Rise of the Forgotten Sun

by Jon Monson

  A deep groan sounded from behind, like the call of a whale on the open sea. It echoed across the dunes, until it became nothing but a ghostly memory. It was joined by another call, only this time it came from a few spans ahead of Aydiin.

  The sand shifted, and two more tentacles sprang out from the subterranean beast. They shot towards their new prey, a certain hunger evident their movements. Aydiin yanked on Askari’s reins, but the kerton ignored him.

  Instead, the fiery lizard leapt into the air, sinking its teeth into the nearest tentacle. His powerful jaws sliced through the tentacle’s flesh, and hot, green blood spurted onto the sand. With a sharp twist of his head, Askari ripped the tentacle in half.

  A deep groan sounded from under their feet as the severed stump and unharmed tentacle slipped back into the sand. The creature’s blood sank back into the ground as its cries of pain grew distant.

  “I thought you said this was the Soulless Desert,” Barrick panted, bringing his camel to Aydiin’s side.

  “It is,” Aydiin replied in between heavy breathing. “I’ve never read anything about a camel-devouring beast in these dunes.”

  “Well, whatever it is, it’s no match fer that lizard,” Barrick said, nodding his head to Askari. “Yeh did good, my friend.”

  Askari nodded his head and let out a soft groan. His long tongue snaked out, cleaning his face of the green blood that had nearly covered the scaly skin. Aydiin was glad to see the complete absence any of the kerton’s red blood mixed with the green.

  “So, I guess it’s time to turn back, mate,” Barrick said. “Can yeh use the stars to get us home?”

  “I won’t need to. We just need to head south and we’ll be out of the desert,” Aydiin said. “I just hope we have enough water. I’ve only got my one sack, and it’s only about half full.”

  “We might have to push our rides a lil’ bit harder than they’d like,” Barrick said. “Luckily, I’ve got two full canteens with me. We’ll be rather parched, but we can make it.”

  “Alright,” Aydiin sighed. “I guess we should get moving – we need to get as far as we can before the sun rises.”

  “I know yer upset,” Barrick said. “But we can come back. After we get yer uncle taken care of, we’ll just slip up here with more supplies and a few soldiers.”

  “I wouldn’t bet on it,” Aydiin shook his head. “Father’s been cracking down on me even leaving the palace, let alone leaving Maradon. After he hears that I left Uncle Agha alone for over a week just to explore the Soulless Desert – well, I don’t really want to know what he’ll do to me.”

  “But you’ll be bringin’ him his worthless brother,” Barrick said. “That should count for something.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Aydiin said. “But either way, we need to get going.”

  Another groan sounded from the dunes. Askari’s head rose, and Aydiin could feel those muscles grow tight. His own fists clenched the reins.

  Another groan responded to the first, its vibrations bouncing off the dunes. Those were joined by a third, and then a fourth. The sound filled the air.

  Aydiin scanned the horizon for anything that broke the monotony of the dunes, something that could help them. These creatures seemed to swim through the sand as if it were water. And if there were indeed half a dozen of these creatures, even Askari wouldn’t be enough.

  “Do you see that patch of ground up ahead?” Aydiin asked, pointing ahead and to their right.

  “It looks just the same as everything else,” Barrick said.

  “The dunes look different – they lack the glow of everything around them,” Aydiin said. “I think they may actually be stone.”

  Sand shifted to their right, and Aydiin could hear the sound of tentacles whipping out from the ground. He kicked Askari in the ribs and the kerton launched forward. Barrick did the same, although his camel couldn’t respond with the alacrity of a kerton.

  “I hope yer right about this,” Barrick shouted as another set of tentacles launched out of the sand to Aydiin’s left.

  The patch of what Aydiin hoped to be solid stone grew closer – less than a hundred spans. Even in the moonlight, he could tell it wasn’t just sand. It was their only hope.

  Barrick screamed as a tentacle whipped out of the sand and wrapped around his arm. The powerful limbs yanked him from the saddle. The man struggled as the creature pulled him through the sand.

  Knowing his revolver would be useless, Aydiin withdrew his short scimitar. Only a few hands long, it was almost more of a long knife than a sword. It would have to be enough.

