by Pedro Urvi
She went over to the old Foreman.
“Did you call me?”
“Yes,” he said in a whisper. “I want to talk to you.”
“All right,” she murmured, and sat down beside him.
“What you did today… very few would have done it…”
“I’m not like most people…”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that. And it’s precisely why I wanted to talk to you. First I want…” He cleared his throat, as if the words were choking him. “I want to thank you for saving my life.”
“You don’t need to.”
“Yes, yes, I do. Most, probably all, would have let me die, and even celebrated. Only a handful who are in my favor would have been sorry, and then only for the benefits they’d have lost. But nobody would have risked themselves for me, I’m sure of that. I’ve been here many years, and it’s not often you see an act like this.”
“I just acted on instinct.”
“A heroic instinct that few men have. And those who once had it, in this sinister world of Gods and slaves, have already lost it. I’m a fair man, even though your fellow slaves don’t believe it. That’s why I’m offering you the chance to enter my circle of trustees.”
Liriana looked into the deep brown eyes and saw no lie in them.
“I accept.”
“Very well, I’ll make sure you don’t die and that you enjoy some benefits. But something in your gaze tells me you want more…”
“Yes.”
“I owe you. Ask me.”
“I want to know where the slave Maruk is, and how I can get to him.”
“Hmmm. That’s very complicated. To begin with, there are thousands of slaves here in this city, and as you’ve seen, they’re of different races and lands.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that, and it puzzles me completely. I’m looking for one in particular. His name is Maruk. He’s twenty-five years old, thin, with strong arms, green eyes and dark hair. He’s a Senoca, of the First County, a Craftsman, an unrivalled worker in metal. His fame precedes him. He was captured and brought here very recently.”
“Hmmm. It may be possible to find him, but it’ll take some time. You see, he might be in any of the other four rings.”
“Do you have any way of contacting the slaves in the other rings?”
“Foremen have ways of communicating with each other. With time, patience and a great deal of stealth, we’ve woven a great spider’s-web over the Eternal City. When there’s a vibration at one end it’s transmitted to the other. The web is formed by the thousands of slaves who are on the surface by day, and the underground levels at night. The Enforcers control the movements they can see, but they can’t see the thousands that are made simultaneously. That’s the way we avoid their iron control. For every thousand simultaneous movements, by just evading one, we get a vibration which is sent on through the spider’s-web.” The Foreman smiled. “Still, what you’re asking comes at a high price.”
“Higher than your life?”
“Hah! I like you, soldier, you’ve got guts. No, there’s nothing more valuable than life. And that’s why I’ll grant you what you want.”
“Thank you.”
“Just out of curiosity, who is this young Maruk? Lover, family, enemy?”
Liriana breathed in and thought for a moment. “Lover.”
“I see. I’ll look for him, but bear in mind, he might not even be alive.”
She nodded, and wished with all her heart that he was, for herself, and for her people.
It was midnight when Ikai slowly emerged from the water: first his eyes, then his nose, and finally his neck. The pier was empty, so he took the risk. Crawling like a snake, he hid among the shadows until he reached the shade of a huge fountain. He had spent hours in the water waiting for the Custodians to withdraw, and his tired body was grateful for the touch of wood and stone.
During the day he hid in the water or in some poorly-watched ship. To try and reach land would be suicide. The Enforcers of the Gods were everywhere. He had risked getting close on a couple of occasions, but had almost been discovered. It was four days since he had arrived at the Eternal City, as a stowaway, in the cargo ship. The vessel had docked at one of the harbors of the Fifth Ring, and he had waited until well into the night before he left it and began to explore, with extreme caution. For two days he had studied the ring, the Enforcers of the Gods, their routines, the occasional conversations and orders which were exchanged, trying to make sense of this new world around him. Two days risking his life at every step to obtain valuable information.
Early in the morning of the third day he stole a small boat and moved to the Fourth Ring under cover of night. That was where he was now, trying to get some clue about where they might be keeping Kyra prisoner. He had found no trace of his sister, but he did not lose hope. He would manage to find her. He began to crawl along the ground towards the inner part of the Ring. I’m so close, so close, I can’t fail now.
