Rhuna- Black City

by Barbara Underwood

  “We are talking about getting the textiles and footwear we acquired in the Black City, and loading them onto the RTE already,” Aradin explained.

  “We can leave as soon as there is enough light,” Rhuna said, walking with them to the area where they had unloaded the camels only a short time earlier. They carried the bundles to the Rapid Transport Enclosure in the open plaza, treading softly so that no resident of Axla should be disturbed.

  When Rhuna returned to their temporary accommodation, she was startled to see the Atlan representatives huddled around a reclining figure on the floor cushions.

  “Goll?” Rhuna asked in alarm. “What’s wrong with him?”

  “He is suffering from utter exhaustion,” Preserver of Faith said.

  Rhuna grabbed a nearby candle lamp as she approached Goll in order to examine him as a Healer.

  “No,” he said weakly, holding up a translucent hand to cover his eyes.

  “Oh!” Rhuna quickly extinguished the candle. “I forgot for a moment that you are sensitive to light.”

  Goll slowly raised his head as he removed his hand from his face.

  “The ride on the camel through the night…” he began.

  “Yes, it was very strenuous, even for us who are used to enduring physical strain,” Rhuna said compassionately. “Rest now, and later I will make a herbal tincture for you, if you still feel unwell.”

  Panapu bent down and picked up the pale scribe as if lifting a small child. He carried Goll towards a cushioned area nearby where the scribe could rest comfortably for a while.

  “Before he collapsed, Goll showed us the copy he made in the house of records in the Black City,” Stillness of the Lake said softly as Rhuna stepped away from Goll. “Here.”

  Rhuna took the parchment from the Atlan woman and looked at it near one of the nearby candle lamps.

  “I’ve never seen writing like this before!” Rhuna exclaimed when she had looked at the shapes, lines and small drawings on the parchment.

  “Goll said that it isn’t writing; rather some kind of secret code,” Preserver of Faith said in a hushed whisper.

  “Secret code?”

  “Perhaps an invention of the Dark One,” muttered Protector of Remembrance as he ushered the representatives towards the door. “Let him rest,” he whispered as he glanced back at Goll.

  Rhuna pushed her concern for Goll’s wellbeing aside for a while as she concentrated on the operation of the Rapid Transport Enclosure. Despite the short distance and brevity of the journey, Rhuna was poignantly aware that proper procedures must always be performed. She wondered for a moment whether her passengers knew they faced the possibility of a violent death each time they stepped inside her RTE.

  The early ascending sun allowed Rhuna to commence the first journey as soon as the Atlan representatives, together with Tozar, Damell and Kiana had brought their belongings onto the RTE. She breathed in deeply several times to still her mind and energize her body for the intense concentration required to perform certain functions of the RTE’s operation.

  Rhuna moved the appropriate lever to propel the Rapid Transport Enclosure in the new direction, and then adjusted the knob which regulated the force of the magnetic pulse. In a short time she saw the faint trail of the trading route leading to the Black City, and slowed the RTE’s motion some more.

  “There it is!” Aradin remarked, pointing through one of the side windows. “We are almost above it already!”

  Rhuna let the RTE hover in a small circle until she could see the cluster of abandoned buildings through the central floor window. She looked at the copse of trees near the natural water spring and pond, then saw the geometric shape of a partly crumbled pyramid nearby.

  “It looks like clear and level ground right there,” Rhuna said as she guided the RTE towards a small space near the pyramid. The vehicle hummed pleasantly as it gently dropped down onto the soft sand.

  “A perfect landing!” remarked Protector of Remembrance with a smile. “We barely felt the contact with the ground.”

  Aradin unfastened the door’s latches and stepped out of the RTE, leading the way for the Atlan representatives. Rhuna waited until everyone had taken their bags and sacks of belongings before leaving the RTE and looking at her new surroundings.

  “It is pleasant,” Preserver of Faith commented. “Very agreeable.”

  “It should serve as a most adequate façade,” Protector of Remembrance remarked.

  “Façade?” Rhuna repeated.

