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Several hours later, Tom woke up feeling groggy and disorientated, and for a few seconds, couldn’t work out where he was.
As the events from the previous day began to filter into his thoughts, his confusion vanished and he shot up in bed, looking around wildly. Then, he remembered—he was in the bedroom in the tower. Flopping back down, he wondered if this was what jetlag felt like.
His dreams started to return to him. Again, the white-haired woman had appeared, but this time the image had been sharper, clearer. She’d looked impatient, saying, “Come, Tom, you are nearly here. Hurry! There are things you must do.” Firelight overtook his vision, and he’d felt its heat as chanting filled his ears. She was infuriating.
With a shock, Tom realised it had been her voice he had heard when they crossed through the portal. Who was she? What things must he do?
Tom sighed as he sat up again, knowing he could no longer ignore her messages. They meant something. He looked around, wondering why the room was filled with a dull green light. Were there leaves over the window? Then he had another thought. He jumped out of bed, ran to the window, and whistled under his breath.
They were surrounded by water.
Large, tree-like plants waved about in the current, their thick, knotted roots anchored into the rock. Fish of all sizes swam past the window, and horses grazed on the lake floor. Looking up, he saw a pale yellow disc, and the surface of the lake glinting like a mirror far above. Shafts of sunlight pierced the gloom.
The urge to explore woke Tom fully. On a table in the corner of his room was a bowl of steaming water, a bar of soap, and towels. He had a quick wash and raked his fingers through his hair, and then dragged his clothes on, noting they were freshly laundered. Wondering if Beansprout was awake, he stepped into the empty corridor and knocked on her door.
She shouted, “Come in!” She was at the window, staring into the water. “Tom! You were right, the castle is under the water! How is this possible?”
“Magic, I guess.”
“But how do we get out of here? We’re trapped.”
“I’m more worried about how we find breakfast! Fancy a wander?”
“Should we? What if we get lost?”
“Oh, we’ll definitely get lost, but we’re lost anyway, aren’t we?” He shrugged and smiled.
Grabbing their packs, they headed down the corridor, attempting to retrace their steps from the night before. They met no one, and the castle was eerily silent. Before long, it was clear they were lost; the ornate hallways were different to those they had walked along the night before. The walls were hung with tapestries of underwater scenes, and decorated with the skeletal remains of unfamiliar creatures. Rills of water trickled down the edges of the corridors, and there were small pools filled with lily pads and plants that they didn’t recognise.
“I think we’re in the main part of the castle, Tom,” Beansprout whispered.
They had come to a large, circular space with a grand staircase leading down to an atrium. Huge windows let in the green glow of the water, and large, purple fronds of aquatic plants tapped against the panes.
“Let’s head down,” Tom said, leading the way, and as they reached the bottom, a door opened on the far side of the room and a woman stepped out.
She looked surprised for the briefest of seconds, and then smiled. “You must be our human visitors. Follow me.”
On the far side of the atrium, a wooden arched doorway led to a courtyard, and she ushered them through it. Above them, water was suspended from its downward rush by some mysterious force.
“Don’t worry,” the Emperor called. “It’s quite safe.” He was seated at a stone table laden with food and what looked like a pot of tea. “Come and join me, I have much to ask you.”
With a nervous glance at each other and at the water overhead, Tom and Beansprout headed to the table. They sat while the Emperor poured tea—which was most definitely not normal tea—and offered them fish for breakfast. Tom took a sip of the green liquid and tried not to grimace; it was an odd-tasting, salty brew.
“Woodsmoke has been telling me how you came to be here. I trust you are enjoying yourselves?”
Tom answered for them, trying to swallow his food quickly. “Yes. It’s...different.”
“Years ago,” the Emperor began, “many people from your world visited here—accidentally, of course—but it was easier then. The doorways were simpler to find and the walls between our worlds came and went. Only those who know where to look visit now, but few have this knowledge. Those who do come are not always friendly.” He looked regretful. “It has also been a long time since we saw anyone from the Realm of Earth. As I explained to your friends last night, I have been Emperor since my father died, and things have been difficult. My father was suspicious, and treated visitors badly. I understand why your friends were worried about being here. He would probably have fed you to the Mantis.”
