The Light of Dacardia

     The brief flash of lightning has allowed Nala to see that boulders had landed in the path in front of her.

     “They must have been coming down from the Dacardia peaks”, Nala mused, “How could a storm cause so much damage?”

     Nala took a moment to consider her options, she didn’t know if she could go on or even if she should go on. More boulders could fall any minute! She wiped away rainwater from her face, trying to think. She could also feel the steady presence of her reassuring blanket underneath her coat. Her Grandpa always told her to breathe when she was scared. So that was what she was going to do.

     Nala inhaled deeply, trying to see if much of the path remained. As she cleared the rainwater from her eyes, a faint glow caught her attention. It appeared to be coming from amongst the boulders.

     Her legs burned as she climbed over the debris, each step harder than the last. The hill was steeper here and the path barely visible beneath the mud, boulders and rain. Nala’s claws slipped more than once, her small body stumbling as the wind buffeted her from all sides as she scrambled up and over each one, trying to get towards the glow.

     A stronger gust of wind slammed into Nala, sending her tumbling onto her knees. Her grandpa’s wrench slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the rocks beside her. Nala looked up, she wanted to cry, she wanted to scream but then she thought of Grandpa Oggy, he needed her help.

     She wouldn’t stop now. Nala reached for the wrench and lifted herself up. She was going to make it over these boulders and she was going to get to her Grandpa. It didn’t take her long to get closer to the glow now. She had begun to enter the ravine now, which gave her a small amount of protection from the rising wind.

     “What is that?”, Nala wondered as she finished clambering over a large boulder. The source of the glow appeared to be a small blue stone. A light appeared to emanate from inside the stone itself. “Dacardite!” Nala gasped! This was a rare Dacardian mineral; miners searched in vain for years to find small amounts of it. This stone would help guide her way! Clutching the stone in one claw, and the wrench in the other, Nala pressed on.

     The light from the Dacardite helped her to navigate the path of the ravine. She took careful and deliberate steps, ensuring she was able to maintain her balance against the wind. Her small claws dug into the earth, her muscles screaming with effort as she trudged along. Lightning split the sky above, briefly illuminating the world around her in a blinding flash. For a second, she saw the steepness of the hill she still had to conquer, the rocks jutting out like jagged teeth, and her heart pounded with fear. Getting up the hill and through the ravine had been difficult, but going down would be worse. One wrong step and she could get seriously hurt.

     Step by step, Nala descended the hill towards the lighthouse. She could see the lighthouse was so close now. The beacon was dark, and the thought of ships lost out at sea spurred her forward; her parents might even still be out there, trying to find the island. Her small figure battled the wind with every ounce of strength she had left. Avoiding the last piles of splintered wood and jagged rocks, Nala finally reached the lighthouse.

     She stood at the base of the lighthouse, panting from her climb. There was no time to rest. Grandpa was inside, and the lighthouse was still dark. She hurried to the heavy wooden door, her claws trembling as she pushed it open. It creaked loudly, and Nala crept inside.

     “Grandpa?” she called, her voice echoing off the stone walls. The sound of the storm outside was muffled now, the interior of the lighthouse a stark contrast to the chaos raging beyond its walls.

     The lighthouse was not how Nala had remembered it. It was in total disarray, one of the windows had broken, allowing a torrent of wind through the inside. The floor was strewn with rope, light bulbs and other items. Water from the rain had leaked in, adding another uncomfortable element to the prized lighthouse.

     Nala stared at the mess, wondering why there had been no reply, just the hum of the wind against the tower. Panic began bubbled up in her chest. What if she was too late? What if the storm had been too much for him?

     “Grandpa!” she called again, louder this time, her voice tinged with fear.

     Then, from the spiral staircase leading to the top of the tower, she heard a familiar voice, strained but unmistakable. “Nala?”

     She let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and ran toward the stairs, her heart leaping. There, near the top of the steps, was her grandpa, his fur soaked and his old body hunched as he struggled with the lighthouse’s machinery. Oggy turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes wide with shock and relief.

     “Nala!” he gasped, rushing down the last few steps to meet her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “What are you doing here?”

     “I couldn’t!” Nala cried, her voice breaking as she clung to him. “You left your wrench, and I knew you’d need help! I had to come.”

     Oggy pulled back, his eyes full of worry, but also pride. He looked at her for a long moment before nodding, a small smile tugging at the corners of his tired face.

     “My brave little Bori”, he managed to say. “But you shouldn’t have come alone, Nala. It’s too dangerous.”

     Nala looked up at her Grandpa, still holding the wrench which was caked in mud. “You always say it’s your job to keep the lighthouse shining. Now it’s ours.”

     Oggy looked at the wrench, then back at Nala. His heart swelled with both pride and love for his granddaughter. He took the wrench from her, gripping it tightly in his paw. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “Let’s get the light of Dacardia shining again.”

     Together, they climbed the spiral staircase up to the lantern room, where the massive light mechanism sat in shadow. The storm outside rattled the windows, and the wind howled through the cracks in the walls, but inside, they worked in silence, side by side. Nala handed Oggy the wrench as he tightened bolts, adjusted gears, and checked the wiring.

     “Hold the lamp steady, Nala,” Oggy instructed as he knelt to adjust the final connection. She did as he asked, gripping the large glass beacon with both claws as the storm raged outside.

     "It’s no use, Nala”, her grandpa sighed. “The mechanisms are all in working order but I think the power system is fried. I just don't have a power source big enough to shock it to life", he explained, looking down at his granddaughter.

     Suddenly, an idea came to Nala's mind. "I know what to do Grandpa! Try this! I think it is Dacardite,", Nala said, handing over the stone she had tucked into her coat.

     "Dacardite!" her Grandpa marvelled. "This is just what I need!"

     Oggy turned his attention to the power system, connecting power cables and clamps to the Dacardite. A few moments later he stood up. Both grandpa and granddaughter gazed at the machine.

     At first nothing happened but then, with a sudden flicker, the light sprang to life.

     The great beam pierced through the storm, cutting across the sea with brilliant, blinding light. Nala and Oggy stared at it for a moment, breathing in relief as the light shone through the night, a beacon of hope in the darkness.

     “We did it,” Nala whispered, her voice barely audible over the storm.

     Oggy looked at her, a soft smile spreading across his face. “We did.” He ruffled the fur on her head and hugged her close. “You saved us, Nala. You saved the ships, the island, maybe your mum and dad… and me.”

     Nala buried her face in his fur, her heart finally settling. For the first time since the storm had begun, she felt safe. The light was shining, and she was with her grandpa. Nothing else mattered now.

     As the rain continued to pound against the windows and the wind howled around the tower, they stayed together in the lantern room, huddled near the light’s comforting glow. Oggy pulled a thick, dry blanket from a chest in the corner and wrapped it around both of them. They sat near the lamp, watching the storm batter the lighthouse from the safety of its sturdy upper walls.

     The next morning, when the storm had passed, the duo ventured out to the base of the lighthouse. Around them, the true scope of the devastation the storm had caused was evident for all to see. The pair wondered at what the lighthouse had endured. Stunned and shaken, the pair jumped at the sudden sound of a call in the distance.

     “Nala! Dad! Is that you?!”, a voice shouted up towards the lighthouse.

     On the beach below, among the wreckage of a ship, were two Boris waving and cheering.

     “It’s Mum and Dad!”, Nala bellowed.

     Oggy and Nala hugged, both overcome with a sense of relief. They both knew that everything was going to be alright.

     The End.