Lost City

by Jeffrey Poole

  Athos smirked. “Easiest punch I’ve ever thrown.”

  Breslin squatted down to pull the hammer from Rahygren’s limp grasp. Sliding it back into place on his belt, he looked over at his companion and smiled.

  “Got any rope?”

  Chapter 14 – Joyful Homecomings

  “Can you believe it? It’s simply incredible! Not only have I been welcomed back with open arms, but they want me to lead the team that’ll properly excavate the city!”

  Breslin gave the scholar a friendly smile.

  “Does that mean you’re staying in Bykram now? You’re not returning with us?”

  Tristofer gave Breslin an incredulous look.

  “What, and leave all this behind? Let someone else explore the city? Absolutely not. This is my home. Besides, they need me.”

  Father and son approached. Lukas smiled up at Tristofer.

  “You’re staying here?”

  Tristofer nodded.

  “I am. This is the biggest discovery in the history of our people. Someone has to oversee everything and who better than me?”

  “Who indeed,” Athos muttered with a chuckle.

  Tristofer slapped a friendly hand on Athos’ shoulder. When no crass remarks were forthcoming, Athos grinned and returned the gesture.

  “What do you think will happen to the Delvehearths?” Venk asked Tristofer. “He needs to be held accountable for what he’s done.”

  “He will be,” a new voice chimed in.

  Everyone turned to see Prixus, prominent council elder from Bykram, step through the doorway in the heart of the huge stump and out into the daylight. A long, steady stream of Kla Rehn poured out of their Topside entrance and gathered around their departing guests.

  “Rahygren and his family have disgraced the Delvehearth name. All their misbegotten wealth has been confiscated. Their belongings will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the newly created Nar Restoration Committee, which Tristofer here will lead.”

  “I want to apologize,” Breslin began, bowing his head. “I deceived you into thinking we were looking for something besides Nar. I, we, figured you had deduced we were looking for the city and that’s why you led us astray.”

  Prixus nodded. He patted his chest to quiet the clanking adornments on his robe.

  “Think nothing of it, Master Breslin. As soon as I heard rumors that the map we gave you was incorrect, an investigation was launched. A woman by the name of Krisken was responsible for the false map. It is I who should be apologizing.”

  “Why would this Krisken person want to deceive us?” Breslin asked. “We don’t even know her.”

  “Krisken Delvehearth,” Prixus clarified. “Rahygren’s wife. She is an assistant cartographer.”

  Breslin nodded. “She must have known what we were looking for and made certain we wouldn’t find it.”

  “Aye. Therefore she and her husband have been assigned to the Narian Restoration Committee and will be repairing the damage to the city. Half their wages will be channeled directly back to the NRC.”

  “Does that mean Tristofer will be their master?” Lukas asked, raising a hand.

  “It does, young lad,” Prixus confirmed, an evil smile appearing on his face a moment later.

  Tristofer mirrored the smile.

  Kasnar appeared, walking slowly towards them. Flanking him on either side were two orderlies wearing a healer’s blue arm band. Breslin bowed his head.

  “Grandfather, have you been cleared to travel?”

  Kasnar’s snow white head nodded.

  “They tell me I’m strong enough to make the journey home. Where’s my steed?”

  Athos snorted with disgust. “I know you’re not talking about me, old man.”

  Laughter echoed across the open glade.. Everyone within earshot waited to see how Kasnar would respond.

  “You’re saying you’d force an old man to walk all the way back to Borahgg?”

  Athos quickly turned to his brother, a look of concern on his face.

  “He’s not serious, is he?”

  Venk shrugged. “Sounds like it.”

  “There’s no way.”

  “Then you tell him,” his brother told him, nodding in Kasnar’s direction.

  Athos looked at the frail wrinkled dwarf’s face and swallowed nervously. Kasnar burst out laughing.

  “Fear not, Master Athos. I do believe another mode of transportation is at our disposal.”

