Richard Tuttle - Island of Darkness

Eltor paused where the tunnel entered the large chamber. He looked around nervously before entering the room. Mistake immediately wrapped the rope around herself and braced her feet on the rock as she had for her sister. MistyTrail grinned broadly at Mistake as she took the coil of rope and threw it over the edge. The rope fell silently with only a light thud as the end hit the floor. Eltor immediately focused on the rope. His eyes followed the rope upward until he saw MistyTrail looking down at him. He walked cautiously to the rope and gazed upward.

“Who are you?” he asked.

His voice was barely audible and MistyTrail frowned. She had expected him to climb the rope. She wove an air tunnel towards Eltor and spoke softly into it.

“Climb up,” she urged. “You don’t want to be caught.”

“Who are you?” Eltor repeated stubbornly.

“I am MistyTrail,” she answered. “I am here to rescue you.”

“I don’t think so,” Eltor shook his head. “I think you are trying to lure me into escaping. I will stay here.”

“Why would we lie to you?” MistyTrail asked with exasperation.

“To make an example of me,” retorted Eltor. “I may be new to the mines, but I was not born yesterday. I have already heard the tales of people trying to escape. I will not be the next one tortured. I have learned my lesson.”

“What are you talking about?” scowled MistyTrail. “We have waited all day for you.”

“We?” asked Eltor. “So there are others in this plot?”

“My sister, Mistake, is with me,” answered MistyTrail. “She is holding the rope. Why do you think we would lure you up here?”

“To get me whipped,” replied Eltor.

“Would you not get whipped for standing down there talking to us?” asked MistyTrail.

Eltor’s face clouded, and MistyTrail grinned.

“So to get you whipped all we would have to do is scream to get someone’s attention?” surmised the Sakovan. “Then it would be foolish of us to risk our lives trying to lure you up here. Either you climb the rope, or we are leaving. The choice is yours, but make it quickly.”

Eltor stood unmoving for a moment. He was still skeptical, but he was more curious to find who the women were. He grabbed the rope and climbed up to the ledge. MistyTrail immediately pulled the rope up. Eltor stared at MistyTrail’s face, and the pale of confusion on his own became more noticeable.

“You are an elf,” Eltor said with surprise. “Why did you not say so?”

“Am I?” replied MistyTrail as her hand reached out and touched Eltor’s ear. “I thought the elves died off ages ago?”

“How could you believe such a thing?” asked Eltor as Mistake unwrapped the rope from around her body. “Are you not from Elvangar?”

“Elvangar?” echoed Mistake. “Where is that?”

“Ah,” sighed Eltor. “You were born on this island. Still, your parents should have taught of our homeland. How have you remained ignorant for so long? Have you grown up in this cave?”

“Island?” asked MistyTrail. “This is an island?”

“Now you are making fun of me,” scowled Eltor. “Give me the rope that I might go back to my bed and get some sleep. I have no need of games when much work will be required of me in the morning.”

“We are not playing games,” responded Mistake. “I am from Fakara, and MistyTrail is from Omunga. Our ship was sunk in a storm. We swam to shore, but we do not know where we are. Is this really an island?”

“The island of Motanga,” replied Eltor as he studied Mistake’s face for a hint of humor or deceit. “What kind of names are those? They are not elven names.”

“Our names were given to us by those who brought us up,” answered MistyTrail. “We did not know that we were related to elves. In fact, I did not believe in elves until I saw you.”

“How is that possible?” frowned Eltor. “I know of no elves except for Elvangar and the hapless ones who were captured near this island. I have never heard of Fakara or Omunga. Where do these places exist?”

“We are not sure where they are in relation to this island,” admitted Mistake. “We were trying to sail from Omunga to Fakara when the storm hit. Who lives on this island?”

“Why do they try to capture people?” asked MistyTrail.

“These people are evil,” frowned Eltor. “You are fortunate not to have been caught. How did you get in here? There are metal gates stopping us from getting out.”

“Not up here,” offered MistyTrail. “We crawled into a small cave to sleep for the night. We heard noises and decided to explore. We ended up here and saw your ears.”

“You can leave this place with us,” suggested Mistake. “Maybe you can help us get home.”

“I cannot leave here,” Eltor shook his head. “They will know if I am gone. Then the kruls will be sent to track me down.”

“Kruls?” echoed Mistake. “What are they?”

“Did you not see the kruls today?” questioned Eltor. “They are the ones who move the great wheel.”

“The apes?” asked Mistake.

“Yes,” nodded Eltor, “except they are not apes. At least they are not apes any more. They were created by magic. They can smell elves very far away. Even if I left here tonight, I would be captured by tomorrow. You would be captured along with me. I cannot leave.”

“We passed kruls yesterday,” retorted MistyTrail. “They were very close and did not smell us. They were cutting down huge trees.”

“For the shipyards,” replied Eltor. “The Motangans are building a great navy. I used to work there with my friend, Caldal. The kruls smell elves all over the island. They will not react to the smell until an alarm is issued. Then they will hunt endlessly until the runaways are found.”

“What happens when the runaways are caught?” asked Mistake.

“Bad things,” frowned Eltor. “The kruls might eat them. If they do not, the runaways are punished harshly to set an example for the rest. Some of them will dive into the pit if they get the chance. Better to die quickly than suffer the punishments that are inflicted.”

“The pit?” inquired MistyTrail. “What is that?”

“That hole down there,” Eltor pointed to the hole in the center of the wheel where the ropes carried the buckets. “No one has ever reached the bottom and come back up. Some say it is endless.”

“You mean they jump into the hole?” asked Mistake. “Can’t they just ride the buckets back up?”

“The buckets do not go to the bottom,” explained Eltor. “There are numerous levels of mines, but there is a great void beyond the lowest reach of the buckets. They say it is an old vent from a volcano.”

“Would they sound the alarm if they thought you were dead?” questioned Mistake.

“What do you mean?” squinted Eltor. “Why would they think that?”

“Would they?” pushed MistyTrail.

“Of course not,” replied Eltor. “Why would they search for someone who is dead?”

“If you were dead, would you come with us?” asked Mistake.

MistyTrail laughed softly, and Eltor looked confusingly from one sister to the other.

“What Mistake is suggesting,” grinned MistyTrail, “is that you appear to die tonight. No alarm will be sounded, and the kruls will not search for you. If that were possible, would you come with us?”

“Go with you where?” asked Eltor. “You are in constant danger on this island. You may be free today, but they will catch you. If you are lucky, you will end up in the mines with me.”

“We are not staying on this island,” declared Mistake. “We will find a boat and go home.”

“Forget it,” snapped Eltor. “Caldal and I thought we could do that, too. We worked in the shipyards. We had a boat almost completed in secret. Or we thought it was a secret. Another slave told the masters about it for a small favor for himself. I was lucky. I was sent to the mines and beaten. Caldal was sent to the great pyramid.”