by Gene Curtis
He passed through the wall into what had to be her bedroom. It was a large room compared to the ones in which they slept. Her bed was a large canopy style. There was a large chest-of-drawers, a large armoire, a full-length mirror on the wall, a dresser with a mirror and a bathing table with a large, inset ceramic bowl and pitcher.
She didn’t stop in her room but went straight to his room where she started moving things, obviously looking for something. He went to LeOmi’s room and stood the sword in the corner.
Naomi entered a moment later and went straight to the sword. She picked it up and started back toward her room.
He went back to his body, stood and ran outside. LeOmi and his guards followed him to the back of the building where they saw Naomi drop down from the top of the wall. When she spotted them, she leapt into the air and started levitating away.
LeOmi produced his real sword and said, “I think you’re going to need this.”
He took it and smiled. “It could come in handy, but I’m just going to follow her in Spirit Sight for now. Why don’t you see if you can find Michelei. She needs to get her mind off of Pei-Pei.”
“I’m on it.”
He sat down and closed his eyes. His spirit flew to Naomi and began following her. Her spirit, still joined to her body, was running flat out. He remembered LeOmi describing her as out of breath when she’d found her. What a terrible waste of a spirit’s energy. He remembered the recovered documents from the labyrinths and thought that new techniques, especially levitating, would soon be taught at the mountains. It was no wonder anybody thought recovering this technique was particularly important.
Naomi finally reached the church she’d fled to before. Inside, she collapsed and began panting. Her spirit had just run the equivalent of a marathon and her body was now using its energy to replenish the spirit.
He set one of Cap’n Ben’s energy drinks on the floor in front of her. The bottle suddenly appearing scared the bejeebers out of her. She jerked her head around to see who else was there. Seeing no one, her eyes got big. She got up, still panting, and ran to the door.
Mark appeared in front of her ten feet away. “I can teach you more than Pei-Pei ever could.” He pointed to the door, “That drink will help you recover your strength.”
She raised her sword and started toward him. He drew his and sliced hers to pieces with a few flicks of his wrist. “Such anger, Pei-Pei is corrupting your spirit. You’re not the same innocent girl that Michelei wanted to save so he could marry her. You should use your skills to aid others, not to help a thief and murderer.”
Still panting, she said, “Loyalty is the highest honor.”
“I disagree, loyalty to a thief and murderer is no honor at all. The highest honor is not in loyalty, it is in aiding those in need. You’re at a crossroad. You can choose to follow Pei-Pei or you can return and wait for LeOmi to find Michelei.”
“Michelei is dead... or he would have returned by now.”
“You don’t know that. Are your feelings for him so weak that you can’t wait to find out for sure?”
“And I should follow you instead?”
“You will follow who you choose, but Pei-Pei will lead you to destruction.”
“You are right. I will live my life the way I choose.”
She leapt up and floated away. He let her go; she needed time to think, to measure the course of her life.
* * *
Naomi touched down on the mountain over the kitchen and fell to her knees panting.
Pei-Pei emerged from the cave a little higher up. “Where have you been?”
“Looking... for you.”
“You found me. What do you want?”
“You killed... a policeman. You... should flee.”
“You are guilty too. Come with me.”
“I helped... you escape. I did not... know you... killed him.”
“If you had not stolen that sword, none of this would have happened. They would never have found me here.”
Naomi shook her head. “Not true. The policeman did not know about the sword.”
“That is no matter. Come with me; we can go anywhere, do anything we want.”
She stood and faced her servant. “You still look at me as if I am a child. I am no child and I know more from the manuscript than you do. You should have asked me to teach you.”
Pei-Pei fast stepped forward and tried to strike her, the first of five strikes that would have left her paralyzed. She blocked the strike and counter-struck Pei-Pei at the exact point she had been aiming for on her body. She followed that with the next three points, stopping shy of the fifth and final point.
Pei-Pei wasn’t fast enough to block any of the strikes and realizing this, her face transformed into fear.
Naomi said, “The manuscript is written in ancient Hebrew, a language I was taught early. You only learned from the drawings. Your knowledge is inferior to mine.”
Pei-Pei leapt into the air and said, “Make no mistake child; I still have lessons to teach you.” She floated away over the mountaintop.
* * *
LeOmi remanifested to the top of the closest northern mountain and then due north as far as she could see several times after that. When she figured she had gone three hundred miles, she turned east. After remanifesting a few more times, she was in the Sudanese mountains east of Berber.
She sat on a hilltop and used Spirit Sight to search the area. It didn’t take her long to find a large camp of nomads occupying an abandoned mining complex. She estimated the number of people there at a little more than a hundred.
Individual dwelling spaces were chipped out of the mountain around a large open area surrounded on three sides by the mountain. Groups of riders were coming and going on horseback. A group of men stood surrounding two others engaged in a wrestling contest. Everything was just as she expected the camp to be like.
She remanifested into the center of the open area and shouted in Ethiopian, “I am here for Michelei!”
