Lands of Dust (The Dying World Book 1)

by John Triptych

  The gathering hall was a circular structure, with a large central fire pit and a leather tarp that served as a roof. Near the far side of the chamber was a slightly upraised floor where the elders would usually sit. During assembly, the majority of the tribe would sit on the hard floor, some of them even bringing their own furs during cold nights. Most of the tribe was out by the Silt Sea gathering algae for food and for building bricks, while a few others were busy tending the fungus garden. Therefore, only the elders and a few adults were present at that moment.

  Miri led the outsider to face the raised platform. After gesturing at him to face the elders, she walked over and stood beside him. “Honorable elders of the Arum Navar, I hereby present to you Erewn, last of the Silid tribe. He comes to us requesting the promise of sanctuary.”

  The six current elders of the tribe were all sitting cross-legged on the platform. Elder Etul’s hands were still caked with sand, for he had been out with the other farmers before he was quickly recalled. Elder Zedne the healer sat at the center, Miri could sense that she was tired due to staying up with a sick child all night. Beside Zedne sat Elder Devos the teller. Sitting across from Devos was Elder Oro and Elder Pir, both former hunters. Elder Brar the teether sat on the far end, for he was also serving as the master builder for the settlement. Since Elder Neris had recently passed away, Zedne was the only female elder currently on the council.

  Elder Brar was the current head of the conclave, so he held up his hand in the gesture of peace. “Peace and be welcome to you, Erewn, last of the Silid. We mourn the passing of one of the great tribes of the waste, and we shall hold a feast in their honor.”

  Erewn bowed. “I thank you, elders. But there is no need to gather up such a huge amount of food for a feast. I have been wandering the wastes for many cycles, and I know how hard it is these days to find proper game. I believe it is better that you save your food for another day.”

  Elder Oro smiled. “Do not fear, wanderer. We have been blessed by the gods, and we had a great hunt two moons ago. It was an expedition in which our protector slew the largest dargon that has been encountered in a long time. We have enough reserves for a small, humble feast. That is the very least we can do to honor the last of our brother tribes.”

  “I am at a loss for words,” Erewn said as he bowed again. “I cannot possibly repay you for this sort of adulation.”

  Elder Brar nodded. “No payment is to be asked from you. Our tribe does this freely. You have been the first outsider to venture into our humble settlement in a very long time. According to Karma’s wishes, any tribe who is kind to strangers shall be blessed by her twofold. We still follow the old gods here, and it is through their will and their grace that we have continued to survive.”

  Miri raised her hand. “Before we begin, I must speak.”

  The other elders gestured at her to proceed. She sensed that Zedne and Devos would take her side, but when it came to the others, she wasn’t so sure. Zedne sent her a thought message, telling her that she could not read the memories of the wanderer as well. Miri immediately replied to her using telepathy, telling the healer to vote her way, should it come to that. Devos gave her a slight wink as he sensed what was going on. Nevertheless, it would be an uphill battle. In the tribe’s entire history, there had not been a single instance when the oath of sanctuary was denied.

  Miri sighed before she talked. This was going to be tough. “As protector of this tribe, I must explain my misgivings if we are to decide in invoking the promise of sanctuary. I have tried to ascertain the stranger’s thoughts, but I sensed that he is trained to resist the mindsense. I was therefore unable to know what his true intentions are.”

  Elder Etul looked at the stranger intently. “What do you have to say about this, Erewn of the Silid?”

  Erewn looked down. “I have not been trained by anyone. I have no knowledge on the use of the Vis.”

  Devos looked at his colleagues. “Then we are at an impasse. It is possible that one of them is lying.”

  Erewn held his hand up. “It seems I have come by at a sensitive time. I appreciate the effort in extending your kindness. I do not wish to create strife amongst you, and I will therefore leave and continue my wanderings in the wastelands. With this, I shall go in peace.” He quickly turned around and started walking towards the entrance flap.

