Historical Landmarks
Ilonka gratefully accepted Vlad's offer of a seat on the couch. The shop had been packed since mid-morning, and even though everyone was quiet there seemed to be more work to do than she and Trazik could handle. Vlad and Karel pitched in, even on their day off, and now, in the early afternoon lull, they at last got a chance to relax.
Trazik carried a last tray of cups and plates back to the counter. The clinking of silverware provided ringing accents to the constant drumming of the rain.
"Won't it EVER stop raining!?"
Ilonka put her hands over her face, stretched out her legs and flopped backwards.
"Yeah, 'cause I could really get to like this place if it were a little sunnier."
She peered through her fingers at Trazik who was smirking at her as he set the tray down. He pretended surprise and shock when she stuck her tongue out at him.
Vlad stood at the door, looking outside.
"You know, I'm starting to think that it couldn't be much worse, trying to walk out of here. Get some waterskins, some biscuits, and just go."
He turned to face them all.
"We have to get out of here. We're all going to die if we stay."
*****
Little footprints ran back and forth in the dust. Big footprints obscured them from time to time. The group had advanced past the first rank of tombs and now looked up and down an aisle between two rows of the structures, with dark alleys running across to either side. There were footprints leading off into the distance in both directions.
"I don't see any of the big ones off to the right."
Aubrey peered into the darkness, holding a torch above him.
"Right it is, then."
Moving slowly and constantly turning in circles as they progressed, the group passed three or four tombs before discovering the chamber wall, running across their direction of travel. Again they looked right and left. To the right it appeared that they could see the back wall of the large chamber, but to the left Elena thought she saw an opening. They turned left.
Philip raised his torch and they all studied the sigil carved into the rough stone above the dark archway.
"What do you suppose that says? Arrafin?"
The Naridic girl bit her lip as she considered.
"Well, I don't recognize it, but I think it says something like, 'No scary little Kishak girls beyond this point.'"
When everyone turned to her in confusion, she pointed down at the floor. The footprints gathered up around the archway, but not one crossed through it. There were a few moments of worried silence.
"Fine."
Philip sighed and stepped through the archway. Everyone discovered they'd tensed themselves up and relaxed when nothing happened. In a rush, they all hurried to follow their burly companion.
Beyond, the air seemed different. Their footsteps no longer kicked up clouds of silent dust, and the oppression of the previous chambers evaporated. At first, they smiled at each other, a sense of escape lightening their stride as they made their way down the narrow hall.
With each step, however, a deep unease grew within them. Nevid studied the walls as they continued. The stonework here was smooth and precise, no marks to mar the surface or even indicate how this passage was made. The air grew cold.
At the front, Philip strained his eyes into the the ever-retreating darkness before him. Floor, walls, ceiling, featureless. At last he saw the walls on either side end, and stepped forward into a small chamber. The others crowded in behind him.
"Is that what I think it is?"
They all stared up at the hilt of the massive black sword leaning against the wall. The point of the sword rested on the floor of the room a foot or so from Philip's toe. The crossguard was at least a foot above his head. Possibly two.
"If you think it's bad trouble in every possible way, then yes."
*****
Boyce was used to the smell of oil and gunpowder. He and his lads, Michel and Nervaine, loaded their many, many guns and sharpened their many, many blades. They slid weapons into sheaths hidden all over their persons, tested positioning and balance, tightened straps and laced up armour plates under their clothes. They worked without words, reaching past each other to grab ramrods and flints, whetstones and rags.
They were supposed to be caravan guards.
Every so often one would cast an eye out the window, consider the rooftops and the driving rain.
Boyce's normally cheerful and friendly face was frozen in an intense frown as he adjusted the hang of a side sheath, testing its position with quick movements of his right hand. The knife was a curved, broad-bladed weapon, great for punching through armour or leaving behind in the back of a leg.
They were supposed to be caravan guards.
These men were not your typical Gap warriors, full of bravado and integrity and honour. They were experienced killers, uninterested in conventions of conduct or fair play. They were not preparing for battle. They were preparing for survival.
They were supposed to be caravan guards.
Boyce began swearing to himself, quietly and without emotion.
*****
The four Pavairelleans stood together at the door of their little shop.
Nobody wanted to speak so Ilonka did.
"Speaker said if anybody left they'd be killed."
Vlad shrugged.
"Speaker said if anybody talked they'd be killed and we all talked last night, didn't we?"
Trazik sighed, tried to grin.
"I can't imagine things getting any worse. We're all going to die up here, we know that."
The rain came down in staggering volume. Ilonka turned away and headed back to the counter.
"We'll need food. Heat or fire or something. Carry some coals in a pot, maybe?"
She began rooting around in the cupboards. After a moment the three young men came back and started helping. She gave them a look.
