Margit Sandemo - The Ice People 47 - Is There Anybody Out There?

Tova stifled a sigh. She couldn’t help feeling a little let down. Not that she was envious of Rune, far from it, but she, too, wouldn’t have minded ...

She pulled herself together and listened to Lucifer’s words.

“You have all helped me in my battle against my final enemy. You have eliminated Tan-ghil the Evil, who posed such a tremendous threat to my kingdom after he drank from the spring of evil and was promised eternal life and complete power over the world. That power does not belong to him.”

Tova shuddered. She didn’t like what he was saying but she focused on concealing her thoughts.

Meanwhile she met Nataniel’s gaze. He seemed somewhat perplexed and overwhelmed.

Lucifer continued. “So I have decided to reward you by allowing you to choose where you would like to go after your death. Many of you already reside in the dimensions of the dead. I offer you, regardless of whether you are living or dead members of the Ice People, the opportunity to live on in the black halls forever.”

It grew very quiet. Then Nataniel spoke in a strained tone: “We thank you, great Lord, for your generous offer. Please allow us a little time to think about it first, it is a little overwhelming for us now and we can’t quite grasp the scope of it yet.”

“I understand. But I’m assuming that all of you who are demons led by Lilit and Typhoon will join us?”

“Of course,” said Typhoon, and all the others agreed. “It has long been our wish and our longing.”

“Excellent! Rune and Halkatla! You will automatically be included in my group and in my halls.”

Both of them gasped, as though they were about to say something but didn’t dare. They looked at one another searchingly.

It was Halkatla who was brave enough to break the silence. It was strange for Tova and the others to see the irreverent and courageous witch fall on her knees in adoration of Lucifer.

“Honourable Lord ... please don’t misunderstand my hesitation. I remain forever your most grateful subject, but ...”

“Yes, Halkatla!” he said, as though he found it amusing. “Speak your mind!”

She looked up, somewhat pitiful in her uneasiness. “I would so much have liked to remain in the world of the living a little while longer. It seems so enticing with all its imperfections. That which is perfect can wait perhaps? Just a little longer?”

Lucifer scrutinized her. “I don’t believe that you belong with down-to-earth ordinary humans in this century. But, as you wish! You will have a month. Until midsummer night. From then on I want you with me.”

“That would be an honour for me. But ... forgive me for being so straightforward but ... may Rune also stay here for a month?”

“That depends on whether or not he wants to.”

Rune laughed: a friendly, open laugh that showed dazzlingly white teeth. “With my new appearance there is nothing I would like more, my Lord! I have to try it out on humans!”

“Not on the ladies, thank you very much,” said Halkatla quickly, looping her arm under his with the smile of a tiger.

“That’s settled, then,” said Lucifer, who seemed to be in high spirits. “As true humans – keep that in mind. After that we’ll be counting on you.”

“Of course,” said Rune.

Tova had listened to this conversation holding her breath. She was terribly afraid of revealing her own thoughts.

Lucifer turned to the group. “Sarmik, leader of the Taran-gais, what have you chosen to do?”

Sarmik found the question difficult as well, but for different reasons than Tova’s. “We would, of course, like to go to the black halls, Master ...”

Tova could tell that he was about to add a “but” and was holding it back.

But Lucifer was observant. “Yes, Sarmik?”

The Taran-gai pulled himself together. “Master, we don’t know where our four spirits stand. They have helped us so much ...”

“I understand your problem. Let me have a word with them and perhaps we can make a compromise. A collaboration of sorts. There is room for everyone.”

Sarmik gave a sigh of relief. “In which case, we remain your loyal servants, Lord.”

Lucifer placed his hand on his son’s shoulder. “Good! Now the living must be allowed to return to their homes, they have been absent for a long time now. And Marco here will fairly and squarely begin on his next mission: to prepare the way in the human world. I assume the rest of you will assist him,” he said, casting a stern and transparent glance at Tova. “We will all see one another on midsummer night above Gråstensholm. Marco will have prepared for my arrival, I’m quite certain.”

He beckoned all the non-earthly creatures to him, with the exception of Rune and Halkatla. As the humans looked around in confusion, they found themselves alone with the strange couple. Ellen, Tova, Tiili, Marco, Nataniel, Ian and Gabriel ...

Seven living people and two that really didn’t properly belong anywhere. They were the only ones left. Of all of them, Nataniel was alarmingly worn down.

Halkatla led the way, very chatty, while the more sombre-minded Rune walked by her side. The others clumsily began to make their way as well, but they couldn’t really collect their thoughts properly.

“Should we see if we can go back the same way?” Marco asked. His friends’ silence made him feel ill-at-ease. “I’d like to recover the motorbike.”

Nataniel pulled himself together. “Yes, of course! And the car! And whatever else we may have lost along the way!”

Tova, Gabriel and Ellen walked at the back. They looked at Marco who was walking ahead of them. He was now carrying Tiili in his arms, where she rested safe and sound.

At first the three of them walked silently in the clear, cold spring air. They no longer noticed their surroundings, they didn’t see the liberated valley. Their thoughts were preoccupied with other things.

Things that were heavy and difficult to absorb.

Then Gabriel said thoughtfully: “We’ve been manipulated! Used in a way.”

“Yes,” replied Tova. She felt completely empty inside.

Now that the whole ordeal was over, they felt a sense of fatigue creeping over them. But it wasn’t an entirely normal sense of fatigue – they felt it was much deeper than that.

The fatigue of disappointment. The feeling of having been betrayed.

Ellen, who had had a different kind of upbringing from the others, said quietly: “I want to speak with God about this. I must.”

Her two friends didn’t respond. Gabriel just swallowed hard. Never before had he felt so unsure.

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