The Ark of Dun Ruah, Book 1 (6 page)

‘There must be a way of calling that lift up,' said Simon.

‘Maybe it's operated by remote control,' said Kerry. ‘The cooks must have taken it with them.'

‘What's this?' Simon asked, ‘It looks like a tunnel of some kind.'

‘That's the rubbish chute,' said Kerry. ‘It's where they throw the waste food.'

‘Perfect,' exclaimed Simon. ‘I'm going down. I'll just about fit in there. You wait for me here. I won't be long.'

‘But, Simon, this chute is not for humans. It's for waste food and plastic bags. You could get stuck on the way down or mangled in a shredding machine at the bottom.'

‘OK I'll throw something down,' said Simon, rooting in his trouser pockets. He found a few coins and tossed them down the chute. They rustled as they hit the bottom.

‘I don't hear any shredding machine,' said Simon.

‘A few coins wouldn't be enough to set it off.'

Simon pulled a large bag of white serviettes out from under the counter. He pushed it down the rubbish chute and leaned in to watch it fall. It landed with a faint thud.

‘I can still see the white serviette bag,' said Simon. ‘There is no shredding machine.'

‘Well, if you do go down that rubbish chute,' said Kerry, ‘have you thought about how you're going to get back up here?'

‘I'll come back in the elevator, of course.'

‘But anything could happen to you, Simon.'

‘I'm going down there, Kerry, whether you like it or not. Something has happened to Pod. And we're not going to find him talking about it up here. The only way to go is down.'

‘I'm not letting you go on your own, Simon. If you go down there I'm coming with you. Just call me when you hit the bottom of the chute and I'll follow. If you're brave enough to go down that dirty, old chute then so am I.'

Simon squeezed into the rubbish chute. Kerry heard him sliding down and landing with a crunch at the bottom.

‘Come on, Kerry,' his voice echoed. ‘It's perfectly safe.'

Kerry followed him into the rubbish chute and let herself go. She felt the downward pull as she descended into the darkness of the ship. Finally, she hit the bottom with a soft thump. She had landed on a bed of rubbish bags and serviettes.

CHAPTER 6

Church Bells

‘Come on, Kerry, let's get out of this rubbish dump,' said Simon.

Kerry scrambled off the large pile of rubbish bags under the chute. They had landed in a dark room with a crack of light coming in beneath the door. She was feeling a bit nervous now. What if they were discovered in the secret part of the ship? Would they be thrown overboard like in the pirate days, and forced to swim to Eyrie Island? Kerry shuddered at the thought. She was beginning to feel apprehensive about where this search for Pod was leading them.

‘Kerry, are you alright?' asked Simon. ‘Come on. If Pod is down here we'll find him.'

Kerry thought about her friend Pod, nervous and lost somewhere on the ship or, worse still, in the clutches of the Giant Eagles from Eyrie Island. She took a deep breath and prepared to follow Simon. He opened the door and stepped out of the rubbish room.

‘All clear,' he said.

Kerry followed Simon out onto a long passageway. They stood at the end of the passage looking around them. Lanterns hung intermittently along the walls, casting a dim light down to the other end of the narrow corridor.

‘We'd better hurry before someone finds us,' Kerry said in her bravest voice.

As they crept down the passageway Kerry heard the ship creak. There was a lack of fresh air in the passage. The vessel heaved against the waves outside and made her stomach lurch. A sudden chiming of bells, somewhere in the distance added to the mounting tension she felt. She wondered if this journey to the Land of Fire was a good idea after all. Perhaps she should have heeded Pod's warnings and stayed at home in Kilbeggin.

They reached the end of the passageway and found that it took a sharp right turn. The bells echoed louder as they crept cautiously around the corner.

‘Why are those church bells ringing in the middle of the ocean?' whispered Kerry.

‘Look straight ahead,' said Simon. ‘It looks like we're approaching some kind of a chapel.'

They hurried on along the passageway until they came to the pointed arch. Here the walls rose to support a wooden vaulted ceiling that stretched before them towards a second arch. Under it stood two large, heavy, wooden doors. They paused for some moments gazing at the intricate images of biblical scenes delicately sculpted into the dark wood. The bells stopped ringing.

‘This is Noah's Ark,' said Kerry, running her fingers over the carving. ‘All these creatures were on board while it tossed in the waves during the great flood.'

