Journey to the Grassland and Sea

by Robert Matsunaga

  Some of the slightly larger islands had ruins. What these ruins once were, not even Knode had any theory. They were just there. An uneventful night passed, followed by another day, before they spotted an island with a multitude of colored foliage capped by snow.

  “I believe it’s Zdevayium, but I’m not sure. I’ve seen this before. There’s a sound of birds—yes, these birds have beautiful feathers. They are familiar,” said Knode.

  And there were the glass monoliths. He smiled in acknowledgment. It was an island under the rule of the Sahaynaivium council, but he still wasn’t sure if it was Zdevayium. The monolith was tall with patterned designs embedded under its surface. When the sun touched the designs on either side of the monolith, it created an inner glow, and slender colorful shadows were cast across the white sands.

  “Finally we are beached. The sand feels good, and the air smells fresh.” Tenashar plopped himself on the sand and let the waves lap his feet while ignoring everyone else.

  Later Tenashar walked ahead.

  “What is this? I think it’s a monolith. Is this Zdevayium? Something is engraved on the glass. There’s a name here,” said Tenashar.

  “It’s the custom to write the names of these islands on these proud monoliths to let seafarers know where they are if they happened to get lost,” replied Knode

  “There is something interesting about these monoliths. They seem to be alive. This shouldn’t be the case,” replied Tenashar.

  It was A-amar who found it fascinating. “One of us,” he said as he felt the texture of the monolith with his hands.

  Tenashar started rubbing his hands over the monolith. He sensed it was more than what it appeared to be. Tenashar looked at Knode, who was standing beside him.

  “If you think these monoliths are Sharzeens,” Knode seemed to read his thoughts, “Perhaps they are. This monolith drew us here.” He started studying the monolith’s shape.

  “I wonder if these monoliths are some kind of guardians.” It was obvious that Marhidium hadn’t seen monoliths like these before.

  Then Tenashar made the connection; these monoliths distantly resembled some of the guardians created by the Sileizan! Of course it didn’t have a face, but once when Tenashar glanced up quickly, he spotted a hint of a face—though it immediately disappeared. This time Tenashar saw a face appear, and Knode said he saw the same thing. They both pulled themselves away from the monolith. But A-amar and Una-sei remained near its side, as if it was part of their family.

  Knode suggested, “We should start a fire to let some of the inhabitants of the island know we are here.”

  “There is no guarantee that anyone would see this fire or even that the island is inhabited,” said Tenashar.

  “Once this fire is made, the flames will gradually grow to an extreme height. Someone should see it,” replied Knode.

  “Well, there hasn’t been any response from anyone. I think it’s obvious there is no one here. Knode, look over there—Jarviashar is just sitting on the beach. I sort of feel pity for her,” said Tenashar.

  Tenashar saw that she wanted to believe that he was growing in affection toward her, but he only felt compassion for another human being.

  Marhidium finally came to her side, because she knew what Tenashar was thinking. She sat beside Jarviashar and gazed sympathetically at the girl whose head hung down in frustration. Marhidium put her arms around Jarviashar, holding her like a mother and gazing out to sea.

  The horizon was beautiful, the sun slanting toward the horizon and casting an orange- golden light that bathed Marhidium and Jarviashar in a glow that seemed more than ordinary—almost spiritual.

  Knode called out to Marhidium, beckoning her to join him and Siytai.

  She left Jarviashar alone.

  “Siytai just returned from exploring part of the island,” Knode said as soon as she was close. “From up on the hill, he spotted another island that’s inhabited. It’s a little ways from here, but if we make for the island now, we should get there by morning. What do you think?”

  Marhidium replied, “You called me here to say that? Aren’t you our leader? Just make the plans to go to the island. That child needs my comfort!”

  She went back to stay with Jarviashar. Siytai smiled and shook his head. Knode called out to Tenashar to make plans for their departure from the island. There wasn’t much to do. All their belongings were already in the canoe. Jarviashar went meekly into the canoe with Marhidium. Tenashar also walked alongside. He had no feelings toward her, and she began to accept that. Tenashar sensed that her eyes said that she embraced the words of Marhidium.

