City of Illusions

by Kim ten Tusscher

  Lumea led Elion through rooms and stairways and into the large hall they had entered first, the one with the drawings on the walls. With the lamp held in between them, they studied them anew, closer than the first time. With one hand, the woman took a corner of the map, and when she waved it around, it unfolded. She pressed it against the wall and looked at Elion.

  “I suspect that these drawings hide the key to the map. I think they were both created by the same person, or at least around the same time.”

  She turned back to the paintings and let her eyes wander over them. At times she was distracted by the image as a whole, but soon she found a symbol. On the biggest painting, the one with all the Thurancs, banners were depicted. One of the map’s symbols matched the one on the banner, so she pointed it out to Elion. “That’s where the Thuranc is.”

  The elf nodded in understanding, but as it turned out when he tried to help her, he had no aptitude for this kind of thing. He was distracted by the sight of her as she examined the wall, inch by inch. The lantern illuminated her face and her green eyes had an animated quality about them. It made the golden glow in her irises and the sheen of her tattoo more noticeable.

  Now that she understood the way the map-maker thought, it did not take her long before she had deciphered the meaning of the other symbols. She discovered where the three of them were now. When she looked up from her studying, she noticed Elion looking at her with a smile on his face.

  “What?” she asked, suddenly shy and self-conscious.

  Elion just shrugged. He did not say anything. They walked back to Siard, where Lumea explained what she had discovered. Using the map and Lumea’s explanation, they decided that they would go to the place where the Thuranc was. There was probably a dock there for the submarine, but when Siard suggested that there might be too many people there, they decided to land a little bit farther away.

  Elion and Lumea remembered from the time they had seen it, that, next to the building, the forest stretched out towards the lake. They hoped to land where the two met without being seen. That’s as far as their plan went, though. They were afraid to make any other plans, because for one they did not know what the weather was like out there, and for another they were probably expected, and the building was likely to be heavily guarded.

  They were a bit hesitant to leave the safety of the mostly-deserted building behind, considering the danger they were certainly walking into, but there really was not much of a choice. They could not stay there forever, and the task they had in Hydrhaga was not yet finished. They decided to leave soon, because Lumea was not the only one who had solved her puzzle. Siard had figured out how the submarine worked too.

  That same day, Elion and Siard moved every useful object they could find near the boat, and Lumea stacked them inside. They did not know how long the journey would take, so they took all the food that they could find. All of the bottles of antidote went in the stack, as well as the weapons that Elion had found somewhere. Lumea looked at them and chose one for herself, remembering how Ward had disarmed her back in the power plant. This way she would at least have a backup, just in case it happened again. Elion took a sword as well, because fighting with just bow and arrow was not always the preferred option.

  They tried to postpone their departure as much as possible, but finally there was nothing left to do but to board the submarine and leave. Siard started the engines and opened the sluice gates, and they were pulled into the airlock by the cables that suspended the craft.

  As soon as the gates closed behind them, water filled the chamber. Siard looked around expectantly. He had repaired the submarine here and there, but only now could he really find out if it was watertight. As the pressure on the hull increased, the boat creaked ominously. Lumea’s heart drummed a frightened beat against her chest as the water level rose excruciatingly slow, but the hull held together. All the while, Siard kept his hand on the button that would stop the pumps.

  When the room was filled to the rafters with water, the three passengers heard the muffled snap of the cables releasing. The second sluice gate opened and they silently moved out and into the depths of the lake. Siard maneuvered a bit to get the hang of the controls, and then they explored the silent, watery world around them. Lumea seemed to have interpreted the map correctly, so they steered toward their destination.

  The vessel had a few windows, but the murky depths of the water let little light through. Lumea fell asleep to the soft rocking and monotonous buzzing of the submarine.

  As soon as Siard picked out their course, Elion walked to the small room in the back of the boat and made a soft bed out of their mantles. Then he came back, lifted Lumea off her chair and carefully put her on it. She mumbled something in her sleep, but she did not wake up. The elf tucked her in and stood looking at her.

