Noah: Man of Resolve

by Tim Chaffey

  Elam kissed the old woman on the forehead. “Thank you for everything.”

  She teared up afresh. “I know you’re overwhelmed by all that’s happened, but be strong for your daughter.” She rubbed his shoulder. “I’ll miss you all very much.”

  Blinking back tears, Elam said, “I love you. You and your husband were wonderful mentors to me. I hope we’ll see you again.” He turned and crawled backward into the opening. “Don’t worry, Noah, the tunnel is taller once you get inside.”

  Noah hugged Kmani. “May the Creator keep you safe.”

  “And you as well.” Kmani gently handed Rayneh to Elam. “Be careful, and get as far away from here as possible.”

  Noah waited for her to move out of the way before following Elam into the tunnel, carefully holding the lantern off the ground as he ducked under the low opening. After a few steps, the ceiling allowed him to stand, although not to his full height. “Noah, take this.” Kmani reached down and handed an empty waterskin to him.

  “Thank you.” Noah mustered a smile that tried to convey half a millennia of gratitude. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He pulled two gold pikkas from a small pouch. “Please make sure that a young man named Pav at the shipyard gets these.”

  Kmani nodded and a tear dripped off her cheek. “I will. Farewell.” She sniffed and closed the door.

  Noah held the light aloft and studied the tunnel before him. A handful of scraggly roots poked through the dirt ceiling above. Wooden beams stretched from the floor to the top every five to six cubits, and a crossbeam connected them along the ceiling. A few streaks of water appeared on the clay that formed much of both sides up to Noah’s shoulders. He walked past Elam. “Let’s go.”

  Keeping his head down, Noah led the way through the tunnel. After approximately 60 cubits, the passageway veered left. Just beyond the turn, a tree root had forced its way through a section of the wall, spilling enough dirt to block nearly half of their route.

  “We must be under the forest,” Elam said. “That means we’re past the wall.”

  “I believe so. It shouldn’t be too much farther. Stay quiet until we’re sure no one is in the shed.”

  A few uneventful moments later, they neared the end of the tunnel. Noah dimmed the light and stopped before the ladder set into the left wall. Glancing up, he spotted the hatch. He put a finger to his lips, reminding Elam to be silent.

  Rayneh wriggled in Elam’s arms, trying to get comfortable. He stroked her head and held her close. After a long silence, he spoke in a whisper. “Noah, if something happens to me. I want you and Emzara to raise Rayneh as your own.”

  Noah smiled and touched the little girl’s cheek. “We’d be honored. But don’t talk like that. We’re going to make it.”

  “You think it’s clear up there?”

  Noah shrugged. “Well, let’s find out. I’ll go up first.” Noah carefully slid a latch that unlocked the door above him and then slowly cracked it open. He climbed the ladder and peeked through the gap. With no sign of intruders, Noah finished his ascent, which led him to a small area behind a wall of crates. A gap between the crates and the far wall opened up to the rest of the shack. He squeezed through the breach. Confident that they were alone, he retraced his steps back to the tunnel exit. “It’s all clear.” Noah stooped low, set the lamp on the floor, and took Rayneh from her father.

  Elam climbed up the ladder and closed the door. “It’s safe?”

  “I think so. I’ll take her for a while.” Noah nodded to the far wall. “You can get past the crates over there.”

  After retrieving the lantern, Elam followed Noah’s directions, and they soon reached the front door. “Where do we go from here?”

  “North, through the woods. We need to avoid the main roads at least until we’re a long ways from the city. And keep the light dim.”

  “Good idea.” Elam took a deep breath. “Are you ready?”

  Noah nodded and then closed his eyes. “Creator, please protect us. We thank You for helping us get this far and pray that You’ll lead us safely through the rest of the night.”

  Elam patted Noah on the shoulder and then opened the door. The men stepped out into a glade, hurried across the clearing, and entered the forest. They walked through patches of woods intersected by swaths of fields. When the lights of Iri Geshem could no longer be seen, they slowed their pace a little.