Everyone around her stopped and stared.
She called again, “Michelei!”
Someone called back to her, “There is no Michelei.”
“This is Sand Spider’s camp, no?”
Laughter erupted around her and every one she could see was pointing south.
A man approached and said, “We are not thieves and murderers. Sand Spider’s camp is not known, but he raids south of here.”
She bowed her head and said, “Thank you,” before turning and walking away. When she rounded the corner away from the open area, she remanifested back to the hilltop.
She searched south and couldn’t find the camp until she decided to follow a lone rider. It took about an hour of winding through many rocky trails, but they finally reached a place covered by a huge natural bridge spanning two mountains.
She remanifested as far under the bridge as she could and called, “This is Sand Spider’s camp, no?”
She heard the ring of steel being drawn all around her and saw a surge of men everywhere she looked beginning to move toward her.
“I’m here for Michelei!”
The men kept coming.
She produced her sword and waved it. She heard objects hitting the ground, but the men kept moving toward her.
“Let me talk to Michelei! No one has to die!” She waved her sword again. She heard more weapons hit the ground.
A voice close behind her called, “Hold!”
She turned and saw an old man, his face horribly weathered by the desert sun.
“Why do you seek Michelei?”
“The girl he risked his life for has been betrothed to marry another. He should know about this if he wants to do anything about it.”
“You are a Magi, yes?”
“What makes you think that?”
“If you wish to leave here alive, you should be truthful.”
She thought about it for a moment and said, “I am a traveler from the south seeking a gift for a friend.”
“I too am a trav
eler, seeking freedom for the oppressed.”
“I heard you were a thief and a murder, the dreaded Sand Spider.”
“I am. I steal slaves and set them free. Sometimes their masters do not wish this to be so.”
“But, your reputation says otherwise.”
“Allowing those that wish to believe rumors to do so has some advantage.”
She smiled and nodded, “I suppose it does. Is Michelei here?”
“He is, but I will not allow him to go with you. You must bring the girl here.”
“Why?”
“Michelei was a slave I rescued. If I let him return, he will be forced back into servitude when they learn who he is and he will not be allowed to marry the girl.”
“I understand. I’ll be back shortly.”
* * *
Mark was on the roof doing some sword fighting practice. He squatted and spun bringing his riotous up diagonally. LeOmi appeared and blocked the sweep of his practice sword with hers.
His guards, sitting near the corners of the roof and watching, scrambled to their feet, ready for action at her sudden appearance. They moaned and sat back down when they saw who it was.
She grinned at Mark. “I could use some exercise. Care to get beaten by a girl?”
Mark glanced left and right, “No army here. I suppose you’ve been practicing falling down.” He grinned back at her. “Have at it.”
She swung. He parried and lunged. She parried, spun and swiped at him. He ducked, lunged, then leapt into the air and levitated just out of her reach, still grinning. He touched back down when she placed her arms akimbo.
“How’d you do that?”
“Simple, keep your spirit with your body and have it run wherever you want to go. Run in place to stay stationary.”
He brought his riotous back to the ready position. “Did you find Michelei?”
She swung. He parried, remanifested behind her and struck her backside.
“Ow! No fair!” She spun and swung at him.
He blocked. “It is fair. I know you can beat me easily using standard techniques, so I have to be non-standard.”
She pushed her riotous hard, forcing him back half a step. He pushed back at her with his. She sidestepped and let him stumble forward. Before he could regain his balance, she tripped him with her foot and grabbed the back of his collar before he could hit the floor.
He remanifested up about ten feet and levitated horizontally. She grabbed and hung onto him with both hands. She looked around at her situation and then did a pull-up, bringing them face-to-face. He thought she was going to climb onto his back, but instead, she kissed him. Not just a peck, her lips pressed into his and lingered, and lingered. He lost his concentration and they fell to the roof.
For just an instant, he felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him. He didn’t feel satisfied; he felt baffled. How long had she wanted to do that?
Samantha burst out laughing. “Beware; a woman’s kiss has smitten many a man.”
Ray grunted.
LeOmi said, “All’s fair, attack where your opponent is weakest.”
Mark whispered, “That was nice, but we can’t do this.”
“I know, but I just had to, if only once.”
“Well, how about getting off my back so I can get up.”
“I don’t know, sitting here is kind of nice, too.”
He bucked, rolled, grabbed her ribs and started tickling her as hard as he could. She started laughing hard and did very little to make him stop. He knew she could if she wanted too.
He stopped and sat back. “Did you find Michelei?”
She composed herself and said, “I found where he is. The Sand Spider says Naomi should come there.”
“He’s a thief and a murderer. What makes him think we’d bring her there?”
“He’s a Magi. I think he could be two hundred years old. He said he rescues slaves and sets them free, but the owners object sometimes.”
“Do you think it’s safe?”
She shrugged one shoulder, “Safe enough. We’ll be with her.”
“What do you think about me training her?”