  The white-haired Atlan turned to face Rhuna. “We agreed to Beacon of the Night’s plan due to the protection a traveller’s inn would provide,” he explained. “Should the Mages of the Black City observe us or even search for us, they shall find only a motley group of new hosts at this inn. We shall remain here a while, establish our business and learn from our guests, the travellers and traders who visit the Black City.”

  “They should see no Atlan threat to their city at all,” Stillness of the Lake continued.

  “Yet our interactions with the regular visitors to the Black City can give us further important information,” Greeter of Friends said, grinning happily at the prospect of meeting new and different people.

  “What about the plan to access this site’s energy conflux and use it as a time portal to stop the Dark Master in the past?” Rhuna asked.

  Protector of Remembrance frowned. “It is a possible strategy we cannot exclude,” he sighed. “We shall allow him to pursue his goal while the rest of us learn the business of innkeeping!”

  Rhuna looked at Aradin and smiled as the prospect of new tasks and challenges excited her. His enthusiastic response thrilled her, and she threw her arms around his neck in a gesture of carefree happiness.

  “How good it feels to be away from the cold and ice,” Aradin laughed as he twirled Rhuna around while embracing her.

  “And I really like this place!” Rhuna said with almost a childish giggle.

  “Lots of work to do! This place is so dirty!” Kiana remarked. Rhuna let go of Aradin and looked around at her mother. The sprightly older woman had already bundled together some twigs and stalks of long, dried grass to use as a small broom. Her fastidious sweeping had already revealed several paving stones underneath a layer of sand.

  “That’s my mother!” Rhuna laughed, thinking of her childhood in the small hut which her mother kept immaculately clean and tidy.

  Rhuna and Aradin slowly returned to the RTE as the Atlan representatives walked towards the buildings of the abandoned inn. She focussed her attention on the procedure to operate the flying vessel, guiding it back to the open plaza of Axla to transport the remainder of her family and friends to their new home.

  The township of Axla was astir with the daily activities when Rhuna set down her RTE in the open plaza. She was pleased to see her passengers waiting nearby, each carrying their bags and several other sacks of goods except for Panapu who held Goll across the front of his body. Rhuna noticed how effortlessly the big man stepped inside the RTE with the exhausted scribe in his arms.

  “The camel ride was hard,” Shandi commented as she followed Panapu into the vessel.

  “That’s right, Honey Cakes,” Aradin laughed. “Now Goll is so tired, Panapu has to carry him instead of carrying you!” The little girl giggled happily and then sat on the floor next to the gentle giant and the weary scribe.

  “What is that?” Rhuna exclaimed when she saw Mohandu carrying a large, round bundle of fur. In that instant the furry object moved and baaed.

  “Ogul has gifted us with their best milking goat,” Yarqi explained. Rhuna looked on in surprise as the goat moved its head around and baaed again.

  “Such a pretty goat,” Lozira said smiling. Rhuna noticed the happiness in her voice, and then saw that she was holding Goram’s hand. As the passengers sat down in the RTE, Rhuna wondered what had transpired between Lozira and her husband after she had comforted her.

  The Rapid Transport Enclosure landed gently on the soft sand n
ear the pyramid, and Rhuna noticed the spark in Goram’s eyes as he observed the structure through the windows. By the time Rhuna had disengaged the vessel’s generator and secured its levers and knobs, her passengers had begun to explore their surroundings.

  “We could swim in this pond!” exclaimed Lozira.

  “We can grow vegetables over here,” Mohandu called, pointing to the shrivelled plants in a large patch of tilled soil. “The irrigation system is intact,” he added with delight.

  “Here is a pen for animals,” Yarqi said when she had walked past the vegetable garden leading the goat by a rope around its neck. “She can stay here, but she will need some food.”

  “I think we might do well here,” Aradin observed, smiling at Rhuna.

  “They are merely relieved to be in a normal, warm environment again,” Goram scoffed as he walked around the pyramidal structure.

