Rhuna- New Horizons

by Barbara Underwood

  “Yes,” she replied, wavering slightly as she regained her composure. “Transforming sand to stone is more common, but water to stone was done by the First Atlans, and some of us can still do it,” she explained.

  “Would you kindly demonstrate it to me and my crew?” he asked with excessively sweet charm.

  “It’s a very unusual request,” Rhuna said uncertainly, and then looked at Damell. A slow blink of his eyes gave Rhuna the answer she had silently asked of him.

  “Well, then, what should I transform?”

  “Water to stone, of course!” exclaimed the Commander as he produced a large shallow bowl and proceeded to pour water from the ewer into it.

  Still feeling unsettled by the Commander’s intense stare, Rhuna struggled to calm herself sufficiently to focus her mental energy on the task requested of her.

  Moving into the position for Inside Focussing, Rhuna closed her eyes and began with slow and controlled breathing. It took a little longer for the deep and silent calmness to wash over her this time, yet when it did, the familiar gentle humming in her head was comforting.

  Rhuna opened her eyes and focused intensely on the bowl of water in front of her, feeling the hum in her mind start to pulse and project outward. She then visualized the particles of the elements, wishing the water to change into a solid element. The hum became louder until it was like a buzz vibrating throughout her body, and then, as if awakening from a drowsing nap, the transformation was complete.

  The loud cheers and applause from the Commander and his crew brought Rhuna completely back to her senses, and she let her body relax as she appreciated the transformation she had accomplished. The bowl now held a smooth, shiny stone, perfectly moulded to the inside of the bowl.

  “Formidable! Exceptional and remarkable!” said the Commander clapping as the crew spoke together in a jumble of excited comments. The Commander proceeded to lift the bowl and turn it, letting the newly-transformed stone slip out into his hand. “A rare and precious piece of stone!” he grinned, holding it up for everyone to admire.

  “It is rare to see an Atlan Master perform such legendary feats in Varappa!” remarked Namzu Toma with an appreciative nod of his head.

  “So then, tell us why an accomplished Atlan Master such as you had to flee Safu and come to Varappa,” the Commander demanded to know, paralyzing Rhuna once again with his penetrating gaze.

  “All Atlans had to leave the land of Safu,” said Possessor of Discernment when Rhuna did not respond immediately.

  “The Ubanti people thought we were attacking them, starting a war…” Rhuna added quickly.

  “It was all a big misunderstanding, of course!” Aradin said with emphasis.

  “Of course!” exclaimed the Commander with affected indignation. “Atlans are the most peaceable people in the world!”

  “A fact not everyone knows,” Damell, added. “When their water supply became contaminated due to their own unhygienic practices, they accused Atlans of using their powers to harm them.”

  “Hmm, so why did the Ubanti believe the water-disease to be an act of aggression by the Atlans? I do not follow this line of reasoning,” the Commander said shaking his head.

  Rhuna hesitated and wondered how much she should tell their rescuer and host.

  “There were some other incidences that appeared to be acts of sabotage by Atlans to prevent the Ubanti from trading with Safu,” explained Aradin.

  “The Ubanti people viewed them as such,” Damell quickly added. “A crocodile attack in the Great River, for example. Not an unusual event at all, yet after a series of such unfortunate events, the Ubanti reasoned that there must have been Atlan power at work.”

  “Ah, I think I understand,” the Commander said nodding.

  “Such an unfortunate misunderstanding!” Namzu Toma stated.

  Rhuna felt guilty about holding back the real events, but reasoned that the work of the Dark Ones should not be discussed with outsiders.

  “There were many more of you when we first received your distress call,” Namzu Toma stated, his large round eyes appearing to bob as he looked around at each person in the room.

  “The others decided to go in the opposite direction,” Aradin explained, also holding back further explanations, and then turning his attention to Shandi who sat silently on his lap.

  “Ah…no doubt by the direction of the High Council of Atlán, am I correct?” sneered the Commander.

  Rhuna felt shocked by the man’s directness and disrespectful manner.