  “Sleep tight, Lumea. You mean more to me than you realize.”

  Siard looked at Elion with a meaningful smile playing around his lips, though his companion studiously avoided his gaze.

  “You’re finally beginning to appreciate her,” Siard said.

  At those words, Elion did look back. He said, “I think that, deep down, I have for a long time. What you said really made me think, and when we were looking at the painting I remembered the first impromptu party she organized. She was positively aglow, and suddenly she began to sing. Everyone was listening breathlessly. It was... enchanting.” Elion smiled. “You know... it was in that moment that I decided that I couldn’t leave her behind.”

  “It’s good that you didn’t. She has played a big role in the way our search has gone.”

  “Yes, I’m finally beginning to realize that.” Then the elf pointed at the buttons in front of them. “Now, suppose you tell me how to steer this thing.”

  When Lumea woke up, she was surprised to find herself tucked in among the cloaks. Since it was comfortable, though, she refused to get up. She suspected that Elion had placed her there. He always took care of her as much as possible, including that day he had killed the worker. For the first time, she really knew why he had looked so proud. He had been relieved that he had been there in time. She had not considered that he might have been afraid for her, back then. Lumea was ashamed to admit that she had hated him for his actions, and he had not been furious about that, just... disappointed. They had never talked it through, and all they seemed to do was to add insult to injury. And now she had no idea how to bring it up again.

  When she realized how a warm feeling of affection spread out from her heart when she thought about the elf, a slow blush crept upon her features. The thought took her by surprise, because he had many exasperating traits with which she found hard to come to terms. Nevertheless, she understood those as well. Despite everything she had learned about Elion, she could still only guess at some of the horrors he had experienced. It had made him seem indifferent, hard, and even callous. She knew that he fought for the things he believed in, and he protected everything that was important to him. She was proud to know that she belonged in that category.

  This new feeling made her uncertain, though. They still had a battle left to fight here in Hydrhaga. Giving in to love would make everything harder. What if something happened to him? Lumea knew all too well that the lives of all three of them were at stake here, so she quickly shoved the thought out of her mind.

  Her thoughts would only keep mulling around in the same circles if she stayed in bed, so she got up and made her way to the fore of the submarine. Siard was bent over the controls, and Elion half-turned toward her. She nodded as a sign that she had slept wonderfully, so he turned his attention back to Siard, who was explaining the last things he needed to know about the control panel.

  It had taken Elion quite a while to really get the hang of steering the submarine. To Siard, who had been interested in mechanics since childhood, it was second nature. Elion, on the other hand, could barely remember even the most simple things about the craft, and the young man had despaired of ever teaching the elf the ropes.
After a lot of practice, though, Elion could at least keep their course steady.

  Siard steered the boat towards their final destination, which was relatively simple by this point—just keep going—so he left the task to Elion. He walked to the back room, and Lumea, who was afraid to be alone with Elion, followed him. The feelings that had awoken within her were still too fresh for comfort.

  “Can you tell how long we’ll be underwater?” she asked, more to break the silence than anything. Then she realized how stupid of a question it really was.

  “Probably about two days, though I’m not entirely sure.”

  They were silent for a moment. Then Lumea continued, “Are you afraid?”

  “Yes, of course,” Siard answered, a bit uneasily. “We’ve been through a lot already, but I think the path ahead is still fraught with danger.” He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then said, “When we first met, we hardly knew each other. Even Elion and I were more of acquaintances than friends. Now, I think we are closer. That doesn’t make any of this easier.”

  Lumea stared at him. Had he just read her mind or did he really mean what he said?

  Seeing her expression, Siard laughed aloud. “Of course, it might make things a bit easier, as well. We have an added impetus to fight.”

  “Losing you would be unbearable.”

  “Losing both of us? Or just Elion?” Siard asked.