  Sailing around the island of Zdevayium, they made their way to the island of Uzitheda. In the darkened sky, they ate their evening meal of herbs, vegetables, and fruits of Sovazal. This gave them energy and stamina to overcome the elements of the weather and sea. In the distance, Tenashar saw the lights of a village. Everyone took heart.

  Tenashar, Siytai, A-amar, and Una-sei did all the paddling without complaint. As they came closer to Uzitheda, they spotted more monoliths. Nothing else could be made out at that distance except some dwellings—there were very few near the shore. Most of them were nestled in the highly forested hills.

  Knode, Marhidium, and Siytai didn’t know much about this island, just the name. The Sahaynaiviums rarely heard anything about Uzitheda.

  Jarviashar didn’t want anything to do with the journey. She had turned inside of herself and had even refused to eat or drink. Tenashar ignored her, but Marhidium sat beside her—not talking, just being there for her.

  Tenashar suddenly remembered the ring compass. As he looked into his bag, he saw Mushroom and Rock. It seemed that they wanted to speak with him after a long absence. After taking out the compass, he touched them both to see what they wanted. But they didn’t say anything. None of their thoughts came through either. It looked as if they weren’t ready to speak with him yet. He was disappointed that his first friends and spiritual companions hadn’t called out to him.

  He aligned the inner and outer rings, which made the compass glow. At first it wasn’t clear that the glow wasn’t just a reflection of the moonlight. There were things he still had to learn. Soon he realized the light was coming from the compass.

  First slowly, then with speed, Tenashar began to comprehend the use of the compass’s numbers and symbols. It navigated by thought and feeling—an art, not a technical exercise. Deep within his heart, Tenashar began to realize that the Rock and Mushroom might have transferred their spirits into the compass. He didn’t question why this may or may not have happened.

  chapter 20

  The Shore of Uzitheda

  They saw the light of the village from the other island. Before dawn, they drew near Sahaynaivium. As they got closer, people called out to them. Tenashar could make out the smiles of his people as many of them waded into the surf to help bring the canoe to the beach. They recognized the uniforms of the aeronauts, tattered as they were, and gave them an enthusiastic welcome. Some of them cheered while others patted them on the back and shoulders. The island children played and jumped around in the surf.

  The moment that A-amar and Una-sei emerged from the canoe, the Sahaynaiviums seemed roused to fear and curiosity. Knode was ready to explain what they were. The villagers understood they were Sharzeen; the only reason for their fear was that they had never seen a live Sharzeen. For these people, it was only a legend.

  Tenashar stood by while Knode told them of the whole ordeal—Tenashar, the Sharzeens, Veazith, Honazal, and Sovazal. With some hesitation, the Uzithedans welcomed A-amar and Una-sei.

  At first, few of the children came up to them. With some hesitation, they touched the menacing creatures, expecting that they would move. When they didn’t, more children joined in and started to make a game of it. Both A-amar and Una-sei sat down on the sand, and more children came up to them to play.

  A villager said, “Tenashar and Jarviashar, this our leader. His name is Calna.”

 
“I have found it interesting that you have come from far away. We had heard of the Sovazal, but never in recent memory did anyone from afar visit Uzitheda. And we were not aware of a people called the Senetha,” said Calna.

  Calna was short and stocky with broad shoulders, long white hair, and light brown skin that was blistered and wrinkled. Calna’s narrow eyes conveyed a smile, his thin lips said the same, and Tenashar sensed that he had years of experience in being the head.

  Tenashar was feeling nervous.

  “I see there is a crowd gathering. Don’t worry. They are just curious. The children like you,” said Calna.

  Then the young girls did the same, which made Tenashar uneasy and perhaps angry. Then the adults gave him even more of a welcome. This was the island way of accepting complete strangers.