  They reached a road marked by deep wagon wheel grooves. “If I’m not mistaken,” Noah said as he pointed left, “this road leads west to Kadzen.”

  “That’s the first town on the river, right?” Elam rubbed his tired eyes.

  “Yeah.” As the threat of death seemed less imminent, the stress of the day’s events started to take its toll. Noah stretched his neck and shoulders. “We could go that way and take the river road until we find a boat heading north. But for now, I think we should stay off the roads. After the sun rises, maybe we can find the old trail along the eastern edge of the forest. It’ll be a little out of the way, but we should be able to move faster. And I really doubt that troops will be sent that far to find us.”

  “They probably think we’re still in the city. I’m sure glad Zain built that tunnel.” Elam yawned. “Let’s go with your plan, but I’d like to rest a little first.”

  Noah motioned to the forest across the road. “Let’s find a place in there to hide.”

  They scampered across the path and down a short hill into the woods. A small stream babbled before them. Noah leapt over it and then filled the waterskin. Both men drank from it before Noah topped it off again and slung it over his shoulder.

  The forest offered little resistance due to its sparse undergrowth. While this allowed them to move steadily, it also afforded them very few places to hide. As the eastern sky developed a faint glow, signaling the coming dawn, Noah pointed to a grove of large trees where the brush grew thicker. “That looks like a good place.”

  Elam found a level piece of ground near one of the trees and reclined. After taking Rayneh, he adjusted his wrap to cover her tiny frame. “I’m glad you’re still resting, sweet one. We’ll get through this together.”

  Noah set the lamp, bag of food, and water on the ground. Reclining against a tree a few cubits from Elam, he wrestled with all that transpired in the past day. He remained silent as Elam sniffled, giving his friend some privacy as he grieved an unimaginable loss. Iri Geshem’s addiction to violence had now claimed the lives of so many people that Noah loved. Yet, even though the vivid images of brutality remained fresh, his focus stayed elsewhere: the peace and boldness he possessed in the midst of the most terrifying moment of his life. The Creator protected me and gave me the courage to warn the people.

  Settling his head on his crossed forearms that rested on his knees, Noah closed his eyes to pray. He thanked the Most High for watching over him in the arena and asked Him to protect Emzara, Laleel, and Garun as they traveled the river. God, please comfort Elam as well. Noah’s prayer continued until he nodded off. His head jerked up before he let it down on his arms again. His thoughts drifted to Emzara and their unborn child, and then sleep overtook him.

  “On your feet!” A sharp voice rang out. It seemed distant at first, but Noah quickly realized it did not originate in a dream. “Up. Now.”

  Noah opened his eyes and his heart sank. A spear was pointed directly at his face only a fingertip away. Why did I fall asleep? He blinked hard and his eyes adjusted to the bright morning light. Elam? Noah looked over to see two guards standing over his friend with spears aimed at him. Noah slowly raised a hand. “I’m getting up.” As he carefully climbed to his feet, he held out both hands. “We’re unarmed.”

  “What about him?” The guard pushed his spear closer to Elam.

  “He’s only carrying his daughter,” Noah said. “Please don’t harm them.”

  The guard gestured to the man on his right. “Get them up.”

  As a soldier bound Noah’s hands behind his back, two others prodded Elam to his feet.


  “Sir, what about the girl?”

  “Let her father carry her, but bind him around the waist,” the man in front of Noah said. “We’ll let the captain decide their fate.”

  Only then did Noah realize why their accents sounded strange. The half dozen soldiers wore red and black uniforms bearing the unmistakable emblems of the famed Nodite army.

  Enjoy a glimpse of Book 3 in the compelling Remnant Trilogy

  Chapter 1

  Iri Geshem — Noah’s 499th year

  Turning her head to dodge the brilliant reflection of sunlight off the glimmering façade of Iri Geshem’s town hall to her right, Naamah marched toward the guest mansion reserved for foreign dignitaries. Jaw set in an angry line, she twisted the oversized iron bracer covering her left arm from elbow to wrist and stared at its intricate patterns.