  “The High Council of Atlán always has good reason for any advice or direction,” answered Damell firmly.

  “But all of you here disobeyed the High Council of Atlán?” stated the Commander with a questioning lilt, then looked at Rhuna expectantly.

  Rhuna felt uncomfortable again.

  “The other group didn’t want some of us to go with them, to be among them, and so…”

  “You did something to anger the others?”

  “No, not me,” Rhuna retorted defensively.

  “Perhaps this is not the time and place to discuss sensitive issues of this nature,” Damell interrupted.

  “Of course – forgive my intrusiveness!” the Commander said. “It is simply that we rarely have the privilege of interacting with other people, and when we do, our curiosity overwhelms us,” he explained with open palms.

  “Yes, I can understand that,” Rhuna said, trying to smile at the intimidating Commander.

  A noise at the door took the Commander’s attention, and Rhuna felt grateful for the interruption. She turned towards the door as well, and smiled when she saw the massive form of Panapu, their bald and muscular escort through the wilderness.

  “This is your functionary, I assume,” said the Commander as his eyes followed the bulky man’s contours admiringly.

  “Functionary?” Rhuna asked.

  “Yes. Steward, servant.”

  “Oh. He helped us in the wilderness when he was in The Reigning One’s Army,” Rhuna explained.

  “The Reigning One, he released me from His Service, to go with Atlans,” Panapu offered in his rough accent.

  “Ah-ha, a functionary, then.”

  “No,” Rhuna corrected. “He was, in the wilderness, but now he’s our friend.”

  Panapu’s eyes appeared to moisten for a brief moment as he bowed his head in humble gratitude.

  “Really? Your functionaries can become friends? This is highly irregular!” scoffed the Commander.

  Rhuna decided to ignore the Commander, whose manner was irritating her more each time he spoke. She looked at Shandi and smiled at the little girl whose attention was directed at Panapu, the gentle giant with a deep fondness for small children.

  Then the Commander’s gaze landed on the thick white hair of Possessor of Discernment. “As the keeper of the Secrets of the Pyramids, who takes your place now, in your absence from Safu?” he asked the elderly Atlan man.

  Rhuna thought she saw the aged man’s clear blue eyes dull for a brief moment before he answered.

  “The Knowledge shall be passed on to a new Keeper, as it has been done in my family for many generations,” he stated simply.

  The Commander nodded solemnly, and then raised his eyebrows before he spoke. “There are pyramids in Varappa, in the main city of Judharo!”

  “Yes, and they were built according to the exact measurements of the original pyramids of Safu!” Damell added.

  “Yet despite the similarities, no other pyramids can function as the original ones designed by the First Atlans,” stated Possessor of Discernment, bowing his head as if in deference to the First Atlans.

  “No? That is interesting, is it not?” asked the Commander, looking around at Namzu Toma and the other crew who nodded in response.

  Before anyone could respond, a member of the crew appeared behind Panapu, signalling to the Commander.

  “There appears to be a problem with some of the passengers,” the rough-looking seaman told him, and then ste
pped back through the doorway to allow the Commander through.

  The Commander stood up and walked outside, and when Rhuna saw that Shandi was comfortable in Aradin’s lap, she decided to stand up and go outside as well. She followed the Commander and Namzu Toma across the long outdoor deck of the ship to the rear, where their sleeping chambers were located.

  Standing in the doorway to the upper decks were the two followers of the Dark Master whom Rhuna had avoided as much as possible during their plight in the wilderness.

  “Seeker of Knowledge insists on having her own private chamber,” said Progress of the Wind. “As usual, she refuses to share with anyone,” he said frowning with dismay.

  Rhuna stepped forward and introduced the Commander to the young Atlan man, and then turned to his companion.

  “My name is Charmer of Snakes, an Atlan from Varappa!” declared the man proudly as he shook the Commander’s hand. Rhuna looked at the young man she deeply disliked, and once again felt repulsed by his crooked smile.

  “Yes, you look like a native of Varappa!” said the Commander as he greeted the man. “And who is it that prefers his or her own solitude?” asked the Commander turning around.

