when he was on his own.

He was able to take care of himself. If only he could drop off to sleep!

One thing was obvious: he would have to stay where he was for a couple of days; he needed to regain his strength before he continued his journey.

There! Now he had made up his mind. Now he was calm again.