The bell in the castle tower tolled thirteen times.
"We are here," announced Parsimonious.
"Where's here?" asked Isla nervously.
"The Mirrored Lake," replied the trader. "Site of each Quarter Council meeting for the last four hundred years."
An impossibly tall, thin, organised looking man in immaculate frost-white robes appeared from nowhere. He smelt strongly of onions. He introduced himself as Rad Morroi, a facilitator of the meeting. He nodded to Parsimonious before speaking to the children. "It is time," he instructed, showing them to the door. Moondragon nodded that it was safe.
It became apparent as they strolled downwards away from the Eye that their route was taking them towards the head of the elephant. When they reached the foot of the rising stone staircase between the elephant's ears, they saw that it bore no resemblance to the previous day. The length of the stonework had been decorated to resemble a leafy, woodland path. Curls of ivy wrapped around six oak arches spaced along the length of the staircase, intertwined with climbing roses and hydrangea. Laid along the length of the steps was carpet of grass with buttercups and clover peeping in between the stalks. Delicate petals in pinks and yellows danced across the surface in the light wind. The breeze carried the scent of lavender and lilac. A pair of green banners rose like sentries at the end of the staircase. They were fluttering with every gust and displayed a silhouette of a solitary tree.
Two female guards stood to attention as they approached. Both were over six feet tall with long dark hair tied back in ponytails that reached down below their slender waists. They were dressed identically in white tunics under moss-green cloaks. They were barefoot and held long bows in their right hands. Quivers of feathered arrows were slung over their left shoulders. Charlie thought they were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.
As they approached, the women crossed their bows, blocking their path to the staircase.
"Stand down," ordered Rad dismissively. "These are the six."
The guards relaxed their weapons.
The ground felt soft under their feet as they ascended the steps towards the stone structure at the top of the staircase. It smelt wonderful, like Christmas trees and apples. Pine branches had been affixed to the walls and rose high above their heads. They could hear birds flitting between the boughs and twittering excitedly. Hundreds of tiny lanterns swung from the limbs above them, providing a soft flickering glow.
"This is so cool," said Rose.
"Do not worry, young lady," responded Rad. "The temperature will improve momentarily."
"You're funny," said Jack, slapping the servant on the back.
"You need to understand that this is a serious matter," replied the man solemnly. "The Quarter Council has been called. This is not to be taken lightly."
"Why?" asked Isla.
"I am not privy to such information," admitted Rad. "The Morroi merely expedite the event. We are not permitted to attend the meeting."
"Who's on the Council?" asked Elliot with interest.
"There will be representatives from each kingdom," explained the man.
"Are we gonna meet royalty?" queried Rose.
"The kings and queens do not attend in person," Rad replied admonishingly. "Not least because the last meeting," he paused, "did not end well."
"Go on," encouraged Charlie.
"It is not my place," recoiled the man, bowing his head.
The rest of the walk was undertaken in silence, except for their breathing which was getting progressively heavier and louder with each laboured step. Their chests and quad muscles were burning. The journey did not seem to bother the man whose pace quickened as they approached the top step. Daylight was shining through a gap in the stonework that was sculpted into the shape of an oak leaf. The space was flanked by two more inexplicably tall and beautiful guards. The guards tensed as the seven approached, but relaxed as they recognised the man in white. The one to the left spoke in a deep melodious tone.
"These are the six?" she questioned.
Rad nodded. "Yes, Captain."
"Strongbark and his aide are already in the chamber," she informed them.
They stepped through the leaf shaped hole into a narrow hallway with a low ceiling. There was a large wooden door in front of them. It was engraved with a beautifully ornate tree with myriad creatures in its branches. Rad approached the door first. "I hope you are not scared of heights," he warned.
"Why do people keep saying that?" moaned Isla, grabbing for Charlie's sleeve.
As Rad Morroi opened the door they could see why. They stepped into a large chamber that was completely open in front of them. They were standing in one quarter of a large tower. The walls of the two straight sides of the wedge were entirely missing. A battlement curved overhead. Two armoured figures paced the length of the precarious-looking walkway. The 'room', such as it was, was empty save for a single stone bench that curved in line with the wall.
