by Don P. Bick
Chapter 3
Down the steep dark corridors he went. Always down. He moved like he was in slow motion, like he was walking underwater. He didn’t know where he was or where he was going, although he sensed he was in an underground world of caverns. Far ahead was a massive wooden door, lighted by a torch that was attached to the rock wall on his right. He knew it was important to reach this door, felt his destiny was tied up with this achievement, so he kept trying to make his way to it. But he never seemed to get any closer, no matter how many steps he took toward it.
The Oracle was inscribed on the walls in the room behind that door. The answers he sought were through that door, if he could only get there. How he knew what was in that room he had no idea. He just knew. And he had to keep trying to reach it; no matter he was moving like he was walking through molasses.
The evil laughter started up once again. It echoed off the ceilings and the walls. He tried to run, to move faster, but his feet wouldn't change their slow motion movement. It was like treading water, only thicker. He could see the door ahead but it was a long ways away. Try as he might, he wasn't getting any closer. Somehow he knew if he reached that door he would be all right, everything would be all right. But the laughter grew louder, piercing his mind with painful force until he began to scream.
Camran startled awake when he began screaming. He was shaking and drenched in sweat. His heart was racing at ninety miles and hour. His chest rose and fell in rapid rhythm to his breathing.
Slowly the fear began to subside. His breathing began to return to normal, although his heart rate was still highly elevated. He was thankful there was no one nearby to see him in the panic stricken state in which he'd awakened. Camran didn't understand what was happening to him. He had never been one to have nightmares in the past. Now he had experienced two in a row. The Oracle - those words kept ringing in his ears, along with the insane laughter. What could they possibly mean? The dreams were so vivid it was as though they had a reality all their own.
The sky had dimmed some and nightfall was in its first faint beginnings. The color of the sky had changed to a deeper, richer, color of blue. After Camran had regained some measure of control, he stood up and walked over to the netted opening. The view through the netting was beyond anything he could ever have imagined. He stood there letting the beauty of the landscape before him calm his nerves still further, until his heart rate and breathing returned to normal.
The last remnants of fear finally left him. Looking out ahead of the ship Camran became engrossed at the immensity of the land they were approaching. The height of the mountain alone was staggering! They were now entering a large bay and there was land on both sides of the ship. Off in the distance he could see another ship moving in the same general direction into the bay, although it appeared larger than the one he was on.
They were quite some distance from the shore yet, however, even at this distance he could make out the outline of huge towering trees. Of course they would be large, thought Camran, just like everything else he had seen since his arrival. People were small in this world; everything else was so out of proportion to their size it was incredible.
He was positive that a day in this land was much longer than one on Earth. They had been traveling for a great many hours. Camran felt it had been a couple of days of his time, or maybe even more. Certainly it was a lot longer than a single day of Earth time. He hadn't just slept for a few minutes, it had been several hours. He was sure of it.
Three to four hours later the sky had barely gotten darker and Camran suspicions were becoming a proven fact. The days here were much longer.
They had come much closer to the shore and Camran guessed in another hour or two they would be near the trees. The size of the trees impressed Camran; they were unbelievably high and large. Never had he envisioned anything so big in his life. He had once seen the Sequoia trees in California. At the time they had seemed very large, but they paled in comparison to these giants.
The ship altered its course slightly and headed toward an opening in the trees, to what must be a river or a smaller bay. There had been no wind during the day's trip so the ship was still in the hands of the men rowing below. The portly green men from Neptune certainly possessed stamina beyond any men Camran had ever witnessed.
They didn't pass any more ships as they made their way deeper into the bay. On the horizon, in the shadow of the trees, Camran could make out the masts of several ships outlined against the darker background of trees. There also appeared to be many smaller boats tucked in around them.
Soon they were pulling into a small river; at least it was small in comparison to the size of the surrounding land and trees. Compared to the size of the ship, it was a very large river. As they moved farther up the waterway, toward the array of ship masts, Camran began to see smaller boats dotting the banks along the river. Soon they were close enough he was able to make out more of the details of the wharf area.
There were several ships at dock. Some of them were exactly like the one he was on, some were larger and many smaller. Even with all the ships and boats along the river bank the whole scene was dwarfed by the huge trees growing on the ridge behind the wharf. The captain had told him the name of this port was RiverRidge when he first came on board. The name seemed appropriate. He continued to watch in amazement at the picture playing out before him.
