No one spoke for a time then Arn looked at the Queen, “perhaps the wine was not inferior,” he said softly.
And hearing that the King regretted his words Ishea nodded her head to him, “the Outlanders sometimes have good Po” she replied, and she smiled at the Nomad, “but, we do bake the best bread”, she added.
And not wanting to travel down the same rocky road the King said nothing and filled his mouth with dried Rimar.
How long Andra wandered in the dim maze of the city she did not know, but form the weariness in her limbs she surmised it must have been most of the night. She moved slowly through chamber after chamber, down long corridors and anterooms all littered with rubble and machinery that she could not begin to know. And through it all was the same persistent webbing, once she brushed up against it with her hand and the sticky substance burned her skin like fire, but she was used to pain and drove it from her mind. As she made her way she saw stairs and pathways leading up and she once followed one of them but soon the light from the Starfall faded and she had to return to the lower levels. It was then that she realized that the glowing moss must maintain its closeness to the earth and its nutrients to survive so she made her way downwards and into the lower depths of the ruined city.
And all the while she could not help but feel that someone or something was watching her, she felt this because every now and then she thought she heard footfalls behind her, but when she turned to look there was nothing there.
When she was a soldier with the army of the Selcarie she had to do recognizance and she relied on her intuition as much as her training so when she felt that she was not alone she took it seriously and did not shrug it off as war nerves. So she held her dagger at the ready and moved into yet another chamber in the Forbidden City. This room was not like the others for it was huge and filled with great machines and piping, conduits of every size and shape ran in all directions and vanished into dark tunnels. There were many catwalks and ramps to gain access to the titanic machinery and across one of these Andra slowly made her way, but always she kept her eyes open for danger and held her dagger at the ready. The going was not easy for again there were vast amounts of webbing and hanging in many of them were cocoon like bundles, and it was easy to see that they were there for a reason.
Spiders, Andra thought, Gods how I hate spiders! It was a fear that she had sense childhood and one that haunted her dreams, she knew that she owed her life to the crystal spiders of the Hollow Hills for it was those wondrous creatures that brought rebirth and prolonged life for the Outlanders and herself. But never the less the thought of crawling spiders filled her with dread and brought a chill to her spine.
Now she moved slowly always ready for danger but the complex and its purpose intrigued her, then as she saw more of the great machines she understood what it all meant.
Geothermal power, she thought, the city once ran on heat from the interior of the planet. This was indeed true for all the stone cities on Gorn drew their power from the earth. The heat generated by the planets core rose up and was captured by the great machines, then used to make steam and in turn that power supply kept the city warm in the long winter and cool during the Burning Time. But now the machines were silent and the power that they once had was gone, all that remained was a great steel heart that no longer beat.
The Selcarie girl continued onward hoping to find some way out of this dim realm and back into the sunlight, but she found only steel and more steel and deadly webbing that seemed to be growing denser. Then as she picked her way between two thick strands she looked up to see something that froze her soul, for hanging there like a small white moon was a spiders egg sack the height of ten tall men.
The blood froze in her veins and she suddenly felt an urge to scream and run, but she held onto her wits and did not move for she was trained to face her enemy rather than be struck down from behind. But then her gaze moved higher and what she saw next was something that lived only in the deepest, darkest corners of her nightmares, for there looking down on her with eyes glowing red with hate was a gigantic spider.
Its red and yellow striped body was the size of a Nomad wagon; add to that its eight legs and it doubled its width. And as the Off-World girl stared at it in horror it rabidly opened and closed its scythe like mandibles and made a rattling sound that filled the air.
And in spite of all her training Andra cried out in a scream that echoed in the great chamber like the wail of a demon.
Ral returned to the entrance to the Forbidden City, and as night began to close in he made ready to continue his search for the half-soul girl. He commanded his men to gather wood for torches and sharpen their weapons and when all was made ready he picked ten warriors to accompany him and the remainder to stay behind and care for the Rowgors. But as he was about to signal for his men to follow him into the crumbling city he heard a strange sound.
It was a faint rattling noise, like dried Safic berries in an empty gourd; it came from the outside and with each passing moment it grew louder and louder.
“Fighting formation!’ Ral called out and instantly the Norgonie warriors gathered around him in a tight defensive ring, they pointed their spears outward and braced their feet. The Forest-dwellers did not fight like the Outlanders for they knew the strength of banding together to face an enemy and did not stand man to man as did the Nomads. It was a good strategy for if one man fell another was there to take his place and the power of one became the power of many.
Now they waited and listened to the rattling sound grow more intense, the terrified Rowgors began to pull at their tie downs and make roaring sounds, then frantic with terror one of them burst its shackle and ran headlong through the city portal and into the darkness of the night. Its fearful bellowing could be heard as it thundered across the steel bridge way, then it turned into a wailing scream.
What could be doing this to a Rowgo? Ral thought but before his mind could answer he saw what had caused the great beast to cry out.
