Impossible Dreamers

Part Three, (mek), Chapter 27 (degtwi-mek): Climbing Greblara

'Perhaps it would be better to go around another way. To the south?' said Falera, watching the sun rising over the mountain. Bolseno nodded, and others in the group looked unsure.

To tell our story well, we must jump backwards in time.

It was just one day after the meeting, where the group had formed to climb the mountain. They knew nothing of what was to come, and could not suspect that their land would be invaded. Perhaps they were lucky in their ignorance.

Trentaya looked towards Greblara, the tallest peak of the range of mountains that encircled Seren-ila, as well as being, until recently, an ash-spouting volcano. Somewhere on the other side was the land of Bartyronis, a country that nobody from Seren-ila had seen, and of which they knew very little. It was Bartyronis that they had to reach. They must speak to the people of Bartyronis, and somehow persuade them to return their precious Counsellors. How they would be able to persuade them was a question which they still had not decided, but there was time to think about that. Crossing the mountain would take many days. Perhaps the time from new to full moon, or maybe even longer. Perhaps the moon might wane again before they reached the other side of the peak.

There were six in the party – nay in Seren numbers. They stared at the mountain, awestruck. Nobody had ever climbed to the top of Greblara. No wonder. The mountain presented sheer, flat surfaces; unclimbable walls of stone. The beautiful patterns had been reproduced in many paintings and sketches. The enormous squares and oblongs echoed off one another, in a way that had also inspired many musical compositions. But looking at this edifice, the group did not hear music. They felt cold fear. Wind was blowing around them, and they knew that winds would be stronger higher up the mountain.

'What do you think, Trentaya?' Falera asked. 'Shall we try the south slopes?'

'No,' she said, firmly. 'The peaks of Ciblara, to the south, are not so high, but they're even more dangerous than those of Greblara. The walls of rock there slope back towards the top, and the rock crumbles when you touch it. What's more, the wind blows even more strongly in the south. Sometimes I've had difficulty controlling my flight there,' Trentaya paused, thinking again about the times she had spent flying beside the mountains. 'And we know nothing of what's on the other side. Maybe dark forests, or deep oceans that we can't cross. If we went that way we could get hopelessly lost trying to find Bartyronis. There's probably a good reason why the flying machine came across in the way it did. We should make that journey in reverse, a straight line.'

Nobody wanted to argue with Trentaya. She knew the mountains from the air in a way nobody else did. The others nodded their agreement.

Suddenly, the group heard a shout. They all turned, and saw a figure moving towards them. A short woman, clearly out of breath. She was calling to them, but the wind and the distance carried her words away. The group stood and tried to make out what was happening.

As the figure approached, they could see it was Elara, now the most senior member of the Counsel of the Wise. She moved quickly, but used a sturdy stick for support.

Now they could make out Elara's voice: 'Wait...Wait for... wait for me!' she was saying, through laboured breathing, as she waved the stick at them. She was struggling to carry a large bag. Was she bringing something the group had forgotten? More provisions for the journey? More shelter? Trentaya raised her arm in greeting, signalling that they had seen her, and were waiting. Elara slowed down.

She reached the group, and leaned on the stick, letting her breathing settle down.

'Honoured Counsellor,' said Deventino, his deep voice filled with concern and puzzlement, 'do you bring news, advice or more provisions?'