  Leaping from the saddle, Aydiin swung his sword in a downward arc as he fell towards the sand. The blade made contact with the tentacle, backed by Aydiin’s weight. The metal cut through flesh, and a scream sounded from under the sand.

  Both men jumped to their feet and dashed towards their mounts. Aydiin leapt onto Askari, and Barrick mounted his camel as another set of tentacles whipped out of the sand. Eyes wide, the camel sped off, Barrick struggling to remain upright.

  Askari leapt, feet kicking up a spray of sand as he sprinted towards the stones. Aydiin leaned forward, rocking his body with the motions of the kerton. Sweat dripped down his forehead and into his eyes.

  More groans accompanied by the whipping of tentacles filled Aydiin’s ears, but Askari ignored them. The kerton sped through the sand, passing the panicked camel just as Barrick regained control of the beast. The two continued, intentionally oblivious to the dangers around them.

  Askari’s foot hit solid stone, the change in terrain jarring Aydiin from his concentration. The kerton kept running, moving further away from the sand. Aydiin pulled on his reins, stopping their flight.

  “I can’t tell yeh how good it is when yer right,” Barrick panted. “I’d like ter see those things get their tentacles up through solid rock.”

  “They won’t need to,” Aydiin said, dismounting from Askari. “They just need to wait for us to leave our little island.”

  Aydiin looked around. They had stumbled upon a few rolling hills made completely of sand stone. It was as if the dunes had just been petrified one day.

  “This really is the strangest place we’ve ever been,” Aydiin said, sitting on the stone and pulling out his water skin. His mouth was filled with sand, and he suddenly didn’t care about rationing the precious liquid.

  “Thanks for what yeh did back there,” Barrick said, taking a seat next to the prince. “That was right brave of yeh.”

  “It was nothing,” Aydiin said, taking a swig of water. “I know you would have done the same.”

  “That may be true,” Barrick said. “But it was still brave all the same.”

  “I wish I had never led us out here,” Aydiin said, pulling the golden disc from his pocket. “I wish this…thing hadn’t made me lose my mind. I was just so bored, and I couldn’t handle the thought of going back to Maradon just yet. And now I’ve gotten us both in a mess.”

  “Well, everyone’s gotta die some time,” Barrick said. “I’d prefer it to be from too much fine brandy – but this is good too.”

  Aydiin didn’t respond. He sat staring at the golden disc. Rising to his feet, he reeled back and threw the metal circle. It hurtled through the air, landing on a particularly tall dune just outside the sandstone island.

  “Does that make yeh feel better, mate?” Barrick asked, a smile on his face.

  “Not even a little bit,” Aydiin said, falling onto his back. “It was worth a shot though.”

  He let his gaze drift upward towards the stars, comparing the various constellations to the map he’d just tossed. He no longer needed the disc - the image had burned itself onto his memory. Yet he missed the weight of the object in his hand, the cool touch of the metal. For a week now, it had nearly been a part of him.

  We really are so close, he thought, eyeing Surion and Vindred – two constellations named for the God of Fire and Goddess of Thieves. They were in the right position. They lined up with Okuta’s Hammer almos
t perfectly. He should be staring at the Lonely Spire this very moment.

  If only those infernal creatures hadn’t attacked, he thought. Information on the Soulless Desert was sparse. There was obviously more to the wasteland than he could have ever guessed.

  “I just thought of something, mate,” Barrick drawled, taking a seat next to Aydiin.

  “Does it involve drinking an entire bottle of scotch?” Aydiin asked without breaking his gaze from the night sky.

  “No, but now that you mention it, that does sound like a fine way to celebrate the end of this adventure,” Barrick chuckled. “I was going to say that if we are really so close to this Lonely Spire, why can’t we see it?”

  “So either it doesn’t exist, or I’m a very bad navigator,” Aydiin said. “Either way, we’re not going to find it.”

  Barrick didn’t respond, and Aydiin couldn’t bring himself to look at his friend. He didn’t know how they were going to escape from this island of safety. He had no idea how to get past those creatures. All he could do was lie on the cool sandstone, staring at the stars.

