The Dark Is Rising Chapter 11 Summary

The King of Fire and Water

  • Back home, the doc examines Mrs. Stanton (Will's mom) while James fills his dad and Will on what happened while they were at the Manor.
  • He tells them that Mary's disappeared. After Max left to warn them about their mom's accident with the stairs, Mary followed and no one has seen her since. Gulp.
  • Paul tells them he and Will can go look for her, and as they walk together, Paul starts interrogating Will about what's happening, asking him what he's gotten himself wrapped up in.
  • Will really wants to confide in Paul—after all, he's the most understanding of his brothers and it would be comforting to unload a bit.
  • Then again, though, he can't really explain all of this away.
  • So instead Will says he doesn't really know what's happening. Then he makes up some excuse about getting those antiques on his belt and people being after them since they're supposedly valuable.
  • Paul knows there's more to the story, though, and he says that he thinks Merriman is involved somehow. He also wonders whether the antique collectors (ahem, Old Ones) are responsible for Mary getting lost on the way to the Manor.
  • Suddenly it occurs to Will that Paul's right—immediately he knows that Mary is being held by the Dark somewhere.
  • As he stops to think, something funny happens. He can't see Paul anymore and he hears the voice of an Old One (Farmer George) telling him to go on the Hunt.
  • Of course Will's not sure exactly sure what this means, but he obeys. He explains that he has to find Paul and Mary, but George tells him that he will in time. Um, okay…
  • George leaves him, but not before giving him one instruction: Take the white horse to the Hunter.
  • Sounds easy enough except for two little problems. Who is the Hunter? And where is a white horse?
  • Feeling more confused than ever, Will continues on his way, since he's not sure what else he can do.
  • He calls out for Merriman but the guy doesn't come. He figures the Dark has put the Old Ones out of time and place so they can't help him. Darn.
  • Will walks for a long time in the storm before he comes to Hawkin, who looks younger now and not as old as the Walker.
  • Hawkin tells Will that the Rider has Mary—they'll gladly give her up, though, in exchange for the Signs.
  • Will doesn't like this and demands to speak to the Rider directly. He doesn't want to talk to some messenger, especially a lying betrayer.
  • Hawkin is insulted but Will doesn't let up, and eventually he gets to see Mary, who appears to be just fine—for now.
  • The Rider has cleverly created a spell to hold Mary hostage and make sure Will can't use his powers to rescue her. In fact, since he knows Will's star sign from visiting his house, the young Old One is now powerless.
  • Will doesn't buy it, though, because he knows that Farmer Dawson didn't make him a star sign at birth. He made the circle cross, the Sign of the Light, and the Rider can't use that against him.
  • This stumps the Rider. Pesky smart kids.
  • Still, though, the Rider has Mary and magical powers, too, so Will has to give up the Signs to get her back.
  • Will knows what will happen if he doesn't agree: He will have to fight the Rider. He can't just give up the Signs, though, and he tells the Rider as much.
  • Immediately, Will is engulfed in the Dark. The Rider brings up his power all around Will in a confusing swirl of water and darkness.
  • Will can't see anything, but he tries to summon the power of the Light to help him.
  • The water floods enough for Will to escape—too bad the Rider didn't think of that—and when the earth shakes, Will's able to get on an old king's ship that the floods brought in.
  • From there Will sees the sixth Sign, the Sign of Water.
  • Merriman suddenly shows up and tells him to take it, which he does.
  • Then he tells Will that the Rider can't use power over Mary now that Will has all six Signs. Boo ya.