Pictures of pairs of lions, elephants, tigers, snakes and birds of many kinds were carved into the dark wood.

‘And look, that's Jonah in the mouth of the whale ready to be devoured.'

Somewhere below them the ship groaned. The bells started ringing again and Kerry felt faint. Simon pushed one of the doors open and pulled her through. They found themselves standing in dark shadows at the back of an ornate chapel. The sound of the bells came from directly above them and echoed around the walls. A long nave led to a marble altar decorated with elaborate golden statues. The aisles on both sides were lined with wooden carvings, crammed into niches and side altars.

‘I don't understand it,' said Simon. ‘This is a full-scale church, floating in the middle of the ocean.'

‘And it's really old,' said Kerry. ‘The wood carvings must have been brought here from a very ancient church.'

‘Shhhh … I think I hear someone coming,' whispered Simon. ‘Stand still.'

They stood in the shadows and listened as the footsteps approached. The sounds were coming from the very same door they had just entered. It opened and there stood a tall figure in a dark grey, hooded cloak. Kerry knew it was the man who had been attacked by the eagle in Kilbeggin. She couldn't see his face, which was hidden under the deep cowl of his cloak. Without looking left or right the man moved swiftly up the aisle and crossed the altar. Simon made a move to follow him but Kerry pulled him back. Then the man turned into a side altar and quickly disappeared out of sight.

Suddenly, the bells stopped ringing and a deep chanting floated towards them. A procession of monks wearing brown habits entered the church from behind the main altar. Each one carried a candle and a prayer book. They filed into the pews at the top of the church. The sound of the monks rhythmic chanting and the beauty of the church's stained-glass portholes and painted altars filled Kerry with a sense of awe.

At last the chanting stopped and the monks knelt to pray. It was then that Kerry felt they were being watched. She turned to see a pair of flashing green eyes staring at her through the dark shadows of the altar. She gasped loudly. Simon caught her by the arm. Some of the monks looked around at hearing the noise and one of them got up and began to shuffle towards them with his candle held high. The only way for Simon and Kerry to go was back in the direction they came from. They slipped through the tall wooden doors, ran through the archway and back down the corridor to the second arch. They stood into the shadow behind it. Nobody followed.

‘Did you see those green eyes?' asked Kerry. ‘Somebody was watching us in there. We've been seen.'

But before Kerry had a chance to say another word an enormous Giant Eagle stuck his beak over an archway and looked down on them with a cold, glassy stare.

Kerry and Simon froze. The eagle's large, pointed beak was almost touching their heads. He was over three feet tall with brown and golden feathers. His eyes were yellow. Leaning over, he looked at them sternly.

‘No need to go any further,' the eagle ordered. ‘I've got you covered. Now, what exactly are you doing snooping around here. This part of the ship is strictly private.'

‘We're not snooping and we have a good reason for being here,' replied Simon.

‘Let's hear it then,' commanded the eagle.

‘Tell me who you are first,' said Simon.

‘My name is Grinwick,' said the eagle, ‘I'm a security guard on this ship and you shouldn't be down here. Only the monks are allowed in the lower decks. I'm placing you under arrest and bringing you before the Abbot. He will probably throw you into the ship's jail for trespassing on private property.'

‘No, please don't,' pleaded Kerry. ‘We were just looking for an owl. He is our friend and he has been missing all day. I'm very worried about him. We just thought he might have come down here hunting for rats. We don't want to disturb anyone.'

The eagle widened his golden eyes and stared at Kerry for a moment. ‘Is this owl of yours an unusual shade of blue?'

‘Oh yes. Have you seen him?'

‘No. But I've heard what happened to him and unfortunately it's not good. The owl has been captured by Red Beak, King of the Giant Eagles, who lives on Eyrie Island.'

‘What? Pod captured by the King of the Eagles! How do you know?'

‘I know about most things that go on over there. I once lived on Eyrie Island myself. It wasn't called Eyrie Island back then, before Red Beak and his army took it over. It was called the Isle of Dun Ruah. When Red Beak banished the monks from their abbey on the island, they took refuge on this ship. They gave the name of the island to their floating monastery. That's why this ship is called “The Ark of Dun Ruah”.'

‘Does this eagle – Red Beak – have red eyes that send out beams of light?' Simon asked.

‘That's him. He's an evil bird. Those eyes see everything.'

‘We saw him last night as we boarded the ship. He was up on the mast.'