  Lumea looked at him with wide eyes. “Siard, I would be horrified if you died!”

  “I’m just teasing, Lumea. I’m glad you’re not angry with him any more. I know he’s not always the easiest person to live with, but he really does care about you.”

  “I know, and I appreciate that.”

  “So why don’t you tell him that? This fight between you has been going on for long enough. The trust between you has been lost, to a certain extent. But it would do him good to hear you say it.”

  “I don’t know what to tell him.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with just saying what you feel for him. His answer might surprise you.”

  Lumea blushed and looked down. “Is it that obvious?”

  Siard laughed again. “It is to me.” He placed an arm around her shoulder. “But to return to your first question... We’ll be all right.”

  He was not sure if he could believe his own words, though. Taking some more food, he walked back to Elion and gave it to him. Lumea took a seat behind the two men.

  As the days went by and they came closer to their destination, they became more nervous. They were expecting a fight pretty much as soon as they set foot on land.

  Siard decided to explore the surface above. Using the periscope, he calculated their position. He could see the place where the forest’s edge touched the lake, but there were no humans in sight. The weather was still rough and unpredictable, the waves coming up high and crashing down, and he spotted several waterspouts.

  The submarine rocked dangerously, so they had to hold on tight. On the horizon, Siard could see clouds racing past, fluctuating in shape at an tremendous speed. The sun was hidden behind them, but he guessed that it was late afternoon.

  Suddenly, the wind changed direction and the boat made a sharp turn. Lumea was thrown across the cabin. Waves were pulling at the submarine as if to lift it up out of the water. Siard dove back down into the depths, where they were safe from the waves.

  Lumea scrambled back up. Looking at her, Siard said, “We will stay at this depth until we reach the dock, then we go straight up. I hope we will come out just right. Then we’ll unload our gear and hide it. It will be difficult with this weather, but...”

  It looked like he wanted to say something more, but he did not. Lumea could guess his unspoken words, though. There was a very likely possibility that as soon as they reached the surface, the waves would catch them and smack them against the shore.

  “I think you had better get some rest, then, Siard. You’ll have enough to do when that time comes. I’ll manage the submarine for now,” Elion said.

  Siard nodded and disappeared into the back room. Lumea got up as well and sat down in the chair next to Elion’s. He kept staring through the window, into the dark of the water, as if all kinds of interesting things were going on there. Now and then he looked at the control panel, but never at her. It had been like that for days, and Lumea hated it. She remembered her conversation with Siard, but she was still hesitant.

  “Elion...”

  He looked at her without any change of expression. She still did not know which words to use that could summarize her feelings. The tension between them could be sliced with a dagger, though. When Lumea didn’t continue, Elion turned back to the control panel.

  With a treacherous catch in her voice, Lumea said softly, “I hate the way we’re treating each other...”

  There was so much more she wanted to say. She wanted to impart how grateful she was and how she felt about him, but the words would not come. When Elion looked at her again, his eyes showed the relief he felt.

  “You were avoiding me so much, I was afraid you were still angry with me.”

  She shook her head. “Quite the contrary.”

  He watched her thoughtfully, until his look turned suddenly ashamed. “I couldn’t even blame you, you know. I said many things that you didn’t deserve, Lumea. You stood up to me and forced me to acknowledge my feelings. After everything that has happened here in Hydrhaga, though, so many more emotions came to the surface. It was far easier to be angry with you than to feel them. I know it wasn’t the right way, but maybe the fact that I let in that one feeling says quite a lot already.” Silence followed his words, until he whispered, looking the other way, “This is coming out all wrong, like usual.” Lumea shook her head. “I know exactly how you feel. It’s easy to be hard on the people closest to you because you know they will understand. You don’t have to hesitate around the people you love, you can speak your mind. At least, that’s how it works for me. I said more than I normally would, but that’s because I like you, very much. I thought we were more than friends. We know we can depend on each other, and with everything else that has happened... I thought we were equals.”