  A low rumble sounded in his ears. It was soft, like that of a distant train. It echoed in his head, the sensation growing deeper and more powerful. It spread to his chest, his heart quickening in response.

  He looked down to see a pebble sitting just a few fingers from his head begin to tremble. It made a soft clicking sound as it tapped on the stone dune. The tapping grew faster, rising to a quick staccato.

  The rumble grew louder in Aydiin’s ears, still like a train, but one that was drawing near much too quickly. The tiny rock bounced into the air, rising a few fingers high before falling back to the ground. For a moment, it stood still.

  The rumbling erupted into a thunderous clap, slamming into Aydiin’s chest as the pebble bounced high into the air. The ground underneath him split open, the stone moaning as it was heaved from its place. Aydiin rolled to his right as the fissure grew, its gaping jaws threatening to swallow anything that remained too close.

  Aydiin looked around at the stone dunes that had provided salvation. The sandstone began to shift and roll as the trembling grew stronger. More cracks appeared, as if the dunes were nothing but a frozen lake beginning to thaw. Aydiin turned his gaze away from their island, towards the never-ending dunes.

  They were obscured by a cloud of coarse sand careening towards him. The cloud slammed into Aydiin like an ocean wave, knocking him flat on his back. His head smacked into the hard, shifting ground.

  Lifting his shemagh to stop the sand from filling his lungs, Aydiin coughed and squeezed his eyes shut. Sand pelted his body, propelled by a howling wind. The dirt worked its way through his clothing and onto his skin. He could feel it enveloping him, threatening to drown him in its embrace.

  The deep tones of the quake mixed with shouts emanating from Barrick continued to fill his chest and head. The wind howled, echoing in his ears. The sand pounded at him, eager to fill his lungs.

  Then it stopped. The trembling ceased, and the ground stood still. The wind died, without even the slightest breeze to indicate it had ever assaulted him. The sand fell to the ground, again becoming the harmless terrain he’d navigated for the past week. They were replaced by thick silence.

  Aydiin continued to lie on the ground, eyes shut, gasping for air. His head continued to swim, and despite the silence, the echoes of the wind still sounded in his ears. His body still felt the trembling of the dunes.

  Through his closed eyelids, Aydiin could see the light of the rising sun. He could feel its warmth on his face. He could feel the hope in his heart that accompanied the beginning of each new day.

  Yet his brain told him there were still several hours until the dawn. Unless the wind had somehow lasted for much longer than he’d realized, the sun couldn’t be even close to making its arrival for the day. Yet the light grew brighter, its warmth grew stronger.

  Blinking the sand away, Aydiin opened his eyes. There was indeed light, but his vision was too blurry to be able to make it out. Lifting a filthy hand, he gingerly brushed more sand out of his eyes.

  Squinting, he looked out towards the dunes, towards the light. Rising to his feet, Aydiin forced his stiff legs to shuffle towards the light. His vision grew clearer, and his mouth dropped open.

  Where a tall dune of sand had been only moments ago stood a three-sided pyramid crafted from white stone. Free from the sand that coated everything else, it glowed in the new light. The dunes surrounding it appeared dull in comparison.

  Yet it wasn’t the pyramid that drew Aydiin’s eyes – it was a needle-thin ray of light extending from the pyramid’s tip. The light rose straight into the air before dissipating into nothingness. This was the light he’d seen through his eyelids only moments ago.

  Aydiin’s eyes widened as the pillar grew brighter and wider. The night sky transitioned from a black to a soft blue. Stars began to fade, and a single wispy cloud showed itself in the light.

  Aydiin squinted, hoping to get a better view of the pyramid’s tip. His muscles growing looser, he shuffled closer to the structure. The pillar grew brighter, more powerful as he approached.

  Then he saw it. The light wasn’t coming from the pyramid. It was coming from the disc.

  Chapter 4

  Well this is certainly unexpected,” Barrick drawled as he lifted a dust-caked hand to touch the white stone of the newly uncovered pyramid.