  “I do,” spoke a deep, whispery female voice from the doorway to the chambers on an upper level deck. “It is imperative that I…”

  “You shall have whatever you require, of course,” said the Commander adamantly. “Follow me and we shall see…”

  Rhuna followed the Commander and Seeker of Knowledge, curious to see the many small chambers arranged on different levels at the rear of the ship. She touched the wooden beams and noticed the smooth hardness of them, as if they were made of stone.

  “Very grateful,” muttered Seeker of Knowledge as she followed the Commander with short, quick steps. Rhuna looked at the unusual woman in the dim light and once again felt uneasy in her presence. She recalled the woman’s mysterious and furtive behaviour in the wilderness, and also the depth of knowledge and wisdom she expressed at other times.

  “Have you been on a ship like this before?” Rhuna asked impulsively, realizing that she was intensely curious about Seeker of Knowledge.

  “Yes, many times,” she answered flatly, and then turned to look at Rhuna briefly. Her dark eyes reflected the lamp light in the ship’s interior, making her eyes appear fathomless.

  “There is a small storage room,” she heard the Commander say as he pulled open a door on squeaky hinges that was not often in use. “There is no window, yet spacious enough for…”

  “Yes, it shall suffice,” said Seeker of Knowledge urgently, without examining the dark space.

  The Commander ordered a crewman to remove some of the items inside the storage room and place bedding material and cushions wherever there was room. Seeker of Knowledge expressed her gratitude again, and then told the crewman that she would arrange the blankets and cushions herself.

  Rhuna found her way back to the outdoor deck, and was struck by the brightness of the sunlight. She turned around and saw the oppressive darkness of the doorway, framed by the heavy, dark wood, and suddenly felt apprehensive about her own sleeping arrangements.

  “She is a strange one, eh?” said the Commander as he emerged from the dark doorway.

  “The strangest person I have ever known,” agreed Progress of the Wind with a sigh.

  The Commander looked around at the people standing on the outside deck with him. “Was there not another one or two in your party?”

  “Our friend, Beacon of the Night, and his new life-companion,” answered Charmer of Snakes. “They also want their privacy,” he added with a lopsided grin.

  “Then we should not disturb them!” said the Commander with a laugh, and then turned towards Rhuna.

  “What is this I heard when we embarked? That you could have returned to Safu?”

  “My daughter,” she began hesitantly, and when the Commander looked at her quizzically, Rhuna quickly explained that the young woman with long golden hair who had embarked with her was her first daughter.

  “Ah, the one enjoying privacy with her new mate!” he said with a chuckle.

  “She wouldn’t leave the man who is now her husband – Beacon of the Night is his name - and I didn’t want to return to Safu without her.”

  “No?” asked the Commander, cocking one eyebrow in puzzlement.

  “He is of questionable character, and I felt afraid for her wellbeing,” Rhuna said at last.

  “Ah! Now I fully comprehend,” he said as he tossed back his head briefly and laughed. “Always such worry over the child’s choice in love,” he chuckled again, and then raised his hand in a dismissive gesture to Charmer of Snakes and Progress of the Wind. The two men had decided to wander around the deck and explore the grand ship further.

  “Those are…associates of my daughter’s husband,” Rhuna said, hoping to distance herself from the two men who had been active members of the Dark Master’s followers in Safu.

  “Their character is also in disrepute, I gather?” said the Commander slowly walking to the railing and observing Rhuna from the corner of his eyes.

  “Yes,” she answered reluctantly, and when the Commander refused to release his penetrating look at her, she decided to carefully explain.

  “They were involved in secret activity of which the Atlans disapproved.”

  “Ah-ha!” the Commander exclaimed, slapping his leg. “I knew it! They are servants of the Master of Enlightenment!” he said nodding.

  “No,” Rhuna replied quickly. “They follow the Dark Master; the one who was once called Gatherer of Sage.”

  “Yes, yes, the very same,” the Commander replied, still nodding.

  “You know of him?” Rhuna gasped.

  “Of course! He is well known among many groups of people throughout Varappa!”