  “Wait!” Brar said. He held out his hand while Erewn stopped and turned back to face them. “I must apologize for our rudeness towards you. You have indeed come at a sensitive time for us here. Strange things have been happening, and some of our people have been feeling uneasy, for interesting times means that the gods themselves are agitated, and a period of great change is about to occur. Your promise of peace has been noticed, and by the old traditions, we cannot turn away a stranger like this. The gods compel us to help.”

  Miri grimaced. “I must protest, elders. I have sworn a sacred oath to protect the people, and I feel that we cannot abide and must make an exemption. I understand that this has never been done in all the annals of the tribe, but recent events call for new ways to do things. We can provide the outsider with food and water, but he must leave before eventide.”

  Elder Oro shook his head. “Protector Miri, you have blasphemed the gods with your outright rejection of one of our sacred principles. The promise of sanctuary enabled many to survive and was instrumental in the continued existence of the people in the wastes. I may not be a master teller like Elder Devos here, but there have been many instances in the past when one of our own was given sanctuary by another tribe after being lost out in the desert. In my younger days, I myself was given that very promise when I was found wounded and near death after a failed hunt by the Viir, a tribe that died out a long time ago. If they had not given me sanctuary, I would not be alive to tell you this.”

  Devos raised his hand. “While we know that the will of the gods is sacred, we must also trust in the words of our protector. If she says she cannot trust this stranger, then we all must take her advice seriously. We cannot just reject it merely because of tradition.”

  Brar twisted his head and looked at Devos. “Our traditions are what has kept us alive, we cannot discard the old teachings because of mere suspicions,” he said, before turning back to face Miri. “Do you have any proof that this man is hiding something from you? While I do not have the gift of Vis, surely it is possible that some men are naturally attuned to resist your mindsense?”

  “There have been instances in which the untrained can resist, yes,” Miri said. “But that only happens on very rare occurrences.”

  “Perhaps only once in our distant history, as I recall,” Devos said. “And these old tales could merely be legends.”

  Oro pointed his finger at Krag, who had been standing behind the stranger. “Chief Hunter Krag, do you sense anything out of the ordinary?”

  Krag knew he had to tell the truth. He hated politics and these kinds of situations. “No, I have not seen anything that strikes me as peculiar just by looking at the wanderer’s appearance. The timing of the stranger’s arrival may seem to add to our recent plethora of interesting events, but unless any oaths were violated, then I cannot agree with rejecting his plea for sanctuary.”

  Brar looked over to Zedne. “Elder Zedne, can you use your mindsense on the outsider?”

  Zedne closed her eyes for a brief minute, then opened them again. “I tried, but I cannot sense any surface thoughts.”

  Elder Pir nodded at her. “You have not had much rest, healer. Perhaps your fatigue is making your Vis weak.”

  Miri stole a glance at the stranger, but he remained totally opaque to her. The council of elders was divided, and unless she could come up with a compelling reason, then her pleas would certainly be rejected. She held out her hand so that the others would notice her. “If I could make a suggestion? I would like to ask the outsider remove his loincloth.”

  Everyone stared back at her in shock as the hall suddenly fell silent. Even though their tribe was more mode
st than the other people in the wastes, to force an adult to go naked in public for all to see was a dire insult. The only sound that came from within the chamber was when Nyx opened the flap of the entryway and walked inside. Although she was confused for a minute, the teen girl soon realized something important had just happened, and she wisely stayed near the entrance in mute observance.

  Several minutes passed. Etul looked at the protector. His tan, wrinkled face was twisted in a mixture of bewilderment and outrage. “Miri, have you gone mad?”

  Brar slapped his hand on the stone stage. “Protector Miri, you have committed a grave insult at a guest, and in front of the elders, no less! I demand you apologize to him!”

  “Wait,” Devos said while the rising cacophony of voices threatened to drown everything out. He wanted to congratulate Miri for being so shrewd, but protocol needed to be followed even in a case like this. “Let us know the reason why our protector is requesting this.”

