The healing stone, p.1
The Healing Stone, page 1
First published by Odyssey Books in 2015
Copyright © Vacen Taylor 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity, including Internet search engines or retailers, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying (except under the statutory exceptions provisions of the Australian Copyright Act 1968), recording, scanning or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of Odyssey Books.
www.odysseybooks.com.au
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Author: Taylor, Vacen, 1966
Title: Starchild: The Healing Stone / Vacen Taylor
ISBN: 9781922200204 (pbk)
ISBN: 9781922200211 (ebook)
Target Audience: For primary school age
Subjects: Juvenile fiction
Dewey Number: A823.4
Cover art by Ameen Naksewee
Starchild website: www.starchildseries.com
I dedicate this book to Jeannie Barker.
The Prophecy of the Seven Nations
seven nations sit under one sky
thought will come over many moons and travel by foot
light and dark will be searching but blind to the truth
sound will travel closely for it is bound by touch
soul will not stop until the truth unfolds
with fire comes a secret that must be spoken
water will heal one and the other it will pound
earth is the key that must be found
one child remains their only link
one child will bind them
one child will show them
one child will lead them again
and then, there will be peace
The children were aware of the dark enemy that had gathered in the southern region of Sahas. But unbeknown to them, a force far greater than they could imagine was eagerly waiting to be released. The underworld was gaining strength in both weapons and numbers. From the very first night the prophecy was set in motion, all who believed knew the events that had been predicted were changeable. The search for the children was gaining momentum. One of the four children had already fallen to the dark power. The words of the foreknowledge had begun to fade. The prophecy was now at risk of being extinguished.
Chapter One
Water and Ice
They had travelled so far, yet it seemed like only yesterday that Mai was selected to journey to the Valley of a Thousand Thoughts. Her memory of the selection day was still clear because she was a thoughtbanker. A thoughtbanker’s memories never fade over time, and sometimes their dreams are not dreams at all, but real memories. The previous night Mai had dreamed of the forest on fire and Akra uprooting the earth to save them from the wall of flames as they fled, leaving the forest city behind to its fiery fate. Now, after two weeks of sailing towards Algus, the City of Ice, Mai stood on the deck, searching the horizon. There was only water for as far as the eye could see.
Mai looked back to the quarterdeck where the captain stood, his arms crossed and his hands kept warm under the armpits of his soft leather coat, which was lined with fur. Gloves were mandatory for everyone who ventured outside. Even the sailors who were working on the deck wore them. The cold this far north had the power to freeze one’s fingers, the captain had told them. Mai had felt so cold for so long she couldn’t feel her feet. Even with all the layers she wore the cold found a way into her body. She missed the warmth of the desert sun beating down on her.
The captain’s shout to a sailor climbing the foremast broke Mai’s thoughts of the hot desert sun. She watched him step down from the quarterdeck, leaving control of the ship to his second-in-command. He disappeared from her sight with two sailors trailing behind him.
The captain was a big man with a big voice. He could be heard clearly above deck and sometimes below too. His big size matched his big head, which was always covered by a phthalo-green hat complete with a long feather. It was the strangest feather Mai had ever seen. When she had asked the captain about it, he’d said it was from the upper tail of a male peafoth—only the male birds had feathers in shades of brown, blue-green, a dusting of yellow and the most amazing turquoise colour. He’d said, with great appreciation, that they run wild in the forest. Then his face dimmed as a sad thought took him home for a moment. Mai had heard his thoughts and she felt sad for the peafoths too. Those that didn’t flee the forest would have surely died in the fires.
Mai cared about the soulbankers and the creatures that lived in the forest. She had always cared about animals, even when others in her village gave them no regard or importance in being part of the world. The elders in the village had tolerated her little pet lizard, Barka, but she knew not to bring him to classes. To bring any animal or creature into the teaching rooms was considered an insult. Classes were for learning, and animals had no place there. The elders believed a creature’s thoughts had only one objective: survival. Therefore, their purpose was simple. They were to be used for transporting goods or for food. Any communication between a thoughtbanker and an animal was forbidden.
As if sensing Mai’s thoughts about animals, Barka popped his head out from under her coat. His horns brushed against Mai’s chin. He squeaked at her as if to say it was too cold to come out any further.
‘Stay in the warmth,’ Mai said, pushing him back inside her coat. ‘You’re going to be the one who will suffer in this part of our journey. You will freeze before all of us if you don’t stay warm.’ Mai knew the little lizard was a cold-blooded creature. He needed to control his body temperature through things like the sun. This was easy in the desert but here, on a day like this, lacking both the sun and a warm place to hibernate in safety meant that Mai would need to keep him warm herself.
