LITMIR.BIZ

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hissed Tova. “Are you going to be shy?”

      Nataniel sighed and pulled off his clothes from the upper part of his body.

      “Are you the only one who ...?” asked Ian.

      “We haven’t time for more,” answered Nataniel. “And you know that this is my task.”

      Gabriel looked around the unpleasant grotto. Were they supposed to wait here? While they worried about Nataniel’s fate? He realised that this was beginning to be very much like Shira’s walk through the grottos. With others waiting in an outer grotto without knowing what happened inside.

      But things weren’t about to happen exactly like that. Not this time.

      They worked furiously at drawing the prescribed patterns on Nataniel’s body. This didn’t happen without quarrels. “Move, I can’t reach!” “For God’s sake, Tova, that bit doesn’t go there!” “Oh God, there’s so much missing!” “Shut up and keep working!”

      And Nataniel lay there motionless and could do nothing. Nothing but feel stupid and useless and above all naked!

      But that didn’t seem to embarrass the others. They took it completely in their stride. Only he himself was ashamed.

      I’m not used to showing my body, he thought. I’ve no love stories to look back on. Apart from one, the one with Ellen. But we weren’t allowed to touch each other. And then I lost her.

      No, mustn’t think of the pain now. Focus on your task, Nataniel! Finding the black water of evil.

      “There,” said Marco, straightening up. “Now it’s done!”

      “It looks a bit sloppy,” Tova admitted. “But every single sign is just about in place. Although I must say, Gabriel, your half-moons look more like gnawed cheese rinds.”

      Gabriel was slightly offended. “What about my stars?”

      “They look like wrecked starfish without arms.”

      “That will do,” ordered Marco. “Now stand up, Nataniel!”

      “Can’t I at least put my underpants on?”

      “Those lovely spotty ones,” said Tova. “Surely he can be allowed to do that, can’t he, Marco?”

      Marco hesitated. “I don’t really know. No, that would be ridiculous. Part of the point is his nakedness. I think he needs to be completely naked.”

      Nataniel looked angrily at Marco but realized that he was right. He gave Marco his small bottle and other bits and pieces they might need. Nataniel wouldn’t be able to carry anything with him.

      “Well, what happens now?” Ian asked.

      Nataniel stood quietly and pensively in front of the inscriptions on the 'gate'. “I’m prepared now, protected by all these signs on my body,” he said. “I think I’ll try to shout the inscription out loud. Towards the door. I damn well expect it to open for me.”

      “Try!” said Marco encouragingly.

      In a loud voice, Nataniel pronounced the strange, unfathomable words, which had once brought a Danish professor in touch with the underworld.

      When Nataniel’s voice ceased, everything was very quiet. They all felt that they were standing in a grave without dead bodies.

      Perhaps it was their own grave?

      Nothing happened except this expectant, rather eerie silence. It was so dense, and wasn’t there a hint of mockery, of disgust, in it?

      “No,” said Nataniel. “That was clearly not enough.”

      Tova felt despondent. Why are we standing here, she thought, making fools of ourselves? To begin with, we may be using completely the wrong technique, and anyway there may be no entrance in that wall.

      Marco was more resolute. “We’ve been given the whole of the Ice People’s treasure, after all. What else did it say about Heike’s ritual?”

      “Nothing,” said Tova. “They deleted it all so that the grey people wouldn’t get a grip on the Ice People again.”

      But now Nataniel had another inspiration. “Maybe the formulas no longer exist. However, we know something about them!”

      “No, we don’t,” protested Tova.

      “Yes, we do,” said Nataniel, with a hint of triumph in his voice. “We know that all those horrible brews he drank up there in the mountains contained a particular ingredient.”

      The others looked questioningly at him, thinking hard.

      “Of course,” said Marco. “Tiny bits of the mandrake.”

      Tova grew angry. “But Rune isn’t here! Anyway, I’ve no intention of chopping bits off him.”

      “No, no,” said Nataniel gently. “There’s no need. Look what Gabriel is doing.”

      He removed his small mandrake and pulled it over his head. “It’s been a great comfort and help to me,” he said, slightly sadly. “Still, I’m willing to sacrifice it. But cut into it gently because I don’t want it to feel any pain.”

      Nataniel touched it. “Dear child, we don't want to destroy it. Only borrow it. Although this is only an ordinary little root – not like Rune, who was the world’s first mandrake.”

      “It has emotions,” said Gabriel quietly. “I believe Rune did something with it. Gave it some extra properties ...”

      “I think so too. I’ll just hold it up against the door. Then we’ll see how much power it has.”

      “Wait a bit,” said Marco. “I don’t think we were given all this treasure for us to use only a few things. Let’s lay them out on the floor in magical circles. In front of the door.”

      “That’s a good idea,” said Tova cautiously.

      “Marco is quite right,” agreed Nataniel. “That’s what they’re for.”

      All five helped to form the unique patterns of the various objects of the treasure on the floor. They were in no doubt as to how all the objects had to be placed.

      “How do we know all this?” Tova wanted to know.

      Nataniel giggled. “We’re using our intelligence. No, quite honestly I think it has something to do with the drink we all had in the Demon’s Mountain. You remember, the drink was to give us resistance stronger than steel, love of ancestry that invigorates and strengthens, the ability to see what should be hidden, sufficient endurance to defy death, the ability to see in darkness, swiftness, boldness, valour and humour, power over other creatures and also enough firmness to be able to kill, if necessary. We’ll certainly need all these!”

      “Yes, really we ought to have been dead long ago,” said Tova eagerly. “But we aren’t there yet. We don’t know what awaits us.”

      “No, you’re right,” said Nataniel. “Ugh, if only I didn’t feel so naked – and ridiculous!”

      “But you don’t seem naked,” said Tova. “All those signs on your body are like a whole suit of clothes. It’s true!”

      “Yes,” said Marco. “You’ve nothing to be ashamed about.”

      “Thanks. Still, I wish we were all equally naked. But that’s probably asking too much. Well, if we’ve finished the magical patterns on the floor, we’ll try again, right?”

      They were all fully concentrated. They knew that if they didn’t achieve anything this time, they had no more suggestions.

      Nataniel had already lifted the mandrake towards the 'gate' when he turned once more. “Before I do this ... I want to thank you all for all you’ve done for me. If we don’t see each other again, I mean.”

      “Please

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