There scampering across the fallen doors were hundreds, thousands of spiders! They moved in a great wave and their pincer like mandibles made a fearful rattling. But these were not the harmless crystal spiders of the Hollow Hills; these were something far different and far more deadly. Their bodies were hairy and as large as a Burrow baby, they had large triangle shaped heads with great red eyes and two hook-like jaws that dripped a sickening greenish drool. And against this oncoming enemy the Norgonie were helpless.
The wave of predators raced into the stone city and directly at the warriors, the first to die was a man standing next to Ral. One of the huge insects jump through the air and landed full on his face, and before he could react the monster clamped his jaws into his skull and filled it with a deadly venom.
But the young Prince was not going to run so he braced himself and as the next spider jumped for him he impaled it on the end of his Kagar. But the other warriors were not so lucky and one by one they fell before the onslaught of the hairy demons, and seeing that his men were dying around him Ral raised his spear above his head and called out in a loud voice.
“FOLLOW ME!” He shouted, and hearing this the Norgonie warriors ran after their leader into the stone city.
Behind him Ral could hear the Rowgors dying as the deadly spiders swamped them, but there was nothing he could do and he needed all his strength just to survive so moving as fast as he could he led his warrior’s deeper into the crumbling city.
They left the torches behind so it was with great relief that Ral saw the glow from the Starfall, and knowing that they would not be blind he led them down a tunnel. But some of them fell behind and their screams could be heard as the demonic spiders overtook them and they died in agony. One by one they fell until only Ral was left and he knew that soon his strength would fail him and he too would die. But somehow he remained on his feet and turning this way and that he found that his pursuers were no longer following him and he would be safe. So when he moved into a large chamber he stopped for a moment
to fill his burning lungs and rest his tired legs, his chest rose and fell as he breathed in the foul air and after a time he was able to move again and take in his surroundings.
It was a strange place for all about him were racks filled with armor and weapons, but these were not the primitive hand axes and daggers that he was use too, these were the death devices of the Gods. How many they’re were he could not know for they rose up over his head and went on row after row as far as he could see. He stood there for a time taking in the chamber then he slowly moved to a holding rack and gazed at what was hanging there.
Now the Norgonie knew that the Talsonar possessed hand weapons that could kill from a distance, and he had even fired one in the past but he put it aside as an unworthy devise. He also understood that on other worlds killing your enemy without facing him man to man was accepted, but to the young Prince it was a cowardly way to fight. So he let the cursed mechanisms stay where they lay and moved on to the armor. But when he grew close enough to touch them he realized that they were forged for giants and far too massive for use in battle, so with nothing to gain he turned and walked from the chamber and into a dim tunnel.
The Norgonie Prince walked for a long time, turning this way and that way and in spite of himself he knew that he was lost, but his pride kept him from turning back and continued onward. Soon one room faded into another and in time the Starfall faded away and he had to walk with his spear outstretched like a Sun-Gazer but still he moved forward. When the light returned he walked more easily but he was always ready for danger and kept his ears sharp for any sound.
The walls of the hallway he was moving down started to drip water and soon he was ankle deep in a foul smelling muck. He passed through an open doorway and entered a chamber that was filled from floor to ceiling with rusted machinery, there was also an overpowering odor of rotting flesh and scattered about were the skeletal remains of Forrest creatures. It was then he heard a rustling noise and before he could see what was making the sound something struck him on the back of his head and the world around him faded into darkness.
At the first sign of light Arn ordered his warriors to mount the Rowgors and follow him into the swamp and not wanting it split their forces Ishea called for the Norgonie to do the same. They rode along the same path that Ral had taken but they did not have to content with the Daggermouths for they had filled their bellies the night before and now slept in their watery beds with no desire to hunt again so soon. But high above them were a great many Screechers, their massive skin-drawn wings shadowed against the light. Although Screechers are deadly creatures they were beautiful to look at for their skin was brightly striped in all the colors of the rainbow, reds, greens, blues, and yellows. And seeing them you would have thought them creatures of the Gods rather than killers of the air.
They circled the great pyramid like huge Sundroppers and it was easy to see that they had made the upper portions of the stone city their home. Now the column of warriors stood before the Forbidden City and the steel bridge that led into it.
There was no sign of the ravaging spiders for they had left their crumbling home before Sunbirth and moved out into the swamplands to hunt their prey and wait for darkness before returning home. But still Arn could feel that something was wrong and so did the Norgonie Queen.
“Do we go in?” she asked.
Arn turned to look at her, “we go where the trail leads us”. Suddenly he had a flashing vision of a huge spider and Andra screaming in terror and without saying anything more he called out for his Rowgor to charge and over the bridge it thundered and into the haunted city. A moment later his warriors followed their King and seeing that she was being left behind Ishea lifted her spear and the Norgonie raced forward.
Inside the portal Arn pulled up on the reins and his mount came to a sudden stop, he leaped to the floor and stood ready with his sharp ax in his hand. But there was no enemy to fight for all that remained were foul smelling Rowgors cocooned in webbing, but there were no sign of the warriors that had ridden with Ral.
