Chapter 3.
Seraphis.
Lily and Finlay exchanged glances, their curiosity burning brighter than ever. They stood before the old man, their hearts filled with a sense of adventure and fear.
"Who are you?" Finlay finally managed to ask, his voice tinged with awe.
I just told you.” he said good naturedly. “I am Seraphis.” His eyes sparkled with a vibrant restraint.
Seraphis extended a hand towards them, his weathered fingers curling slightly.
Lilly and Finlay exchanged a bewildered glance before tentatively reaching out to shake his hand. A surge of warmth coursed through their bodies as their hands connected with his, as if an otherworldly energy was being transferred.
"I have been expecting you," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "You have been drawn here by forces that none of us understand, me as much as you, for I am told there is a great task that awaits you."
Findlay asked, “… and where is this place? I mean …. what is this place?”
He paused, “…and beyond your name … who are you?”
Lily, concerned that her cousin was being too abrupt, looked at him, trying to get his attention. Not being successful, she gently kicked him.
“What was that for?”, he cried turning to face her.
“Nothing, sorry. I thought I saw a fire-hopper.”
As Lilly, Finlay, and Seraphis stood on the shore of the secluded indoor cove, their paths intertwined by the whims of fate. They could hear the reverberating ping of water drops, and the occasional flap of a bird's wing all with the underlay of what sounded like crickets but with a softer rounder timbre and a musical phrase, instead of a single note.
“Well,” said Seraphis.”This is my home”. He turned and waved his arm to indicate the space behind him.
Their gazes swept across the scene. Above them sprawled a multilayered, tangle of paths,ladders, staircases, platforms, pipes and buildings. The largest building, a 3 story house sat in the heart of the cave, suspended 30 feet above the ground.
Several sections appeared to have been added over time, leaving a ramshackled assortment of walls and towers, stair cases, ladders, windows and verandahs.
Attached to these buildings was a network of water pipes crisscrossing the space, hinting at a harmonious coexistence between the natural elements and the workings of Seraphis.
“Let’s sit. I’ll make you a cup of tea”, said the old man, turning away and walking along a short path, his feet making a quiet and rhythmical crunching sound on the soft sand. The path ended at a narrow staircase that shot up to his house. Not breaking the rhythm, the wood made a creaking sound,as the planks of the staircase acknowledged each step he made, like they were answering a roll call.
Lily could feel the sand , slightly warm, massaging her feet through her thin leather cladded shoes. As the pair followed the old man up the stairs, Finlay gasped and stopped in alarm, when a step wobbled and groaned under his weight.
“Don’t worry about those noises!” said Serephis, “it doesn’t collapse that often.” he said , turning his head to look over his shoulde, giving Lilly a wink.
Sitting on a verandah just outside the front door of his house, they listened attentively, captivated by his story of how he had built the unusual complex they were sitting in. After a pause, "We have much to discuss," Seraphis said, his voice filled with a mixture of melancholy and anticipation. "For the secrets of this cave, the origins of the sprinklers, and the truth of our world lie within conversations we will have in the next few days." He paused to scratch an upper arm through his cloak, “There are still some things I will not share ….just yet.”
The arrival of Finlay and Lily had certainly disrupted his solitary existence, yet he welcomed their company with an open heart, for he had known about their arrival and the exact time for over 30 years.
Little did Lily and Finlay know that their encounter was the first step in a epic adventure that would forever change their lives, and the lives of all that they knew.
————
"My young explorers," he started, settling into his time-worn stool that creaked under his weight harmonizing with the rustle of the trees nearby.
“Where will I start?” he pondered, rhetorically.
“First of all, we need to have the basics.” he paused to pluck some unseen knots from his sleeve, then returned his gaze, "Ok. The old legends we've heard, the tales passed down through generations... they hold more truth than we ever thought," he said, his voice taking on a grave tone. "I know all the experts and scientists laugh at the idea, calling it superstition, but let me be the first to tell you … they are wrong.”
Lilly gasped in surprise. Finlay remained impassive.