And the view...
It was spectacular.
A sparkling glassy sapphire blue lake stretched as far as the eye could see. There was a low rumbling crashing sound below them from the elephant's feet wading through the water. Ahead of them was a tree-covered island roughly the same size as Loxo. They were heading directly for it. Positioned on the highest point of the land mass, above the treeline, was a pair of ivory tusks buried in the ground. They faced each other and crossed, forming a black curving 'X' against the skyline. An identical stone staircase and quarter tower extended out from a rocky outcropping at the heart of the island.
"What is this place?" asked Isla. "It's amazing."
"It is the resting place of Cyclo the elephant," answered the man sadly. "The island formed around him where he fell. It is known as The Monument."
"When you say fell," said Charlie, "you mean..."
"Where he died," replied Rad. "Killed by a traitor!" he spat.
"It is not your place," whispered a soft voice behind them.
"Yes, my lord," cowered Rad, stopping himself from saying more before leaving the chamber without so much as a goodbye.
"A sobering chapter in the pages of our history," conceded the voice, a man, who stepped out from the shadows and peered out sadly towards the island.
He was old, bent over almost double and walked with a long wooden staff. It was silver and matched his hair. He grunted in pain with every step. His green and bronze robes looked luxurious but were well worn. They were several sizes too big for him and hung from his withered frame like ill-fitting curtains. They were embroidered with shimmering trees and animals that danced around his ankles. He wore a glass four-pointed star pendant on a chain around his neck that caught the sunlight and twinkled as it bounced among the folds of clothes when he moved.
"Allow me to introduce myself," he said. "My name is Larix Strongbark, and I represent the interests of the Forest Kingdom. I am also bestowed with the honour of Council Leader. This is my aide Nyssa."
A stunning young woman with a shaved head and piercing sea-green eyes stepped out from behind Strongbark, fussing with his robes as she circled him. She wore similar clothes, but the colours were less vibrant, the decorations simple and plain.
"What happened to the elephant?" asked Charlie, filled with sadness. "Was he really killed?"
"Yes, and nearly all the villagers on Cyclo," sighed the man. "Three thousand lives, in one short hour, ten years ago." He hung his head.
He invited them to sit on the stone bench and was about to explain when he was interrupted by his aide.
"We are beginning the final approach."
The children gazed out across the lake. The wind was stronger on the exposed edge and they held on to each other as the Monument tower approached. Unlike the staircase on Loxo, the structure rising from the island was unadorned save for a single plain red flag billowing from the top of the tower. It also bore a long, horizontal wooden 'branch' that protruded out from the stonework. Two guards stood on the upper, open level, waiting.
The elephant negotiated expertly towards the tower, slowed to a stop, and docked perfectly to form a unified building. The two figures on the top of The Monument tower threw ropes and battens to their counterparts on the Loxo tower to assist in securing the two quarters to each other.
Loxo lowered his trunk and began to drink greedily from the lake. The floor shuddered with every slurp.
"The representatives of the Desert King are late," noted the Council leader, stepping across the threshold into the empty quarter of the newly formed semi-circular tower.
To their right they heard a loud, long trumpeting sound. Another incredible giant elephant was wading purposefully through the water towards them.
"It's breath-taking," gushed Isla. "Which one...?"
"She is Donta," enlightened Nyssa with a smile.
"How can you tell from here?" asked Rose.
"She is a lady of course. She walks with much more grace than her male counterparts. Do you not think?"
Donta looked much like any other elephant to them. Except for her being five hundred metres tall!
"It also helps that she has the only castle with two turrets!" grinned Nyssa with a wink, pointing at a whitewashed, twin-spired structure rising highest from the village perched on the elephant's back.
Despite Donta's size, the water barely rippled around her knees. As she made her final approach, she raised her head slightly so that her quarter tower was level with their viewpoint. A female and a male, dressed in indigo robes, were seated patiently on an identical stone bench to the two that were now linked seamlessly behind them.
"The representatives from the Ocean Kingdom, dispatched by Queen Leira Saltstone," announced Nyssa.