  Led by Nivlac, a quartet of guards flanking her increased their pace to keep up. Even after her many protests, they still accompanied her. Iri Geshem’s seedy characters always posed a slight threat, but the soldiers had remained on high alert since the day before. A mixture of outrage and grief had overtaken the town after the debacle in the arena and the chance remained high that someone might seek revenge for loved ones lost. Still, being surrounded by overprotective men at all times did nothing to improve her mood, and she maintained a stony silence throughout their trek.

  Two soldiers manned the doors into the residence. Normally, the gold trim along the frame, a sign of Havil’s influence in this city, would bring her happiness, but she was in no mood to be amused. The guards pushed the doors open and stepped inside as she approached.

  The bearded man on her left nodded. “Welcome back, Princess.”

  Ignoring him, Naamah stormed ahead into the spacious foyer. She glanced around, hoping there would be no delay. To her right, a small group of people spoke quietly around the low table in the sitting room. They fell silent at the sight of her, but she turned away without acknowledging them. The lavish dining hall to her left sat vacant except for a servant girl preparing the place settings. Besides Nivlac, the guards remained near the door.

  Naamah moved to the stairs and ascended to the second floor. She turned left and hurried to her guest room at the end of the hall.

  “Princess.” Nivlac gently touched her arm. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  She opened the door, jerked away from his touch, and glared at her loyal guard. “Just wait out here.”

  He drew himself upright and faced the hallway. “As you command.”

  Naamah shut the door behind her and tossed her green-hemmed cloak on a bench. She slid her shoes off and dropped onto the bed. As she loosened the strings on the bracer, regret and sadness filled her entire body. How long has it been since I’ve felt this way? She adjusted the metal and retied the cords, fitting it more comfortably, even though it was clearly made for a man’s large forearm. Studying the remarkable craftsmanship, her thoughts raced back to her brother’s final moments in the arena. She shook her head in an attempt to rid herself of that memory. Thankful for the opportunity to spend some time in Tubal-Cain’s shop earlier in the day, she stroked the one memento she had found to remember him by.

  As she repositioned herself, an object pressed against her stomach. Withdrawing the small dagger from the pocket of her wrap, Naamah held it in front of her eyes and slowly twisted it about. For a brief moment, the thought of plunging it directly into her own chest raced into her mind. She raised the knife and gripped the handle with both hands. Taking a deep breath, she recalled her father’s smile as Tubal-Cain died. She lowered the blade and inserted it into its slot in the bracer. Not while Da is still alive.

  As she stared at the armband her brother had crafted, Naamah said, “And I’ll wear this until he’s dead.” She fell back onto the bed and closed her eyes. Why wouldn’t you bow, Tu? Her lip quavered and she squeezed her eyes tight, successfully preventing a tear from escaping. All because you came to this city with Noah.

  Gathering her wits, she sat back up and gazed out the large window to her right. In her mind she watched the giant drag Noah into the arena, leaving him standing helplessly beneath her as the grendec entered and the crowd roared. No matter how many times she replayed the next moment, the outcome never changed. Brimming with a quiet confidence, Noah looked at her and said, “I will not die today.”

  Her heart pounding, she clenched a fist and slammed it into the bed. “How did he know?” What if he’s right? What if the Creator is more pow — “No!” Impossible. Noah was just lucky. No matter. He’ll soon be back in our custody, and there will be no escape. How dare he try to make a fool of me in front of everyone!

  Naamah stood and moved to the reflective plate on the wall. She ran a hand through her hair, pushing all of it over to the right. After straightening her gown, she held up her left arm to examine how the bracer looked on her. A hint of a smile grew on her lips as she focused on the hilt of the dagger. I like it.

  A knock at the door ripped her attention away from her reflection. “Not now, Nivlac.”

  The door creaked open. “Princess, the king told me to update you on the search.” The voice was not Nivlac’s.

  Naamah gasped, but briskly straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Enter.”