  “That’s putting it rather mildly,” Aydiin said, letting his own fingers run over the impossibly smooth structure. “This thing has been buried for – I don’t know, hundreds of years. It should be showing signs of erosion. It should be filled with pockmarks and divots, but it looks freshly polished.”

  “Easy there,” Barrick laughed. “It’s only a building.”

  “Only a building?” Aydiin scoffed, his eyes growing wide. “I’ve never seen such artisanship. I can’t even see any seams where blocks were put together - it’s as if the entire pyramid were carved from one giant rock.”

  “It’s impressive and all,” Barrick said, “but it sure ain’t three hundred spans tall. Those ancients must have been real bad at measurin’.”

  “It’s possible that accounts were potentially exaggerated, or that maybe it used to be that tall,” Aydiin said slowly before smacking a hand on his forehead. “Or maybe it still is - it’s just buried below the dunes.”

  “That’s an incredible thought, mate,” Barrick said with a whistle, his eyes still focused on the structure. “I can’t even count how many times we’ve gone after some myth or another – it’s almost impossible to believe that this time we actually found somethin’.”

  “Statistically speaking, I feel like we were bound to find something eventually,” Aydiin chuckled. “Although I get what you mean – after our little adventure in Lusita, I was about ready to hang up my shemagh and settle down.”

  “That one wasn’t too bad,” Barrick said.

  “We got lost in the Grand Floresta for nearly a month,” Aydiin said.

  “I still remember the look on yer old man’s face when yeh returned,” Barrick laughed. “He was only hours from officially declarin’ yer death. He seemed right disappointed, he did.”

  “And now I’ll finally have something to show for one of these outings,” Aydiin said. “Assuming we can find a way in.”

  The pyramid was completely sealed – there was no sign of a door or window, not even a seam hinting at a hidden entrance. Of course, if the Divines were actually interested in protecting some magnificent treasure within, they would have made getting in and out more than difficult.

  “Any chance we need that disc?” Barrick asked. “That nutter coulda explained that thing a bit more instead of just ploppin’ it in yer bag.”

  “An explanation would take out all the fun,” Aydiin said. “Although I still don’t know why that bandit gave the disc to me of all people.”

  “Probably because yer the only person obsessed enough with the Age of Divinity to know what it mean
s,” Barrick said, continuing his walk around the pyramid’s base. “Yer also the only person crazy ‘nuff to follow it.”

  “I know you’re joking, but that may actually be true,” Aydiin said, running his fingers across the stone as his feet carried him along the perimeter. “I’ve never met anyone who has ventured into the Soulless Desert.”

  “That’s exactly my point,” Barrick said. “Yer completely nutters.”

  Aydiin only laughed as he continued his inspection of the Spire. The light continued to shine from the disc perched at the tip, making his job rather simple. Even still, the search was proving fruitless.

  He squinted his eyes as the light grew dim. Looking skyward, the pillar of light began to grow thin, its luminescence less brilliant. Darkness began to reclaim the sky as stars popped back into view.

  The rattle of metal on stone hit Aydiin’s ears as the disc began sliding from its position atop the pyramid. As the precious metal rolled and bounced on the smooth surface, he lifted his gaze only to see the disc hurtling towards his face – a golden projectile hurled by gravity herself. Aydiin rolled to his right, and the disc landed with a soft thud in the sand.

  “She’s changed,” Barrick said, scooping up the disc and examining it by the moonlight.

  “What do you mean?” Aydiin asked, picking himself up off the sand and moving towards his friend.

  “Well, it looks like the map of the stars is still there, but the Spire sure ain’t,” Barrick said, using his free hand to scratch the week’s-worth of ragged facial hair.

  “That looks like a sun,” Aydiin said, looking at the disc over Barrick’s shoulder. “Which seems appropriate, given that it just gave light to the darkness.”

  “Any chance it’ll help us get inside?” Barrick drawled as he returned to his inspection of the pyramid. “It seems pretty tight.”

  “I’m assuming it must,” Aydiin said.

  “Even if it can’t, at least we found the Lonely Spire of legend,” Barrick said, looking at the pyramid with a frown. “That’s more than I ever expected. Any chance yeh’d be willing to just go home?”