CHAPTER FIVE
As Nedim and Janah trekked the sand dunes of Hegira, a constant gust of wind and sand pelted them from the side. Both were wrapped from head to toe in robes.
Janah smacked Nedim on the arm. “We should have reached the city by now!” she yelled.
Struggling with each step, Nedim reached over and pulled Janah close. “Siriso can’t be far. If it weren’t for this sandstorm.”
“This is unbelievable,” Janah complained. “The one time we run out of water, we get hit with this. We should have brought kalecs with us, at least then we wouldn’t have to walk.”
“It’s not that bad.” Nedim said.
“Not that bad?” Janah said, leaning into Nedim. “When was the last storm you were in?”
“A few months ago,” Nedim answered. “I was with a group of new trainees coming in from the north. Now that was a storm.”
When they reached the top of a dune they could see the enormous, triangular silhouette of Siriso filling the horizon.
Dismayed, Janah fell to her knees scowling. “This is going to take forever.”
Nedim grabbed Janah’s arm. “An hour…and a half,” he said, pulling her up. “Maybe.”
“Sure…” Janah said, before quickly falling to her knees again.
Nedim raised his hand above his head and formed a protective sphere of energy around them. “I can’t hold this for long, so listen. You’re just tired, Janah. You need to gather your wits. That’s not some mirage out there. It’s Siriso. What will people think when they hear you died within reach of the city?”
Janah only thought about it for a few seconds before quickly getting back to her feet.
“You can do this,” Nedim said. “Before you know it, we'll be inside the city.”
Janah clasped her robes tightly around her body. “Just keep going. I’m right behind you.”
Trudging onward, they eventually came to one of the great doors of Siriso. A hundred feet high and wide, there was no moving it by force.
Spotting Nedim and Janah, a keen-eyed Persian guard signaled from his high post to several Anubians standing below on the other side.
One of the Anubians placed his hand on a star-shaped glyph on the wall and charged it with energy, causing the door to slowly slide open.
Nedim and Janah ran through into a long, dark corridor lit by torches.
Two Persians ran up and handed over canteens of water. One, Kadir, had a muscular build with the skin of a tiger, while the other, Talik, resembled a black panther.
“Kadir, Talik. Thank you,” Nedim said.
Janah leaned against a wall, drinking as much as she could.
“You two went out to Vesuvia, right?” Kadir asked.
Nedim took a quick drink before answering. “Yes.”
“Congratulations,” Talik said. “You must have been successful. Vesuvian emissaries left not long ago and we haven’t had any undead trying to pass through here for almost a week.”
Nedim wiped his chin. “I'm sorry to say we weren't.”
“What do you mean?” Janah snapped. “You know the alliance is going to be reformed. Lilith is probably gathering her forces, and by tomorrow we’ll have the Vesuvians, the Fenrir and the Khothu in our front line ready to kick the living daylights out of those wretched Pelasgians!”
Janah threw her canteen and stormed off further into the city.
“I want to marry her,” Kadir whispered.
Nedim handed the canteen back. “Typical,” he said, before moving on. Exiting the corridor, he looked around as he stretched his slender arms and legs.
Though it was midday, inside Siriso it may as well have been midnight. The only source of light within its closed walls came from torches.
The city sounded busy enough with people chattering, animals whining, and construction going on.
“Good day,” a merchant said as he passed by, pushing his cart of bread down the street.
“To you as well,” Nedim said. “If only it looked that way.”
A low humming sound kicked in as a streak of daylight pierced through Siriso’s large crystal cap. Slowly, huge sections of the city’s walls began to open, letting in more of the sun’s brilliant rays. After almost a minute it looked like large square sections had been carved out of the walls.
Outside, all was calm.
Nedim could now see some of the multiple tiers and support structures, as well as Anubians and Persians mingling about. Looking to his side, he was startled to find Janah standing right next to him chewing some bread.
“Figures,” Janah said flatly.
Nedim sighed. “I’m going to the Palace. Are you coming?”
“Yes,” Janah answered. “But I’m just going to be nosy. If the Vesuvians were here, then something big is going on.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Nedim said, “They come here as much as the others. You just don’t see or hear of them because it’s usually at nighttime.”
A loud squawk in the distance could be heard as two Khothu on wyverns flew through an opening in the city’s wall, and landed in a wide-open area surrounded by shops.
Janah watched as the Khothu set their store up. “I wonder what they’re selling this time.”
“Probably the usual,” Nedim said. “Overpriced items you’ve never heard of that you’ll never need…like those things that float around.”
Janah clasped her hands. “Oh, I love those!”
Nearby was a corral with several kalecs, a desert creature similar to a two-humped camel, but with a broader head and longer hair.
Janah took Nedim’s canteen. “You get the rides. I’ll be right back,” she said, running off to an oasis.
There were lots of people at the corral. It took Nedim a minute before he found the rancher. “Excuse me. Do you loan these out?”
The rancher held two fingers up. “Yes, two silver coins.”
At the oasis, Janah filled both canteens with water before running back.
“Go easy on this one,” Nedim said, passing the reins of a kalec to Janah.
It was a relaxing ride as they strolled through the almost empty streets. People walking on foot mostly used the upper tiers to get where they were going.
The Palace was located at the center of Siriso. It had a step design with outside gardens on every level. None of the tiers connected with it, only a few surrounding support beams for the ceiling of the city.
Nedim and Janah dismounted from their kalecs and found an Anubian woman and a Persian male talking in a garden on one of the lower steps. Like most Anubians, the woman was tall and slender, dressed in wrappings of cloth and gold jewelry.
Janah hardly looked at them as she sat on a bench. “Hello, Amarna, Sayar.”
Amarna bowed. “Welcome back.”
The Persian, Sayar, resembled a half-human half-lion. He stared disappointedly at Janah.
“Greetings,” Nedim said, bowing. “We heard of the Vesuvian emissaries. I can assume you know what happened.”
“Yes,” Sayar said suddenly. “You should have told us about it before accepting the quest. We must be careful when dealing with the other races.”
Janah smiled. “We didn't accept anything. We volunteered.”
“You've got a smart mouth,” Sayar snickered.
“It was I who volunteered us,” Nedim said, “I'm sure we can all agree that considering we-”
“It was necessary,” Amarna interrupted. “Time is another factor to consider, a luxury we don’t have.”
“Everyone has to gather their forces,” Sayar said. “It may take a few days. Tomorrow we'll submit our battle plans to the others so we can coordinate our attacks. Both of you are to continue your current task.”
Janah threw her hands out. “But we're done!”
“You're done when I say you're done!” Sayar snarled.
Amarna handed a letter to Nedim. “The Vesuvians have also informed us that Pelasgians have been sighted in Rhea.”
“What?” Janah said in disbelief.
“Why would they come back to Rhea?”
Sayar crouched down in front of Janah. “Your guess is as good as any. Maybe it’s me, but you sound scared.”
Feeling slighted, Janah said nothing as she stood and walked away.
“Have they abandoned their invasion of the Netherworld?” Nedim asked.
“Maybe,” Amarna answered. “Our scouts there have reported that the Pelasgians are gathering, either to leave or attack their last city.”
“Their last city,” Nedim said bleakly. “What about the humans?”
Amarna shook her head. “The letter states it was near their cities the Pelasgians were seen. New Haven may be able to withstand the assault, but I fear the other two don't stand a chance.”
Shadow Seed Page 6