by Bob Blink
Angon, Randy realized, was another country here, the largest and most prosperous in all of Gaea.
“You said something earlier to the effect that no-one comes here. Why is that? From the little I have seen, it seems a beautiful and potentially rich land. I would expect people to have come for the resources it offers if for no other reason.”
“The Land of Giants,” he said with a hint of disdain. “Long have there been rumors about this land; since the time of the Mage Wars. The stories claim that vengeful creatures of immense size live here and guard the land from intrusion. Those that come are warned they do so at great risk to their lives.”
“And obviously you don’t believe the tales. You seem very much at ease here.”
“I probably would feel differently if not for my father. He had talents and abilities I cannot explain, and he was of the opinion the name was incorrectly translated from the old tongue many years before. He told me the “giants” are the forests of tremendous trees you saw back where you arrived, and nothing to be feared. He was searching for something and brought me here for years as he sought signs of our history that pre-dated the Mage Wars. We never saw signs of these “giants”.”
“How long ago were these Mage Wars?” Randy asked.
“Nearly a thousand summers ago,” Asari answered.
“And in all that time others haven’t discovered that there is nothing to fear?” Randy questioned. “That seems a bit hard to believe.”
“I didn’t say there was nothing to fear,” Asari responded. “This region is populated with many natural and unnatural beasts that would consider you and me a desirable dinner, or at least something to play with before killing. Those who come here must be aware of the real dangers. That so many came in ignorance is part of what caused the legends to grow. Few that came returned home.”
“Unnatural beasts?” Randy asked curiously. “What do you mean by unnatural?”
“In the times before the Wars, the wizards were far more powerful than they are now. They knew magic that allowed them to control and shape the world. Today there are those who search the ruins of the old cities, still seeking for knowledge that was lost as a result of those wars. The Wizards from Ale’ald are such. Even the Mages of Angon seek the old knowledge, although their search is for knowledge of healing and building, and to destroy all records of the magics that almost led to our destruction.”
Asari paused and looked closely at Randy. It was clear he was still uncertain about him, but eventually shrugged and continued.
“The Wizards created beasts before and during the War. Some of their efforts were thought to be experiments, but others were a direct attempt to create weapons to send against their enemies. Some of these creatures have survived, and roam the great forests here. They are hard to kill; some impossible without powerful magic.”
“Sounds like more stories,” muttered Randy doubtfully.
“I have seen some of the creatures myself,” Asari insisted, his tone reflecting his offense at being doubted.
“And you think these creatures have kept people out of the area all these years?”
“They have helped to feed the stories of the fearsome dangers to be faced. Each family that failed to return lends support to the fears of others. More practical concerns have been a significant factor in keeping the area abandoned as well. The land is far from the centers of civilization, and you have yet to see the mighty mountains that must be crossed to reach this region. The challenges to commerce are great. There is much land of equal richness to be had within the boundaries of the civilized lands, curbing most of the interest in taking on the challenges required to start a new village here. There are also disputes about who really owns the land, and any attempt to stake a claim by citizens of one country would probably spark further confrontations. In short, the returns are not worthy of the possible risks. It is also possible the Wizards have worked quietly to ensure no interest develops in the area. I simply do not know.”
“One thing has been bothering me,” Randy said when Asari stopped explaining. “If it is so far from civilization, and the road is so difficult, why is everyone on foot? How come they have no horses, or motorized vehicles to make the task easier? They should be able to move much more quickly if they had them.”
Asari looked somewhat confused, and Randy knew already part of his answer. The technology here appeared to lag behind that of Earth. Motorized vehicles were something that seemed not to have been invented yet. That opened up a number of questions about the state of the societies here.
“They want their visits to remain secret,” he answered after a delay. “That is easier to do on foot. They can use their magic to mask their passage through the Trailways, and hide from others. That would be hard, perhaps impossible to do with horses along. Villages along the way would learn of their passing, and enough curiosity might be raised to reach the ears of the Wizards in other areas. Horses would also have trouble climbing some of the steeper paths of the ways through the mountains. This you will see in a few days. More importantly, the horses would attract the beasts of the forests. This would make the trips far more dangerous, even for the Wizards and all their magic, for I am doubtful if even they retain the knowledge that would allow them to control creatures like the Muloka, or a Skarl, or a Maloon.”
“What are they?” Randy asked, the words bringing to mind images in succession of a large wolf, an oddly shaped leopard, and something as unlikely as a flying snake.
Asari shuddered and shook his head. He clearly did not want to speak of it.
“What about. . . .” Randy started to ask, but Asari shook his head firmly.
“Enough,” he said resolutely. “This is wrong. You should be answering my questions. I have told you enough, some of which you seem to already know, and that causes me to wonder about you. It is time to hunt for food as it will soon be dark, then you can tell me your story.”