Beansprout’s face grew pale.
“We have tried to keep my father’s death a secret. This has allowed me to make changes and defeat certain groups, particularly the swamp goblins.” Noticing Beansprout’s discomfort, he changed the subject, smiling brightly. “Tell me all about you. I once visited your world, when the forests ran thick, tangled, and unbroken right to the shores of your seas. What is it like now?”
Between them they attempted to answer his question, and were on to their third pot of so-called tea when Woodsmoke and Brenna appeared, looking more relaxed than the day before, and not in the slightest concerned at the water suspended high above their heads. They joined them at the table, and the Emperor gestured that they should help themselves to breakfast.
The Emperor addressed Woodsmoke. “Last night, I agreed to escort you to our closest portal to the Realm of Earth. Unfortunately, my father destroyed many portals, particularly those to your world,” he said, looking at Tom and Beansprout, “so I cannot send you directly home. But I think you are not displeased with that?” He looked amused at their excited faces.
Tom straightened his shoulders. “We still want to find our grandfather.”
Brenna suppressed a smile as Woodsmoke rolled his eyes, but the Emperor continued. “The remaining portals are deep underground, and we need to travel along a river to get there. But,” he hesitated, concerned. “It’s not the easiest trip, or the safest place to be. Instead, I suggest that we escort you up the river that runs to the border. However, that too will be a difficult journey, passing through swamps and then the mangrove forests, which, at this time of year, are full of flesh flies, and it could take many weeks—”
Woodsmoke shook his head, interrupting. “No. That would take far too long. We have to attempt the portal.”
“Very well, then. We shall leave tonight.” He rose to his feet. “I must go, affairs of state demand my attention. Feel free to explore the castle. Your rooms are at your disposal, and I shall ensure this table remains stocked with food for you.”
Once he’d left, Beansprout said, “Please let us stay with you! We’re so close to seeing Granddad!”
“I don’t think we have much choice,” Brenna said, sighing. “You heard him. The portal to your world is closed, so we have to return to our realm to get there. But, we have no idea where we may find ourselves. It’s not that we are trying to be mean ... it’s just that our world is dangerous. Woodsmoke wasn’t lying yesterday. We’re just thinking of your safety.”
“But if we go back to our world now, we’ll never see him again,” Tom pointed out. “Unless you think Granddad will return home?”
Woodsmoke rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he met Brenna’s gaze across the table. “I don’t think that will happen. Not for a long time, anyway.” His shoulders sagged as he came to a decision. “All right, we’ll see what we can do. In the meantime, I think we should accept the Emperor’s gracious offer and explore this place. I doubt very much if any of us will ever return here again.”
For the rest of the day, they roamed the castle, exploring endless halls, a ballroom, elegant sitting rooms, and bedrooms. They eventually found their way to the dungeons, where they were politely shown around a small part before being ushered away, the sound of wailing following them up the corridor. They all decided to get a few hours of sleep in the late afternoon, when they finally found their rooms again, and then met in the courtyard for food.
After the sun had set, and the water around them had become black and impenetrable, the castle rose majestically to the surface of the lake. It was a discomforting experience to find themselves shooting upwards, the floor rocking beneath them as if there was an earthquake. The roar of water filled the castle, and Tom felt his ears become thick with pressure, all sound becoming muffled, before they popped and everything returned to normal. The bubble around the courtyard that had kept the water suspended disappeared, and the warm night’s breeze rolled over them.
Tom released his grip on the table. “Well, that was different!”
Woodsmoke laughed. “It’s an interesting place, isn’t it?”
“That’s one word for it.”