He drank from the fountain and rested for a moment. He put his hand inside his shirt and took out Master Sejof’s gauntlet. He thought of leaving it behind. Then he touched his belt, where he carried the leather pouch with the Falcon Eye. I’d better keep it, he decided, without really knowing why. He put the gauntlet on his right hand and went on, always looking for the shadows and moving away from the light.
As he crawled through the domains of the Gods, he heard footsteps. He stopped and stayed hidden in the darkness. His trained Hunter’s senses gave him a definite advantage in the shadows of the night, since the Custodians on watch duty were huge and their movements slow and very heavy. You could hear them coming practically half a league away, and see them even before that. Two of them, making their rounds, passed not far from him, but did not see him. He had to be careful, the patrols were constant and the palaces all strongly watched. One mistake and he would be a dead man.
Where have they got you, little sis… where? For a moment the terrible uncertainty froze his chest, as if he had been hit by a storm of ice and could barely breathe. Would she still be alive? Of course she’s alive! Don’t even think otherwise, he scolded himself, shaking his head firmly. She’s alive and I’ll find her! I’ll find her and take her out of here, by Oxatsi, our Mother Sea! But he still had no idea where to look. He pondered over it very carefully, as he was in the habit of doing, even though Kyra scolded him for it. During the days he had spent in hiding he had kept a close eye on everything that went on in that universe in the middle of the sea, trying to understand it.
After thinking about it, he decided to go to the largest palace, the one which belonged to the Lord or King of the place. Kyra had been selected at some Summoning, not for a quota. She had been selected for some specific reason, which was why it was more likely that she might be in the hands of a ruler. Sesmok’s face came to his mind, and it was as if someone had poured cold water on his face. Carefully, he avoided three more patrols and reached the foot of the palace. He was already near. He crawled on a little further, fleeing from the light.
Suddenly the Ring on his arm began to shine with an intense gleam and gave out a shrill shriek. Oh no! They’re going to find me! He could not understand what was going on. The Ring had never done this before. He lifted his head slightly above the bush he was hiding behind and then saw it: a monolith, twenty paces away from him. It was not very tall, the size of a Custodian. He moved back immediately as fast as he could, and the Ring stopped giving out flashes and shrieks.
The damn monolith acts as a guard! I can’t believe my bad luck. I don’t just have to dodge the Custodians, I have to dodge those guardian monoliths too. Hell!
While he was protesting he was crawling back as fast as he could. His ears had picked up the heavy running steps of three Custodians. He had been discovered.
I have to get out of here, fast!
He crawled on like a crazed snake. He did not dare glance back.
The heavy boots could be heard coming closer and closer. They were almost on top of him.
&nb
sp; I have no choice. I have to run for my life.
He stood up and ran away like lightning, leaping over bushes, dodging benches and statues. He kept running keeping into the shadows. The Custodians, much larger and heavier, could not keep up with him. He reached the harbor, then dived straight into the water without stopping. He went under and swam on underwater, away from the shore.
A little more, just a little more, he told himself, with his lungs on the point of bursting from lack of air.
At last he surfaced and breathed until his lungs were filled. He watched the harbor in the distance, where four Custodians were searching. Luckily he was far enough away, and hidden in the darkness. He was in the great channel which ran through the Five Rings towards the central island of the Eternal City. Carefully he moved away until he was in the center of the channel.
He watched the Custodians searching for him on dry land. They haven’t realized I jumped into the water. He snorted with such relief his spirit nearly flew out. Phew! That was close! He shook his head in disbelief. Then he saw the boat, with the strong light at its prow shining on the water. They’re searching for me in the channel! He breathed in through his nose to fill his lungs and went underwater at once. He swam as if there were hungry crocodiles after him. He surfaced to take air, risking being seen, and went on swimming underwater. At last he reached the opposite shore and hid under a pier.