  “We should try to enjoy it anyway, since we will probably have to stay for some time while we continue to learn about the Black City,” Rhuna offered. Goram appeared to ignore her as he paced the length of the pyramid’s base.

  “Exactly twelve paces, as I expected!” Goram said, and then stepped back in order to view the top of the pyramid. “It must be repaired.”

  “We know what he’ll be doing then,” Aradin remarked. “At least Lozira seems happier today,” he added, looking across at the young woman fascinated by the large pond of clear water.

  They carried their bags towards the main building where the others had already begun to clean, tidy and organize the strewn remains of furniture and supplies.

  “It already looks much better,” Aradin remarked as they stopped in front of the main entrance and looked around. Rhuna noticed how the sandstone blocks reflected the sun’s warmth in pleasant hues of yellow and beige.

  “They left the window shutters open when they left,” Kiana complained as she strode through the doorway carrying a floor mat. “Sand, sand, sand, everywhere!” She shook the mat out over the untended garden, slapping it with a wooden stick until she was satisfied it was clean enough to return to its room.

  “Do you think Atlans built this?” Rhuna wondered as she entered the main building with Aradin.

  “Maybe. The pyramid nearby is certainly an Atlan construction.”

  Rhuna agreed and then thought of Goram. A heaviness descended on her chest and she quickly pushed her concern for Lozira’s happiness aside.

  The first evening in the abandoned inn felt warm and cosy as everyone gathered in a large room in the main building where a fire burned underneath a large cooking pot.

  “We are fortunate that the previous innkeepers left cooking utensils and many supplies,” Damell commented as he sampled the food stewing in the pot. Kiana stood nearby, chopping aromatic herbs to flavour the stew.

  “Why did they leave this inn so suddenly?” Lozira wondered.

  “Perhaps the Gazing of the Waters can reveal this information,” Mohandu offered.

  Protector of Remembrance raised his hand to signal attention.

  “We should not use the Gazing of the Waters for trivial matters, lest the Mages become aware of this Atlan activity,” he warned.

  “Let us proceed in the guise of normal people attempting to succeed as innkeepers,” Stillness of the Lake stated firmly.

  “Should the Dark Master become aware of our presence…” Mohandu began.

  “We have yet to ascertain where he is in our present time,” interjected Greeter of Friends, and then looked questioningly at Rhuna.

  “My unsummoned visions,” she said with a nod. “I hope my visions will soon help us answer that question,” she said, and then gave way to a sighing yawn.

  “You have not slept,” Preserver of Faith remarked.

  “It has been a very long day for us,” Yarqi said, stifling a yawn. “We should retire now.”

  “Yes, we should,” Mohandu agreed with a slow and tired nod of his head. “Panapu has taken Goll to one of the small chambers in the adjoining house. We shall choose rooms in that section, also.”

  “Shandi is tired,” Kiana said, looking at the small girl who had assisted her in cleaning during the day. “She can sleep with me tonight.” Rhuna watched her mother take Shandi by the hand and lead her to one of the many sleeping chambers.

  “We shall remain to discuss matters,” Protector of Remembrance said as Rhuna and Aradin also left the main room. They ascended the stone staircase of the main building to one of the larger rooms on the upper level which they had chosen for their sleeping chamber. Rhuna felt excited to discover that good quality furniture and bedding had been left in many rooms, and that they were mostly still intact.

  “Everyone seems happy,” Rhuna said sleepily as she settled under the blanket. Aradin extinguished the candle and sighed a reply before they both fell asleep instantly.

  Rhuna awoke with sunshine in her eyes and the cheerful chirping of birds in her ears. She sprang to her feet, eager to fully explore their new home and commence cleaning and repair tasks. As she stood up and looked around, she was struck by the beautiful array of warm colours outside and strode to the window to admire the scene. From the upper level room Rhuna could see gentle yellow-gold and light green hills along the horizon with majestic trees standing in bold solitude here and there.

  “It’s not a sand wilderness out there at all,” Rhuna remarked. Aradin yawned happily and followed Rhuna to an adjoining room set aside for personal washing.