Today, like yesterday, the ship rolled and plunged. All around, the sea swelled to form monster waves that spread over the deck and disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Kalin had spent both days of bad weather vomiting over the side of the ship. Even when Mai offered him some water, all he could do was wave his hand about to move her away. She had left Akra sitting below deck with Long. She knew Akra was anxious about the bad weather the ship had encountered. Mai was worried too. She didn’t know a lot about ships, but she knew about water and how dangerous a sea full of huge unpredictable waves could be. She tried not to think about the ship sinking if the weather was to worsen.
As Mai looked out towards the horizon, she rubbed her thumb gently over the golden amulet that was attached to a thin leather lace hanging around her neck. She needed to believe in the feeling of protection it offered. Her brother, Long, was still suffering from raging fevers, and now he was having bouts of hallucinations and rambling out incoherent sentences. What also made this journey worse was the bitter cold that came with the rolling sea and heavy grey clouds that loomed over the ship. The Sea Bold was dwarfed to the size of a toy on the open sea, a watery expanse that met the horizon at every point of the compass.
Even with her cold-weather clothes on—a long brown skin jacket, lined with jackback fur and a hood edged with the same fur, provided by Queen Shanore—Mai could still feel the bite of the wind through the layers of her clothes. Her cheeks had turned red, as had her nose. Her body swayed as the ship rocked. Mai let go of the amulet and crossed her arms tightly over her chest as she staggered along the deck, stopping when she spotted the first signs of ice. A row of icicles had formed on one of the ropes that was tied from the bow to the mainmast. She knew it would be the first of many to become covered in ice over the next few days. Mai shivered as a cold burst of air hit her face.
With the ship still rolling from side to side, Mai made her way below deck to check on her brother. It was stuffy, and foul-smelling odours wafted around because of the lack of ventilation. Long had been placed in an officer’s sleeping quarters, furnished only with a small bed, desk and chair. Kalin and Akra slept on the floor in Long’s room. Mai had also been given an officer’s quarters, next to Long. The sailors all slept below them in hammocks that, in bad weather like this, swayed from side to side all night and all day.
As Mai entered the sleeping quarters, Akra opened his eyes. His legs were crossed in front of him and his hands were resting gently on his knees. Kalin appeared at the door behind her after a long time above deck. He walked in and slumped into the chair in the corner of the room.
‘Why don’t either of you get sick?’ Kalin groaned.
His face had turned the oddest colour, flushed with a greenish tinge. The captain had said Kalin had no legs for the sea.
‘We’re thoughtbankers. If we choose to erase the conflicting messages our minds receive we will not become sick. Our minds remain calm, eliminating any discordance there may be.’
‘On days like this I wish I was a thoughtbanker.’ His cheeks ballooned out but he kept his lips pressed tight together. After a brief moment, he sprang from his chair and raced out of the room, heading for the deck above.
‘I hope Kalin feels better soon.’ Mai sat on the chair and gazed down sadly at her brother.
‘I miss the earth under my feet,’ Akra said.
‘Me too.’
Long’s sleeping face was covered with beads of sweat.
‘I’m sorry, Mai. He’s like this because of me.’ Akra hunched over. Mai read his thoughts. They were heavy with responsibility and sadness.
‘None of us knew what this journey would be like or what dangers we would face. I plunged a swor
‘That was my fault too. If I had not stayed in the forest city, it would still be beautiful now.’ Akra stood up.
Mai grabbed his hand before he could leave. ‘Don’t think that way, Akra. It’s not your fault. You know this king plans to rule every nation. He would still have come to burn the forest.’
‘No, I know his army came to Naroan because of me.’
Mai knew his thoughts were filled with guilt. The elders had teachings on the feelings of responsibility, and she knew the feeling of guilt would not go away easily.
Akra walked away, leaving Mai with her brother.
She sat with Long all through the afternoon. Kalin came and went, not really knowing where he felt better, above or below deck.
The captain passed by the door, stopping to look in on Long. ‘How is he?’
‘I think he’s getting worse,’ Mai said, feeling sad.
The captain sighed heavily. ‘We’re almost there. Within hours we will see the first of the great icebergs. Then we will see the ice city.’ He started to leave but stopped. ‘I’d like you all to have a meal with the captain tonight. The captain being me,’ he reminded her with a smile and a wink. ‘I’ll get someone to sit with Long.’
‘I’d like that. I’ll tell Akra and Kalin.’
‘Good! The meal will be served at seven. Tell the sealer boy I will have a bucket if he needs one.’ He winked again.
Mai smiled. She couldn’t help but feel some relief in knowing they had almost reached the ice city.
‘Hold on, Long,’ she whispered to her brother. ‘We’re almost there.’
Later that evening the sea calmed and the ship settled, remaining on a steady course towards Cruscar, the Land of Ice. Mai, Akra and Kalin left Long to sleep, with one of the captain’s sailors sitting on the chair in the corner to watch over him. They walked towards the captain’s door at the end of the ship. It was a big green door and it was always closed. Mai knocked three times.
The captain shouted for them to come in, and when she opened the door he was standing next to the table.
