Soulmaker

  Chapter 34

  Panther observed the battle from a ledge high on the barricade. They were not victorious yet, but close. His eyes narrowed onto Tearclaw.

  “Traitor!” he hissed. What a bitter disappointment his offspring had been. Thoroughly unworthy of soul life and not a trace of noble wolf about her. He would take pleasure in denying her entry to the Great Destination. The creation of his hybrid children had held so much promise, yet in the end were a failure. But their method of creation was a secret he would die with rather than chance any of his power hungry followers making use of.

  He spotted the girl on the battlefield and clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. Almost his undoing! Panther imagined the taste of her blood mingling with Jacub’s on his tongue. Her death would be as sweet as a souling sacrifice.

  “To victory!” he roared.

  Bolstered by their leader’s confidence, the army sought their final victims. The Siamese cat approached Ash stealthily from behind. As she jiggled her rump ready to pounce, Elanora ran forward with a kick.

  “Thanks,” said Ash, whirling around.

  But the cat leapt at Elanora’s face.

  Ash batted it away from her with the pipe. He then bent down and hoisted Will to his feet, who had been knocked down by a Shetland’s kick.

  Elanora smiled at Ash and he responded, but their smiles vanished when they saw the line of dark animals advancing. They checked up at the barricade where more gathered in formation, with Panther at the apex, roaring in victory.

  All of a sudden a dust cloud billowed from the barricade, filling the chamber with a ghostly moan. Another gust blew and some of the wedges fell away allowing larger rays to streak in. More chinks toppled out and the animals dropped to all fours for balance on the trembling framework.

  A deep humming swelled until it engulfed every battle cry, drying every throat. Then there was silence. The barricade bulged as if elasticised. More light rays burst forth illuminating the cavern and destabilising the wall. Elanora, Will and Ash watched from the base of the structure as if frozen. Ashden ducked under a low flying post then grabbed the others by the arm and pulled them to safety, struggling with each step on his bruised legs.

  The panther inched up the barrier, his claws slipping and tail thrashing from side to side. His lungs clogged with smoke from his smoldering fur. The smell transported him to the past. To the kitten, singed and scared in the burning branches of an African tree, before strong human hands caught him as he fell. He remembered him! He remembered him, of course he did. The poacher’s son who nursed him back to health and refused to give him up. The son whose side he never left. The son, his Soulmaker, who bred with the banker’s daughter and produced the soft pink spawn that confined him to the cage, rejected. The pink young thing together with its cuddly toy that he tore apart to regain his position as only beloved son of his Maker.

  Panther set his jaw. His back legs slid from under him and circled helplessly in the air. He could feel the scar from his Soulmaker’s misaimed bullet rub against the timber as his chest slid lower and his front paws threatened to fail him.

  The hum intensified, the framework bulged to breaking point and rocks jettisoned around him. They smashed into the sides of the cavern sending animals ducking for cover. Beasts were collected by shooting boulders and crushed. Huge logs blew out, fracturing walls. Brilliant light rent the smoking chamber sending rocks and timber flying. Then, like the sudden end to a tropical storm, there was calm. The barricade balanced with the most minimal support, creaking and groaning. Panther heaved himself back onto the ledge.

  Now the source of the rays shone unencumbered by wooden planks and metal off cuts. A green and blue swirling surface like a satellite image of the earth stretched from floor to ceiling. Pink, orange and yellow light beams radiated from it in continual flashes. The surface stayed in tension until three figures could be seen pressing from inside, wearing the colours like a stretched out skin of latex. The rays darting from their forms touched the last of the structure but instead of scattering violently, it dissolved in a puff of phosphorescence. Beasts hovered midair, one by one falling to the ground. Motionless.

  Panther glared at the approaching figures. The taste of a hundred deaths rose up his throat. Then the look in his Soulmaker’s eyes returned to him. Eyes of disbelief watching as his blood streaked paw, weak from the bullet, delivered its death blow to his clean shaven neck. His Soulmaker had fallen and died the death of the weak. With a broken heart.

  How he hated the life he had been granted. From those days of darkness a driving hate had fuelled him and protected him from repentance. He would stand by his crimes even now and as the figures turned to him, open hands visible and beseeching, the panther sprang from his foothold to his fate below. Light and dark energy streaming from his body. As he plummeted, he finally had wiped from his mind the one word, his name, which had haunted him since his first evil desire germinated like a seed in his heart.