“There truly exists an overworld.” He paused to adjust his posture, and looked directly at the two, parting his hands in a ‘listen to me’ gesture. Speaking slowly, he continued, “We, the inhabitants of this realm, are living in a dome that lies at the bottom of another world's ocean.”
Lily and Finlay exchanged a startled glance, their faces mirroring the emotions stirring within them - incredulity, bewilderment, and an intense fascination.
“What’s an ocean?” asked Lilly.
Finlay tried to answer, “Is it like a giant lake or something?”
Seraphis nodded, “To be honest, no one really knows, but that’s about it … sort of.”
Finlay sprang up in his chair, now clearly excited, “You mean the dark sky above the hard sky really is water!”
Seraphis nodded again. “That’s what we believe.” He continued, “ Let me illustrate. Imagine you have a glass bowl, and tip it upside down. You get a piece of Borma hunters cloth, and draw it tight under the rim of the bowl to make a ‘floor’. This cloth, as you know, is not water tight, nor makes a seal. “
Both Lilly and Finlay were leaning forwards resting their chin in their hands, staring intently at the old man.
Get a few mice, and put them under the upturned bowl, but over the cloth, which is their floor, and perhaps tie the cloth all around just below the widest part, the rim. They can walk around under the bowl. “
He paused to check the children were understanding, and continued, now drawing the shape of the bowl as he talked, “Now, with the bowl still upturned, you carry this, with the mice still running around on the Borma cloth..”
“… and wondering what the hell is going on”, interrupted Lilly laughing.
“Yes” chuckled Seraphis. “Very puzzling for them.” He paused before continuing, “Anyway, you fill the bathtub with water, and carefully lower, or really push the upturned bowl down to the bottom of the tub, and fix it to the base with something. The air inside the bowl would remain trapped. The mice would not have a problem, other than being confused and maybe a bit bored after a couple of hours.”
Finlay sat up straight after realizing something, “what about the air? It would go stale, and they would die!”
“True, true”, replied Seraphis. “but what if you had 3 or 4 small tubes running under the floor, and piercing the borma cloth from below, and blowing fresh air upwards into the bowl space, and the same number of pipes piercing the floor in the same manner, sucking the same amount of air away.” he bent over to pick up a cat that was sitting near his chair, and put it on his lap, slowly running his hands over its fur. “She’s called Marple.”
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“Hello Marple”, said lilly in a sing song voice, leaning forwards to give it a stroke, causing it to immediately purr.
“She likes you”, said the old man, pausing his strokes. “She doesn’t like anyone, other than me.” He shook his head and softly chuckled. “Remarkable, Remarkable.”
He continued, “That’s what we believe is happening here, though we haven't located the pipes yet, and we have no idea who built this … or even why. No historical records have survived.”
Finlay, was poking his temple, “and of course, if the mice have children mice with no memories to compare with, they would have no idea what lies beyond the glass, and absolutely no way of leaving their delightful little ‘air tank’.” he paused to contemplate the point, “if we were to make it bigger, put dirt and a few plants, a few mousy houses and a mousy forest to play in, make the glass glow, or put candles right near the top of the inside, you could put the whole ‘mouse world’ at the bottom of BlackHawk lake, and the poor things would never know where they were, and they would not even know that they were under a glass bowl. To them it would not be a bowl, but ‘the world’. That bowl would be the known universe.” , he paused an pointed an index finger in the air, and looking a little embarrassed, returned it, “The return pipes. They wouldn’t need to suck the return air. The extra air from the incoming pipes would take care of that. One pipe would be enough with one return, and you’d have another pair as a backup. If its as you say, there’ll be 4 per region.i dont know how many regions would make up the known universe. Sorry, I mean “our” universe.
The old man sat still, just staring at Finlay. After the pause, he said, “You are so clever young man! Quite astonishing. How old are you?” Seraphis shook his head, clearly impressed.