"Should we plan for four only? Or more?"
They all thought of the five strangers who'd left that morning to investigate the mines. Who had not yet returned.
Trazik pursed his lips and stared down at the floor.
"Maybe five."
He shrugged as the others grinned.
"She's a very nice girl."
*****
Opposite the massive sword the wall opened into a sheet of total darkness. At first Aubrey had thought it another archway, but as he approached it he realised the blackness filling it was far more complete than what they had encountered so far. He reached out towards it, but before his finger got halfway there, his hand snapped back against his chest as thought he'd touched something hot.
"Hey. Anyone know what this is?"
Even as he spoke, Aubrey felt a sudden panic erupt within him. He couldn't help taking a step back as the dark opening suddenly seemed hostile, malevolent. The others joined him. In silence they considered the strange phenomenon.
"It's sure dark. Anyone want to try stepping through?"
No volunteers came forward at Elena's question. Nevid nodded.
"This is where they put that guy."
"Huh?"
"That guy, Esserwhatever, Arrafin was talking about. That they put down here."
Arrafin's huge eyes got even huger.
"Essermane Varag?"
Elena shook her head.
"You know, I've never heard of this guy before, but that name is just bad. Bad news. I don't like him."
Aubrey shrugged.
"You don't even know him."
"Well, yeah, that's kind of my point. I don't want to know him."
When Arrafin spoke, it was not with her usual gusto. Her voice was hushed and reverent.
"The days of great King Suelekar Azan,
All filled with honey, ripe with richest fruit,
Brought down by terrors now unknown to man,
Which all his glories would with hate uproot,
And crush beneath the dreaded Varag's boot,
For Essermane, First Raven of Tizim,
Came then to our fair land to persecute
Us; those who died escaped a fate more grim;
For only death could end submission to his whim."
She stood silently for a few seconds, then smiled gamely up at the others.
"That's why I came here. It's called The Third Raven, it's an old poem, well, about two hundred years back. It's about Gedak Gan's attack on Al-Tizim. Gedak Gan's the Third Raven, Tathak Tan is the Second Raven, and Essermane Varag is called the First. But nobody really knows who Essermane Varag was. All we know is that he must have predated the Kishak Empire, so the idea is that he's Calegrian. Which makes him a lieutenant or a general or something of Ky'in.
"I found some clues in manuscripts at the University that led me to believe he was killed in a battle up here in the mountains and buried here. I think the town of Chimney takes its name from the fortress that stood here once. Somebody buried him here."
She turned sober eyes to the sheet of blackness.
"And stuck him behind that thing."
*****
The People gathered in the little square that their shacks encircled. Chipucuaro raised his hands.
"Quitzlicoatl has spoken. She has shown us our future."
He dropped his hands and scowled.
"Death. Death for us if we stay. Death for us if we leave."
Children frowned, looked up at their parents in confusion. The People stood. The colours of their beaded tunics bled together in the murk, robbed of their proud brilliance. Dark eyes and straight black hair on all sides, solemn and patient. Chipucuaro sighed.
"We leave. The Southerners will lead you out of this place. Not all will die. We must gather Dark Water and preserve it for the trip. Not all will die. The Queen of Serpents has shown me."
Tears burst from him, lost in the downpour, but triggering sobs from all of the People surrounding him. Together, they grieved for what they knew was coming.
*****
"Maybe this book explains things."
Nevid had stepped away from the dark panel and found an alcove with not only the book he'd mentioned, but also a plain oaken staff topped with three red feathers. He examined the staff while the others crowded around the book. Arrafin was pushed to the front and studied the faded glyphs on the page.
The book was not so much a book as a block of stone carved to look like a book. Even as she began reading, it occured to Arrafin that this meant the Calegrians had modern bookbinding technology, which was pretty interesting.
"It's Calegrian. I've studying this quite a bit now."
The others waited quietly while Arrafin read to herself. That got dull very quickly and Elena, Philip and Aubrey wandered back to the black sheet. Philip held his torch close to it.
"It seems to ripple. See that?"
He reached out and, steeling himself, touched the surface.
Arrafin shrieked as Philip flew back across the room with a tremendous bang, smoke trailing from his hand. Everyone yelled and rushed over to him, except for Nevid, who went up to the panel himself.
"What the-- Are you okay?"
Elena and Aubrey helped a dazed Philip to his feet. He saw Nevid reaching out and cried out.
"What are you --!?"
Another bang, another shriek, and Nevid lay at Philip's feet. Aubrey chuckled once he saw the young Saijadani was okay.
Arrafin's voice put an end to laughter. She stared at the blackness with growing horror.
"Essermane Varag IS behind that. He was sealed in there. Forever. By the Queen of Serpents. I think Ky'in herself made this place, just to hold him."