  “There are two water wells outside, and one right here in this washroom,” Aradin exclaimed. “This is a really good establishment!”

  “It could almost be as nice as our house in Safu,” Rhuna remarked, imagining her new surroundings filled with the many colourful luxuries and decorative items she possessed during their short residence in the land of the Pyramids.

  “Yes, but…we don’t know how long we’ll be staying here,” he replied slowly.

  Rhuna felt torn between the desire to settle more permanently in a real home, and the burden of duty and responsibility. She juggled her thoughts and emotions while she washed and dressed, until the welcome distraction of cooking aromas wafted from the lower level.

  Rhuna was surprised to see the Atlan representatives gathered around the food preparation area, and the white-haired senior Atlan tending to a large earthenware oven.

  “The kind residents of Axla gave us a sack of basic provisions,” Greeter of Friends explained as he clapped some dough for flatbread between the palms of his hands. “Yet we shall soon need to acquire our own supplies.”

  “The trade route is visible from the front windows and upper levels,” Stillness of the Lake said. “Perhaps soon we shall be able to trade with some passing travellers.”

  Rhuna walked towards the front windows which opened out onto a paved patio. She thought she could see the well-trodden track through the bushes of the garden, beyond a sandy hillock.

  “Sula-tana! Sula-tana!” Shandi’s high voice rang through the building as the little girl bounded into the main room.

  “What is the meaning of this name?” Protector of Remembrance asked as he briefly turned away from tending the oven.

  “What does the name mean, Shandi?” Rhuna asked when the child did not reply.

  “It’s you,” Shandi replied, looking briefly at Rhuna before running around the room in happy excitement. Suddenly she stopped and looked out of the front window. “People looking for Sula-tana are coming.”

  “Where?” Rhuna asked with slight alarm. She strained to look in the distance through the bushes in the garden but saw no one.

  “It was probably a vision,” Aradin said softly.

  The sun’s final descent on the second day of their occupation cast a warm orange glow onto the sandstone building, and Rhuna began to love the inn and the oasis in the wilderness. The Atlan representatives had not yet fully agreed on who would occupy which rooms when an unfamiliar sound distracted them from their discussions.

  “Greetings!” called Gre
eter of Friends, running to the front of the main building. Rhuna stood up, startled and wondering whether these were the visitors Shandi had seen in a vision. She watched the Atlan with impressive language skills approach five men and a woman with their camels, gesture with his hands, and then usher the guests to the lodging house.

  “Can he converse with them?” Goll asked, looking curiously at the visitors. “Perhaps he requires my assistance.”

  Rhuna remembered that Goll could speak seven languages, and she nodded her agreement. She took Aradin’s hand and followed Goll outside as the visitors led their camels into the holding pen.

  “Ah, good,” Greeter of Friends said with relief when he saw Goll arrive with Rhuna and Aradin. “They speak a language foreign to me, and difficult for me to grasp quickly.”

  “Then allow me to attempt communication,” Goll said, squaring his shoulders as if facing a great challenge. Rhuna thought of his life in the Depository of Archival Texts and realized that meeting people of other lands would be new and intimidating for him. She followed Goll to the pen where the travellers had tied their camels for the night, and then watched as the scribe stepped forward speaking a greeting in a foreign language.

  The visitors appeared startled at the sight of Goll, but the scribe continued speaking until two of the small, dark-haired men reacted with a nod and happy smile. Rhuna observed their interactions and felt happy for Goll that his first attempt at communication was successful.

  “They are from the Ling-Yu Empire,” Goll told Rhuna and Aradin. “They saw lights as they passed by and came to see if the inn had new hosts.”

  “We only arrived yesterday, but we can offer them some food as well as lodging for a night or two in exchange for either food supplies or other useful items for the inn,” Aradin said.

  “I already communicated all of this to them,” Goll replied.

  Rhuna was impressed by Goll’s confident and innovative actions.

  One of the travellers removed a bundle from the packs that had been unloaded from the camels. He spoke in his melodic language as he showed Goll the bundle and then pointed to a sack from their wares.