The Woodland Tombs of Eliantar

by Gary Gaugler, Jr

Chapter 8

  Quale was more beautiful than Ara had remembered and he was thrilled that they had not had to pass through his old hometown. Little by little grassy fields became damp and puddles began to form. Before long there was more water than ground. Thin strips of land connected the very few islands that existed in this water world.

  “On the sixth day of creation Bydra, the water god, stepped foot on the new world,” Forr began. Ara and Vale exchanged a quick glance and smirk.

  “Legend says he is the most patient and thoughtful of all the gods. They say he made the choice appear as a wise old human man. Where the others had been young and attractive people or powerful elements when they appeared, this god most respected wisdom.

  “He only briefly surveyed what the other gods had done because unlike the others who were so obsessed with competition, he had bided his time imagining what his vision of paradise on the new planet would be. He already knew that he wanted to name his realm Quale and that it would be filled with the most beautiful, cerulean waters.

  “And so, in very little time, the area to the east of Tacia and south of Steedo was filled with water. Sapphire streams and rivers trickled gently into the most peaceful, massive lakes. All of this, he kept away from the furious oceans that surrounded the land they’d created. His water would be enjoyed by all that lived there and never feared. There was very little land to be found in all of Quale by the time the water god was done.

  “He looked around; surveying the beauty that he had created and he immediately knew what was missing. There was no life present and even though he planned on filling the waters with fishes, he feared it may not be enough. The only sounds that could be heard were of the many waterfalls splashing in the distance. Most of the planets that the gods had created revolved around water, and usually needed it more than the other elements to stay alive. So, it didn’t seem right to have so much space be surrounded by water and have no living beings. Sitting down, the god began to meditate on what would be the best possible organism to create for this kind of environment.

  “They should be fish-like and scaled, the god thought to himself. They should also be transparent so as to avoid being hunted by another creature that may enter this part of the world. He knew also that he wanted them to be highly intelligent. They must be as smart if not smarter than any human that the gods had ever created before.

  “The water god had long gone before the day was even half past and already the Fonnes were flourishing. They were the height, weight, and size of a human but had many attributes only common to fish. The Fonnes possessed scaled, transparent skin, with large bulbous eyes. They lived underwater only coming to the surface to jump through the air, make brief conversation, or sing, because if there was one thing that Fonnes above all others were known for, it was their singing. Seductive and haunting at the same time, Fonnes drew as many creatures to the water world as the lakes and streams themselves did.

  “This pleased the water god and he knew at once that his days of carefully planning his world had paid off. Quale was a place of beauty that all would cherish above all other realms. He knew that thinking this way reduced him to the same level as his siblings; still he wasn’t invincible in the face of vanity.”

  “Thank you, Forr. What a charming story to hear as we arrive in Quale,” Vale smiled.

  “I love Quale,” Forr beamed. And I’m not alone. Look at all of those beautiful manors on the various islands. Everyone dreams of spending their final years here.”

  “A pity few are able to afford it,” Ara responded with a hint of spite. “Most Elites who get to see it here only do so because they have to fish for a living.”

  “I hardly see how that can be helped,” Forr scoffed. “There are few pieces of land in Quale. Naturally the cost to live here would be exorbitant.”

  Ara had been here often, when he was a fisherman in his small village. He enjoyed the clear waters but he loved the Fonnes. The Fonnes were very human-like in size and intelligence, but also closely resembled fish with their massive, unblinking eyes and scaled body. They were almost impossible to see when they were submerged as their bodies were a transparent color of blue. When he could make them out, Ara had loved to watch them swim. They were amazingly fast and swam through the water faster than a horse runs on land. Whereas Eliantar’s other creatures were nasty or timid, the Fonnes loved humans and due to their high intelligence loved to stop and talk when Elites were around.

  Ara was counting on being able to talk with a few Fonnes about the “dark magic” that was present in Quale. He immediately walked up to the first large lake he saw and crouched at the edge, with Vale and Forr following in tow.

  The water was beautiful. It was the lightest blue color and looked terribly inviting. Ara’s favorite pastime was spending days swimming and sleeping on one of the lakes’ beaches. It was always warm and relaxing and there was an intoxicating feel from the gentle waves that were produced that allowed Ara to feel calm.

  He smiled now, watching the water. The suns reflection on the lake’s surface made it sparkle like a billion sapphires. He was so lost in thought that he almost jumped when three very excited Fonnes burst their heads out of the water, only inches from his face.

  “Oh…Hello,” he chuckled. “I was wondering if you could help us. We’ve heard from a passerby that there may be invaders in Quale and that they may be using black magic on the land.”

  “We know nothing about any invaders,” one of them answered. “You’re the first Elites that we’ve seen since Grim. The rest have not made their way back since the thaw.”

  The three Fonnes reached up and began to pat Vale and Ara approvingly before sinking back into the lake and blasting back away from the edge.

  “Where do we go from here?” Ara asked. Do you think the man in purple was telling us the truth?”