‘Come.’ He encouraged them in with a wave. ‘Please, sit and enjoy.’ He sat down first, followed by Mai, with Akra and Kalin sitting either side of her.
The captain’s table was filled with an array of food that made Akra’s mouth drop open. Kalin seemed to be feeling better than before, but he’d mentioned on the way to the captain’s room that his stomach was still very sensitive. Up till now they had eaten basic meals each night, delivered to them from the galley by a small stout women who never spoke. But tonight there were several different types of meats, as well as fruit and vegetables of various sizes and shapes.
‘Eat up,’ the captain said, as he began selecting and placing food on his plate.
The children reached out, choosing some meat and vegetables first. Kalin was more careful with his choices, but at least he would try to eat something and that was a good sign.
As the captain ate he talked. He suggested Kalin may be over the worst of his sea sickness. He asked about Long and he reassured Mai they were getting very close to their destination. Then his expression turned serious.
‘Seven days ago we passed over our water’s border and still there’s been no sign of a soundwaver to check our papers.’ The captain rested his elbows on the table.
‘That’s strange,’ Mai said. ‘They always know when a border has been crossed.’
‘They even know when someone is travelling,’ the captain added. ‘Most times they check for papers without you even needing to cross a border first.’
‘Wait,’ Mai reflected. ‘We weren’t checked when we crossed the border into Rooruh either.’
‘Something is wrong,’ the captain said, sounding concerned. ‘I have never travelled this far without having all papers checked by a soundwaver.’
‘What do you think has happened?’ Mai asked.
Akra spoke before the captain could answer. ‘There is fogginess around them all. They are unsure of what to do.’
Everyone looked at Akra.
‘Of course,’ Mai said. ‘He has the element energy of the soundwavers.’
Akra closed his eyes. When he opened them again they gleamed—black pools of emptiness. His mind was now connected to the soundwavers’ mystical bondage. The tattoos of the symbolic lore, stories and traditions only known to the soundwavers began to embellish his whole face.
‘Akra?’ Mai’s heart thumped. ‘Akra, can you hear me?’ She couldn’t read his mind anymore. All of his thoughts had disappeared. Her concern grew when he didn’t answer her.
‘We are undecided, divided by the promise from the King of Fire,’ Akra said, as though he was one of them. ‘Our master is gone.’
‘What do you mean gone?’ Mai shook her head. ‘That’s impossible.’
‘Our master is gone. He was taken away by them.’
‘By who?’
‘The melkarie.’
Everything suddenly became clear to Mai as she remembered what Akra had told them in the forest. The melkarie have a new master, a new king. If the eight Sanakra ministers could not stop this king from releasing the melkarie, then what hope would the soundwavers’ mystical master Persono have against him?
‘Akra, do you know if Persono is alive?’
‘He is alive.’
Without warning the markings on Akra’s face began to fade. He slumped forward, drained from his connection to the elemental energy.
‘Are you all right?’ Mai asked.
Akra nodded. ‘What should we do, Mai?’
The captain spoke before Mai could answer. ‘You can do nothing. The boy needs to be healed. You are all part of the prophecy and it’s in danger of being extinguished.’
‘I’m sure the Ice Queen can help us,’ Mai said determinedly.
‘I’ve only met the Ice Queen once. I have no wish to do it again,’ the captain stated.
‘Why?’ Akra asked.
‘Waterclaspers are rigid folk, disciplined beyond my liking. They live for challenge. They teach their skill with a bitter strike of the ice and a harshness that I detest. Cold hearts, all of them, if you were to ask me. Soulbankers are nothing like them. Waterclaspers can be as harsh and unpredictable as the sea.’
‘But they are healers,’ Mai said.
‘Of their own kind,’ he snapped back. ‘They have no care to heal foreigners to their lands.’
‘What is the queen like?’
‘Her heart is as cold as the ice around her.’ A frown grew on the captain’s face. ‘I fear you will have a hard time convincing this queen to help you.’
‘We need to convince her. She’s our only hope of healing Long. Viridi said she’s the only one who can give Aque the permission to use the Healing Stone to draw out the dark pebble. He is a master waterclasper and the queen’s son,’ Mai said. ‘Akra will help us convince her.’
Akra looked troubled. ‘Mai, I am good with small healings but my ice manipulation is very basic. Convincing the Ice Queen to help us might not be easy. I am as different to her as I am to all of you.’
‘He’s right,’ the captain said. ‘And she might be threatened by what he is and what he can do.’
‘But he’s also the same as each of us.’
The captain let out a large sigh. ‘I hope the small pieces that are like each of us will help convince the queen. I fear she may not be willing to help you. As much as I don’t like the waterclaspers and their ways, perhaps speaking to Aque will strengthen your chance of convincing her. From what I’ve heard he is like his grandfather. He was the Ice King before Aque’s mother ruled. An honest thinker, fair and willing to listen to everyone. If she denies you help, seek out Aque. Earn his trust and he may help you persuade the queen.’