‘I knew it,' said Grinwick. ‘There was something in the air last night, a terrible presence.'

‘How do you know that Pod was captured?' Kerry asked.

‘I have many friends and family on the island. Some of them keep me informed. There are many good eagles living out there still. They're forced to work for Red Beak against their will.'

‘But what do they want with Pod?' said Simon. ‘He's just a harmless old owl.'

‘Feathers,' said Grinwick. ‘That owl has beautiful bright blue feathers. They are very valuable. Eagles love them. I've heard that Red Beak is planning to make himself and his Queen a pair of matching royal-blue cloaks. He's been searching for the perfect shade of blue feathers for years. Your owl has got them. He's flown straight into their clutches. And when Red Beak's got his first pair of cloaks finished, he'll make more of them to export to Royal Eagle families all over the world. That's how he operates. He's greedy. He loves an opportunity to make money and blue feathers are more valuable than diamonds to the Royal Eagles.'

‘When he's got enough feathers, will he let Pod go?' asked Kerry.

Grinwick laughed.

‘He'll never have enough feathers! They tell me that Red Beak is developing some formula. He plans to inject it into the owl to make him grow more feathers and then he'll pluck him alive. After that he'll wait for your friend Pod to grow another crop so he can keep harvesting them.'

‘This is an outrage. He won't get away with this,' exclaimed Simon. ‘We've got to get onto the island. And we have to get there now. We need a boat. You must have an inflatable one on board or we could take one of the lifeboats.'

‘It's not as simple as that,' said Grinwick.

‘But Pod will have a nervous breakdown if they pluck his feathers.'

‘Red Beak is a dangerous warlord. He is a dictator and capable of terrible cruelty. You don't know what you're getting into. My advice to you is to keep out of Red Beak's way.'

‘But what about poor old Pod? We can't leave him alone on a deserted island with some crazy eagle warlord.'

‘I could tell you many terrible things about Eyrie Island. But it's a long story. And I don't want to waste any more time talking here. I have a duty to report you to the Abbot. You must accompany me to his quarters right now.'

CHAPTER 7

Grinwick

Kerry and Simon were escorted by Grinwick, the Giant Eagle, through a series of narrow passageways. They emerged out onto a small, open air deck. A rugged island was clearly visible from where they stood looking out over the sea. It had three peaks and was surrounded by jagged cliffs. It looked grey and desolate. Grinwick knocked on a cabin door with his sharp beak. There was no reply.

‘The Abbot must be at vespers,' said Grinwick, ‘and he doesn't like to be disturbed during prayer time so we'll have to wait.'

‘That must be Eyrie Island,' said Simon, gazing out across the waves. ‘It looks like a bleak sort of place.'

‘Yes and you can just see the Abbey from here between those two jagged peaks at the eastern end of the island. That's where Red Beak lives with his Queen.'

‘What was it like when you lived there?'

‘Oh, it was beautiful back when I was young,' said Grinwick. ‘At that time it was a peaceful island well known for its learning and the writings of the ancient monks. My father was a friend of the chief of the island, Coleman Cooley. He was a good leader and a kind and wise man. He came from a long line of fair and just chieftains. His descendents live on the island to this day. Now, of course, they've been banished from their towns and villages and forced into the caves by the Giant Eagles.'

‘But you're a Giant Eagle too,' said Simon.

‘Yes, I'm a Giant Eagle and proud of it. Most Giant Eagles are quiet creatures who live in seclusion. We lived for centuries in harmony with the islanders. That is until Red Beak came along.'

‘I thought that Giant Eagles were extinct.'

‘Many people think we're extinct but we've survived, hidden in the huge rock crevices on the island. We have always got on well with the people there. In fact, the people were very good to us and protected us from the outside world.'

‘So what happened to Red Beak?' asked Simon.

‘When I was a chick, the Giant Eagle population on the island started to grow. Red Beak was a fledgling but even at a young age he was greedy for power. He started creating mischief on the island. He attacked the farming community, raided their fields and destroyed their crops.'

‘But why didn't anyone stop him?' said Kerry.

‘Coleman Cooley, the chieftain, was such a peaceful man that he did little to stop Red Beak. I suppose he never believed that an eagle could gain control of the island. As the years went by Red Beak grew in power. He terrorised the islanders and the monks who lived in the Abbey. Most of the people got fed up with the situation. They gathered their possessions and emigrated. Those who stayed fled to the massive underground cave system on the island. I've heard that they've built a town down there at the edge of an underground lake.'