  Rhuna fell speechless as she came to terms with this new information.

  “You are surprised by this?” the Commander asked, feigning naivety.

  “He is the enemy of the Atlan Empire,” Rhuna spluttered. “A perverted, irrational rebel who has caused death and misery for many, many people! And you speak of him so casually!”

  “Perverted? Irrational?” repeated the Commander with indignation. “What grandiose words you use, Rhuna!”

  “How do you know my personal name?” Rhuna shot back feeling her face flush. “My formal Atlan name is Keeper of Wisdom.”

  “Very well then, Keeper of Wisdom,” the Commander said, bowing his head in mock humility. “Grandiose words, as I said. A rebel indeed, yet to accuse him of being perverted and irrational may be somewhat exaggerated, do you not agree?”

  Rhuna swallowed hard and wished she could leave the Commander’s presence instantly. She released her tension with a loud sigh of resignation.

  “Tell me, where in Varappa do you plan to settle?” the Commander asked breezily, ignoring Rhuna’s discomfort. She struggled to answer, explaining that Aradin knows of nice places, and therefore she would leave that decision to him.

  “May I suggest Cha’al, in the Chala Valley. Such a delightful spot! Green grassy hills along the winding river, snow-capped mountains, fresh air so invigorating – ahhh! My entire body tingles at the mere thought of it!” sighed the Commander. He gazed into the distance, and Rhuna tried to visualize the land beyond the horizon that the Commander described.

  Rhuna thanked him for the suggestion, and then asked how big the township of Cha’al was, thinking of the grandeur of Safu, and then the splendor of the city of Atlán, where she had resided most of her life.

  “Not big at all, and in fact, should you desire more excitement among a greater number of people, then use the Rapid Transport Enclosures which are navigated by proficient people on a regular basis, and for a reasonable reward.”

  “Oh, those Rapid Transport Enclosures!” exclaimed Rhuna excitedly, despite wanting to end the conversation with the intrusive and overbearing Commander.

  “Indeed! You should learn to navigate one!”


  “Could I?” Rhuna asked breathlessly.

  “Of course!” replied the Commander, looking somewhat satisfied that he had engaged Rhuna in a conversation she could not resist. “A teacher can advise and guide you,” he continued. “No doubt you have the required aptitude for such a task!”

  Rhuna’s mind began to spin at the mere thought of learning to navigate an enclosure that travels in the air like a bird, and she could no longer contain her excitement.

  “I can hardly wait to arrive in Varappa!” she enthused.

  “I am extremely delighted!” said the Commander. “Wondrous things await you in Varappa!”

  Rhuna barely had time to become oriented on the massive ship with many steps and decks when a loud peal of bells startled her.

  “Time to eat!” said one of the rough-looking deck-hands with long hair and scruffy beard. Her sense of smell was assaulted as she passed the man, and she wondered what he had done or consumed to exude such strange vapors. She looked in the direction the man was pointing with his dirty fingers, and saw some of her fellow-passengers entering the large seating room in which she had been earlier.

  Rhuna entered the large room again and was pleasantly surprised to see a long, low table along the far wall covered in dishes and drinking vessels of many kinds. Aradin approached her, holding Shandi, and behind him she could see Damell and his former teacher, Possessor of Discernment entering the room.

  After holding and squeezing Shandi for a short time, Rhuna approached the tables of food, bending down to view some of the dishes more closely.

  “What is that?” said a familiar voice beside her.

  Rhuna was pleased to see her first daughter, Lozira, standing beside her. She noted her radiant and slightly flushed face, and decided that it looked healthy on her. Rhuna looked at the man standing next to her daughter, and once more felt dismay at Lozira’s choice in love.

  “I have never seen such food,” Lozira remarked with disdain.

  “It cannot be as unappetizing as the food we were forced to eat in the wilderness, My Beloved,” Goram said to Lozira.

  “What delicacies are these?” Goram asked one of the female crew serving beverages. The woman shook her head and then bowed briefly, and Rhuna realized that she meant to convey her lack of understanding the language.