The river narrowed substantially when they got to the wharf. Camran could see that up ahead it narrowed still more into what amounted to a rather large stream. He could see the rooftops of many buildings and a bridge crossing the narrow section of the river not too far upstream. The river must flow though the middle of the community Camran surmised. From his position on the ship, it was as though he was looking at a miniature town like that a toy train set might encircle. The trees were so large that in comparison the town was way out of scale. They docked alongside a ship that looked exactly like their own. All the ships seemed well maintained. None of the vessels he could see required any immediate repairs or paint. In fact, they looked like they were all brand new; like they had just been built.
The ship was tied down and dozens of seamen began walking down the gangplank. Undoubtedly, they were headed home for a much needed rest. Looking at these people Camran never would have guessed they possessed the stamina they had displayed, rowing for endless hours during their trip that day.
"Let's go, Matey," said the captain, gesturing toward the gangway.
Camran stepped onto the pier and for a moment felt like he was still swaying to the gentle rhythm of the rocking ship. It took a minute for the sensation to stop as he began to adjust once more to standing on solid ground.
All along the pier and around the wharf people were loading and unloading ships. Even at this hour, which Camran thought must be fairly late in the evening; workers were busily going about their work. He stared in wonder at the variety of people working on the docks. There were men and women of many different colors. He saw blue, red and orange people, as well as a few white ones scattered among the green Neptunians.
Leaving the wharf area they walked along a wide walkway. It was made of stones that had been carefully laid to form an interlocking pattern, giving the appearance that the rock was all cut to fit each spot. Camran couldn't stop himself from staring up at a towering tree on the hillside behind the wharf. It was dozens of yards in diameter. This one was probably sixty to eighty yards through the center. The trunk was smooth and tan. The leaves were gigantic. Each one must have been a good ten to twelve feet across and were shaped something like a maple leaf. The sizes of everything were still mind boggling.
Soon they came to the outskirts of what appeared to be the main community. Small shops lined the widened walkway offering a variety of goods on their shelves from which to choose. Most were closed at this late hour. The few people passing by them on the walkway didn't seem to notice the way Camran was dressed. Perhaps they were used to the comings and goings of many different people here at Ri
verRidge.
At the end of the walkway they entered a large open market filled with an array of booths. The market was almost deserted at this hour, though there were a few merchants finishing up last minute chores. They continued on through the market and up the river, staying outside of the town center. The main town buildings were off to their left, across a bridge over the smaller section of the river.
Just outside of the denser community buildings on their side of the river they came to a large complex of small bungalows. This complex lay within an area that can only be described as a place of transit. It was obvious the bungalows were used like motel rooms. Some of the other surrounding buildings, there weren't many, were used for storage. Everywhere Camran looked there was forest. It was hard to ignore the towering trees and dense shrubbery that encircled the complex. Because of the size of the trees every building and indeed the whole town was in a country setting.
"This will be where you will be spending the night," stated the captain, as he gestured toward one of the bungalows. "Some clothes more to your liking will be brought, as well as something to snack on. You must be hungry. You didn't eat much on the trip. I will return soon to take you to dinner. It is customary to have dinner with the mayor when you first arrive."
Camran nodded his thanks and went inside the cozy little cottage. No sooner had he closed the door than two women arrived with clothes and a tray of fruit snacks similar to the one he had been served on the ship. There was also a wooden pitcher on the tray. The younger of the two women laid out an armload of clothes on the bed while the other placed the tray of fruit on the small table in the corner of the room.
The women were quite striking in appearance, although they were shaped as the men were, short and portly, and of course they had a green complexion. Camran was apparently getting used to the color for it was the last thing he noticed about the two.
"I'll be back in a few minutes after you've had a chance to try on these things, in case you need something else or some of the clothes don't fit well." the older lady said as she backed out the door, the younger one in tow.
"Thank you," replied Camran, as they left the bungalow.
Camran walked into the adjacent room and discovered it was a bathroom, complete with running water. The handles for the water taps were made out of a beautiful hardwood. There was even hot water which Camran was grateful to learn.
After bathing he felt completely renewed. The water had a slightly different feel to it; somehow softer was how he would describe it. He tried on the clothes and found they fit perfectly. The pants and open chest shirt weren't made of leather but of something similar. They felt and looked very much like it, however. The shirt laced up the front about halfway, leaving the chest open. The boots were soft and very comfortable and came up to the middle of his calf. They appeared to be made out of the same material as his other clothes, only the material was quite a bit thicker, just the same as the clothes he had been given aboard the ship had been. He was very pleased with the overall fit and comfort of his new wardrobe. The pants felt and fit like some of the expensive slacks he had in his own closet at home. But these pants were definitely more durable than his old slacks. Camran paused while lacing up his shirt, thinking that this was his home now. He wouldn’t be going back to his apartment.
After dressing he sat down to eat some of the fruit snacks and have something to drink. Many of the fruits were the same as those he had tried earlier. The drink was not however, it was the best water he had ever tasted.