‘And what happened to the monks?' Kerry asked.

‘Finally, the monks had to leave the island too. After that, Red Beak crowned himself king. Later he discovered that another eagle colony existed on a southern island called Iolathar. He went there to visit and returned with his bride, Kiki. She was crowned queen and they made the Abbey their palace. Since then he has ruled the island in a reign of terror. He has raised an army of vicious hit men. He is capable of turning against his own most loyal friends on a whim. None of them are safe. I have many friends and even family members working for Red Beak against their will. They live in constant fear for their lives.'

‘But why don't they stand up to him?' asked Simon.

‘It's not easy. Red Beak has got squadrons of secret police. Nobody knows exactly who they are. They spy on members of their own families and turn their friends in if they don't agree with Red Beak's policies. Then they're thrown in prison where they are tortured and brainwashed into Red Beak's philosophy.'

‘What is his philosophy?' Kerry asked.

‘Eagle Power,' said Grinwick. ‘Red Beak claims to have supernatural powers. He says his eyes can see through walls. He wants to raise up a tribe of Giant Eagle descendants who have powers like him and who will rule the world.'

‘Eagle Power,' cried Simon. ‘He's crazy if he thinks a bunch of eagles are going to take over the world. Is nobody going to stop him?'

‘It's not that simple. His spies and secret police tell him who is about to betray him. They know everything. They also keep control of the seas around the island. Many people call it the Sea of Sorrows. Only eagles are allowed to cross over to the island. Passing ships often lose passengers who get lured into the whispering waves. They disappear forever.'

‘What happened to the chief of the island and his family?' Kerry asked.

‘They say that Coleman Cooley and his wife and son were murdered by Red Beak, along with most of his family and chief officials.'

‘But that's terrible. Red Beak is truly wicked. And I feel so sorry for the poor monks. It must be awful to be banished from their towns and villages to this floating monastery for the rest of their lives.'

‘Well it's supposed to be a secret,' said Grinwick. ‘The monks want to keep it that way. They don't mingle with the passengers. They live down here in the hull of the ship and take paying passengers to support themselves. The money is also used to help the cave dwellers on the island. They often deliver food and clothes to them on the lifeboats at night-time. But, of course, the monks hope to go back to the island and reclaim their monastery. We all pray that someday a great leader will come to face Red Beak and his cronies and break his tyranny over Eyrie Island.'

‘What I can't understand about all this is why Pod's feathers are so valuable,' said Simon. ‘Nobody has ever come looking for his feathers before.'

‘Feathers are very valuable to Giant Eagles,' said Grinwick, ‘especially such rare, royal-blue feathers! Red Beak's wife, Kiki, is very beautiful. But she is a vain and proud creature. She comes from a royal family of Great Eagles. To gain her hand in marriage Red Beak convinced her family that he has true blue blood in his veins. They believe that he ascended as an heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Eyrie Island. He told them nothing about his wicked coup. He'll be hoping that the royal-blue feathered cloaks will keep his wife happy. Then he'll give cloaks as gifts to her family. He is constantly looking for an opportunity to impress them and to keep his Queen at his side. Many times she has threatened to leave him. The ruling couple are well known for their tempestuous relationship and their frequent arguments.'

‘We've got to do something fast,' said Simon.

‘No, you will stay here until the Abbot comes back,' ordered Grinwick. ‘He will be the one to decide what should be done.'

‘It may be too late by the time the Abbot comes back,' argued Simon.

‘Yes Grinwick, you've got to help us,' pleaded Kerry. ‘It's your island and your loved ones that are being controlled by that brainwashing Eagle King. How long are you going to let this go on for?'

Grinwick sighed. ‘You don't know what you're getting into. Red Beak has five thousand dangerous and vicious eagles in his army. You don't want to tangle with them. It's time to forget about your friend Pod. Maybe Red Beak will let him go as soon as he's got enough feathers.'

‘I'm not letting those savages pluck poor old Pod alive,' said Simon, shaking his fist in the air. ‘He'd never survive it. I will not leave here without him.'

‘Shhhh! Keep your voice down,' said Grinwick. ‘I've told you that Red Beak has his spies everywhere.'

‘Well how would you feel if you were plucked alive?' challenged Simon.