  Jarviashar wasn’t given the same welcome, because the islanders had always known about the Sovazal and already accepted them. She was generally left alone on the beach. When Marhidium saw this, she came up, grabbed her hand, and took her along.

  No one was really in charge of the village because the people there lived a simple life that didn’t require any complications. These people fished for a living, like the Sovazal and the Honazal. They also farmed and crafted things.

  Calna escorted Knode to a place they called the Oquitoc—a huge, open-air building made out of various metals, stone, and glass where the village gathered to talk. The roof of the Oquitoc was shaped like a turtle shell that slanted down in one direction. In a lot of ways, it looked like a giant turtle on the beach. Central pillars held it up, making it look rather like an umbrella, or an apple eaten to the core. Other smaller pillars acted as walls. The central sections of these pillars were thin, gradually widening as it reached the top and bottom.

  The travelers were brought to the Oquitoc, along with all their belongings.

  This was a gathering place for the people to talk about their problems. In this way, each villager was given his or her say. An Oquitoc had the same function as the Home of the Leaders in Honazal. It was just a little smaller. They were told to feel free to spread out and sleep.

  Uzitheda was a quiet island compared to many communities Tenashar had encountered. Yet the same problems persisted with regard to dealing with the growing threat of the sea and land. The villagers told them that they were lucky to come on such a night when the oceans were calm. The seas had become too treacherous for the islanders to do much fishing or sailing to other islands. They had already sent emissaries to Himoicum to ask for help with this.

  Many thoughts were already going through Tenashar’s mind, including how even Sahaynaivium and its beautiful islands were showing signs of becoming uninhabitable.

  On a lighter side, Uzithedan hospitality was comforting. They were given food. The people came and asked about the places they visited. The Uzithedans had a special curiosity about Tenashar’s people and their ways. They wanted to know what had happened to Knode, Siytai, and Marhidium and were surprised to see only three aeronauts. They were sad and disappointed to learn that the rest of the crew had perished so far from home.

  Their host, Calna, in turn spoke of rumors that were circulating throughout the islands concerning what was happening in the council. Some of its members were denying anything was wrong with the seas and lands. Others were arguing an opposite point that Honazalian ships were calling at Himoicum to speak of the same thing. He indicated that there might be records in Himoicum, the capitol of the land, that spoke of the machines or Orbs and could show why and how they were built. “The records may not exist, but we must try. And I am sure that, once they understand the problem, the Sahaynaiviums will do the same. We must contact them. We have lost communication with them for many centuries. It is now that we should go to them to talk about the oceans.”

  Everyone present agreed to lend a ship to bring the Sahaynaiviums home. The head of the council said that it was important that the Sahaynaiviums leave very soon; there was no time to be lost.

  Events were unrolling at a faster pace than expected. Every moment, the world was becoming less livable.

  Tenashar said, “I’ve seen and heard many things in Veazith, Honazal, and Sovazal.”

  “I’m relieved that we weren’t the only ones having problems with the huge Orbs that devoured things,” said Calna.

  The conversations went on through the night.

  Marhidium and Jarviashar fell asleep next to each other. Siytai and Knode also started to slump down into sleep.

  Tenashar was the only one who stayed up to tell Calna what he had seen. Tenashar and Calna sat outside so they wouldn’t disturb the others who were sleeping.

  Tenashar finally roused the rest of the group, saying, “The council is preparing to discuss many matters, and representatives from Honazal are already in Himoicum.”

  The news made Knode angry at the Honazalians. “If they were coming here anyway, why didn’t they just take us directly to the capital? Did the Honazalians think my crew is beneath them?”

  Tenashar assured Knode, “Understand, the Honazalian ships couldn’t have sailed directly to the Himoicum. You know this. The waters around the island have become too impassable. The Honazalian delegation must have sailed across the treacherous oceans in the shortest way. They probably never went anywhere near the northern islands. They must have either bypassed the northern islands or were brought to the island on a flying ship sent from Himoicum.”

  After a long pause, Knode grudgingly accepted this.