Beansprout started giggling, which set them all off, and they were still laughing when one of the courtiers came to fetch them. He escorted them to the rear gates of the castle, where the Emperor was waiting with a dozen men carrying lanterns. The gates swung open and they stepped onto the stone bridge, but this time headed towards the granite cliffs and the thundering waterfalls, pausing at the rocky ledge.
“We’ll summon the hippocamps,” the Emperor told them.
“Sea horses,” said Woodsmoke, in response to Tom’s baffled expression.
One of the Emperor’s men pulled a flute out of his pocket and blew into it, and just moments later, four horses broke the surface, whinnying softly as they swam towards the shore. They had normal horse heads, but the manes trailing down their backs were webbed and transparent. Small wings sprouted from their sides, and large fishtails propelled them through the water.
Beansprout leaned forward to pat them. “They’re so beautiful!”
“Oh yes, and quite tame,” the Emperor said, looking at them affectionately. “We use them to pull our boats. You’ll see.”
He nodded to one of the men, who turned and led the way to one side of the waterfall, pushing through lush ferns into a partially hidden cleft in the rock. They followed him down a passageway that eventually led to a fast-flowing river. In one direction, the river joined the lake; in the other, it disappeared into darkness.
A boat was moored up, and the hippocamps were waiting next to it. There were no sails; instead Tom saw neatly stacked oars alongside rows of seats. The men harnessed the animals to the front before boarding the vessel, hanging their lanterns along the sides and on the prow. Tom, Beansprout, Woodsmoke, and Brenna made their way to the stern with the Emperor. When everyone was seated, they gently pushed out.
The air in the tunnel was damp, and the walls trickled with water. Beansprout shivered. Woodsmoke offered her his cloak, and she wrapped it around her shoulders, throwing him a grateful smile. Beyond the ship the darkness was absolute, but their progress was slow and steady.
The Emperor turned to them, frowning. “We have had much rain lately so the river should be deep enough to take us all the way to the portal. In some places the current is swift and strong, so don’t fall in.”
“How far does the river go?” asked Tom.
“Oh, miles and miles—far beyond our destination. But it eventually becomes narrower, and then you have to climb. There are many waterfalls, and places where the water completely fills the caverns. The traveller must take great care to avoid those. And the river branches off in many places. It is easy to become lost. Some have entered here and never been seen again.” He paused, then added, “You’re lucky the portal didn’t bring you here when you arrived.” His words hung in the air and seemed to echo in the enclosed space.
Tom felt a cold shudder run down his spine as he realised they could have emerged anywhere. “Could we have ended up in the sea?”
“Oh yes, the portals can be quite hazardous.”
Understatement of the year. Tom turned to Woodsmoke and Brenna. “Could we come out somewhere really dangerous in your realm?”
Brenna nodded. “Yes, but we know our world well, so hopefully we’ll be fine. We may still have further to travel than we would want, though.”
Woodsmoke added a word of warning. “This place is not for the unprepared traveller. Like your own world, ours has areas that are hostile to outsiders.”
“Blimey,” said Beansprout, retreating into the cloak with another shudder. “I wish I’d known that before I stuck my hand in.”
Tom couldn’t relax; there was too much to see. He examined the boat, noting that it looked familiar, and for a second, he couldn’t work out why. Then it struck him, and he turned to the Emperor, excited. “This boat reminds me of the Greek ships I’ve seen in history books.”
“Ah, how clever of you, Tom! It is in fact a version of the trireme, one of the ships we introduced to the Greeks. We were very influential in the Mediterranean many years ago. We are a seafaring people—”
“Really?” he interrupted, disbelief in his voice. “You helped the Greeks?”
“Oh, only slightly,” the Emperor answered modestly. “Not me, personally—I was far too young. Unfortunately, we are also responsible for the presence of the giant squid and sea serpents in your seas. An accidental crossing from our world.”
Tom now had so many questions whizzing around his head, he didn’t know which to ask first. “Sea serpents? But they’re a myth. And how old are you? That was over two thousand years ago!”