  “I can’t imagine what he would have to gain from getting us to Quale,” said the Prince thoughtfully. “Quale is a massive place to search. We can’t possible rely on what the first few Fonnes have seen. I think we should at least investigate a bit for ourselves before we move back towards Tacia.”

  Without another word, Ara jumped into the cerulean waters and began to backstroke towards the opposite end of the lake. Vale looked like he didn’t know what to make of this.

  “What are you doing?” Vale called out still aghast.

  “Come on,” smiled the bodyguard. “By the time we get to a land bridge and walk across, we’ll have lost an hour.”

  “I do believe that I’ll take my chances and walk,” Forr said, shaking his head. “I fear that I am not much of a swimmer. I shall find you further on.”

  With that Vale dove in and the two raced each other to get to the other side of the lake. Ara was truly surprised at what a good swimmer Vale was. He’d lunge deep under the water, appearing again a minute later, many yards ahead. When they climbed out on the other side they took a moment to catch their breath.

  “You seem surprised. I told you that I liked to escape the castle as much as possible. Can you think of a more magical place to be?”

  Ara had felt a little uncomfortable around the Prince since his vivid dream the previous night. He wanted so much to pull Vale underwater and kiss his handsome face, but knew it was not his place. Also, he needed to keep his mind on why they were here, which was not to enjoy the water. Turning to face what lie before them, Ara groaned when he saw a river on the other side of this thin strip of land.

  “What do you expect?” laughed Vale, seeing the look on his face. “We’re in the water realm!”

  They began to wade across the river. It may not have been as deep as the lake had been, but the current was very strong. This caused them to have to wade very slowly across the rocks, to avoid being pulled downstream. As they crossed, they realized they had company waiting for them on the grass.

  Lenta Benigg was smiling as they stepped out onto land, “I was in the area a
nd some Fonnes told me that you were here. I do like to greet the first Elites of the new year, but I’m quite surprised to see Your Highness. If I may ask though, why are you dressed like that?”

  Vale shushed her, “We’re in disguise and nobody’s to know who we are. Ara and I are conducting an investigation of the most serious kind.”

  Lenta stared from Vale to Ara, who wouldn’t move his eyes from the ground. Her young, usually radiant face was furrowed with suspicion. She picked up the ends of her electric blue dress and stepped closer to Vale, pushing a few stray curls from her face.”

  “I can see that you are serious,” she whispered. “As Ambassador of Quale, I wish you’d share with me of what purpose your investigation is here.”

  “I’m afraid that’s confidential even from you,” Vale responded. “Please don’t mistake me, Lenta. We should only be here a short time and then we will be on our way.”

  Lenta looked a bit hurt, “I care not if you are here an hour or a lifetime. As a member of the Royal Family, you’re certainly always welcome here. My concern is that a wrong has occurred in my domain and you’re keeping it hidden from me.”

  “It’s a training exercise,” Ara burst in. “As you know, I am training the Prince in self-defense and had thought a change of environment was needed.”

  Lenta eyed him suspiciously before bowing to Prince Vale and walking off.

  “She didn’t seem to believe us,” Ara said a short while later as they swam across another lake.

  “To be honest, I would’ve been disappointed if she hadn’t been suspicious,” Vale laughed. “At times I really think that Lenta is the only Ambassador with any sense.”

  “If you don’t like the Ambassadors, why don’t you appoint new ones?” Ara asked.

  “Once an Ambassador is appointed by a ruler, they are in office until they either resign or pass on. The thing that’s always annoyed me about it is that they aren’t appointed based on any personal merit or experience with their realm at all.”

  “What?” Ara exclaimed. “Well how are they chosen?”

  “Let me give you a hint,” Vale riddled. “Lenta’s unique ability is that she has control over water.”

  “You’re kidding,” Ara laughed. They’re chosen only because their power reflects one of the elements?”

  “That’s right,” Vale chuckled back. “It’s been that way since the beginning and as outdated as it is, I couldn’t get my mother to change it. She said it was tradition. I suppose that they all have qualities that are…beneficial for an Ambassador, but Lenta Benigg has always been, I think, a very wise choice.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking,” Ara began cautiously. “How did your brother get selected for Tacia’s Ambassador? I don’t mean it disrespectfully, I just mean that I have seen his power and he has no control over plants.”

  The two finally climbed ashore and took a few minutes catching their breath. They were both happy to be on land and drying under the hot suns. When they could breathe again, Vale responded.

  “I take no disrespect to your question and I don’t think that Prode would either. The former Ambassador died about two years ago. My mother had spent years attempting to groom me to be ruler of Eliantar but, as you know, I wanted no part of it. It was my foolish assumption at the time that if I bargained with her and made a smaller sacrifice, I could appease her. So, I volunteered to be Ambassador of Tacia and told her that I was so sure I would make a better Ambassador than King. I suggested that Prode be King in my place and asked if I could abdicate the throne to him.”