"How many kingdoms are there?" asked Charlie.
"The Lowdown comprises four kingdoms," explained Strongbark from behind them. "Nyssa and I represent the Forest Kingdom. There is the Desert Kingdom. The Mountain Kingdom is ruled by the Thundercrowns. And the Ocean Kingdom."
Donta slowly and delicately docked her quarter tower. There was barely a jolt as the third piece of the Quarter Council structure slid into place and was secured above them on the battlements.
The two new arrivals stood and bowed.
"Samudra Neverstorm," smiled Larix, stepping forward to greet them. "It has been a long time."
"Given the circumstances, dear Larix," she replied, "not long enough. This is my aide, Akjan," she said, introducing the male. The small man bowed again but did not speak.
"Which means, by process of deduction, that these young men and women are the Upworlders," she said grimly, looking at the six. "Queen Leira is most concerned."
"We all are," replied Larix sternly.
The air was filled with another deafening trumpet that reverberated through the three-quarter chamber. Several of the gathered instinctively pressed their hands over their ears. Straight ahead, was a third elephant striding determinedly through the water at an alarming speed.
"That Pumilio is so impetuous!" exclaimed Samudra. "I fear for the stomachs of his villagers!"
"He is young," said Larix. "He will calm with maturity."
The six hoped that the young elephant would slow down before its quarter tower crashed into them. Loxo and Donta both gave a short warning trumpet blast and sprayed water in Pumilio's direction. The younger elephant immediately slowed and approached more gently. Isla felt sure she saw Pumilio smile before he effortlessly docked his quarter tower, completing the structure as he disappeared from their view.
The Quarter Council chamber was now complete. Two people were suspended underneath the bench of the newly arrived quarter. The bench now formed a perfect circle with its three counterparts. Both figures were holding on tightly to the seat and were hanging beneath it like a pair of sloths.
"Is it over?" whimpered a voice.
The first to her feet was an elegant but wild looking woman with honey-coloured hair braided down to her waist. "That animal needs to grow up!" she said with alarm. She smoothed her plum-coloured dress and her tousled hair in a vain attempt to regain some dignity.
The second figure was a huge bald man over seven feet tall. He was still cowering below the bench, hugging the stonework.
The striking woman introduced herself to the children. "Montana Falconbone, representative of the Mountain Kingdom," she announced. "This is my aide, Gora," she continued. "Although a fat lot of aid he was just then!" she snorted. Her face broke into a wide smile, and she fell backwards off the bench in fits of laughter. "Is it over? Is it over!" she mimicked him in a high-pitched voice. Her merriment was infectious and soon the whole room was giggling.
"It is not funny!" protested Gora from his upside-down position. "I get motion sickness!"
Eventually, Gora joined in with the laughter. He scrambled to his feet and offered his mistress a handkerchief to dry her tears. He was interrupted by a thunderous screeching noise from above the tower.
"Ah good," nodded Strongbark. "They are here. Come, come," he gestured towards a staircase that had formed around the outer wall of the chamber and led upwards to the battlements. He encouraged the six children to follow him up the stone steps. They climbed onto the exposed circular ramparts where they were greeted by eight guards, positioned in pairs at the north, east, south and west compass points of the tower. They were all facing outwards and surveying the horizon.
The nearest guard approached Larix Strongbark and said, "Just the one bird, sir." Strongbark held his wrinkled hand over his eyes to shield the sun and saw a single creature silhouetted against the billowing clouds, high up in the sky.
"No sign of a second?" he asked hopefully.
"No, sir," confirmed the guard, returning to his post.
The solitary bird was approaching at speed. It was carrying someone on its back. The wingspan was huge, at least ten metres. It was some type of bird of prey with a speckled chest and bright yellow beak.
"Is this not the part where we run for cover?" asked Elliot half-jokingly.
"There is no need to fear," reassured Montana Falconbone. "It is one of the Silver Eagles," she explained. "Clavis knows better than anyone how to handle them."
"Clavis Majstar?" questioned Samudra Neverstorm.
"I asked Commander Majstar to attend the meeting," said Strongbark.