The King waited till his warriors and those of the Queen were inside and dismounted, then he spoke to Ishea who stood beside him holding her Kagar. She too could see the cocooned remains of the Rowgors and prayed that they would not find her son in the same webbing.
“They escaped in that direction,” Arn said and he pointed to the tunnel with his weapon, then he looked around at the many silken coffins, “there is great danger here if you wish to turn back I will not think less of you”.
The Queen replied swiftly “we took an oath to find your mate and my son, I will not break it” she said calmly, then she looked into his eyes, “I am not afraid” she said softly. Then she turned to the warriors, “five of you shall stay with the Rowgors, and if there is danger hide in the swamp, all others will come with us!”
And without more words she and her former mate ran into the darkness and into the unknown.
Andra was floating in a sea of dreams, it was a warm soft place filled with rainbow delights and towering crystal mountains, she stood looking up at a sky with many moons and she thought she was home. But it was not her home for there were no mountains of crystal on Selcarie and her planet had but one moon, then she heard a voice calling her name and she turned to see her brother Simon walking towards her, he smiled as he came to her side.
“I thought you had forgotten me,” he said softly.
“No I haven’t because I love you very much”, she replied.
He took her by the hand and they began to walk, and as they did the landscaped slowly changed to a cavern filled with giant green crystals and a rattling sound.
The spiders, she thought, but this time she was not afraid and with her brother leading the way they continued forward. Slowly they made their way to the cluster of glowing rocks and the tiny infant that lay naked upon them, all about were dozens of crystalline spiders but again Andra was not afraid. She moved to the small child and saw its snow-white skin and glowing blue eyes and as she stood there the baby held out its frail arms to her and in return Moonbud did the same. She took the small naked child in her arms and held it close to her body feeling its warmth and heartbeat, she looked down into its eyes and then it spoke to her.
“Remember me”, it said.
She felt something take hold of her body, something that burned her like fire and closing her eyes she began to scream. And as the echo of that scream died in her ears she opened her eyes.
Her head throbbed with pain and she felt like she had drunk a whole barrel of well-aged Po and for an instant she believed that she was back in her barracks on Selcarie and she was just waking from a night of song and drink. But as her vision cleared she saw that this was no army base and she had not been drinking. She tried to move her arms but they were held fast against her body by the same webbing she had seen before, but unlike those terrible strands these did not burn her skin. A moment later she remembered the giant spider and she franticly looked around for any sign of it but to her great relief there was nothing, now she took in her surroundings. She appeared to be hanging in some kind of nest, for all about her were other cocoons, some of them were smaller then she was other were much larger. Still others appeared to be shrunken as if their contents had been sucked out, then the truth hit her, she was now food for the eight-legged monster.
Knowing this her heart turned to ice and all courage drained form her, I have come a long way, she thought, and now I will die in my nightmare. It was a horrible idea to be sure but one that she had to face, but as she closed her eyes in a prayer that she life would end soon she felt something in her hand. She could only move her fingers a bit for the webbing about them was strong, but it was enough to feel Ral’s dagger still in her hand. And knowing that she held a weapon the Selcarie girl moved back from the brink of despair. Andra gripped the handle of the knife hard and summoning up all her strength she tried to move the blade up and down, at first she felt nothing, then after a few more attempts the strands holding her hand be
gan to loosen some. Now with hope filling her heart she began cutting more and more of her bindings until her hand could move freely, now it was simply a matter of severing more of the webbing until she was completely free.
Andra worked on her escape for what seemed like ages for as she continued cutting she felt like the titanic spider would come for her at any moment and she would die under its fangs. As sweat covered her brow she felt her right arm moving away from her body and she knew that in a few moments she would be free. Quickly she cut the strands holding legs and then the ones restraining her left arm, now all that remained was the thick ones wrapped around her middle and she would be free. It was then she looked below her.
If I cut these last ones I will fall, she thought, so she grasped the strands over her head and held them tightly as she began to cut the last of her bindings.
It was then she heard the rattling sound again.
She turned her head and saw that the giant spider was moving towards her, and seeing that she would not be able to climb up and away before the monster was upon her she whispered a little prayer and cut the last cords holding her up. She did not scream as she fell for she knew that any death would be better than the one she had escaped.
Arn was lost, he knew in what direction he was moving for the stone and steel of the Forbidden City could not dampen the directional power that all Nomads possessed. But what lay ahead and what dangers he would face he did not know, but nothing was going to turn him from finding his mate and punishing those responsible for taking her.
With him were his warriors and those of the Norgonie and although Ishea would never admit it she too was lost, but like her former mate she would never turn back. Now both the King and Queen moved through the endless maze of the ruined city always holding their weapons at the ready, and keeping a keen eye out for danger.
The moved swiftly but carefully for the dim light from the Starfall was not enough to reach into every dark corner and expose an enemy waiting there, then as they moved down a corridor the King suddenly stopped. He stood there stone still for a time and with him the warriors did the same, Ishea also did not move but after a moment or two she whispered to the Nomad beside her.
The Fallen God Page 46