  “You mean you’re not riding on my back? Thank the maker.”

  “Are you quite finished with your complaining?” a loud, deep voice asked.

  Everyone jumped to attention and automatically looked around for the owner. A huge shadow was cast over the area as a giant red dragon, concealed behind a row of trees, rose to his feet and spread his wings. Several of the more cautious dwarves started inching back towards Bykram’s subterranean entrance.

  Rhamalli set something down onto the soft grass before them. Something big. It was the basket. Athos let out an uncharacteristic whoop of excitement. Puzzled, Venk turned to his brother.

  “You hate to fly. Why in the world would you be excited about experiencing that terror again?”

  “Are you daft, brother? It means we won’t be walking!”

  Venk silenced his objections as he thought about being carried all the way back to Lake Raehón and its valley. That would save them days of travelling on foot! Suddenly his feet and his back were feeling much better. It was a shame that his stomach wasn’t.

  Waving goodbye to their friends, Breslin and his companions sat down on the floor of the basket and screwed their eyes shut again. Lukas and Kasnar were the only two who not only kept their eyes open for the duration of the flight, but also seemed to be unaffected by the basket’s nausea-inducing swaying. On and on they chatted, covering subjects as diverse as jewel cutting and how to best scare one’s sibling.

  Five hours later Rhamalli informed them that he was approaching the valley. Descending down through the clouds, they each gasped with shock as the cool mists coated them with dew. Breslin and the others still refused to open their eyes.

  Once they were finally standing back on terra firma, they bid the dragon farewell and made for the closest entrance, which happened to be one of the large boulders scattered across the valley floor. Activating the hidden switch, the boulder opened to reveal a long, dark staircase leading down. Whistling merrily, they descended the stairs, with Breslin leading, followed by Lukas, Venk, Kasnar, and Athos.

  “Do we let them know we’re back?” Venk asked Breslin as soon as they emerged into Borahgg’s cavern.

  Breslin looked down at the glowing circular plate and briefly contemplated dropping his axe handle on the plate so that they could let everyone know they had visitors. But, since he was quite certain his father had no idea that his father was still alive, he opted for silence.

  “Looking to surprise Maelnar, eh?” Athos correctly guessed. “Excellent!”

  Breslin grinned back at him. “My father is going to go into hysterics. That is something I just have to see!”

  “What do you think he’ll do?” Kasnar worriedly asked. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen him.”

  “Fear not, grandfather,” Breslin assured him. “I know he’ll be at a loss for words!”

  Breslin led them through the city, pausing only long enough to answer a few questions his grandfather had asked. Not seeing his home city for more than eight centuries was bound to generate a question or two. Kasnar wanted to know about everything. Who was on the Council? How large had Borahgg grown? What types of trade existed between the other cities? Or the humans?

  Kasnar was rendered speechless when he learned that the newest allies to his people were the dragons. How long ago had that happened? What must have transpired to bring about an allegiance with the wyverians? He had missed so much he could only hope he’d live long enough to get caught up.

  They approached the center of the city and headed straight towards the larg
est building, one that had a white domed room spanning the entire structure. Both of the guards in front of the main double doors recognized Breslin and leapt to attention. They hurriedly opened the doors and waved the group through. Pushing by curious onlookers, Breslin headed straight towards the large auditorium reserved for Council use. Hearing a disturbance behind him, he glanced backwards and saw a large procession was now trailing his own, all curious to see what was going on.

  There, sitting in the front row before the black dais typically reserved for the current speaker, was his father, chatting with the elder to his right. As soon as Breslin brought the procession to a stop he watched his father look up and make eye contact. Maelnar rose to his feet.

  “My son, you’re back! I had no idea you had returned! Were you successful?”

  Breslin pulled the power hammer from his belt and set it down on the closest table, directly on its head in the traditional Narian upside down manner. He rotated the hammer so that his father could see the helix glowing brightly on the side.

