by Wolf Golan
“Thank you Tyang'gesh, `Mahsicho' is 'Thank you' in Gwich'in,” Max said, “from my people back on earth.”
Tyang'gesh smiled and gently put his long hand on Max's shoulder and Max felt his large fingers covering his entire shoulder. It felt strange but nonthreatening. “You are strong.” Tyang'gesh said.
Tyang'gesh smiled, turned, and jogged after the Moda warriors who were already disappearing into the forest.
Max watched him fade into the dark forest.
Chapter 7
Piggybacking Tuu aa was the funniest ride Max had ever been on in his life.
He rode in a ghrin gut pack on Tuuaa's back as he sprinted through the forest. He leapt over bushes and dodged trees. Max figured he went at least thirty-miles an hour.
Max had never seen the environment gently and comfortably as on the back of the Moda. The ground was nine feet below and Max smiled when Tuu aa would jump a stream.
Eventually, Tuu aa grew tired, stopped, and panted. Max heard his strong breathes, as he leaned on his knees catching his breath. He stood up and breathed a little easier.
Max saw him take a skin wrap out of his pouch and untie it to reveal a cooked fish. He took a chunk and put it in his mouth. He took a smaller chunk and raised it to Max.
Max grabbed it from his big two fingers, “Thanks.” Max put it in his mouth.
“What do you call this Tuu aa?”
“Deshuu.”
“Steller! Sounds Native American,” Max said chewing.
Tuu aa only ate a few moments before tying up the wrap and sticking it in his pocket. He started to jog again. Max slid into the dark bag and tried to sleep as Tuu aa resumed running.
Max woke up a couple of hours later.
He felt like he had been asleep for a whole day. Tuu aa had stopped and Max heard loud rains outside. He slowly peeked up out of the bag. Tuu aa stood under a tree, watching the raindrops fall on the forest.
“Hello Tuu aa, I'd like to get out and stretch.” Max said peeking out of the bag.
“Good,” Tuu aa replied. He took the pack off and rested it down. Max stepped out and let out a groan. He stood to feel his legs sore.
Tuu aa rested his arms on his knees panting. Max smiled at him then turned to watch the rain. Max still felt nothing but angst about seeing Alex. He waited so long, it had only been a few days but so much had happened.
The two men sat under the tree for nearly an hour, quietly watching the rain, until it eventually stopped. Tuu aa gave Max a look. Max nodded and started climbing back into his pack. He stepped on Tuuaa's thigh as Tuu aa hoisted him up on his shoulder. Max quickly crawled into the pack and Tuu aa was off again.
It was two hours of running and Max marveled at Tuuaa’s endurance. Tuaa aa started up an incline, grabbing trees and boosting himself up. His panting grew stronger as he slowed.
He finally summited the ridge and Max peeked out from the bag. Tuu aa slowly walked along the ridge until he stopped at a clearing, it revealed the other side of the mountain and a grand valley below. Max's eyes widened.
Yems lied in a grand valley before them.
The stonewalled city laid in the middle of a great green valley stretching into the yonder rolling mountain ranges hundreds of miles away. `Wow!” Max said in wonder.
Small dots and lines were seen streaming into Yems, caravans and Chandeeran folk.
“Beautiful,” Max whispered to himself.
“Yems... Border City of Werzuck Forest and Woodlands.” Tuu aa said peering at the distant city.
Tuu aa began making his way down the mountain.
He negotiated bushes, trees, and boulders, until he came around a tree and stopped.
“We cannot cross!” Tuu aa said back to Max.
Max looked over and saw a gorge hundreds of feet down.
“Throw me across.” Max replied.
“Huh?” Tuu aa said squinting in bewilderment.
“Throw me across.” Max insisted.
“Throw you?”
“Yeah,” Max nodded.
Tuu aa looked forward silently thinking, rubbing his chin. He gently pulled Max off his shoulders and carried the bag in front of him.
“You want me to throw you over?” He said looking down at Max, to make sure.
“Yeah,” Max insisted, gripping the bag.