Randy looked at Asari. He had changed roles suddenly, and the talkative youngster was gone. He had now assumed a different role, and his face now reflected a more closed and serious demeanor than it had moments before. There was nothing to do but go along. Randy already knew that his only hope of help lay at the hands of this boy as he had become convinced the men in the other camp would see him as a threat, and would deal with him accordingly if they ever learned of his presence here. While the boy had no ability to help him find his way home, he might be able to take him to those who could ultimately provide some assistance. Randy had already resigned himself to being here for a long time, weeks or months at best. Given the secrecy Cheurt and his followers were intent on maintaining, one of Randy’s biggest fears was they might be the only ones with the answers he was going to need.
“Come,” Asari commanded as he picked up his bow and made for the small entrance. Suddenly he paused, as if faced with an unexpected dilemma. Randy thought he knew what was bothering him. On the way in, Asari had sent Randy into the enclosure first, following closely behind. If Asari were to leave first, that put Randy behind him, not a comfortable placement given the doubts he must still have about Randy. He’d made no attempt to disarm Randy, but then it was entirely possible he didn’t recognize the old Colt as a weapon, having no context for firearms, and the small Swiss Army knife in Randy’s pants pocket was small enough to have escaped his notice. The daypack was across the enclosure, so anything in there would be out of Randy’s immediate reach for the moment, and Asari had always had his own weapons close at hand. Sending Randy first would be safer, but would Randy show the proper caution in the unlikely event someone was outside where they could be spotted. Clearly, Asari would have liked to be able to take a first look around before committing them to leaving the protection of the enclosure. Asari quickly made his decision, and crouched down and made his way out. Giving in to his assumptions and not wanting to make the other nervous, Randy waited a full minute before following, and found Asari standing a few feet away waiting for him, yet continuing to scan the surroun
ding forest. As Randy stood from his crawl through the enclosure opening, Asari started off in a direction that took them a bit downhill and once again in a direction away from the wizard’s camp.
Based on a single day’s experience, Randy guessed they had about an hour before the sun set. They would have to finish this quickly, or they would be returning in the dark. Randy knew he would have no chance of relocating the small enclosure under those conditions, but suspected it would be no problem for Asari, who was moving confidently suggesting he had a particular destination in mind. This proved to be the case, as several minutes later he slowed, and motioned for Randy to move up beside him.
“There,” Asari said, pointing into the bushes about thirty yards away.
It took Randy a few moments to understand what he was being shown, but gradually his eyes adjusted and he could see hints of motion through the dense thicket, indicating several creatures were moving on the far side.
“Kolari,” he was told in a whisper. “Very tasty.”
Signaling Randy to stay put, Asari picked up a medium sized rock in his right hand, and slowly stood up, his bow in his left with the arrow in place as it had been earlier in the day. His right arm reached back, and he threw the stone so that it landed amongst the bushes that hid our prey, making a great deal of noise as it tumbled through the branches to the ground.
Immediately the drumming of large wings was heard, and a half dozen brownish colored birds fought their way into the sky in panic. Each was slightly larger than a chicken, but these had not forgotten how to fly, and they rapidly gained altitude and speed. Almost as soon as they cleared the top of the brush that had concealed them, Randy heard the quiet snap of the bow string as Asari released his arrow. It took one of the birds squarely in the chest, causing it to tumble out of the air and disappear once again behind the bush. The other birds squawked in fear, and increased their efforts to flee. Faster than Randy would have imagined possible, a second bird was taken from the air by another of Asari’s arrows.
When Randy turned to look at his companion, he found a look of boyish delight on the youngster’s face, as he stood with his bow at rest, and the pride of his impressive achievement clear in his posture.
“You asked if I could shoot,” he said. “Now you know I am not all talk.”
Together they walked over to where the birds had fallen and picked them up. Expertly Asari removed the arrows from the bodies, and quickly removed the heads so they could drain. A few minutes later he gutted them and slipped them in a game bag he pulled out of his pouch for the trip back, cleaning his hands on the moist grass nearby.
On the way back he stopped and knelt by the base of a sheltered cluster of small trees and dug several tubers from the ground. These he shook clean of dirt, and walking a few paces to a small stream, washed them clean, then added them to the bag. While he was occupied Randy quietly picked a couple of small purple flowers and a couple of strands of long grass he ‘recognized’ growing not too far away. He slipped these unobserved into one of his back pockets, and walked back over to where Asari had just finished cleaning the root-like objects he had dug up. Together, they continued back towards their camp.
“That was impressive shooting,” he complimented Asari. “I can’t help noticing how well made your bow is. Is there a factory that manufactures them where you live, or is it custom made?”
The question sought more than information about the bow. Randy was still curious about the state of technology here, and the bow was the only thing he had seen so far that looked to have been manufactured with some level of industry. It could well be because of where they were, and the suspected lack of affluence of the boy, but Randy suspected otherwise.