Exhausted, panting, he watched them looking for him on the opposite shore. The search went on for hours while they combed the entire area. While they were looking for him his thoughts turned to Liriana. He felt a tingling in his stomach as he remembered the turquoise of her eyes, her brave gaze, firm voice and fierce determination. And her legs… her soft skin… he blushed at the memory, feeling a pleasant warmth and sense of wellbeing rising up his chest. Where could she be now? He had lost her at the harbor of the Fifth Ring; she had been taken along with the rest of the slaves. She would be all right, he was sure of that. He had never known anybody more determined. And he remembered the night they had shared. Ikai knew it would remain in his heart and memory forever. Will we meet again, Liriana? Yes, I have to believe we will. Our time together can’t have been so short. Yes, we’ll meet again, I’m sure of it.
Shortly before dawn the search stopped. The first light of day appeared, soft and warm, and he felt calmer. He came out of the water and hid among some rocks to dry himself in the sun.
Kyra, my sister, where are you?
Thinking about her, wishing with all his heart that he would be able to find her, unconsciously his hand strayed to the necklace she had made for him. He fingered the little carving of a seahorse as he watched the sun bathing his tired body. The feeling of wellbeing rocked him and he drifted away, closing his eyes. At that moment something vibrated at his waist.
What on earth… he wondered uneasily.
He moved his hand to the source of the vibration and found it was the disc of the Falcon Eye. It was hot, burning, and he had to hold it in the palm of his gloved hand. What’s going on? he wondered, fearing another trap, like that of the Ring. He stared at the crystalline disc and watched the gold nugget inside it. He recalled Sejof placing it over his Ring. He looked around, seeing no-one, and set himself to imitate his old master. He ran the disc over the engraving of the eagle which identified him as Hunter. The Ring flashed, and the disc rose above the Ring to hover in the air a hand-span above his arm. He watched in puzzlement. The disc began to shine with an intense silver light. Suddenly it sent forth a beam of silver light towards the island at the end of the channel, in the center of the Eternal City.
He stood up at once. What had happened? Why had the Falcon Eye activated itself? And how? He had done nothing… And then he remembered the necklace. He had touched it with the gauntlet… and Kyra had made the necklace… He began to see the sense of it.
I think the Falcon Eye has just told me where you are, little sis.
He looked at the big island on the horizon.
I’m coming, Kyra. I’m almost there.
24
The Custodians escorted Yosane and Gersa to an underground antechamber of the Royal Palace of the House of Aureb, the House of the Second Ring. An Eye-of-the-Gods waited impassively between two braziers. The flames danced, consuming the air around them and giving off a black smoke, which gave its surroundings an eerie halo. As in all the Kingdom, it was very hot in the chamber and smelt of burning. It always smelt of combustion and embers, even in the palace.
Yosane grasped Gersa’s hand, and although she was afraid all the time, she tried to hide the fact. Gersa had been crying continuously for several days, and no matter how much Yosane tried, she could not comfort her; although, in spite of their initial fear, nothing horrible had happened to them. They had not been ill-treated. Rather the opposite: they were kept locked in a spacious and luxurious room in the palace. They even had maids to serve them. And that was precisely what worried Yosane, worried her obsessively.
We’re like two frightened goldfinches shut up in a golden cage. Why are we being treated differently from the other slaves? We haven’t been sent to the harem, thanks be to the seas! We haven’t been forced to labor under the whip, not even to serve as maids. Why? The Gods never waste a resource, a unit of production, without some reason. Their law has always been: produce or die. And we aren’t producing anything…
“Wait here. Lord Asu has requested your presence,” the Eye-of-the-Gods said in his strident voice.
When she heard the sinister Eye speak, Gersa began to sob, as if she could tell that some great evil was about to fall upon them. Yosane felt the same thing, and she became as uneasy as her friend.
What can this all-powerful, cruel God want from us? Nothing good, I’m sure.