  “Sindisa”. Saved.

  Pink and citrus rays fanned out over every fallen souling toy and animal. Elanora, Ash and Will stood frozen as the figures continued towards them. Light flowed and danced over their bodies and from their outstretched hands.

  Will’s face was a horror. His eyes snapped wide and between his parted lips his mouth was cavernous and dry. His breath escaping in hot jets. A muscle under his eyelid twitched. The blood left his hands and feet. The figure stopped in front of him, a fanning screen from it, surrounding them both. Will collapsed to his knees.

  Sylvie’s eyes met his like a flare in the night, her brow and cheek bone swelling as he watched. She held out her fragile hand. “Please take me,” she whispered stepping towards him gingerly from her bedroom. The dawn light made her silhouette hazy and soft but her eyes sparkled from welling tears. She had wet the bed again. Papa appeared behind her, half shielded by her door. When his eyes connected with William’s, not even the dim light could hide the red sheen on his face. William bolted at once, down the staircase, straight for the front door. “Will, wait, wait, take me with you. Take me with you!” she whispered at the top of her lungs. “When I get back we will go away. I’ll get you out and you’ll be safe,” he thought to himself as he turned the knob. “Get back here,” Papa threatened, you get right back here!” “Leave him alone,” Sylvie cried before the impact of her body thrown down the stairs, silenced her. William slammed the door and ran.

  Will’s stomach retched. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured, “I’m so sorry. I knew and I didn’t take you with me.”

  The figure bent down to take his hand and raise him to his feet. Pastel rays zigzagged between them until Will’s face glowed and the shielding light dissolved.

  “Sylvie,” he touched her cheek and his fingers vibrated. His sister smiled and clasped his hand. The energy from the veil sunk into him and he felt lighter. Cleaner.

  “Are you okay, Will?” asked Elanora. “What’s happening?”

  “It’s fine, I’m fine. That’s my sister. That’s Sylvie.”

  Elanora looked across at Ash who was blinking into the face of the figure before him, unable to discern the features. He pressed his eyes and she noticed how light his breathing had become.

  “Dad?” he mouthed. His father smiled, putting a light soaked arm on his son’s shoulder. “But I don’t understand.”

  “Ashden, I haven’t had a chance to tell you,” said Elanora, wringing her hands together and speaking fast. “Pin Pot and Petsy told me about your father. He was just like you. He was killed in the Timefold by a beast when he was trying to save soulings. He didn’t abandon you at all.”

  “Dad?”

  His father nodded. He raised his arm and a light beam burst forth, snapping the rope around Eskatoria’s neck where she and the other soulings lay on the ground. As the beam retracted, Eskatoria came with it until she landed, limbs akimbo, in his father’s hand. The little monkey adjusted her arms and legs, sat up carefully and looked over at Ash with round blinking eye
s. She lifted her arms. Ash’s father handed her to him.

  “Thank you,” said Ash, awestruck.

  The third figure took position in front of Elanora. Try as she might, Elanora couldn’t place the woman. The dance of colours hid many clues, but Elanora was thankful to whoever she was for the help and whispered her gratitude. The figure cradled Elanora’s face in her hand then passed it over her hair. The sensation of the veil against her skin made her tingle.

  “Who is she?” Ash asked, sparing a moment to take his eyes off his father.

  Elanora shrugged, “I don’t…” The female figure smiled and placed her hands over her heart. Elanora felt the smallest yearning being coaxed from her chest. Settling in her mind like a grain of sand in an oyster. “I don’t think I know,” she said.

  Sylvie Johnson and Laurence Jaybanks then turned to Elanora. They stood on either side of the unknown female and took a hand each, searching Elanora’s eyes with their rainbow flecked lenses.

  “Thank you, and thank…thank, whoever I should thank in there,” Elanora fumbled for the words as they released their hold, her face red.

  Ashden’s father moved back to his son and reached his hand out waiting for Ash to do the same. He then turned his hand over so that his fingers hung over Ashden’s palm. At the tip of his index finger formed a perfect drop of colour from the swirling surface of his body, the film between this life and the next. The droplet swelled until its weight pulled it down to drop on Ash’s palm.