"That is highly irregular," noted Samudra.
"These are highly irregular times, Samudra," replied the old man, resignedly.
The eagle circled twice around the tower before landing skilfully on the perch extending from the Monument quarter of the tower. Clavis ruffled the head feathers of the eagle and whispered his gratitude. He dismounted with some difficulty before awkwardly trying to negotiate the branch with his hulking frame. He slipped a couple of times before grabbing for a rope suspended from the ramparts and hoisting himself up and over the wall. He sat down in a heap, out of breath and sweating.
"I am getting too old for this," he managed in between deep gulping breaths. The three aides helped him to his feet.
"You are alone?" asked Strongbark impatiently. "Where is your secondary?"
Clavis brushed himself down and swatted away the aides. "Many apologies to the Council on behalf of the Gatekeepers. My secondary is, as we speak, attending to an urgent matter. As you can see from our six young guests, we must sadly admit to a breach. The portal has been identified and my secondary is overseeing the investigation." He lumbered down the staircase back to the chamber before turning to add, "And implementing additional preventative measures."
One of the guards bent down to a small metal cage tucked against the rampart wall. He removed a fat, brown chicken that began clucking madly when its eyes met the eagle.
"Shall we leave Audax to her lunch?" suggested the commander from the stairs.
"Yes, please!" squeaked Isla, running to the front of the line. She reached the bottom step as the squawking from above stopped abruptly. She shuddered and tried not to think about it. Nobody noticed that two more figures had entered the chamber through the Monument tower door, clad in red and black robes.
"Ahem!" coughed the older of the two men as they both offered a lingering bow and smiled sycophantically at the assembly.
Their simpering introduction was cut short by Samudra Neverstorm. "What is this? Where is the representative of the Desert King?" she demanded. "Where is Salinja?"
"The Red Prince Salinja apologises for his absence," snivelled Erimos, the Desert representative's aide.
"We do not acknowledge that self-appointed title," Neverstorm interjected.
The aide ignored her. "The Red Prince considers this task beneath him."
"There is no higher honour than representing the Quarter Council," declared Montana Falconbone.
"It is of no matter," said the Council leader. "The Desert King is represented. May I assume that his majesty is aware of this administrative change?"
"You may certainly assume," sneered Erimos. "May I introduce the representative of the Desert Kingdom. Orken Sandhawk."
The man did not speak.
"Regrettably, he is both deaf and mute," remarked Erimos, with no hint of regret.
"Of what use is he on the Quarter Council then?" wailed Falconbone with frustration.
"Let me assure you," continued Erimos, "that the Desert Kingdom supports all actions that will take place here today. His voice will not be needed."
"Indeed?" replied the Council leader, raising an eyebrow.
***
Charlie was bored. This was the worst part of their adventure so far. By a long stretch. His bum was numb from sitting on the freezing, circular bench. It felt like they had been sitting for hours, listening to 'agendas' and 'minutes'. The introductions alone had taken forever. They were followed by questions. And more questions. The Council wanted to know everything about them. Their families. The school. The history trip. He looked absently at his watch and then remembered that it was no longer working, frozen at 11:15 a.m.
Larix Strongbark stood. "To the matter at hand," he said solemnly. "The Quarter Council last met ten years ago, following an unauthorised exit to the Upworld by a... pr...," He paused. "A prominent public figure."
"That is how we are referring to royalty these days, is it?" sniggered Erimos, the Desert representative's aide. "Prominent public figure."
"The less the Upworlders know, the better," retorted Strongbark stubbornly. "Know your place, aide," spat the Council leader sharply. "To this day, their whereabouts are unknown," continued Strongbark. He addressed the children directly. "The Council meeting ended in disaster. The representative of the Desert King, a man called Parrington Peacock, betrayed his kingdom and the Council. Peacock had secretly gathered an army of criminals, convicts and pirates. They attacked the meeting when the elephants were most exposed and the villages completely unprepared. He brought a sky army that wrought havoc on the Council chamber. They murdered Cyclo the elephant and butchered more than three thousand helpless victims. It was a massacre. The Council members were tortured and slaughtered by Peacock himself. His army attacked from the water and the sky. They did not stand a chance.