  Miri held her hand up so that they could allow her to speak. “I meant no offense, but if our guest is a Magus, then the surest way for us to know is if he shows us his loins.”

  Pir shook his head, his long wisps of silver hair was almost floating in the breeze. “Oh, Miri. You have gone too far. You have no right to ask such a thing, especially when our guest has pledged the oath of peace. To even suggest this, just because you deem it so- is a desecration of our laws of hospitality. We extend our kindness to strangers and we will give up our lives if necessary to defend him, for that is the way of the gods. Our people have continued their existence because we have been helped by others in the past using the same sacred oaths and promises that we have to this day.”

  Brar was visibly angry. “Protector, are you accusing the stranger of being a Magus? Because that is what your insult implies. You have effectively called him a liar without any proof, or without any precedent to do so.”

  Miri looked at Erewn. “I meant no offense or insult. If I have offended you, then I am truly sorry.”

  Erewn seemed to take it in stride. His face continued to be a mask of stone. He stared back at the protector. “I am curious, why would you think I am a Magus? Because your mind probe would not work on me? What reason would a Magus try to hide himself to go here?”

  Miri bit her lip. He had her in a bind. If this man was here because of Rion, then she couldn’t very well tell the truth about the boy. “I am sorry, but I cannot tell you the reason why we are on guard against the Magi.”

  Oro made a shrill whistle, which signified extreme disapproval. “Enough, protector! If you wish to accuse our guest, then state a reason why, or withdraw your request.”

  Devos wanted to help Miri out, but he could find no legitimate reason to speak up, so he stayed silent on the matter. Zedne rubbed her temples as she fought off a headache. The protector’s allies within the council were now powerless to support her.

  Miri knew she was at a disadvantage. But her own beliefs held firm. “I cannot withdraw my request. I swore an oath to protect the tribe.”

  Etul made an audible sigh. “Then we are at an impasse.”

  Erewn took two steps forward and laughed. “I understand the protector’s wariness, even though I do not know the cause of it. When my father was protector, he acted in the same way- his oaths to protect the people would sometimes clash with the old laws and he stood his ground, just like your protector has. Since I do not wish any further animosity with her, I shall accede to her request willingly.”

  Brar had a surprised look as he held his hand up. “That will not be necessary.”

  Erewn faced the elders and pulled down his loincloth. The council could see that he had an intact set of genitalia, though they seemed quite small for a man his age. Nevertheless, they were visibly pleased while Erewn pulled his loincloth back on. The rest of the crowd in the hall did not bother to look since the expressions of the elders had already told them what the result was. Miri felt the whole thing was some sort of trick, but she couldn’t explain how or why, so she just kept silent.

  Pir nodded. “Even though it was not required of you, you have indeed proven that you are not a Magus. Therefore, we extend our invitation to Erewn, last of the Silid,” he said before turning to face the others in the council. “Elders, what is your vote. If you wish to bind our guest in the sacred oath of sanctuary, please raise your hand.”

  Almost everyone started to raise their hands. Devos could so no reason to oppose the vote, but as soon as he turned and looked at Zedne, he realized that she wasn’t raising her own hand. Devos gave a curt nod to her and kept his hands on his lap.

  Brar looked disappointed that the vote was even close to a tie. He turned and faced Erewn. “By a vote of four to two, the oath of sanctuary is approved. Erewn of the Silid, we of the Arum Navar extend this sacred promise to you. As of this time, our water is your water, our food is your food, our house is your house, our lives are with you. You may stay for as long as you want, and no harm shall come to you. We swear this, by the laws brought down to us by the goddess Karma and by the god Duun. We are pledged to defend against anyone who opposes you or attempts to do you wrong. May the gods curse us if we break this vow. Amen.”