  He thought instantly of his mother as the refracting rainbow slid like mercury over his skin. In seconds it hardened to putty, rolling instead of sliding.

  Ashden looked up but already the figures were receding.

  “Wait Sylvie!” Will shouted.

  The figures paused and Sylvie pressed back.

  “Sylvie, I’m sorry I wanted to bring you back, I tried, I, I…but I shouldn’t have, should I?” He touched the pliant mask of her face and tingled again, closing his eyes to savour the sensation. “You are where you belong,” he said.

  Sylvie nodded and returned his touch before withdrawing.

  “I miss you Dad,” Ash whispered.

  “Good bye,” said Elanora, waving and frowning.

  The surface flowed evenly again, emanating its life giving light.

  None of them said a word.

  As if woken from a trance, Elanora caught sight of something in the corner of her eye and stumbled through the field of debris.

  “Petsy! I’m so glad you’re all right,” she said, cradling him in her arms. “There’s someone waiting to see you.” His forehead crinkled. “He’s a bit of a hero now and I’m afraid you’re going to have to hear all about it for a long time to come!” she grinned.

  Petsy managed a smile but his stitching and joints were close to breaking. “Not Pin Pot?” he croaked.

  “That’s who!” she said and carried him over to the opaline veil. “He’s waiting for you inside.”

  “Inside? But I can’t go, there’s so much work to be done here.”

  “You have been nothing short of a hero yourself all these years. You go now and rest, enjoy, have some fun for goodness sake!”

  Petsy regarded her and then the veil. On cue a tiny trunk pressed against the liquid light. Petsy chuckled.

  “Go on, it’s time.”

  Petsy took a deep breath and limped into the Great Destination. As he entered Elanora saw his fur brightened and his joints move freely.

  “I’ll miss you,” Elanora called.

  The soulings were carried into the light by injured animals. Scrufkin limped to the veil, posting a pink rabbit through it. His closeness to it warmed his blood and put a bounce in his step.

  The souls of their fallen animal friends separated gracefully from their bodies and drifted to the light. Soon, hundreds of transparent forms appeared in the cavern from the tunnel mouths as if summonsed by a turning tide. They floated serenely through to the other side.

  “They’re beautiful,” Elanora said as she and Ash stood transfixed by the ethereal procession.

  Ash returned her smile and tucked the putty into his pocket. “Come on. Let’s help the rest.”

  Elanora and Ash scoured the ground for soulings. Will was beside the veil when Ash noticed him.

  “Will, stop!” he shouted.

  Will pulled back his arm from swinging a souling but part of it had already touched the surface.

  “That’s Edward Arthur.”

  “Oh, is it?”

  “Nory’s waiting for him,” Ash said.

  “But wouldn’t he rather…go in?”

  Ash looked at the bear whose leg had started to glow from its brush with the veil.

  “There’s time enough for that. I think he’d be happiest right now returning to Nory. She would miss him like crazy.”

  “Oh, right,” said Will and he tossed Edward Arthur gently against wall. Eskatoria frowned at Will and jumped from Ash’s shoulder to sit with her friend, watching intently the changes working their way up his plush body.

  The whole cavern was dazzlingly bright. The walls were transforming back to their familiar doughyness and the ceiling glowed a healthy pink again.

  “What do we do about this one?” Ash asked as they gathered around the fallen panther.

  “He’s alive,” Elanora said.

  “I can’t sense a soul in him, can either of you?” Will asked.

  Ash opened the panther’s eyelid to search for life. Elanora touched him but no flicker of a spirit warmed her fingers.

  “Nothing.”

  “So he’s just an ordinary animal now?” Ash asked.

  “I suppose so,” said Will. “The others seem to be too but we’ll have to check. Those rays must have burnt out whatever soul was inside them.”

  Buttercup padded up beside them, standing tall over the near lifeless leader. “I will take him to the Outer World,” she said. “He shouldn’t be here.”

  Will gave Elanora a don’t-trust-a-beast stare.

  “No, he doesn’t belong. I trust you to take care of it,” she said aloud, tickling Buttercup on the yellow patch under her chin. “Let’s get all these beasts back to where they belong.”