  Maelnar’s eyes widened. There was a collective gasp of astonishment as the elders spotted that which Breslin had placed on the table.

  “A Narian power hammer. Wizards be damned! Did you find Nar?”

  Breslin nodded. “We found more than that, father. There’s someone here you need to see.”

  Breslin and Athos stepped to the left while Venk and Lukas stepped to the right, revealing Kasnar. The ancient fellow had his hands clasped behind his back and was smiling the biggest smile anyone could have ever seen on a person. Maelnar stared at the old dwarf, not recognizing who he was looking at. His son had said he needed to meet this fellow, so he decided he wanted a closer look.

  Maelnar made it another five steps when he came to a sudden halt. His eyes opened even wider.

  “Father?”

  Kasnar held out his arms.

  “Hello, boy. It’s been a long time.”

  “Father? I don’t understand. Where have you… why are you…”

  “Still alive?” Kasnar chuckled, finishing his son’s sentence. “It’s easy. I had to see you again. And your mother. I’m told she’s still alive.”

  Maelnar slowly nodded.

  “Aye, mother is alive. She thinks… father, she thinks you’re dead. I thought you were dead!”

  “I know this is a lot to take in, my boy, and I’ll be more than happy to explain. All in good time. Please, I must see your mother. Can you tell me how I can find her?”

  Breslin eyed his father. Maelnar’s mouth was open, but nothing was coming out.

  “He’s done nothing but speak of how he wished to see the two of you again,” Breslin softly told his father. “Is grandmother home?”

  “She’s here,” Maelnar all but whispered.

  Breslin leaned forward. “Sorry? What was that?”

  “Mother is here today. Neika is the guest of honor for the annual convention of educators. She’s been a teacher ever since father vanished.”

  “She always did enjoy working with underlings,” Kasnar noted with a smile.

  “Father, this is incredible! She’s not going to believe this. Mother is going to –”

  “Have conniptions?” Breslin asked, smiling.

  Maelnar nodded. “Undoubtedly.”

  “That’s what I said about you,” his son informed him. “Where is she? Can you send for her?”

  “She’s across the hall. Just a moment.”

  Maelnar beckoned to one of his underling assistants. He scribbled out a note and handed it to the young boy.

  “Give this to Neika. Do you know who that is?”

  The boy nodded eagerly.

  “Excellent.”

  Maelnar handed the underling the folded message. The boy instantly darted off through the open doors. He turned back to his father and shook his head in disbelief.

  “I have so many questions, father.”

  “I know you do, boy, and now I have nothing but time to answer anything you want to know.”

  “Have you been in Nar?”

  “For almost the entire time I was gone, aye.”

  “Were you there willingly?”

  Kasnar shook his head. “No.”

  “Prisoner?”

  “Aye.”

  Maelnar’s face darkened. “Who held you against your will?”

  Breslin placed his hand on his father’s shoulder. “He’s already been dealt with.”

  The underling ran back into the room and sheepishly handed Maelnar another note. Maelnar looked around.

  “Where is she?”

  “She’s not coming,” the boy all but whispered.

  Baffled, Maelnar opened the note to read his mother’s response.

  I am preoccupied. I will be there when I can.

  For the first time Maelnar noticed that the entire auditorium was on its feet and was watching intently. He faced the other members of the Council and bowed.

  “Fellow elders, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

  “No explanations necessary,” one elder told him, waving him off. “Your family needs you. Go.”

  Maelnar nodded appreciatively and hurried to his father’s side. Kasnar gratefully took his son’s arm and left the way they had come.

  “Someone want to take this thing?” Athos called out, pointing at the power hammer.

  “Grab it for me, will you?” Breslin called back.

  “Grab it for me, will you?” Athos mocked, in a falsetto. “He knows I have no Narian blood in me.”