Ignoring his own question, he continued, , “Back to humans now” said Seraphis, "The dwellers of the overworld are oblivious to our existence... for now. But, it looks loke we were once part of that world. Over the span of centuries, the threads of that history have unraveled, have been lost," he stated, his words echoing in the small room.
Lily and Finlay exchanged a startled glance, their faces mirroring the emotions stirring within them - incredulity, bewilderment, and an intense fascination. Undeterred by their silent reactions, Seraphis nodded to himself and continued.
"Something has been attacking the dome. The things that have descended from the skies are what I've come to call ‘rock worms'. They've made their appearances on three distinct occasions, the last one 6 months ago.”
His gnarled hand lifted, sweeping across the air towards an unseen point above. "Upon reaching our realm, they embed themselves in the 'dome', tunneling into it, resulting in the breaches that eventually give rise to those sky sprinklers. “
The two cousins just sat where they were, and stared at the old man, not knowing what to say.
After a short pause, Seraphis looked at his pocket watch and said, “it’s getting late. I think it’s about time you two set off for your home, or it will be dark.”, he paused to look around and continued, “you’re welcome to come back any time, and I have a feeling you will very shortly, as you know as well as I do that there is a little bit more for us to discuss.“
He led them back to the landing cove, and summoned the boat. He gave a brisk single wave when the boat, now containing two children, turned around and disappeared into the tunnel. He walked back up the path, this time a jaunt in his step.
—————
The following day, the golden morning light scattered off the dew-speckled undergrowth as the cousins, Lily and Finlay, trudged through the Lupine Woods towards the old man’s ramshackled house, nestled deep within his hidden cave. Bounding along beside them was a playful dog, Daisy, her tail wagging with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Once inside the hidden cave, Daisy had taken it upon herself to hunt down a hapless rabbit, bolting towards a bush bristling with ominous danger. The 'fire wasps', renowned for their volatile temperament and venomous sting, made their home within those brambles. With their hearts lodged in their throats, the cousins yelled out to the dog in a vain attempt to divert her from the perilous path. The excited Daisy, however, seemed deaf to their cries.
In that split second, Lily’s instincts took over. She sprinted to the nearest tree where a cave-crow was watching the spectacle unfold with keen interest. Lily's eyes locked with the bird's, a silent plea echoing between them. It was a communication so subtle yet profound that it would have gone unnoticed to any other bystander.
Responding to the plea, the crow launched itself off the tree branch with a raucous caw, plunging towards the dog. It was a masterful display of precision and timing as the bird's shadow flitted over the dog, startling it enough to halt its charge and save it from a painful confrontation with the fire wasps.
As Lily caught her breath, she returned to Seraphis and Finlay. Seraphis was staring at her, astonishment etched on his face.
His voice cut through the silence that hung over them like a shroud. “What did you just do there?”
He wasn't asking a question. It was a statement of wonder. Lily tried to downplay the moment, but Seraphis was relentless. “You talked to that cave-crow, didn't you? You asked it to save your dog."
His words hung heavy in the air, a significant moment in their shared history. Seraphis's voice turned grave as he whispered the poem that had been passed down through generations. "There is an ancient poem. I think I can see how it works now.”
”From the pond she who hears them all,
break the cage and cross the wall.
An invisible bridge, tiny hands clutch the ridge,
A shark, hollow and steel,
Finds the fire of a slowly turning wheel.”
“What do you think Lilly? “ asked the old sage.
She bent forward and clamped her eye shut as she concentrated. “ ”From the pond who hears them all,” She spoke slowly with hesitating uncertainty, “what is in a pond? Yes, a . lily is a plant from the pond.. You know, it carries frogs around and stuff, so the first bit could be about me. The name Lilly.” Seraphis nodded. She continued, “who hears them all. …. That’s me listening to the animals and birds.” She stopped again, “break the cage and cross the wall.” She picked up a leaf and looked at it, as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world …. “ I got it …. Break the cage is the first freedom from the dome prison …like it's a jail cell … and of course, you cross the wall to get out!” She smiled triumphantly.
