“Sometimes we have to leave things and people behind that we care about. But I learned that they never leave us. You should return home.”
“You are right.” Knode nodded. “I must return home, be with my people, and convince them to take no more children. Why did fate do this to us? I can’t see the compassion. I can go no further. Life is running out for me. The last joy for me is to join my friend Naydiacar.”
“How can you say such a thing? You are still a stranger to me, despite our friendship. Keep going with the life you have. Naydiacar would not want you to join her yet. She is with her people, so be at rest.” Tenashar patted Knode on the shoulder in a gesture of friendship.
“Your words are encouraging and strong,” Knode began, “but have very little depth. I have no intention of dying now. There is too much for me to do. We must start north soon.”
The next morning, they talked about their journey to the northern countries.
Athtap joined them. “I suggest that you travel along the shore to find the northern islands that have become bridges to Sahaynaivium. Very few people believe there’s a land bridge between the continent and the islands.”
Knode looked at Athtap and nodded that this was a good idea.
The dwelling became warm. The morning sky grew clear as a gentle breeze blew in through the windows.
Marhidium and Siytai awoke.
“What’s going on? It seems you’re having a discussion without us.” Marhidium blinked herself awake as she spoke.
Siytai chimed in. “Knode? We are still part of the crew, aren’t we? Shouldn’t you let us know what you’re planning?”
Knode informed them that they planned to travel north to get back home.
Though half-asleep, Marhidium said, “This idea of yours is a wise one.”
Siytai stood by in his normal silence and nodded a bit.
Athtap warned, “There are now high tides along the shores that are starting to become very common, because winter is only four months away. In two months, you will be less than halfway to the north. By that time, the tides will be tremendous and have the power to sweep you out to sea. To follow a route far inland would take much more time. I advise you to start right away for the north.”
If Tenashar had not come across Athtap or Knode, he would have taken the inland route to the north. Experience had taught him that this was the safest, albeit the longest, way.
The morning light began to intensify, and strong winds came gusting in from the sea.
Athtap looked seaward with a solemn face. Even the fishermen were starting to become cautious, as the oceans were unusually violent.
Athtap turned to Tenashar and told him about the coming rough seas. “All our previous advice is no good now. The seas have become too rough, and the winds very high. I am sorry. For a short time, you can still go north on foot. But you must be sure to get to your destination before the tides become too high. It’s important that you head for a city we know of that is located by the sea. It is called Honazal.
“You’ll recognize the people by the bright colors they wear. They are friendly and accommodating and should be willing to give you a ship to get home. Their ships are built to navigate in the seas, even when they grow rough. The Honazals have sailed to the far north for centuries. I’m sure they must know about the islands of Sahaynaivium. You can trust them.
“I will send you to Honazal with a symbol that they will recognize as a message from the Veazith and Homvia. They will know that you came through here. I thought about sending you south to the Umharka, who also build great ships. But that would take too long, and the journey is very difficult. The best thing is to stay away from the south unless it’s absolutely necessary. Go to the north. I think that is the right way.” Athtap then fell silent.
Tenashar queried, “Do you mean we should go north in a boat? We are able to walk. I know you have said that a month would go by. We will then reach our destination. Remember, Una-sei, A-amar, and I walked from my village in the western mountains. What are you so concerned about?”
Athtap retorted, “Your thoughts say a lot, my son, and they sound brave. But once you get to the far north, you may want to turn back. There are strange people that live up in the canopies of very tall trees. They look down at travelers and call out in bizarre sounds that frighten the soul. They are said to never come down from those trees. There are also rumors that the spirits of dead birds cry out in human voices. It’s not something you want to see.”
Tenashar didn’t heed a word of what Athtap said. “I believe that these are all just stories the Veazith told to their children. I have to admit that I rarely traveled to the north and have not seen either the birds or the tree people. Besides, these were tales passed on through the generations. And the stories always entertained children.
“I could never believe one word of what you are saying, Athtap. As you said, these are probably just stories. I consider such stories ancient superstition. I only believe in phenomena that are investigated by science.”
Deep down, Tenashar knew that he had seen things that were unexplained by science or by the wisdom of an Aura-Laei-i. Some things in the world would always remain unknown.
The sky grew increasingly light, but the pale blue color seemed ominous, as if something didn’t want them to set out. The air became cold.
The travelers didn’t like what was happening.
“It seems strange that the weather would change so drastically on the very day we decided to leave. I think it’s imperative that we get on the road—our presence is causing the villagers to become increasingly hostile and fearful toward us. I think they believe that we are here to steal more of their children,” said Tenashar.
It wasn’t anything that Knode, Marhidium, and Siytai did—they were very quiet and never bothered anyone.
They were also getting ready for the cold weather, and storing food was vital. With the addition of the surviving Sahaynaiviums, there might not be enough food to get everyone through the season.
The clouds up in the sky were now overcast and dark, as if the morning light would have to fight to drive away the darkness. It was a cold day, and breath looked like smoke coming from everyone’s mouths.