The two great doors of the chamber opened, and the huge form of Iradu appeared, like a walking mountain. Lord Asu’s Champion stared at them sternly for a moment.
Follow me, slaves. And stop trembling. I’m not going to eat you today, he said mentally from his imposing physical presence.
Yosane was stunned. She noticed the ghost of a smile in the corner of the strong Warrior-God’s mouth, and relaxed. He was joking. Gersa on the other hand was looking up, wide-eyed, at the ceiling. It was the first time she had heard the voice of a God in her head, and she was trying to take it in, without success.
They went in after Iradu, the room was huge, and left Yosane open-mouthed. It was built in the form of a three-sided pyramid. The walls were polished red, with strange runes engraved in silver. In the center was a rectangular monolith, thick as an oak-tree, also red, which disappeared into the top of the pyramid more than sixty feet above. Yosane wondered at the incredible underground structure, and her mind tried to guess at the impossible calculations which had allowed that extraordinary chamber to be built.
It’s amazing. How could they have built it? I’d give anything to know how to build something as magnificent and beautiful as that. Everything I’ve learnt with my father seems trivial in comparison. Maybe one day I’ll be able to understand the secrets hidden in the unbelievable architecture of the Gods.
Then she noticed Lord Asu beside the monolith, and her fascination turned into apprehension. Before her eyes, her foreboding turned into reality. Beside the God-Prince a slave girl was kneeling on top of a pedestal with her hands tied behind her back. On the other side of the monolith two Custodians were dragging away the dead bodies of two other young girls under the scrutiny of a second, older God. A third, ominous, figure, dressed in dark clothes and wearing a helmet with a strange mirror-visor which covered his whole face, watched behind Lord Asu. Yosane stared at him curiously. This sinister individual was as large and strong as a Custodian, but his skin was different, ochre-red, and his swollen veins too were red. This being was a different type of Enforcer, one they had never seen before. For some reason Yosane had the feeling that he was an extremely dangerous one.
These slaves you have obtained for me, Master-Spy, are of very low quality, the olde
r God said. They are not good enough for my experiments.
Oskas has done his duty as always. The one who has failed is you, Moltus, said Lord Asu.
My Lord…
Be silent! I have to talk about an important matter with my Master-Spy. I will deal with you later, Erudite.
Moltus lowered his head and was silent, fearing for his life.
Lord Asu turned to Oskas.
How is it progressing, the mission I charged you with?
“It’s progressing well, my lord and master. My spy reports that we’ll soon be able to capture the person of interest.”
That pleases me, it pleases me a great deal. You are as astute as you are lethal. But I warn you, Oskas, do not fail me, I need to find that slave. If you fail me now I shall let Moltus experiment on your body again… and on your mind too, particularly on your mind. I know how much he enjoys that.
“I shall not fail you, my lord. My spy will find the slave you’re searching for, and he’ll be yours, my lord.”
Very good. Go back to the shadows where you belong, and keep me informed of anything new.
The Master-Spy bowed in farewell. In the blink of an eye he had disappeared, melting into the shadows of the room.
Yosane saw him leave, and shivered. Then she looked more closely at the chamber and had the feeling she had set foot in a macabre torture chamber. An icy shiver ran down her back.
Protect us, Girlai, our Father Moon, don’t let our lives be taken today.
Iradu bowed elaborately before his lord. The Selected, as you ordered, my Lord.
The cruel face of Lord Asu turned to them. The sinister ruby eyes, half-closed, blazed with uncontainable anger, almost fury. The Prince turned to Moltus.
A new failure. Once again that is all you have found for me, Moltus.
Moltus came forward with his head down. He limped visibly and was old, very old, even for a God. His body seemed so decrepit that as he walked he leant on a jewel-encrusted wooden staff. His head was not clean-shaven; instead he had long silver hair which hung down to the middle of his back. His eyes were a frozen ice-blue, and on his right temple was a black burn which disfigured his wizened, copper-golden skin. He wore an orange robe trimmed with red lace. At his waist was tied a wide white sash with a strange golden rune.