  Gritting his teeth, Athos picked the hammer up and struggled to catch up to his brother. Venk was kind enough to take a turn at lugging the heavy hammer along while they all headed towards the second auditorium where the conference of educators was in full swing. Venk and Athos both noticed that the entire Council had abandoned their session and had elected to follow Maelnar and his father. Apparently word of Kasnar’s return was spreading like wildfire.

  The procession came to a halt as a woman’s stern voice could be heard.

  “I told you that I’d be there just as soon as I could.”

  “Mother, I have some news that all of you may want to hear.”

  The auditorium went silent.

  “Nar has been found.”

  Cries of astonishment sounded immediately. A dozen different conversations erupted. His mother, as frail and wrinkled as his father, smiled tenderly at him.

  “I know you’ve had an interest in Nar for quite some time,” his mother began.

  “Mother, I hate to interrupt you,” Maelnar began, “but…”

  “You’ve already interrupted me,” Neika told him, interrupting her own son. “Twice now.”

  Maelnar swallowed. “Mother, there’s someone here that’s been waiting a long time to see you again.”

  Neika’s wrinkled hand touched a young female underling’s arm to get her attention.

  “Do I have any more appointments today?”

  “No, my lady,” her personal assistant told her.

  “Have I missed any appointments today?”

  “No, my lady.”

  His mother tilted her head and looked up at her son. “Are you sure? Who?”

  “Me.”

  Kasnar stepped out from behind his son and approached his wife. To Kasnar, she looked as though she hadn’t aged a day. Neika gasped with shock as she instantly recognized the person standing before her.

  “Kasnar! Dear me, Kasnar! Can it be you? This is not a ruse?”

  “It is I, my beloved. I’ve waited so long to see you!”

  Neika slowly rose to her feet and embraced her husband. All conversations died off as everyone got to their feet and silently filed out of the meeting hall.

  “Where have you been?” Neika managed to ask between her sobs.

  “Nar.”

  The sobs stopped instantly and Neika pulled out of the hug. She looked at her husband and put her hands on her hips.

  “Nar? Really? Is that the best story you can come up with?”
>
  Breslin reached over to Athos to reclaim the power hammer. Once he had it, he plunked it down on the table next to his grandparents. Two women, waiting to leave the room, glanced backward once they heard the loud noise. Both of them reacted with surprise as each recognized the significance of the tool.

  “It’s a power hammer!” one excitedly told the other.

  “I’m sure they know, Trinidra,” the woman’s companion told her. “Let’s leave them be.”

  “What’s a power hammer?” Neika asked as she eyed the unremarkable looking hammer.

  “It’s what enabled me to rescue grandfather,” Breslin told her.

  Satisfied with her grandson’s explanation, Neika returned to her husband’s arms. Deciding his grandparents needed some alone time, Breslin turned towards the door and motioned for the others to follow suit. Maelnar turned to follow them as well.

  “I’m surprised they let you keep the hammer,” Athos told him once they made it outside.

  “I have to make it available for study should someone want to see it,” Breslin told him, “but otherwise the hammer is mine.”

  “Just like your father’s map,” Venk said, remembering the tiny framed map in Maelnar’s study.

  “Aye.”

  A hand suddenly clasped Venk’s shoulder. He looked over to see Maelnar standing beside him.

  “Did you mean what you said on the way over here, lad?”

  Venk nodded.

  Athos looked at his brother, confusion evident on his face.

  “What did you say to him?”

  “Then you’d better take your leave,” Maelnar quietly told him. “There’s much to be done, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Venk let out the breath he had been holding. He grinned. “I would”.

  “What needs to be done?” Athos asked, growing irritated for being ignored.

  “Graun’s loss is Borahgg’s gain,” came Maelnar’s cryptic answer. “Welcome to the Kla Guur, lad.”

  “What did I miss here?” Athos asked, turning to stare at his brother.

  “Master Venk here has become the first apprentice I’ve had in many years,” Maelnar answered. “I make the same offer to you, Master Athos, if you’re willing.”