"Cyclo sacrificed himself to save the other elephants and died where he fell. Peacock's numbers were decimated but he evaded capture. He escaped to the skies where he terrorised the Lowdown under the banner of the 'Rat' and proclaimed himself as 'Captain Lilacbeard'."
Charlie was no longer bored. He looked across at the others. They were equally engrossed in this new story. Sky pirates!
"Eventually, Lilacbeard was captured and is now rotting in a cell in The Prison," said the Council leader. "But his Sky Rats continue to patrol the clouds, striking fear into the people of these lands."
A voice chirped up. "Why did he do it?" It was Elliot.
"Some felt he wanted independence for the Desert Kingdom," suggested Samudra. "Others speculate he is merely a servant to a greater foe, and the masterplan is yet to be revealed."
"What does this have to do with us?" asked Jack.
"Lilacbeard's first mate," said Montana Falconbone. "And former aide. He name is...was... Rasul."
"What do you mean, 'was'?" asked Isla suspiciously.
"Last week," explained Strongbark, "Rasul attacked and strangled to death the Gatekeeper on duty at The Portal Gate before escaping through a door into the Upworld."
"We knew about that," said Rose.
"It was that station manager's second cousin's uncle's nephew's brother," agreed Elliot.
"His name was Nyckel," said Charlie.
"Nyckel Drumweasel," added Strongbark. "Only two years from retirement. Eleven children. Very sad." The Council leader bowed his head.
"I thought that you couldn't survive in the Upworld," said Elliot, remembering the 'Fool's Seal'.
"We believe that Rasul made a deal with the Dark Monks," said Strongbark, "and that the Monks are time trading again."
"Surely not," reacted Samudra, shocked. "Not for a hundred years."
"We have received a report from agents of Clavis Majstar positioned in the Upworld," said the Council leader, gesturing for the Gatekeeper commander to stand.
"Thank you, Larix and esteemed Council members," he said, nodding deferentially to each of them in turn. He ignored the children.
"My agents were able to access the remains of Rasul in a hospital pathology laboratory in the Whitechapel suburb of London," said the commander. He took out a handful of gold rings from his pocket and scattered them liberally in the centre of the stone circle. They jangled loudly as they bounced and skipped across the unforgiving stone. "His body was entirely desiccated." He fished in his pocket again. "They also found this," he added, revealing a small, tarnished silver fob watch on a delicate chain. He flipped open the watch to reveal a linen-white face with a single hand, pointing at a strange symbol where the '12' should have been.
"Time trading," whispered Samudra Neverstorm to herself, under her breath.
"What's time trading?" asked Rose.
"A branch of dark sorcery that allows a person from our lands, for a short while, to enter the Upworld," said Neverstorm, shaking her head. "However, when the watch hand points directly upwards, the time trade expires and the life perishes. A horrible way to die," she maintained.
"Why would anyone want to give up their life for a few hours in Whitechapel?" snorted Jack. "It's hardly the Maldives."
"It would give the carrier of the watch enough time to perform a task," suggested Montana Falconbone. "Visit a friend. Transport a package."
"Or deliver a message," interrupted Clavis Majstar. "We believe that Rasul met with the children's history teacher in a hostelry in Whitechapel."
"Professor Duff?" asked Amelia with disbelief.
"Attempts to find the professor have been unsuccessful," continued Majstar. "He is no longer at the school."
"He's off with stress," piped up Isla. The other children turned to look at her. "Sorry, my mum told me not to say anything."
"My agents will find him eventually," said Majstar with conviction. "Until then, we can only guess as to his dealings with Rasul. Suffice it to say, his encounter with Rasul and the subsequent history trip to the King's Entrance cannot be treated as coincidence." He paused to correct himself. "I beg your pardon," he directed his words towards the children. "To Aldwych station."
"What do you mean?" asked Amelia, with a horrified look on her face. "That Professor Duff somehow lured us here? What for?"
"That question, young lady," said Larix Strongbark, standing again, "is why we are all gathered here today."