by Jeremy Dwyer
“What do you want me to play, then?” Stephan asked.
“Play the numbers that are part of the additions, rather than the totals, which you’ve already played,” Tomiko said.
Stephan drank anew of the Pirovalen Ocean waters from his vial to be energized once again. He began running his fingers through the streams of water according to the individual numbers that Tomiko had indicated in his arithmetic.
Caemgen recorded this, as well as what happened next.
The floor of the temple began to open like the iris of the eye – in a swirling motion of many parts. Everyone began running to the walls to avoid falling in.
In less than a minute, the movement stopped and everyone was calm enough to approach it.
In the center of the opening, a staircase was revealed and all of them looked down into it.
“Hidden city, you said?” Alistair asked.
“I can see the hidden staircase. But I don’t see any hidden city down there. Do you?” Nina asked.
Caemgen walked down the stairs and saw the head of a river and a boat with tattered sails at rest on the water.
“Fearless, as always,” Carter said.
“Chroniclers have nothing to fear – not even from ghosts,” Nina said.
Tomiko waked down after him, and all the others followed.
“There’s no city, but this river may lead to it,” Tomiko said.
“And this sad little boat with the tattered sails might just try to take us there,” Nina said.
“Or it might sink and kill us. It could be a trap,” Yared said.
“The hull does look architecturally fit, despite the poor condition of the sails,” Tristan said.
“There’s no breeze. The sails don’t make much difference,” Tomiko said.
“The river goes a distance into the darkness. There’s no saying where it will take us,” Stephan said.
“I’m not worried about that. I just hope we can find a way to propel the boat – without paddling by hand,” Tomiko said, as he took a wooden torch from his backpack and lit it.
“If I can crystallize the salt in the water, I can stir it to push us along,” Tristan said, and he drank the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from one of his vials. He was energized and prepared to manipulate the crystal structure of the minerals in the water. Tristan then put his hands into the water and the salt crystals began to align and push on the boat, which began to move slowly.
“Alright. That’s enough. You proved that it works. Now, don’t set sail without us in it,” Tomiko said.
“Nice trick. Let’s hope it makes for a quick trip,” Nina said.
“Hope doesn’t guarantee anything,” Yared said.
“If you wanted guarantees, why’d you come to work with us?” Nina asked.
“We can be cautious, and not take too many great risks,” Yared said.
Yared drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from his vial and was energized. He could sense thoughts more clearly, but he detected no ill intent around. There was no sign of an enemy mind plotting against them.
“Do you sense a trap? Is someone watching us? Do you sense nasty thoughts in the air?” Nina asked.
“Nasty thoughts? Only in you. Even so, we may be walking…or sailing…into a trap if we get on this boat,” Yared said.
“For what’s left of your share of the profits, I’ll go ahead and you can go back to the comfort of home,” Nina said, in a mock consoling tone.
“Let’s not miss the chance to find this hidden city,” Alistair said. He was not afraid – he found it all interesting.
“For twenty (20) percent, it’s no wonder you’re in a hurry,” Nina said.
“It’s all about the adventure,” Alistair said and got into the boat.
“No. It’s about the profit. We have work to do,” Tomiko said, and got into the boat.
“This could be our last mistake,” Yared said as he got into the boat.
“How many mistakes is it now?” Nina asked as she got into the boat.
Tristan got in the boat and said: “We all take risks on these assignments. Errors get made. Let’s not get into that again.”
Stephan, Carter and Caemgen also got into the boat.
“Crystallize the water and propel us, like you did before,” Tomiko said to Tristan.
“Too bad your music can’t do that – I’d like to hear one last good song in our final moments, as we plunge into the eternal darkness,” Nina said to Stephan.
“Sometimes it can – if the song is right,” Stephan said.
“I prefer reliability,” Nina said.
“Are you actually worried about going on a journey into the unknown? It could be exciting. Being afraid will only take away from the moment,” Alistair said to Nina.
“No – not worried. But you’ve been lucky lately – I haven’t. And I have a very different idea of a good time, old man,” Nina said, with her eyes on Caemgen.
Before Tristan could move the boat with his crystallization technique, it began to move on its own.
“Is the hand quicker than the eye?” Tomiko asked.
“No. I didn’t do anything – the boat just started moving on its own,” Tristan said.
“There’s still no breeze, so there’s probably an underwater cable pulling it. Our weight likely pushed on a pressure switch and set a machine into motion,” Tomiko said, attempting to deduce what propelled the boat.
Caemgen recorded all of this into his book, but even he did not see what was propelling the boat, so he wrote what he saw, and the hypotheses that Tomiko made. He did not write any of his own suspicions – it wasn’t the place of a Chronicler to make guesses.
The boat moved along a little faster after a while, and went down some steep slopes, and they all had an uneasy feeling as it did. Then it hit a plateau. This went on for a number of hours, alternating between plateaus and steep descents, and they just braced themselves for the drops, as they could see a short distance ahead by the light of Tomiko’s torch.