Grinwick hung his head and was at a loss for something to say.

‘I'm not afraid of Red Eagle or Red Beak or whatever you call him,' cried Simon. ‘I'm going over there myself to face that eagle and get Pod back. He'll be sorry when I'm through with him. I'm going to swim across. I can easily make it from here. It's quite close.'

Simon had already jumped onto the railings and was preparing to dive.

‘No,' said Grinwick. ‘The waters are treacherous. You'll never survive. And I will try to help you. I'm working for the Abbot. He's a good and wise man and I believe he's got a plan to deal with Red Beak. Wait and talk to him. Vespers will be over in two hours.'

‘I'm not sitting around here for another two hours. Now is the time to deal with Red Beak before anyone else around here goes missing!'

‘Wait! Wait! I'll carry you to the island.'

‘What?'

‘There's a strong sea breeze blowing towards the island today. I can carry you there.'

‘Then you'll have to take me too,' said Kerry.

‘OK, OK. But first I'll take Simon. You wait here,' said Grinwick.

He flew up and grasped Simon's shoulders firmly in his mighty claws. Lifting him high into the air, he soared out over the Sea of Sorrows. Kerry marvelled at the size of the bird as he flew. She figured that he must have a wingspan of at least seven feet. She saw him drop Simon on a sandy beach in the distance and then return to the ship.

Before she knew it Kerry herself was in the eagle's clutches, gliding high over the blue sea, looking down over the whispering waves. Soon they reached Eyrie Island. She saw that it had a rugged coastline and many tall cliffs. At one end of the island two jagged peaks were visible rising up from a lofty mountain range. The Abbey lay nestled in the foothills between them. A single peak dominated the other end of the island. The beauty of the view from beneath the eagle's wings took Kerry's breath away.

Grinwick flew low over a long, cliff-lined, sandy beach and began his descent. He dropped her beside Simon who was keeping out of sight under a shaded rock face. The eagle led them to a narrow crevice in the tall cliff. They climbed through and inside found a long tunnel, which wound its way through the rock. Simon struck a match and lifted it over their heads. Kerry could see that the tunnel was deep and wide and glistening in dark red marble. Water dripped from a domed ceiling into still pools along the path. Grinwick led them through a series of lofty caverns all banded in glimmering red and white marble.

‘This is amazing,' said Simon.

‘It is an ancient underground route to the Abbey,' said Grinwick.

‘Did you say that the island has a massive cave system?' Kerry asked.

‘Yes, the entire island is a warren of natural caves of great beauty. There has been a tradition of people living in the caves going back to ancient times. But we eagles generally keep away from the caves. We can only use the widest ones. Most of us are terrified of enclosed spaces. We were born to live in the air, not underground. And this is as far as I can go.'

Grinwick had paused at a narrow point in a long cavern. Its floor sloped steeply downwards.

‘Where are we?' asked Simon.

Grinwick pointed at a jagged crack in the rock at the end of the cave.

‘Go through and you will find a passage that will take you to the Abbey, the home of the Great Red Beaked Eagle,' whispered Grinwick. ‘This is where I leave you. Keep going straight ahead and you will come to some cellars. Go through them and you'll find a stairs that will lead you straight to Red Beak's Great Hall. Now I must go. I've taken enough risk by just bringing you here. I wish you Godspeed. And I hope you find your friend the owl. I will return now to tell the Abbot that I brought you here. Perhaps he will send the Messenger to help you.'

‘What messenger?' Simon asked.

‘The Messenger … haven't you heard of him?'

Simon and Kerry shook their heads.

‘They say that the Messenger comes from an ancient and distant realm. He has great power and has always been a guardian and protector of the monks. It is widely held that he has walked the earth since the dawn of time.'

‘Since the dawn of time!' exclaimed Simon.

‘Yes. Many don't believe in the Messenger. But I have seen him with my own eyes. I've heard that the Abbot has been talking to him in recent times. There are fresh hopes that he will break the tyranny of Red Beak and his henchmen. But now I must hurry. Let me warn you again that Red Beak is dangerous. There's no limit to his trickery.'

‘Please do us one favour,' said Kerry. ‘Will you tell our friends the swiftails that we are here? And ask them to follow us. They are waiting for us on the top deck of the Ark of Dun Ruah.'

Grinwick nodded and left them. Kerry and Simon were alone under the great Abbey of Eyrie Island.