Some people started to gather to see them depart. Some of the villagers smiled and waved.
Tenashar looked up and stared. The crowd made him quite uncomfortable.
Marhidium, Knode, and Siytai all felt the same. Siytai, who always showed the world a tough appearance, had a fearful and worried expression on his face. No one could blame him. Most of the villagers were happy to see them leave.
Marhidium and Siytai gathered all the things needed for the journey home, including everything they had salvaged from their flying ship. Later they decided to leave some things behind because they would be too heavy for the journey ahead.
Food was not as much a concern for Tenashar—he was skillful in finding food anywhere he went. On the other hand, they brought some food along since winter was approaching, and it might be difficult to find.
A-amar and Una-sei would protect them on their trek north, which gave them some comfort. They also planned to avoid any strange tree people, although Knode wanted to get a look at them.
Tenashar’s skill at reading the land made Knode feel at ease.
The children of the village came running in large numbers to A-amar and Una-sei to see them off and say farewell. They still wanted to play with them and hear more stories. A-amar and Una-sei played with the children as they waited for Tenashar and Knode to get ready to start on the journey.
Tenashar was surprised that A-amar and Una-sei were storytellers. “I thought Sharzeens were only made to protect people and give advice. Tell me more about yourselves.”
A-amar had a rare smile. “Your heart is in the right place. But you should have been wise enough to know us. To think of us as objects is very far from understanding our true function. We love all children—that is the reason that we protected you. That was wh
y we secretly played with Tansatei and why Cadica created us. Your father, Sanashei, gave us knowledge about you. You were always too serious to see the playful side of us. The children of the villages saw that immediately. We could have had so much fun together.”
The children jumped all over Una-sei and A-amar, saying, “Come back, we want to play more.”
As they gathered to go, Athtap held Tenashar in his arms and said, “The little I have given you might help you find the answers. Try to be safe and beware of the council of Sahaynaivium, the rulers of the islands. Please come back someday—I’d like to see you again.”
“I want to visit the islands. The answers we want for all our people may be there.” Tenashar stared deep into Athtap’s eyes.
That said a lot to Athtap. Tenashar already sensed something big was going to happen once he arrived in Sahaynaivium.
chapter 10
Struggling across the Jagged Lava Rocks
Soon the Veazith village was far behind them. The sun was still casting a warm glow when the fishing village where they were expected finally came into sight. The villagers who lived by the sea had heard of their journey and greeted them with warmth.
The children of the village had never even heard of the flying ships. Knode was glad to hear this, for the people held no hostility toward them. Children greeted A-amar and Una-sei with happy yells that could be heard everywhere—perhaps as far away as the Veazith village.
Tenashar noticed the oceans would soon become very violent. They were told by the village head to be very careful because some of their fishermen had lost their lives recently.
The village head said, “After you make it past some of those rocks and heavy waves along the shore, the land will be clear, and you will come to a large expanse of land. From there you can see the ocean and its tides. Then you can judge for yourself what to do.”
They climbed over some rocks that were actually hills. Some of these hills were very dangerous, since due to the volcanic nature of the area, they had sharp edges that had not been worn away with time. One false move could be fatal.
Now they understood what the chief of the sea village was talking about. On these rocks, they inched their way over a blowhole that sprayed them with heavy jets of heated water.
As they struggled across the jagged lava rocks, Marhidium became afraid and almost couldn’t move. A-amar took her arm and gently guided her. Tenashar called out to her not to look at the blowhole. He inched his way along, feeling and grabbing each rock that would support him—some even cut his hand and made it bleed, but Tenashar just ignored the pain. He knew that he had to concentrate; otherwise he would fall.
With a grumbling groan, Siytai also inched his way across the rocks. He complained to Knode. “This is only one of the many possible ways to get back home. There must be some other route we can take that would not risk our lives. I hope Tenashar finds a better way once we get off these rocks. I’ll never think of our flights as routine anymore.”
Knode, in front, looked back at Siytai. “I know what you mean. I am determined to stay away from mountains when the winds are high. I was a foolish navigator and caused so much trouble. My curiosity always gets me into trouble.”
Siytai struggled to grab onto a rock. “Yes, you’re right. I will not say it is your fault that Naydiacar is dead. Our reason for coming to this continent was to find out what was here. Nothing else. You did what was necessary to add to our knowledge of things.”
Knode just shook his head without a reply.
Behind Siytai, Una-sei kept watch to prevent anyone from falling. The drenching from the spray, painful legs, and sore hands were the only things they could think about.
A-amar and Una-sei weren’t bothered by these problems, being immune to water and rocks.
When the group finally made it over the last rocky cliff, they found themselves wet, hungry, and aching all over. They also found themselves staring at a beautiful landscape where trees entwined with semi desert, long stretches of beach, and rough surf. Their groans of relief could be heard even above the heavy pounding of the waves against the shore and the high winds. Tenashar was the first to collapse to the sand, but not the last. Only A-amar and Una-sei were unaffected.
“Una-sei, do you feel even a bit tired from the ordeal?” groaned Tenashar from his place on the warm sand.