CHAPTER 12: Lost Treasures of a Broken Man
In the continent of Ihalik, in a cave near a swamp, Lycaon had been spending his nights. Therein, he kept a small fortune, by which he purchased food and kept hope alive that he would one day rise again to a position of power. He had been left in this unfortunate position when he was deposed by the military leader named Lavakara, whose performance in battle had apparently impressed the troops who had formerly served under Lycaon.
Lycaon often wondered why anyone would follow a warlord – the very notion of battle was something to be avoided. Preparing for it was only so that you could intimidate an enemy enough to avoid attacking you and, failing that deterrence, so that you could end the battle quickly with few losses. Lavakara seemed bent on actual combat, which was of little benefit to the actual troops. Lycaon did not care for the wellbeing of any individual soldier – they were all expendable to him. But he did believe that the individual was ultimately self-serving, and that he could use that to his own advantage. By motivating his troops to get and stay ready, they could avoid most combat, and save themselves the pain, and, thereby, prevent it from reaching him. Wealth was Lycaon’s goal – and wealth was measured in platinum and diamond, not blood, bones and entrails. He feared that Lavakara would rather disembowel someone and celebrate that as a victory. Such a man could not be reasoned with – because he could not be bought.
Over his months in exile, Lycaon had taken the opportunity to move about Ihalik from area to area, purchasing and traveling on small, inexpensive boats down rivers, and then abandoning the boats. He spent some time in caves or improvised dwellings, so as not to expend his wealth on temporary arrangements.
Lycaon now awoke in his cave to the sound of voices. When he opened his eyes, he could see men running out of his cave entrance. It seemed as if they were carrying something. He stood up, alarmed, as his mind became fully awake. He looked to his treasure stash and, sure enough, it was gone. What little wealth he had was taken. Thes
e bandits made off with chests filled with diamonds – wealth enough, Lycaon believed – that he could have used to purchase a small sailing craft and hired a crew. He hadn’t done that recently, however, because of the tempests brought on by the insane woman who ruled the seas for a while. Hopefully, she was gone. Then, for a moment, he thought that he hoped she was still alive – long enough to drown those thieves. But that was a useless hope.
He could have invested the money in a small estate, but that might have attracted too much attention, and consumed his wealth by requiring him to hire guards to secure it. He had been hoarding the treasure while he calculated his next move. Unfortunately, his decision-making had been too slow.
Lycaon had no recourse now – he had no wealth to his name, and so he had little to lose. He left the cave and began to pursue the men through the swamp, but they were too fast. He had to simply follow them by walking at a brisk pace. Of course, the thieves – apparently four (4) young men – were all too quick for him. They were soon out of sight, and Lycaon was not in the finest physical shape, so running hard to catch them was not his optimal choice for success.
He decided to walk at a slower pace, which would give him time to think. That’s all that he could afford to do – think – until he became too tired and hungry to do even that. Perhaps, he thought, they might drop a few coins along the way, and he would be able to find them and have the means to purchase a meal. The swamp was cold and uncomfortable to walk through, so this hope became his only hope, and one he started to depend upon.
Lycaon walked for four (4) hours, growing more tired and cold as he did. Much to his surprise, he did see the glint of something metallic on the ground. He looked down and saw that it was a platinum coin, and his hope sprang to life once again. He thought that, just maybe, he would be able to secure himself a pleasant – if not lavish – living arrangement.
Walking further, he saw another glint, and found two (2) more coins and three (3) diamonds, which then gave rise to higher expectations. He could afford better clothing – the fine robes of a wealthy merchant. Also, there could be a rented room at a well-kept inn at the very least.
Lycaon wondered if he should press on in this direction, or go back. Yet, he was still cold and still hungry. And the money would do him no good if he did not spend it on exactly those things that he needed. He kept walking, hoping to find a small town.
Along the way, he found eleven (11) more coins and fifteen (15) diamonds. He was back in business, he thought. He just had to find a town – or even a small village – before the cold of the swamp got the better of him. Walking through the mud was a slow-going process and not particularly comfortable. He longed for a warm bed, preceded by a substantial meal.
Lycaon walked further, and saw a gathering of thirty-seven (37) men – all dressed in red robes and holding torches.
He stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of what they were doing. They had an altar upon which there were four (4) men tied by ropes – men who looked quite a lot like the ones who had robbed him.
One of the men in the red robes then held his torch up to the sky and called out: “Many red suns, cool and calm, bring serenity. Let there be endless rejoicing, in every land, across every sea!”
A second man in red robes then held up his torch and said: “Let all storms be ended. Let the water queen be dead. May her demon master haunt no more. Our master he shall dread.”
A third man in red robes then held up his torch and said: “These young men, with strength to fight, we commend to you this very night.”
A fourth man in red robes then held up his torch and said: “May your fire burn and never die. We offer their ashes up to the sky!”
At these words, four (4) others from among the men in red robes walked up to the altar and held the flames of their torches up to the young men who were tied to the altar. Their bodies quickly caught fire. They screamed, and Lycaon stood back and attempted to hide behind a tree, not wanting to be added to the sacrificial ritual.