Asari held the bow out with his hand and said proudly. “It was made by Joari of Cobalo, the greatest bowmaker in all of Angon. He makes fewer than a dozen a year, and they cost more than most earn in as many years. Some say he taps the power to make them so accurate and durable, but he claims not. This one is older than I am, and was awarded to my father when he saved the life of a nobleman. It is mine now, as my father wished. He trained me in the use of the bow from the time I was six, allowing me to use this one only after I had shown proficiency and had gained the strength to use it properly.”
Randy was curious about Asari’s father. Several things he had said suggested that his father might have been more than one would suspect, but Randy was suddenly distracted by the realization the sun was about to set. Knowing it wasn’t a very precise measurement, and he was comparing the sun disappearing behind a different backdrop than the previous evening, Randy glanced at his watch and noted the time. A quick mental calculation resulted in a rough measurement of the length of the day here; twenty-two hours and sixteen minutes. Surprisingly similar to home, and yet another significant proof of what had occurred.
Asari observed him looking at his watch, and indicated he wanted to see. Randy stuck out his wrist and allowed the other to examine the small Timex on his wrist. He explained what it was and the intended function, realizing Asari had seen something similar somewhere before. The numbers meant nothing to the boy, but Randy watched as he made pointing motions and realized he was counting.
“It’s wrong,” he told him bluntly, and lost his interest in the watch.
It was starting to get dark quickly, but a cluster of trees that looked familiar was just a short distance ahead, and Asari was making straight for them. They made their way inside through the rock passageway, and the boy went straight to work getting a fire started. It took him only a few moments, and then a decent sized blaze warmly lit the interior of their little compound. With an efficiency of motion derived from long experience, the boy had the game cleared of feathers, spitted, placed over the fire, and cooking in no time. He laid the roots around the edge of the fire, and sat back watching Randy while it cooked.
“Tell me about this place you say you come from,” Asari said after a moment of silence.
“Earth,” Randy reminded him.
Asari nodded.
Randy knew he needed to do more than simply tell him. He needed a way to convince him that he was telling the truth. He’d been considering how to approach this since he had come here with the boy earlier. Somehow he had to find a way to make the boy absolutely certain that Randy was being honest, otherwise some event along the way could undermine any rapport they managed to establish.
Randy tried to see himself through the boy’s eyes. He was a sturdy six foot one, with the toned muscles that came from good genes and years of outdoor activity, not to mention the years of football in high school and college. He was a bit of a jock despite a major that was more typically populated with bookworms. He had light brown hair almost as long as the boy had, despite the current fashion tending more and more to shorter styles, and while it would normally have been groomed far better, he knew it was now a tangled mess not too dissimilar from the boy’s. Unlike Asari, he was clean shaven, and since Cheurt had sported a beard as well, Randy wondered if people here found the act of shaving enough of an annoyance, they tended to forgo it more often than not. He simply didn’t have enough of a sample to judge.
The clothes Randy was wearing clearly set him apart; his nearly new Levis, a pair of sturdy top-of-the-line Nike wilderness walking shoes, and a synthetic windbreaker. Without careful examination, however, which would have revealed the level of manufacturing necessary for their creation, there was nothing about them to suggest to Asari they couldn’t have been made here.
No, this was going to require something more than just words. He could tell him about Earth, but how much would be believable. A couple of days earlier and he would have dismissed something like this happening as sheer foolishness. He was going to have to offer up something definitive; some sort of proof of what he was about to tell Asari. He thought he knew something that might work.
“You have to understand how little I know of this place,” Randy began slowly, “so I don’t know how much different things are in this p
lace. The obvious difference is the use of the power, which you claim is well established here, and is a controlling or deciding force in the working of your society, often for bad. Use of the power, or magic, as we would call it back home, doesn’t exist, except in stories. Magic doesn’t work there.”
Asari started to protest, but Randy backtracked a bit holding up a hand to fend off the objection.
“Okay, it appears that some level of ‘magic’ does exist there, as I have had some level of ability since I was young without understanding what I was doing. I know of no others who have a similar ability, although it is possible they exist and have kept their ability hidden just as I was encouraged to do. But understand, what I could do was very minimal, and took substantial effort, often making me feel physically ill afterwards. A significant question in my mind is why I have the ability at all, but even if the ability exists in others, it is extremely rare and if used at all, it would be used in secret and with great caution. It is not a key force that defines our society.”
He searched for the word he wanted, but couldn’t find what he wanted, a further clue about the world in which he was stranded, and reverted to the English word instead. “Technology is the foundation on which our society is built,” he said finally.
It was clear the word had no meaning to Asari, but Randy explained how technology defined his world as best he could. He explained the study of science, and how that translated into the development of new products and techniques. He explained how machines did most of the work; about cars and planes, and about radio and telephones for communication. He avoided discussions about the more fantastic achievements of recent years such as space travel, as well as discussions of weapons and the incredible power that mankind had learned to unleash.