“As a Magi, are you kidding?”
“She needs something. She’s been around Pei-Pei for too long.”
“I agree she needs something, but not you. Maybe the Sand Spider will be good for her.”
“Maybe, we’ll see.”
* * *
Shimishon walked into the dining hall, looked around until he spotted Mark and LeOmi, then walked over. LeOmi motioned for him to join them.
“You would not believe the tunnels we have found. We knew a few, but we had no idea there were so many. There are hundreds! Enough to hide thousands.” He looked at Mark, “How did you know?”
He shrugged, “It’s a gift from God. I can see things others can’t. Did you find the one that leads from the kitchen in Naomi’s house?”
“Indeed! We have not.”
“It’s a small one, easy to miss.”
Naomi walked up and interrupted, “I will go with you, not because I want to follow your teachings, but because I do not wish to marry.”
LeOmi said, “Michelei is alive. We know where he is.”
“And you did not bring him here?”
Mark said, “If we brought him back here you wouldn’t be able to marry him. We have to take you to him.”
“We will leave immediately.”
“We’ll leave after we eat. Perhaps you’d like to pack some things. I don’t think you’re coming back.”
She huffed, turned and walked out of the hall.
* * *
Naomi was waiting in the front room of her house amid a cluster of traveling bags.
Mark said, “Take what you can carry with one hand outside. You’ll need the other hand to hold on.”
“I want to take all of this.”
“It’s not possible.”
LeOmi said, “I can take a couple.” She walked over and grabbed the smallest of the bags.
The major said, “As a matter of policy, we keep our hands free at all times. Carrying things reduces our reaction time.”
Naomi said, “The servants can carry the rest.” She clapped her hands rapidly several times.
Four servants entered from the kitchen with their heads bowed.
Mark asked the servants, “Are you hired servants or are you slaves?”
Naomi said, “They’re slaves.”
Mark said, “Should you choose to come with us, the Sand Spider will grant you your freedom.”
Naomi protested, “He will not. They will be my servants.”
“I thought you knew that is what the Sand Spider does. He rescues slaves. If they come with us, they will be set free. If you resist, he may kill you.”
“He can try.”
“I believe he will succeed, but it’s your choice.” He turned to the door. “Let’s go.”
It took a moment for Naomi and the slaves to join them. Mark said, “Hold onto LeOmi like she’s keeping you from falling over a cliff. After everyone was hanging on, LeOmi remanifested them to the Sand Spider’s camp.
The Sand Spider was lying on his side with his back against a boulder, eyes closed and snoring lightly.
Someone nearby tossed a large pebble onto his leg and called, “George! She is back.”
The old man stirred and opened his eyes. ‘Thank you.” He pushed himself up with his hands and used the large rock to get to his feet. He turned to face them and said, “Welcome back.” He looked at Naomi. “This is her?”
LeOmi said, “Yes sir.”
He called, “Michelei, come here.”
A young man sitting among a group of men about a hundred yards away stood and began trotting toward them. He was grinning wide as he approached.
“This is the girl you wished to save in the desert. She has fled her people and come here to be with you if you will have her.”
Michelei offered his hand to her. “I am honored that you would do such a
thing.”
She took his hand and said, “I did not have a choice. My father was going to make me marry someone I did not know. I did not wish to marry him. I have thought about marrying you ever since I saw your bravery.”
Michelei dropped to his knees and said, “I pledge my love to you forever.”
She dropped to her knees. “I have loved you since I first saw you and feel I will forever.”
The Sand Spider said, “You are now wed. Live in harmony.”
Naomi exclaimed, “Wait! This was a marriage ceremony?”
“You both pledged your love forever in front of the chief of the tribe and witnesses. What more is required? Do you wish it to be not so?”
“No... no, I just thought we would have time to get to know each other first.”
“What is to know? The meat is, he was and is willing to risk his life for you and you have dreamed of him being your man since you first met. All else is sauce and bread.” He motioned them away. “Go and do what is right.”
Mark motioned toward the servants. “These are slaves that came with us to be set free.”
“You did a good thing, Mark Young.” He produced his sword and lowered himself to his knees. “You have the staff?”
Mark produced the staff.
“I choose; my sword and my life I pledge to you in your stand against Benrah.”
His guards helped him back to his feet.
Mark placed a pendant around his neck. “I think you have something in mind.”
“A dream, every night. You will be seeking to hide those fleeing Benrah. There are hundreds of camps like this around the world. I command a lot of them. I think we could be of some help.”
One of the servants asked, “Are you going to set us free?”
The old man chuckled, “Freedom is of the heart. It is not I that can set you free, it is you.”
“What must we do?”
“Be free.”
Mark asked, “How did you end up as slaves?”
“We fled Somalia, but we had nowhere to go. We were found by the Nazarites and they said we could live with them if we worked.”
“Do they make you stay there?”
“We are happy there. There is food and shelter... dances and feasts. The work is not hard. Why would we want to leave?”