“Okay, you better get in the bag and hang on tight.” He said. “You might get hurt.”
Max got in and curled himself up as Tuu aa tied it shut. “Do you have a knife?”
“Yeah,” Max replied.
“Okay, good.”
Tuu aa began to swing Max and Max could feel the centrifugal force starting to push on him. Tuu aa twirled him and twirled him faster and faster and faster. Tuu aa finally released and Max flew through the air. Max hit the ground rolling and let out grunts and yells of pain as he hit sumps and willows rolling. The bag finally stopped.
Max took out his knife and cut himself free. He got up writhing from a cut on his shoulder but looked over to Tuu aa across the gorge.
“Thank you!” Max yelled and waved. Max writhed in more pain as he held his wound.
“I have to get back to Crehling! I have to catch up to Tyang'gesh!” Tuu aa yelled back.
“Right, you go Tuu aa, protect Crehling!” Max yelled, squinting in pain. Tuu aa nodded and ran back into the forest.
Max turned and put a quick bandage on his cut before starting down into the forest.
It got steep and the low bush thick, but he continued. He must’ve negotiated thickets of pine, alders, and the dense underbrush that continued to hinder every step.
It then turned into uneven terrain with trees drawn together so close Max struggled to make one step at a time.
For nearly an hour, Max kicked his way through underbrush, broke branches away, bent willows, and jumped over wet moss or yanked his foot out of willow tangles. It seemed like it would take all day to make it down, but Max eventually made it. He reached the bottom, and easily stepped over some boulders to make it out of the thickets.
Then a river appeared before him.
It was shallow and clear like the ones in Birchville, so he took off his gray-stripped boots, rolled up his pants, and stepped in. It was cold, but he managed to stay in. He held his jacket and PM-10 above, as he started across. He was still a tenderfoot and jumped a lot, 'Ouch!' He shouted along the way, almost falling a few times, but made it across.
Max started up a wet dirt bank on the other side and walked onto a wide grass field, it felt wonderful on his bare feet, and smelled of fresh earthiness. It had been a long time since Max got this close to nature, even on earth.
After he got his shoes on, he got up and started running across the wide field. There were hardly trees, only small groves here and there in the distance with patches of lilies that spiced up the air too. He eventually saw the road ahead.
He looked south and saw the grey, vegetated walls of Yems to the west.
He stopped and leaned on his knees. He looked up to the road and saw a Baelyin on a horse-drawn cart. Behind the cart were three hooded-riders walking their horses, trailed by four dwarf women carrying baskets of fruit in their miniature gait. It was a caravan on a raised road.
Max started to the road.
He reached the embankment, put his gun in a brown cotton sack, and started up. It was clear of brushes and trees, only plain dirt. As he neared the top, he slowed down to avoid startling the peasants. He came onto the road and the sun glared in his eyes. He put his hand up.
The caravan went before him. A dirty Baelyin farmer walked a donkey harnessing sacks of grain, another farmer followed with a pannier of wood, and another walked right by Max with nothing, only a dirty face buried under a wavy-brimmed hat.
Max joined the caravan, and no one gave him any thought. He heard the jabbering behind him, he turned to see dwarf women talking and carrying small baskets of fruit.
Up ahead, Yems could be seen nestled on a high grassy knoll, a thick forest behind it. T
he black dirt road snaked into its two parallel gates on the front wall.
Max picked up his pace.
Max soon neared the gates and saw halberdiers pacing the high parapets, keeping a calm watch. There were no drawbridges only portcullis’ and an inner wooden door propped open.
Max walked in and entered the city.
Max was culture shocked, as the chaos descended on him: throngs of creatures and Baeylins everywhere and numerous market stalls with guards and Knights walking or leading their horses by. Max soon got lost in the crowds.
Piles of fruit, vegetables, meat, and clothes lined small markets stalls all over the place, some even bumping Max. He smelled good meat grilling like those in the state fair she attended as a kid. He saw lines of markets and houses against the city walls and livestock everywhere, donkeys, chicken coups, sheep, geese, and Hirzogs.