  A guard stepped into the room and knelt before her. Keeping his head down, he said, “Every exit to the city has been blocked since yesterday. As you know, we stopped him from fleeing the city by boat. Our —”

  “Where is he?” Naamah tapped her foot.

  The guard hesitated and dropped his head even lower. “Still no sign of him, but he must be in the eastern part of the city. Our men have been searching every home.”

  Naamah grabbed a small vase off the shelf beside her and smashed it onto the floor, shattering it into dozens of pieces. “Find him!”

  The man flinched. “Yes, Princess.”

  Glaring at the back of the man’s neck, she slid the dagger partway out of the armband. Letting out a breath, she replaced the blade with a clinking of metal. “You weren’t sent out to come back empty-handed. Return without him again, and you’ll be fed to the grendec.”

  He nodded. “Yes, Princess.”

  “Get out!”

  The soldier stood and bowed before spinning around and hustling out of the room.

  Naamah kicked a clay shard across the floor. Tubal-Cain is dead and Noah’s free. “Ah!” Her breathing quickened as her anger kindled. Trying to shake the image of Tubal-Cain’s bloodied corpse from her mind, she paused and let it fuel her temper instead. She scratched an itch near the top edge of the bracer, the irritation increasing her rage even more. Her eyes locked onto the handle. “This comes off today.”

  Stepping carefully over shattered pottery, she reached for her shoes and pulled them on. “Nivlac!”

  He stepped into the room, and his eyes darted from the mess on the floor to her. “Yes, Highness.”

  Controlling the tone of her voice, Naamah asked, “Do you know where my father is?”

  “I believe he’s in a meeting with leaders from the city.”

  Biting her lip, she contemplated how to take revenge. Yes, that should work. “Very good. That’s all.”

  Nivlac nodded. “Would you like me to inform the king that you’d like to see him?”

  She strode past him. “That won’t be necessary. Follow me.”

  Rushing down the hall, Naamah allowed the memory of Tubal-Cain’s murder to drive her forward while ignoring all the warnings that rang inside her. I don’t care if this is a deadly mistake. It’s worth the risk. As she reached the middle of the passage, she turned left and pushed the double doors open, then stepped confidently into the spacious meeting hall. The city’s council members reclined on lush cushions around a low table loaded with colorful fruits and vegetables along with a variety of meats. Skimpily clad male and female dancers twirled and twisted near the musicians on the far side of the room.

  Seated at the opposite end of the table, her father
handed a tray of food to a young woman dressed in a tawdry outfit standing at his side. His eyes lingered after her as she stepped away. Only when the girl had disappeared through the servants’ entrance in the corner did he turn to face his daughter. “Naamah, please join us.”

  Nivlac remained at the door as she glided around the council members and stopped about ten cubits before the king. As she bowed her head slightly, she glimpsed the hilt of the dagger at her wrist. She raised her voice for the benefit of everyone in the room. “Father, why did you murder Tubal-Cain?”

  The music stopped and Lamech raised his eyebrows. “Murder?” He snorted. “That’s called justice, my dear. He disobeyed direct orders from both of us. He needed to be punished for his treason.”

  “But he was your son, and my brother!” Her tone grew sharp and accusatory. “You never should have put him in that situation.”

  “He sought to undermine my rule.” The king raised a finger and pointed at her. “And you’d better watch yourself.”

  “Pah! Are you threatening me?” Naamah stepped closer, defiantly challenging his authority and anticipating a blow to the face as he had dealt her several times before. But at over 700 years old, he was weaker and slower than he had once been. He would never see the dagger until she had planted it deep into his chest in an act of self-defense. “Without Nachash’s followers, your rule would crumble.”

  Anger burned in his eyes as he glanced at the council members, many of whom wore shocked expressions. He stood and took a step toward her. “If you ever speak to me that way again —”

  “What? You’ll kill me just like you’ve killed your son?”

  “Enough!” Lamech raised his hand to hit her, but he froze when the twin doors burst open.

  Jolted by the interruption, Naamah turned to see two guards dash into the room just as she placed her hand over the bracer.