The Emperor looked at the floor and scratched his chin. “Well, I am older than I look. We are a race that lives for many years. Woodsmoke and Brenna are much older than you imagine, as well.”
Beansprout, who had been following the conversation with some interest, butted in. “So how old are you two?”
Woodsmoke laughed. “I am four hundred and twenty-three years old—quite young, really. What about you, Brenna?”
“Oh, three hundred and seventy, or thereabouts,” she said with a wry smile.
Tom and Beansprout looked at each in shock, but the Emperor was already continuing, oblivious to the bombshell he’d just dropped.
“If you’re interested in sea creatures, Tom, we may see one later. Or perhaps you’re not that interested,” he added, noting Tom’s wary expression.
“Where might we see one?” Tom asked nervously.
“We are going to the Cavern of the Four Portals—although there are of course only three now. It’s a huge cave, and this river flows into it, forming a deep lake that is connected to the sea by a long underground river. Its current is quite treacherous. One of our greatest explorers found it. Unfortunately, on occasions a giant dectopus swims up the passageway and takes up residence in the lake. If it’s there, we must try not to disturb it.” He looked at their worried faces and added, “I’m sure we won’t.”
Tom glanced nervously at Beansprout and asked, “What’s a dectopus?”
“It is a ten-tentacled sea creature. Haven’t you heard of them?”
“I’ve only heard of an octopus.”
“Well, there you are, then. Much the same, just a bit bigger.” He shrugged nonchalantly, as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Tom nodded, murmuring, “Oh, of course.”
He noticed Woodsmoke and Brenna exchange worried glances, and Beansprout pulled the cloak even further up to her chin. They fell silent, listening to the sound of the hippocamps splashing in the inky black river. At least, Tom hoped it was the hippocamps.
They had been travelling a while when the river started to curl to the left and the passageway became bigger. The torchlight showed the rock walls were slick with moisture, and stalactites hung from the roof, streaks of pink and yellow glimmering like underground rainbows. Tom became more and more aware of the huge amount of rock over their heads as they moved still further underground. Tributaries opened up on either side, and water poured down from the suffocating blackness, carrying the sound of strange gurgles and splashes. Every now and again the Emperor would impart some bit of knowledge about the warren of tunnels and mysterious whirlpools they were passing, but their worried faces eventually drove him to silence.
Just as Tom was beginning to think the journey would never end, the passage opened up, and Tom realised they were at the entrance to the cavern the Emperor had mentioned. He leaned forward, eager to see more. One of the rowers touched the wick from his lantern to the wall, and a band of bright orange flame raced along the rock face. He did the same on the other side of the passage, and the cavern became brighter as the flames spread in a circle beneath a domed roof. Craning his neck, Tom saw huge, elaborate carvings on the walls towering above him, depicting fights between enormous sea creatures. They seemed to move in the flickering light, and Tom’s mouth dropped open with wonder.
On the far side of the lake was a long narrow pier, beyond which was a broad stone floor on which boxes and ropes were coiled. Behind the boxes, rough stone steps led to a dark, shadowy recess. They had reached the portals.
As soon as they had enough room around the boat, the men reached for their oars and started to pull, assisting the hippocamps to pull the boat across the lake.
Tom turned to the Emperor. “What are all the boxes for?”
“This is where we built the boat, so there are building materials for repairs, and we store other things here, for journeying further inland.” He nodded to the rear of the cavern where the river exited into another tunnel.
As they passed the centre of the pool, bubbles appeared on the surface. The hippocamps became nervous, snorting wildly and straining towards the shore. Seeing the commotion, two men in the prow raised their short sharpened tridents and stood, peering into the water.
“Is it the dectopus?” Beansprout asked, looking alarmed.
No one answered, but they all rose to their feet. Woodsmoke raised his longbow, keeping his eyes on the water, and Brenna pulled her sword free from its scabbard.
The Emperor touched Tom and Beansprout gently on the arm, pulling them back from the side of the ship. “Stay in the middle.”