Now Finlay interrupted, “An invisible bridge … the journey from here to the overworld is a bridge connecting the two places. …. And invisible.”
Now both children appeared to be stumped. “ I have no idea about tiny hands clutching anything,” said Lilly. “ …. And a ridge! I think that it's an add-on to confuse”.
Finlay shook his head, “I can’t figure that one out either, but it’s far more probable that you and I just can’t work it out right now” . Lilly glowered at him “alright, alright!” , she quipped.
“I mean, come on Lilly, why would they just throw in a line to confuse people. Particularly when they go to all the effort to make the other lines meaninful?”
“Alright!”, Lilly snapped.
“ Let me do the next line. “, continued Finlay, “That one’s for me.”
He pointed to himself, “ ‘A shark, hollow and steel’. That’s something I’ll make. A steel capsule to carry me and Lily up the sky.
Now both children remained silent.
“I’ll help you out…”, said Seraphis. He paused and continued, “ if you jump on a wheel, where do you return?”
“Where you started!” cried Lilly. “Yes” he said, suggesting it ‘s a return journey in the end.
Lilly continued, “ And is the ‘fire’ problems for us in the overworld?” The old man nodded, “ that’s what we’re guessing.”
“Well, you only missed 2 clues there.”
“”Yes I got one!” cried Finlay. “The wheel is turning slowly, meaning it won’t be a quick 3 day journey, before we’re back in our normal beds.”
“1” said Seraphis. “I mean one clue remaining.”
Lilly sat with her chair pushed away from the table, bent forwards looking down at nothing, in particular, with her elbows resting on her knees, her left hand massaging her temple, speaking in a slow voice,“ tiny hands clutch the ridge, A shark, hollow and steel. What runs as a ridge on a shark? “ She sat upright , “A dorsal fin?”
Finlay pushed his chair backwards and spun to his feet, exclaiming in surprise, The dorsal fin!”. His eyes sparkled …. “That’s me! ‘Dorsal fin’ “. He pointed to himself pretending to be an Ape from the Blackheath forest, “ me fin, me Mr dorsal Fin, me Fin, Fin, me Dorsal , dorso, ooh ooh aah ooh “, he tucked both hands under his elbows and flapped them up and down, “ooh ooh aah Dorso Fin, Dee, duh, Doo Doo dorsal Finlay …Finlay!”
Lilly sprang out of her chair and pointing her right index finger at Finlay, she yelled at him, “Ever since that troop of idiots, ‘Menty Adder’ came to town, you and your moron friends have done that stupid joke, and it’s never been funny! It's embarrassing!” She put her hands on her hips, “ You just look like an idiot!”, she finished and, scowling, reseated herself.
Lilly was surprised when Findlay didn’t offer a retort.
As soon as Seraphis glanced away, he poked his tongue at her. They both laughed.
After a minute of silence, as all three were standing on the soft sand of the landing cove. Lilly broke the quiet, “I don’t want to go anywhere.” she said quietly. “I have too many things to do. I dont want to be a hero.”
“Heroine.” Interrupted Finlay.
“Ok, ok. Heroine. Are you trying to be as annoying as possible today? What difference does it make if I say Hero or Heroine? You know what I mean.” she snapped, “I just can’t see myself in that role! Nordo I want to.”
Seraphis chuckled quietly to himself, then responded, “Maybe, maybe, Let’s talk about it next time.”
“I’d love to come and visit you on other occasions,” Lilly replied, “but there won’t be a ‘next time’ with all this overworld stuff, as I’m not going anywhere.”
Not looking annoyed or upset, Seraphis gazed down upon her and said, “as you wish Lilly. No one wants to make you do anything you don’t want to. You are more than welcome to visit me any time you want”
He waved his hand, and the boat re-emerged from the hole in the wall opposite the landing cove, and came to rest next to the 2 children.
The old man’s words echoed in the hidden cave of the Lupine Woodlands, leaving a profound silence in their wake. The enormity of his revelation was still settling in as Lily and Finlay briefly locked their eyes, their world shaken by the unraveling mystery.