He walked by blacksmith shops with their plumes of smoking climbing the heavens, and city homes beyond the square. Max started pass the grills and heard loud clanking of pots and the delicious smells of foods. Small horse stables and Ghrins pens were sprinkled about the wall. A column of Knights marched by Max and he hugged the pole of a grill to make way.
Max continued observing the crowds, he noticed Baelyin women wore tunics and hats whipped-up like towels. Baelyin Holy Men walked in fours with very short hair, shawls, and grey robes reaching across their bodies. The farmers wheeled hay or wheat around the markets.
Lost in his wonder, Max was almost trampled by a horse, but jumped aside in time. Soon an overbearing building appeared before him in middle of the city. It towered into the sky and provided some shade from the sun.
Max started to the building through the square. Max loved every minute. He had never been in a real medieval society, a fairytale land.
A huge Hunchback with rough yellow skin and thin straggly hair stomped by Max and grunted. Max's eyes widen as he cleared a way for the giant. Another Hunchback came behind it. “Whoa!” Max whispered.
Then a small group of dwarf men walked around Max with big ears and spiked hair. Max even saw a couple of Modas in the distance and Waywongs packing legs of meat too.
Max reached the base of the building and saw a stone staircase to the left and started to it. He reached it and saw no guards, so he started up. He passed two Baelyin Knights and reached the top and entered a stone archway with double wooden propped open. Inside, a Knight sat at a small desk and stood to attention as Max approached.
“What is your business with the Magistrate?” He asked speedily.
“I'm here to see Alex Parks.” Max firmly replied.
He eyed Max for an uncomfortable minute, before gesturing him down a hallway. Max nodded and walked down the hall. Tapestries lined the walls with strange crests of a woman opening her arms to an orb.
A Baelyin made his way to the entrance in the opposite direction when Max stopped him. “Excuse me sir.” Max just realized he didn't use the translator, but the Baelyin answered in English. “Yes, what can I do for you?”
“Yeah, I am looking for Alex Parks-”
The Robe interrupted, “You must be Max Wilkes.”
“Yes,” Max replied.
“Your friend is here.”
Max lit up. “Where?”
“She's on the third floor working with the Scribes,” He answered gesturing upwards. “Come I'll show you.”
He led Max to a door at the end of the hallway. A peasant woman opened it and nearly hit them, as she walked speedily by. The Baelyin and Max got to the end of the hallway to a stained-glass window, it depicted a castle on a crag. The Baelyin pointed to the door on the right. “It's through there.”
He pointed in the opposite direction to another door. “Do not go through there, it is the court and it’s in session.”
He stared at Max to ensure he understood. Max nodded. “Thank you.”
The Baelyin walked away. Max nodded awkwardly after him. Max ran into a Knight coming out and jumped back, the Knight stared at him for a moment before walking by. He disappeared around the corner.
Max climbed the narrow staircase and saw a stone-archway and knew it was the second floor. He continued climbing the staircase. He reached the third floor and screeched open the wooden door to a narrower hallway.
A Baelyin and a Raidin walked out of the door holding scrolls brushing by Max, he moved aside to let them pass and walked into the door. He found himself in a library with wooden books, parchment, and scrolls stuffed on shelves down a room.
The Scribes were men in linen tunics, and Baelyin called Robes melded among the Scribes reading scrolls and writing.
Three tables lined the center and at each one, the Scribes diligently wrote scrolls with more standing over them. The ink smelt strong and the parchment of leather. Max peered between the Baeylins to the far end, to see Alex Parks sitting at a table writing a scroll.
Max's whole body glowed with happiness. He loosened his PM-10, put it on a table nearby and started to her.
Her long brown hair, pointy nose, and thin stature was what Max waited so long to see. Alex still had on her small dark crimson vest and dark grey wranglers. She had her sleeves rolled up with piles of scrolls around her and stacks of wooden books. A Scribe stood over her as she wrote intensively.
Max continued over brushing by everyone.
“Alex!” Max called out.