The hippocamps pulled furiously towards the shore, and the rowers doubled their efforts, their combining strength making them lurch forward, and Tom stumbled. Then, in front of them, a sleek and scaly tentacle uncoiled on the surface before plunging into the depths again. For a few seconds, the water fell still, and then several more tentacles appeared, followed by the enormous, bulbous body of the dectopus. It reared into the air, water streaming over it. Its skin was wrinkled and thick like an elephant’s, and two enormous eyes blinked slowly. It flicked several tentacles towards them, and Tom saw its suckers raised and ready to grasp the ship.
Beansprout screamed. Woodsmoke released several arrows at its head. Some found their target, but most bounced off into the water. Before Woodsmoke could shoot again, the dectopus plunged back beneath the surface, making the boat rock wildly.
“He wasn’t kidding when he said giant dectopus!” Tom exclaimed.
The boat raced onwards, but the dectopus rose again, this time on their starboard side. Another volley of arrows left Woodsmoke’s bow, but again the dectopus’s tentacles whipped across the surface of the pool. One grabbed a hippocamp, ripping it free of its harness and dropping it into its gaping mouth. Other tentacles latched onto the ship, causing it to rock wildly. Everyone grabbed for something fixed; Tom slid across the deck and hit the side, hurting his elbow. Brenna rolled and quickly regained her feet, slashing at the closest tentacle. The dectopus roared in pain, the noise echoing around the cave, but the ship tipped further. Woodsmoke and the Emperor withdrew their swords and joined Brenna’s attack, and they slashed at the tentacles as the men released a volley of tridents. With another roar the dectopus finally released the ship, and it shot upright, waves rolling across the deck.
The remaining hippocamps had broken free and were racing away with deafening shrieks that echoed around the cave, before they disappeared beneath the surface of the water.
“Keep rowing!” the Emperor yelled at his men, and other than a few who remained poised with their tridents, the rest pulled on the oars.
They were within reach of the pier when the dectopus emerged directly ahead. It towered above them, and this time its tentacles grabbed both sides of the boat, pulling it towards its open mouth. A tentacle whipped across their heads, its huge suckers flexing, and it grabbed one of the Emperor’s men. With a scream, he was dropped into its gaping jaw.
“Abandon ship!” commanded the Emperor, as they were dragged ever closer to the giant creature.
Tom grabbed Beansprout and pushed her forward. “Go!” he shouted.
They jumped into the churning water together, Tom gasping as he hit the icy lake. It was so cold it felt like a fist was squeezing his lungs. The water blinded and deafened him, and he flailed around, desperately trying to reach the surface, but his clothes dragged him down. His head finally emerged, and he gasped for air.
Tom found himself surrounded by seething water and thrashing tentacles. Were there only ten? It seemed like so many more. He heard an enormous, splintering crack, and watched as a chunk of the boat was ripped off and sent flying overhead, and he started swimming for the shore. A hippocamp appeared beneath him, and he grasped its webbed mane as it raced across the lake, tipping him off in the shallows.
Tom staggered to dry land, then quickly ducked and rolled as a tentacle whipped towards him, missing him by inches. He saw Beansprout lying exhausted nearby and dragged her to her feet, yelling, “Run!” Together they raced for the back of the cave, and hoping they were clear of danger, turned to search the water for signs of their companions.
Woodsmoke and Brenna had also jumped out of the boat, and they watched the hippocamps deposit them on dry land a short distance away, but it seemed the Emperor’s men didn’t need help. They were strong swimmers, and made their own way to the shore, except for an unlucky few that were plucked from the water by the dectopus.
Woodsmoke took up position at the end of the pier, firing a blur of arrows, while Brenna helped gather a pile of silvery-looking ropes. The men separated, some clambering up the walls to where several large pieces of machinery hung high on the rocky face. Thick ropes ran from these to a giant web suspended over the pool.
The Emperor was nowhere in sight, and Tom watched the lake anxiously. The dectopus had also disappeared, abandoning the damaged boat. For several seconds nothing happened, and the water became smooth and still.