  Erewn knelt down. “I humbly thank you. I shall stay no more than a few days at the most. For I have a long journey ahead of me. Amen.”

  Brar stood up. “There is to be feasting tonight. We still have some dried meat and plenty of algae and shrooms. Let us celebrate the arrival of our honored guest. Let us forget the arguments that took place today. Break out the wine stores. This is a time to celebrate the arrival of a brother, and in memory of an allied tribe.”

  As the crowd began to break up, Miri walked over to Zedne and knelt down beside her. “Are you okay, Mother?”

  Zedne smiled as she was helped up by the protector. “Oh, I am fine. I just did not get much sleep lately. But it is all worth it for the sick child is now on her way to recovery. It makes me feel so good when I know I have done my duty.”

  Devos stood beside them both. “His loins looked small, but they were intact. There was no chance of us winning that vote.”

  Miri nodded. “This will be a long night. We need to be vigilant- keep the boy in our sight at all times. I have a feeling this Erewn might try something against him.”

  Devos frowned. “Do you really think that he is a danger? If he is not a Magus, then how can he be a threat?”

  “I cannot be wholly certain,” Miri said. “But I believe there is more to him than what meets the eye. Even though I cannot sense his thoughts, there is something wrong about all of this.”

  “I am with you,” Zedne said. “What do you need for us to do?”

  Miri looked at the both of them. “Can Rion stay in either of your huts tonight?”

  “Yes, of course,” Zedne said before she suddenly felt light headed and had to be held up by Miri.

  “Mother,” Miri said. “I think you need to go take some rest.”

  “I shall take the boy in my hut tonight,” Devos said. He turned around and headed for the exit.

  Nyx walked over to Miri as the protector was helping Zedne towards the entryway. “I am so sorry for being late, Miri,” Nyx said softly. “What just happened?”

  Miri saw Erewn being led out of the hall by a smiling Brar. “I am assigning you to watch the outsider. If you see him do anything suspicious, use your mindsense to alert me at once. I will be watching the outskirts of the settlement, just in case he has any allies waiting for him outside.”

  Nyx bit her lip. She had been hoping to hang out with her brother Jinn during the feast that evening. “Do I have to watch him all evening?”

  Miri nodded. “Yes, where is your bone axe?”

  “In my hut,” Nyx said. “Do you want me to carry it?”

  Miri shook her head. “No, it would arouse too much suspicion. Keep it close by so you can retrieve it quickly, though. You do have a knife with a dargon tooth blade, keep that with you at all times.”

  Nyx nod
ded. She had a feeling her growing collection of weapons would be put to use sooner rather than later.

  Chapter 9

  Erewn carried the wineskin as he walked towards the perimeter. The feasting had been going on for several hours now, and a large number of the tribe had already gone back to their homes to turn in for the night. The stew was quite good, and he had eaten heartily. Since he was the guest of honor, Erewn was toasted several times by his hosts, but he merely took small sips of the wine that was offered to him. He needed to remain alert for the upcoming task. Using his sleight of hand skills, Erewn was able to sprinkle some of the white powder he had been carrying with him into all the wine and water containers in the hall. Just before venturing out into the wastes, he took a satchel of the sleeping powder from the citadel’s store rooms, expecting to use it for just this very occasion.

  A young couple held out their hands in greeting out to him while he walked along a narrow path in between the huts. He smiled and returned the gesture before moving on. Erewn knew that the boy was sleeping somewhere very close by. Once the tribe was fast asleep, he would do a very quick search for the child, then use any sort of weapon to kill him. There were still a few complications that might upset his plans, though. This protector of theirs was a very cautious woman who happened to be quite powerful with her mindsense. Erewn had to use most of his Vis just to stay focused to prevent her mind probe from sensing anything suspicious. The fact that the protector was nowhere to be seen during the feast, made him doubly worried she was on to him. He sensed there were at least three Strigas in the settlement, and he needed to account for them all if he had any chance to succeed.