“No, I don’t. Remember—a Sharzeen is able to absorb energy from the sun, water, and other elements,” said Una-sei.
“Una-sei, you and A-amar were wonderfully made. I am not made so well. There is only a human body for me.” Tenashar almost faded into unconsciousness as he spoke these words.
Marhidium was stretched out on the sand, vacantly staring at the sky. She didn’t utter a single word. Knode scratched his head and looked around in a curious manner. He was the only one standing. He didn’t seem to be bothered as much by the struggle through the rocky cliffs and hills. Siytai just sat on the sand, arms crossed, alone with his deep thoughts. He was also pressing his thumbs together, which meant that he was worried about something.
Marhidium said, “Hey, Siytai, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking that it would be easier to have flown, or are you just angry. What is it?”
Knode looked at Siytai.
Siytai finally spoke. “I was just thinking that Naydiacar is back there—and I once lived there myself, so very long ago. But I can’t remember—not a single thing! That’s all.”
“You can go back there if you want. But you know you are a stranger to the Veazith. They are not your people anymore.” Marhidium’s voice had a somewhat sarcastic tone.
“That’s very true. Veazith is not my home. I never thought that it was,” said Siytai.
The beach was apparently a place where everyone felt the need to look back on their past. It seemed that they were all examining their own hearts. Una-sei and A-amar were the only ones that didn’t think deeply about what was happening.
“Now, Tenashar, where do we go from here?” Knode broke the pensive mood.
“I don’t know. This place is outside my knowledge. But I think it’s best that we go into the forest and seek shelter there. The wind and waves seem to be after us,” Tenashar replied.
Knode nodded in agreement. The others dragged themselves up off the sand and followed. It wasn’t far to the forest. Once inside, they were surrounded by strange ruins—the remains of a large village or town. Marhidium called the others to a wall that seemed to be submerged into grass and soil that looked as if it had swelled up like water. Everything around had a look of being swallowed up by the ground.
“I’ve seen this before,” said Knode. “Marhidium and Siytai, you know what this is? A long time ago, the waves came up from the beach and overran the village, and somehow moved the ground as it passed over. I believe it caused the ground to become almost like a liquid. Then it mixed with the sand, mud, and rock—together destroying the village and perhaps even its people. We have seen such things in Isedium and Himoicum.”
As Tenashar was looking around, he replied, “It looks to me like the people had time to take their belongings and run away. Someone must have warned them.”
They all looked around, sensing that something wasn’t right. None of the things people used in everyday life were around. There were no pottery pieces, remains of cooking utensils, toys, or tools, only a few broken items partly buried in the ground.
“Perhaps some of the remains of people and things are buried beneath the ground,” said Marhidium.
“Marhidium, please don’t say such things. It makes me feel uncomfortable about having to spend the night here!” said Knode.
She turned to him. “How can we be sure without digging under the ground to see?” Marhidium gave Knode a worried look.
“I think that is not important. We have to get some rest,” said Tenashar, looking from one to the other.
“I agree,” Siytai chimed in. “Let’s just sit and rest. I am so tired from those rocky cliffs. I don’t want to
repeat them again.”
A-amar found them some shelter near a tight clump of trees and a wall of rocks that looked as if they were once part of a garden. Nearby were the almost intact remains of a dome-shaped dwelling; similar to homes they saw in Veazith.
The grasses and ferns grew tall and thick here. Natural rocky outcrops made the place ideal as a shelter. Both A-amar and Una-sei set down the provisions they had carried along on the trip. Some of the things that Tenashar carried, he kept protected by his side, such as the ring compass and his bag.
In the forest, there were what the inhabitants of the region called mountain or forest vegetables, like mushrooms, various types of moss, and other plants that were edible. Plus, fruit trees were all around.
It had been true that during Tenashar’s long travels he was able to find food everywhere. He simply could feel where to find it. If one knew how and where to look, food could be found almost anywhere. Most of the Senetha were trained from childhood in gathering and finding food. From a very young age, they were taught the knowledge of many plants and their uses.
It was also odd that A-amar and Una-sei were able to keep all of them quite warm. It may have been one of the natural functions of a Sharzeen.
chapter 11
Ghost Girl and the Ancient Ruins
Suddenly there was the sound of something coming through the ferns. A breaking of twigs became slowly louder.
Tenashar strained his ears to hear what was coming. He decided it wasn’t some type of animal, because of the deliberate footsteps.
Everyone heard the noise—even Knode, who was startled from his sleep.
Suddenly a little girl appeared in front of them, smiling. She had dark shoulder-length hair, light brown skin, large eyes, and a small nose. She wore a short red smock with flowers and plants intertwined with sun-yellow decorative patterns. Her legs were bare, and she wore no shoes.
She looked clean and composed, something Tenashar couldn’t understand, considering the conditions of the forest and the nearby hostile shore. It was as if she had been bathed and lived in complete luxury. The girl’s eyes looked as if she trusted everyone and had nothing to fear.
Journey to the Grassland and Sea Page 7