He had barely finished dressing and eating when the women came back to check on him. Happy they had provided the right clothing, they left him to wait for the return of the captain. It wasn't long before he came to escort Camran to dinner.
They left the complex and walked down a small walkway toward a well lighted building ahead, between two very large trees. It was getting darker, but due to the long slow days Camran felt certain it would be a couple of hours yet before complete darkness would set in.
The building was a Town Hall of sorts. It resembled a large warehouse and was filled with dozens of tables, all loaded with food. Large kegs of various liquids where aligned along one wall. Attendants were manning these as though they were filled with something as precious as gold.
"Here we are," exclaimed the captain.
"What is the occasion?" asked Camran his eyes trying to take in everything at once.
"You are," he replied, moving over to a keg and asking for two mugs of draught.
"What do you mean, I am?" Camran peered at the captain with a questioning look on his face, while taking the mug the captain was handing him.
"Partly for saving the seaman's life to be sure, but mainly it is tradition to honor each new arrival. You see, all of us died to get here the same as you. So we are all aware of the loss of loved ones from your home land, as well as the factor of readjustment to this new land. Some have difficulty accepting others, especially when they are different in color and culture. By the way, Neptran, the young seaman who was injured by the fish will keep his leg for sure. The doctor says he should be up and around in no time."
That was very good news. He was happy for the young man. "Will I be able to see him tomorrow?" Camran asked.
"I think we can work that out without any problem," replied the captain, escorting him toward a group of people.
There must have been at least five hundred people crowded inside the long building. There were people other than Neptunians there, although the majority, by far, was the portly green people. Camran supposed most of the guests that weren't Neptunian were merchants of one kind or another.
As Camran was introduced to this person and that couple, he was impressed with the genuine sincerity of all those he met. The mayor seemed genuinely pleased to meet and welcome him to the town of RiverRidge. He was more portly than the captain and a good three of four inches shorter.
"Matey, I'd like you to meet Bran, one of our newer arrivals," said the captain, gesturing to a very large man standing near his right side.
"Nice to meet you," Camran said, extending his hand. The huge man nodded his head as he took Camran's small hand into his own. The man had a distinct reddish tint to his skin. The captain explained he was from the planet Camran knew as Mars. The men from that planet were referred to as warriors in this land. They were well trained and very skilled fighters.
Camran was not sure he believed all he had been told about the planets in his solar system having people living on them, but he did have to admit the explanation made some sense, and it did explain the variation in people he had already seen. For the time being he decided he wouldn't question the validity of that story any further.
The warrior, Bran, spoke very little but never moved very far from Camran's side. He was a huge man standing about six feet eight inches in height, sporting a very large, very sharp looking, double edged sword at his side. He wore no shirt but had on a vest made of the same material as the boots Camran was wearing. The muscles in his arms bulged from long years of physical discipline. His barrel chest was smooth and red.
The man's long black hair and deep reddish eyes gave an overall appearance that he was a Native American Indian, and not a person from the planet Mars at all. Although he spoke little, his demeanor was not menacing, nor did he give the impression he was a bully. In fact, he appeared to be a very gentle man, however, Camran felt sure that if ever called to use his abilities as a warrior he would be more than a formidable opponent.
Although Camran questioned many of those he met, he was frustrated at not receiving any real answers. He was also conscious of the fact he was being purposely steered away from one conversation to another group, so he would be unable to converse with any one group for any length of time. The people also seemed to be walking on eggshells when it came to speaking with him. They were genuinely pleased to see and meet him; however, it was obvious they weren't supposed to say anything important around him. Once or twice he thought he even caught a look of p
ity on some of their faces.
While standing with one small group of people Camran's eyes were drawn to a keg on the far side of the building. A small man had slipped in behind the servers, filled his mug, and was gone without the server being any wiser. Even Camran himself began to doubt that he had seen the man move in and out so fast. The servers, it appeared, were under strict orders to control the amount of draught consumed by each guest, or maybe it was only some of the guests.
A small disturbance near one of the large open doors drew everyone's attention. Heads turned in that direction expecting to see someone having had more than their allotted share to drink. What they did see was totally unexpected. Half a dozen men were forcing their way into the building. With swords swinging they penetrated into the group of guests, cutting many of them down as they pushed deeper into the building.
The people at the gathering were caught completely unaware and off guard. Few wore their scimitars or swords to the party and were being mercilessly killed by these intruders. Men and women were screaming as they scrambled to get out of the way of the death swords.
It had happened so fast! The men, in a matter of moments, advanced to within a few feet of where Camran stood, unable to move. The captain had drawn his scimitar and out of the corner of his eye Camran noticed the warrior shoving his way toward the intruders, a very large formidable double edged sword in his hand.