  “And was that what that he wanted to do?” Ara inquired knowing very well the answer.

  “What 18-year-old doesn’t want to be a king or queen? I could tell he was ready to jump at the chance. But, Mother wasn’t convinced and nothing in my future changed. However, that did give her the idea to give Prode a position of power. She had said something about it being important that her two sons work together and influence our world. That was the one time that Mother was able to overlook the tradition of appointing Ambassadors.”

  “Is he any good?” Ara asked with a hint of doubt. “It’s just that he doesn’t seem to take much seriously.”

  “Surprisingly he is good,” Vale laughed. “I had my reservations as well but when it was presented to him, he leapt at the chance. The Arbestees seem to like him very much and his reports on the forests are always positive. Don’t ask me how he makes it work with that infantile sense of humor, but he does make it work.”

  They slowly rose from the ground, both knowing they had to keep moving along. When Ara turned he gasped aloud. Vale looked up to see what was so shocking. There, off in the distance, was a magnificent fortress, the color of cobalt. Though not as large or as breathtaking as Ivory Towers, this structure was truly breathtaking.

  “Is that…?” Ara began overwhelmed with the building’s beauty.

  “It is,” answered Vale. “The Water Citadel, like all of the other Citadels, has been around for nearly 1,300 years. King Rynell VII the Lucky had them constructed as a reminder of Elite influence after he’d grown tired of the bickering between Elites and the tribes. He personally invaded the lands and slaughtered the tribes’ leaders. He forced those that were left to sign a new treaty. The Citadels were built so the Ambassadors could stay in their land permanently to uphold the peace. Thankfully, we have much newer treaties that were made out of peace rather than force.”

  “I had heard the stories,” said Ara with his mouth still agape. “I never knew if they were true or not. Nobody I know has ever seen one of these temples before. I thought I’d heard once that they were invisible to the eye of an Elite.”

  “Stuff of legends,” Vale mumbled. “People believe that rumor because very few Elites actually enter the elemental realms and when they do they don’t venture very far. The Citadels were not made invisible, but they were created deep in their respected realm so that intruders wouldn’t be able to access them easily.

  “The bridge for the temple is hidden now, as it often is. It’s the only means of access to the Water Citadel. Bydra Lake isn’t like the other bodies of water in Quale. The water pulls you down so strongly that you wouldn’t get more than a few strokes in before you’d be sucked to the bottom.”

  “Have you been to all of the Citadels?”

  “No, not all of them,” answered Vale with a small smile. “There are some that are situated in inhospitable environments. And then again maybe it’s the Ambassador that makes it inhospitable.”

  They both laughed at this. Ara could imagine which temples he’d been to versus the ones he hadn’t. His mind drifted back to his brief experience in Fornar. He wouldn’t have wanted to travel any deeper through that world, especially with the fanged Lexerros stalking around.

  “I believe I have had a change of heart,” Vale said thoughtfully. “Since we are here, perhaps it would be wise to go into the Citadel and wait for Lenta to return. It’s impossible to search this realm by ourselves and time is wasting by the moment. I do trust her and I think she may be able to help us.”

  Ara was looking forward to it. He had been fascinated at the sight of the Citadel and now he would have the opportunity to see it firsthand. He imagined the walls and floors made of sapphires and diamonds. He pictured swimming pools and glass roofs as far as the eye could see. He became a little concerned with himself as he realized he was thinking of material things, which he swore he would never do. It was becoming increasingly hard though when surrounded by so many palaces and paradise locales.

  Vale turned towards the fortress and clapped his hands three times. With that a planked bridge rose from the depths of the Bydra Lake. Looking towards the Citadel, Ara surmised that the walk across the fragile-looking bridge was a little less than a mile. He doubted that they got many visitors here, but then again, they probably wanted it that way.

  Vale began to cross first, walking quickly across the bridge
. Ara followed in terror. He took the smallest baby steps and clung to the ropes for dear life. The planks were very feeble and the waters were dangerous, he’d been warned. More than once Vale had to stop and wait for Ara to catch up to him. Try as he might, he couldn’t get his eyes off of the dark lake.

  This liquid was nothing like the other bodies of water in Quale. It was terribly dark in color and looked more like oil than water. Trying not to focus on the lake, Ara looked straight ahead at the Citadel.

  A sharp whistle from behind, made them both turn around. There, back on the thin strip of shore only 30 yards away, stood a man clad in purple robes with a purple veil.

  “Your Highness, it’s that man we met,” exclaimed Ara.

  “Sir,” Vale called out. “I know that you had warned us to stay away from here, but my friend and I felt it may be important to come to the aid of any innocents.”

  “This is a trap,” Ara muttered shaking his head.

  The man said nothing but looked up to the sky. Immediately the puffy white clouds turned into black sheets and thunder rumbled in the distance. Winds began to pick up and pull at the shoddy bridge.

  “I’ve come for the Prince and any of you who try to stop me had better not mind a burial at sea.”