She looked up and saw him and glowed right away. The Scribe looked up and then back at Alex, as she dropped the pen, got up, and ran to him.
He started running.
They clashed in an eruption of a kiss and hugged hard. Alex kissed Max again and again rubbing his head and hair. “Where have you been my love?”
“Busy, been busy.” Max said laughing nervously as he continued kissing her.
'Well, I'm glad you showed up.” She said still holding his head to hers.
“Me too,” he calmly replied.
They kissed again.
Max had reached Alex Parks once again.
Chapter 8
Alex finished writing the last paragraph and gave the parchment to the Scribe. He bowed, and he started out. Max sat on a wooden stool resting and waiting. She recorded the account on a separate scroll and rolled it up.
“How did you learn to write in Baelyin?” Max asked.
“Oh, you got educated on the locals too huh?” She said smiling and slipping the scroll in a nearby compartment.
“Yeah I guess so.”
“I didn't, I'm just copying the Magistrate's scroll.” She hit a scroll on the pile. Her face turned extremely concerned, “Where have you been?”
She pinched his knee.
“Whew! I tell you! It's been a wild ride.” Max said shaking his head.
Alex forced a laugh. “Tell me!”
“Well, where do I start?”
“Do you want to get out of here? Go on top?” She interrupted. “It's beautiful up there. I break every twenty minutes, it's so damn stuffy in here, plus the ink gives me god damn headaches.”
“Yeah,” Max replied.
Alex smiled, grabbed his hand, and led him out.
They made their way up the stairwell past the fourth floor to the door at the top. They walked outside, and the nice breeze hit, Max loved it. Alex smiled at the guard and walked past him to the parapet overlooking the city square, the grasslands and mountains beyond.
“So, the others went to the castle?” Max asked.
Alex took a quick glance at the beautiful view before answering. “Yeah the castle Densmere, capital of this world. They left two days ago.”
“Exciting.”
“I know.”
“So, you've just been here helping the Scribes?” Max said nodding downstairs.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “I wanted to keep busy and wait for you,” She said looking into his eyes smiling as she grabbed his hand and held it. They kissed again. She slowly wrapped her arms around him and kissed more passionately.
They parted, and she continued to
stare him in the eyes with her dreamy ones. Where’ve you been? Why didn't you tell me you were going out that morning? I woke up and you were gone.” She said stroking his bangs.
“I'm sorry it was a mess. I wanted to scout out the town and be back before you got up.” He said. “But I ran into some locals and got thrown in their jail for two days.”
“Wow!” Alex said, astonished. She leaned on the parapet and continued to listen.
“Then I managed to use the Interpreter Box on them and before I knew it, I was in battle with some pretty nasty creatures, the town fled into the forest and I Forest Jumped back to camp.”
“Forest Jumped?”
“Yeah, I'll explain later.” Max continued, “I found out all you guys were gone, then met up with Commander Gorro and General Tywor at the camp. They told me where you guys went, so I canoed to the Moda village and met up with Chief Tyang'gesh.”
“Aren't they neat?”
“Yeah and tall!”
“I know,” She giggled. “When I was there I told them you and I were Nativelike them.” She said excitedly.
“Yeah, well, I didn't speak to them too much, because my news got them worked up.”
“What news?”
“These nasty ape creatures invaded the Woodlands. I battled them with the Waywongs until the Elf General showed up and set up a line.”
“Who are they Waywongs?”
“The locals I ran into after I left camp, the ones who jailed me, and then befriended me,” he smirked. “Forest Jumpers.”
Alex squinted at him.
“They slingshot themselves into trampolines tied to treetops all over the Woodlands, bouncing everywhere.”
“Cool!” She said lighting up. “Did you get to?”
“Forest Jump?”
“Yeah!”
“Oh yeah!” Max nodded his head smiling. Alex got excited. “It was the funniest thing ever, aside from a riding a Moda piggybacked.”
“Oh wow!” Alex said amazed. “You had such adventures! I'm so jealous!”
“I wish I shared them with you.” He said brushing her hair aside and kissing her again. “You’ll be in all my future ones.”