  “Even if that is true, something is happening that they don’t want us to know about,” said Tenashar. He looked at Knode. “I think that the two councils were hiding something. It’s important to make our way to Himoicum quickly, to find out what was happening.”

  The canoe was ready, and Tenashar and his friends embarked with great speed. A-amar and Una-sei rowed out to sea. The children, crying and waving, came running to say farewell.

  Many of the boats and canoes of the villagers were sailing alongside them, and many of the Uzithedans in their floating sea dwellings were also giving cheers of farewell. The canoe made great progress, covering a great expanse of sea and passing many islands. Many of these islands had people, but they never stopped. They just kept pushing on.

  “If we keep paddling and never stop at any island, we should see Isedium in two days,” said Knode. “Once we get to Isedium, we can fly to Himoicum. The travel time will be less than a day. After that, it will be simple to procure a high-speed flying craft. I’ve heard that some of the newest flying craft are even faster than the experimental models that were in the testing stage of development when I left.”

  After a day of tranquil sailing, the ocean grew extremely rough. The canoe almost capsized and sank several times. There was no time to think, because Knode and Tenashar believed that they had to get to Himoicum to meet with the council.

  The sky started to darken, and the seas became a dark, murky, grayish color. It was impossible for Tenashar and the others to feel comfortable in the canoe. He started vomiting. Tenashar wasn’t experienced with the sea. He had to lie down and was constantly drenched by extremely large amounts of water. Marhidium, Siytai, Knode, and Jarviashar were more used to rough sailing, but they began to worry. They felt sorry for Tenashar, who was unable to move from the sickness.

  Marhidium put his head on her lap, and Jarviashar comforted his feet by keeping them in her lap.

  Siytai made fun of Tenashar. “You are fortunate to have such girls to attend you. I wish I was sick.”

  Marhidium was sarcastic. “Siytai, your jealousy is one of your strongest traits. I am sure of that.”

  Siytai sneered back at Marhidium, “Yes, I have many traits but jealousy is a minute. Remember, I am a great pilot, smart, and great at sarcasm compared to you. This is my power over you.” His face was half-hidden by the rains and grayish light. Upon seeing Siytai’s face, Tenashar became extremely sick.

  Rain started pouring, and the canoe filled with water. It became d
ifficult to bail out the water because the rain blinded them, and it was soaking everyone and threatening to swamp the canoe. Marhidium and Una-sei frantically scooped as much water as they could with their hands. Knode, Siytai, and A-amar were paddling as hard as they could to beat the rains. They were trying to head for a break in the clouds some distance off. But the canoe kept going off course as the large waves took it in other directions. Only with great effort with the paddles were they able to get on course, but they seemed farther from their goal.

  A small island was coming up. After two hours, the canoe finally came close to the island. They decided to make for the shore to wait for the rains to subside. They avoided the sharp rocks and after constant searching spotted an inlet without rocks. The waves continued to pound on the canoe, making it difficult to navigate. So much water poured into the canoe that it was almost ready to sink when they finally got to shore.

  Snatching up some provisions, they made their way to a sheltering rock, secluded on all sides with trees and foliage. They waited out the rain and storm, hating every moment it delayed them from getting to Himoicum. On the beach, A-amar and Una-sei stayed busy emptying the canoe of water and bringing the rest of the belongings into the rock shelter.

  “Without these guardians, I don’t know what we would do,” Knode said, and Marhidium wholeheartedly agreed.

  A-amar had begun by carrying Tenashar out of the canoe. He was lying on the floor near the fire. Tenashar felt a strange tenderness throughout his body as Siytai put a cooling palm over his forehead. This was unexpected treatment from the quiet and moody Siytai. Tenashar realized there was a lot he didn’t know about the older boy.

  “So there is a warm spot in your heart,” said Tenashar.

  Just as their shelter was completed, the rains subsided. It was as if something didn’t want them to continue on their journey. They all felt that if they went back to the canoe, the rains would begin again. They were also concerned that Tenashar might become ill again.