The burning men died very quickly and their ashes were taken and thrown to the wind by the first man in red robes, who said: “Let the breeze scatter their ash where it will. Our tribute to the kingdom of the sky is completed. We pray to the suns – now make the oceans stand still. Banish all tempests as the night was defeated.”
The men in robes all disbanded and Lycaon moved in to see what might have been left behind. He could not spend all day and all night in the cold swamp. He was hoping that they had left a torch behind – if only for its warmth.
Lycaon then realized that he was not at his best. His mind was not calm or clear, so he drank the waters of the Medathero Ocean from a vial that he carried. He was energized, and his mind became more logical and clear and he was calm. Despite being cold, he was able to focus.
He looked on the ground and saw some of the ashes from the sacrificial victims – they were part of a religious sun-worship ceremony that was obviously intended to prevent the storms at sea from occurring again. This ceremony was all nonsense to Lycaon – except for the fact that four (4) men had been killed. Lycaon was glad to see robbers – the men who had robbed him, anyway – be put to death. But he was no fan of religions or those who practiced them. He saw the belief systems as crippling the mind, and the suns were not deities. There was no need for any deity, as far as Lycaon was concerned. You only needed to make the best possible use of the water you chose, and, with enough innate ability and pure enough water, you could take what you wanted in life. Of course, if your enemies were fool enough to subject themselves to the mental constraints of these religions, their superstitions could be used against them. But he espoused no religion for himself.
Lycaon’s keen mind did see something significant in all of this, however. The ash from the sacrificial victims was scattered in a way that did not appear random at all. Instead, it seemed to form a pattern that was definitive. He examined it more closely and realized that it resembled a map, and had geographic features, and they gave direction to a building and to a room therein.
He had to make his way to a village or town where he could find food and shelter before he became too tired to move on. He walked at a brisk pace, this time using the directions he had just seen. After only twenty (20) minutes of travel in the indicated direction, he found a small building made of wood. He entered into it and was immediately much warmer than he was outside. This, alone, was a success.
Lycaon looked around the small room that he was in and saw many vials hanging on the walls. They had pointed tips, like daggers. Yet, they were hollow, as water vials were. This was, he realized, the home of a killer. He shuddered to think of what might happen if this person returned while he was there. There was a doorway to another room, and he went through it and saw that it had only a small candle holder and a strange candle in it that was black. He took the candle, finding it to be cold to the touch, and he examined it closely. He realized that it was not an ordinary candle of wax – it was actually made of onyx, though it did have a candle wick in it. He took this, thinking it to be another item of great value.
He then left the small wooden building altogether, not wishing to be there if the owner were to return and decide to kill him in some grisly way. He continued walking at a brisk pace and did find a small village. There, he was able to rent a room for the evening and get some rest. However, he awoke in the morning feeling ill. He suspected that the cold and foul air of the swamp may have entered into him and made him sick. He rented the room for another night, and felt only slightly better the next day. Lycaon then arose from the bed, not wishing to allow himself to descend into sickness and death. He went into the town market place, thinking that a good walk after some rest would help him to recuperate. He saw that there were many merchants, but one of them was a man in very fine robes who was clearly a wealthy trader in gems.
Lycaon approached the man and looked at an arrangement of four (4) tables which surrounded the merchant. There were numerous boxes on the tables, each parti
ally opened, and revealing rubies, emeralds and other stones that were cut into unusual shapes, like those of animals, ships or even small models of buildings. He gazed at these, fascinating himself with thoughts of the wealth required to have treasure to waste for making childish artwork from valuable gems.
“Each of these unique pieces has a story to tell. Tell me which one interests you, and I will tell you one of its secrets. If you purchase it, I will tell you another,” the merchant said.
Lycaon wasn’t interested in buying, however.
“I have a fine item with a story of its own, and would like to sell it to you,” Lycaon said. He reached into his coat and pulled out the black onyx candle and held it up for the merchant to see. His hand trembled slightly as he did.
“A candle? Certainly, you see that I trade in exotic gems,” the man said.
“Look more closely, that your astute eyes might see what it truly is,” Lycaon said, holding out the candle for the man to take. His hand was more visibly shaking now.
The merchant took and examined it more closely. “This is onyx, and most unusual in its cut. How intriguing. A crystal candle, such as I have never seen,” the merchant said.
“Are you interested in purchasing it?” Lycaon asked.
“Before I transact business with you, could I know the name of the man who would sell such a piece to me?” the merchant asked.
“I am Flavio,” Lycaon said, not wishing to alert anyone to his presence. His true name was recognized by many in this continent, and it wouldn’t be wise to have anyone find him in his weakened state.
“Perhaps I would purchase this from you. Is there a particular price you had in mind?” the merchant asked.
“First, I must know the name of the man wealthy enough to purchase such an exquisite item, that we might do business again,” Lycaon/Flavio said.
“I am Mercator, continuing the business of my father, Atticus,” the merchant said.
“Forty thousand (40000) platinum coins,” Lycaon/Flavio said.
“That is quite the price! Why should such an item as this be priced so high?” Mercator asked.