The warrior stepped in front of Camran a split second before he would have been run through with a sword. The warrior turned the opponent’s blade as deftly as if it were in slow motion, and a mere child's game. With a backward lash of his mighty blade the warrior severed the arm of the intruder, while a second blade quickly slipped into the intruder's rib cage.
The second blade was swift and skillfully used by the illusive little man Camran had seen sneaking a mug of draft from the keg earlier.
The Martian warrior and the little man took up positions in front of Camran and met the oncoming rush of killers head on. Camran could not conceive of a more ferocious fighter than the man from Mars. Teamed up with the little man they were an unbeatable pair. The warrior was strong and definitely skilled in the use of his weapon, while the little man relied on his swiftness and at the same time demonstrating great skill with his blade as well. He would dart in at an opponent and back out before the opponent's brain received the message the man had moved. It looked as though they had been fighting together for years. Maybe they had for all Camran knew of the two men.
The Neptunians who had brought their weapons were coming to the aid of Camran's two defenders. Once they realized what was taking place they lost no time in acting. They fought bravely and efficiently, although they were no match for the attacking men. The intruders fought frantically, like they were the ones cornered and trying to save their own lives. Their eyes seemed haunted with a far away look in them, like they were envisioning another scene before their eyes, and not the one they were in the process of orchestrating.
Through the Neptunian's numbers they were finally able to dispatch the intruders. It was debatable whether any of the men could have advanced past the warrior and little man standing in defense of Camran, no matter what the numbers. None of the attackers came near the skill those two demonstrated.
It was obvious the mission of these men included suicide. Once engaged in combat within the building there was no way to escape. It was also apparent the objective was important to them, whatever it was. It looked as though Camran himself was the objective. And if that were so, why? Were they really trying to kill him? He couldn't begin to understand what was going on. He had just arrived on shore and knew no one, just as no one knew him. Who would want to kill him?
Just as quickly as the fighting had begun it was over. There were bodies and blood everywhere. Both red and green blood stained the bodies and mixed together on the floor. A number of Neptunians where quickly trying to help the wounded. Several had formed a protective ring around Camran with the warrior and little man on either side of him.
Quickly, orders were issued for the grounds around the building to be searched in the event there were more attackers nearby. They found no one else outside near the building or waiting in the woods.
Those that were obviously dead were left alone. In fact, it bewildered Camran to watch the guests go out of their way to stay several feet away from the dead. One of the wounded died just as he was being carried out of the building. Immediately, the person carrying him put him down and quickly stepped back a few feet from the body.
Camran didn't have to wait long to find out why. The air around the dead began to shimmer and crackle as if it were being torn by some invisible hand. Appearing from out of nowhere were black hooded creatures resembling humans, however, they were very tall compared to the average person, even though they stooped somewhat when standing. No face or hands were visible; no flesh could be seen at all. Only two bright red eyes appeared in the dark recesses beneath their jet black hoods. It was as if they were invisible men wearing black cloaks and hoods. Each one reached down and picked up one of the dead bodies, and in a brief shimmer was gone. The whole thing took only a few seconds.
Bewildered at all that had happened in the past few minutes Camran felt a little faint and decided to sit down at the nearest table. The captain fetched a mug of draught and set it down beside him.
"What is going on, captain? What was this all about and why would they try to kill me? And who or what were those things in black?" The questions began to flood out of Camran as he gradually regained his composure.
"I don't know why they would try to kill you," answered the captain. "The men in black are the Plutonians. They take care of the dead. The Ruler of the Waters may be able to answer more of your questions in the morning. Certainly nothing like this has ever happened before on this Isle. We were not prepared and we thank our lucky stars for having these two here with us tonight," responded the captain, gesturing to the two men at Camran's side. "By the way, this is Twil," the captain stated, placing a hand on the little man's shoulder.
The small man nodded to Camran, a grim look on his face.
"The intruders must have stowed away on one of the merchant ships. Security will be tightened immediately," the captain said more to himself than anyone.
"Come, we will escort you back to the bungalow."
Camran was led back to the complex and his bungalow. Bran and Twil stayed at his side, weapons drawn, without saying a word. Once he was safe inside the bungalow, they took up positions outside on either side of the doorway.
Searching for answers to his questions it took Camran a long time to drift off to sleep. Eventually the sheer weariness of the experience took its toll and he finally went to sleep.
Again he dreamed of the Oracle engraved in stone in the underground room. This time, thankfully, there was no hideous laughter. One thing was different; Bran and Twil were there with him standing at his side. He felt comfortable with them and sensed they were supposed to be there.