  A smile lit up his face. “We are, Lumea.”

  Another silence ensued, but then Lumea shyly looked up at him, sighing a little. “Why is it so much easier to blame than to give a compliment? Why can’t I just say that I think you’re special?” Elion’s eyes shone. “You really think so?” She nodded.

  He tenderly touched her cheek. “I think the same of you.”

  21

  Once the submarine reached the place where they suspected the dock was located, Lumea rose to wake Siard. He took the controls again and brought the ship to the surface. The higher they rose, the more the waves tugged at the submersible. Lumea grabbed hold of her chair. For a moment it seemed as though the lake’s depths refused to surrender the submarine, but then it shot to the surface like a cork, where a wave caught it and dragged it a few yards to the side. Siard started the rotors and tried to find hold on the water.

  The dock was about a hundred yards to their left, though the heavy rain prevented Siard from seeing anything. He had to trust to his instincts and his instruments. He fought the water for every turn of the propeller, but the engines were powerful enough. They slowly moved towards the dock, that is, until the storm intensified in a matter of moments. New waves pummeled the submarine, but in spite of Siard’s efforts to try and dive back down, it was too late. A large wave caught the submarine at its crest and tossed it forward into a gale. For a brief moment the ship seemed to float like a feather, and then the wind died down again as quickly as it had appeared. The boat smashed onto the dock, tossing its passengers across the cabin and ripping it open by the sheer force of the impact.

  A sharp pain dragged Elion back to consciousness. With difficulty, he sat up, and the pain in his side flared. The cabin was in a jumble, what was left of it, anyway. They had stacked as much of their stuff as they could in the small back room,
but the fall had thrown everything forward and damaged many items. Everywhere around him he could see wood and metal. Plates from the ceiling had come loose and thick glass windows that could withstand the pressures of depth were dashed to smithereens. Lumea lay not far from him, trapped beneath a heavy metal plate. He helped her out from under it before checking on Siard, who was lying motionless, his head resting on the control panel. He had a large wound on his forehead. Elion carefully lifted him and carried him outside, and Lumea followed with their mantles.

  Not far from the lake they found a deep pit that was mostly covered by the roots of a tree. Elion brought Siard into it and started tending his head wound. Lumea stood watching for a time, but as there was nothing she could do to help, she returned to the wreck and attempted to salvage as much gear as possible. Everything that had even a remote chance of usefulness she took to their hiding place. On her last trip she put aside a large piece of canvas which had at some point been used in the construction of the submarine. Then she started to clean up their landing place. She threw the wreckage back into the lake, even the biggest parts she towed towards the water and pushed into its depths. All that was left when she was done were a few pieces of wood and metal, which looked like they had been thrown onto the dock separately. Hopefully, anyone who came past would think that the sub had been wrecked while out on the lake and that the three of them had drowned. Lumea was satisfied with her work.

  The last thing she did was to wipe out thier tracks. The rain had intensified, and the streaming water had turned the ground into mud, which helped her task tremendously. Then she took the canvas and made her way back to the tree under which they were hiding, wiping out their tracks as she went.

  Elion was still busy taking care of Siard, who had yet to regain consciousness. Lumea was afraid to say anything, but the elf looked at her and silently shrugged his shoulders, the uncertainty clearly visible in his eyes. The rain began to seep through the tree’s leaves, so Lumea took the canvas and spread it out over the top of the pit to provide at least a modicum of shelter against the elements. In an attempt to make the canvas less conspicuous, she littered the top of it with branches and leaves. There were more than enough of those, having been ripped from the trees by the raging winds. She stayed near their hiding place, afraid of leaving tracks which could lead to their discovery. Still, she hoped that it would be enough to keep anyone from finding their shelter unless they knew what they were looking for. Drenched to the bone, she went back inside. She stripped off her wet clothes and wrapped her cloak tightly around her in an effort to get warm.