Best Fantasy Stories

Chapter 25 FALLING, LIKE ICARUS, INTO THE SEA

Chapter 25

FALLING, LIKE ICARUS, INTO THE SEAThe aurora light, which had flamed brightly, was now extinct,

and darkness was upon the face of the deep, where we floated on the

back of the monster. He swam, forcing himself onward with his

hind-legs, with one broad wing folded up close. Had both been

folded up the athaleb could have swum rapidly; but the broken wing

lay expanded over the water, tossing with the waves, so that our

progress was but slight. Had it not been for this, the athaleb's

own instinct might have served to guide him toward some shore which

we might have hoped to reach before life was extinct; but as it

was, all thought of reaching any shore was out of the question, and

there arose before us only the prospect of death—a death, too,

which must be lingering and painful and cruel. Thus amid the

darkness we floated, and the waves dashed around us, and the

athaleb never ceased to struggle in the water, trying to force his

way onward. It seemed sweet at that moment to have Layelah with me,

for what could have been more horrible than loneliness amid those

black waters? and Layelah's mind was made up to meet death with

joy, so that her mood conveyed itself to me. And I thought that

since death was inevitable it were better to meet it thus, and in

this way end my life—not amid the horrors of the sacrifice and the

Mista Kosek, but in a way which seemed natural to a seafaring man

like myself, and with which I had long familiarized my thoughts.

For I had fallen upon a world and among people which were all alien

and unintelligible to me; and to live on would only open the way to

new and worse calamities. There was peace also in the thought that

my death would snatch the prospect of death from Almah. She would

now be safe. It was only when we were together as lovers that death

threatened her; but now since I was removed she could resume her

former life, and she might remember me only as an episode in that

life. That she would remember me I felt sure, and that she would

weep for me and mourn after me was undeniable; but time as it

passed would surely alleviate that grief, and Almah would live and

be happy. Perhaps she might yet regain her native land and rejoin

her loved kindred, whom she would tell of the stranger from an

unknown shore who had loved her, and through whose death she had

gained her life. Such were the thoughts that filled my mind as I

floated over the black water with darkness all around, as I held

Layelah in my arms, with my coat wrapped around her, and murmured

in her ear tender words of consolation and sympathy.

A long, long time had passed—but how long I know not—when

suddenly Layelah gave a cry, and started up on her knees, with her

head bent forward listening intently. I too listened, and I could

distinctly hear the sound of breakers.

It was evident that we were approaching some shore; and, from

what I remembered of the shore of Magones, such a shore meant

death, and death alone. We stood up and tried to peer through the

gloom. At length we saw a whole line of breakers, and beyond all

was black. We waited anxiously in that position, and drew steadily

nearer. It was evident that the athaleb was desirous of reaching

that shore, and we could do nothing but await the result.

But the athaleb had his wits about him, and swam along on a line

with the breakers for some distance, until at length an opening

appeared, into which he directed his course. Passing through this

we reached still water, which seemed like a lagoon surrounded by a

coral reef. The athaleb swam on farther, and at length we saw

before us an island with a broad, sandy beach, beyond which was the

shadowy outline of a forest. Here the monster landed, and dragged

himself wearily upon the sand, where he spread his vast bulk out,

and lay panting heavily. We dismounted—I first, so as to assist

Layelah; and then it seemed as if death were postponed for a time,

since we had reached this place where the rich and rank vegetation

spoke of nothing but vigorous life.

Fortune had indeed dealt strangely with me. I had fled with

Almah, and with her had reached one desolate shore, and now I found

myself with Layelah upon another shore, desolate also, but not a

savage wilderness. This lonely island, ringed with the black ocean

waters, was the abode of a life of its own, and there was nothing

here to crush the soul into a horror of despair like that which was

caused by the tremendous scenes on Magones.

In an instant Layelah revived from her gloom. She looked around,

clapped her little hands, laughed aloud, and danced for joy.

"Oh, Atam-or," she cried, "see—see the trees, see the grass, the

bushes! This is a land of wonder. As for food, you can call it down

from the sky with your sepet-ram, or we can find it on the rocks.

Oh, Atam-or! life is better than death, and we can live here, and

we can be happy. This shall be better to us than the lands of the

Orin, for we shall be alone, and we shall be all in all to one

another."

I could not help laughing, and I said:

"Layelah, this is not the language of the Kosekin. You should at

once go to the other side of this island, and sit down and wait for

death."

"Never," said Layelah; "you are mine, Atam-or, and I never will

leave you. If you wish me to die for you, I will gladly lay down my

life; but I will not leave you. I love you, Atam-or; and now,

whether it be life or death, it is all the same so long as I have

you."