Just as Tom began to worry that the Emperor had drowned, he surfaced right under the web, the dectopus rearing next to him, and shouted, “Now!”
The giant web dropped, along with several hundredweight of stone it had supported. An enormous boom rang out as the weight crashed down onto the creature, and it sank below the surface. A large wave rose and raced to the shore, and with it came the Emperor.
“Quickly,” he shouted. “Secure it with the ropes!”
His remaining men dived back into the water, dragging the ropes behind them. They were submerged for a long time.
Tom and Beansprout edged forward, fascinated by the fight, and Brenna and Woodsmoke joined them.
“How can they stay underwater for so long?” asked Beansprout.
“They’re water spirits,” Woodsmoke told her. “That’s why their skin is silvery, almost as if they are half fish. They can swim underwater for hours. They just don’t live in it.”
“And what was the web thing under the roof?”
“Giant water spiders make very strong webs!”
Beansprout looked a little sick. “I hope we don’t meet one of those, too.”
While the Emperor and his men finished securing the dectopus, Woodsmoke lit a fire from the woodpile he found in a dry corner. They warmed themselves by the bright flames, still shocked by the violent encounter.
Woodsmoke had wrung his cloak out and place it over a wooden crate, and now he held his hands to the fire. “That was too close for comfort.”
“And too close for some of the men,” Brenna said sadly. “The dectopus was too quick.”
“And it killed a hippocamp,” Beansprout added.
“I take it you’ve seen the portals?” Woodsmoke gestured to the shadowy recess above them.
Tom nodded. “I suppose we’ll leave when the Emperor gets back?”
“Yes. We’re lucky he was feeling generous. We would never have found this place without him.”
“Who built them?”
“They were built thousands of years ago, by the powerful magic of the ancient Gods.”
“Oh.” That wasn’t the answer Tom had expected. “Which Gods?”
Woodsmoke laughed. “That tale’s for another time.”
The Emperor and his men finally emerged from the deep, cold waters and shook the moisture off their skin like otters.
“All done,” said the Emperor with a faint smile. “We have wrapped it up so tightly, it will take weeks to break free, if it ever does. And now I’m starved. Time for food.”
He joined them, while his men brought a dozen large, rainbow-scaled fish from the half-ruined boat, lit a second fire, and spread the fish on flat grills to cook. Water and wine were handed out, and they sat talking while the smell of cooking filled the air.
“I’m sorry you’ve lost men,” Woodsmoke said. “I feel it’s our fault. It wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t brought us here. We owe you a huge debt.”
The Emperor sipped his wine with obvious pleasure. “Not at all. It has happened before, and will no doubt happen again. We risk these encounters all the time when we travel, and although it’s sad to lose men, we accept it. I’m tempted to pass through the portal with you, but the realm remains unsettled, and I still have much to do here. Another time.”
He paused to rummage in his pockets, and pulled out a curious spiral shell inlaid with silver and jade. Muttering a few words, he passed his hand across it, and then presented it to Beansprout and Tom. “A present, to remember your time in the Eye. Any time you need help and there’s water nearby, just throw it in. I won’t tell you what will happen. It will be a surprise. Which of you would like to look after it?”
“Thank you. Tom should,” Beansprout offered immediately.
“Thanks,” said Tom, hoping he wouldn’t lose it as he slipped it into his pocket.
After eating, they said their goodbyes, gathered their things, and walked up the stone steps to the three portals above the lake. At the far end was a mass of rubble where the fourth had once stood. Tom wouldn’t have thought it possible to destroy these doorways; they looked as if they would stand forever.
The portal to the Realm of Earth was in the middle, surrounded by carvings of trees, mountains, and strange, hoof-footed half-men. At the centre of the arch were carvings of a woman with a serene face, and a man with enormous antlers rising from his head.
Woodsmoke looked at them. “Ready?”
They nodded, and holding hands, stepped into the inky blackness and out of the Realm of Water.