Our submersion in the sea and our long exposure afterward had

chilled both of us, but Layelah felt it most. She was shivering in

her wet clothes in spite of my coat which I insisted on her

wearing, and I determined, if possible, to k****e a fire.

Fortunately my powder was dry, for I had thrown off my flask with

my coat before jumping into the sea, and thus I had the means of

creating fire. I rubbed wet powder over my handkerchief, and then

gathered some dried sticks and moss. After this I found some dead

trees, the boughs of which were dry and brittle, and in the

exercise I soon grew warm, and had the satisfaction of seeing a

great heap of fagots accumulating. I fired my pistol into the

handkerchief, which, being saturated with powder, caught the fire,

and this I blew into a flame among the dried moss. A bright fire

now sprang up and blazed high in the air; while I, in order to have

an ample supply of fuel, continued to gather it for a long time. At

length, as I came back, I saw Layelah lying on the sand in front of

the fire, sound asleep. I was glad of this, for she was weary, and

had seemed so weak and tremulous that I had felt anxious; so now I

arranged my coat over her carefully, and then sat down for a time

to think over this new turn which my fortune had taken.

This island was certainly very unlike Magones, yet I had no

surety but that it might be equally destitute of food. This was the

first question, and I could not think of sleep until I had found

out more about the place. The aurora light, which constantly

brightens and lessens in this strange world, was now shining

gloriously, and I set forth to explore the island. The beach was of

fine sand all the way. The water was smooth, and shut in on every

side by an outer reef against which the sea-waves broke

incessantly. As I walked I soon perceived what the island was; for

I had often seen such places before in the South Pacific. It was,

in fact, a coral islet, with a reef of rocks encircling it on every

side. The vegetation, however, was unlike anything in the world

beyond; for it consisted of many varieties of tree-ferns, that

looked like palms, and giant grasses, and bamboo. The island was

but small, and the entire circuit was not over a mile. I saw

nothing that looked like food, nor did it seem likely that in so

small a place there could be enough sustenance for us. Our only

hope would be from the sea, yet even here I could see no signs of

any sort of shell-fish. On the whole the prospect was discouraging,

and I returned to the starting-point with a feeling of dejection;

but this feeling did not trouble me much at that time: my chief

thought was of rest, and I flung myself down on the sand and fell

asleep.

I was awakened by a cry from Layelah. Starting up, I saw her

standing and looking into the sky. She was intensely excited. As

soon as she saw me she rushed toward me and burst into tears, while

I, full of wonder, could only stare upward.

"Oh!" cried Layelah, "they've turned back—they've found us! We

shall have to leave our dear, lovely island. Oh, Atam-or, I shall

lose you now; for never, never, never again will you have one

thought of love for your poor Layelah!"

With these words she clung sobbing to me. For my part I do not

remember what I said to soothe her, for the sight above was so

amazing that it took up all my attention. The aurora shone bright,

and in the sky I saw two vast objects wheeling and circling, as if

about to descend. I recognized them at once as athalebs; but as

their backs were hid from view by their immense wings, I could not

make out whether they were wanderers about to alight of their own

accord, or guided here by riders—perhaps by the Kosekin from whom

we had been parted.

This much at least I remember. I said to Layelah that these

athalebs were wild ones, which had come here because they saw or

scented our wounded one; but Layelah shook her head with mournful

meaning.

"Oh no," said she; "Almah has come back for you. This fire-light

has guided them. If you had not made the fire they never, never,

never could have found us; but now all is lost."

There was no time for conversation or discussion. The athalebs

drew swiftly nearer and nearer, descending in long circuits, until

at length they touched the ground not far away on the wide sandy

beach. Then we saw people on their backs, and among them was Almah.

We hurried toward them, and Almah rushed into my arms, to the great

disgust of Layelah, for she was close beside me and saw it all. She

gave an exclamation of grief and despair, and hurried away.

From Almah I learned that our disappearance had caused alarm;

that two of the athalebs had come back in search of us; that they

had been to Magones, and had searched over the seas, and were just

about giving us up as lost, when the fire-light had attracted their

attention and drawn them here.

I said nothing at that time about the cause of our

disappearance, but merely remarked that the athaleb had fallen into

the sea and swam here. This was sufficient. They had to remain here

for some time longer to rest their athalebs. At length we prepared

to depart. Our wounded athaleb was left behind to take care of

himself. I was taken with Almah, and Layelah went on the other. We

were thus separated; and so we set forth upon our return, and at

length arrived at the amir.