‘Go where?’ Shayne asked just as a light appeared on a distant rise.
We must go and find him. They both began walking side-by-side towards the light. He knew what was waiting for them; he knew that the man with the eyes of light would be there.
As they drew closer to their destination an old man crossed their path; he was ancient and bent with a walking stick. It was the native from the ruins. What is he doing here? Shayne wondered, but the man was now focused and intelligent. His eyes brightened when he saw Shayne.
‘It is you!’ he exclaimed with joy. ‘It is you!’ he repeated and began to cry as he hobbled to Shayne and pawed his clothes with frail old hands.
‘I have to find him,’ Shayne insisted while gently pushing the old man aside. ‘He is up there,’ but the frail man followed and though his shuffling clearly pained him, he managed to keep up with them.
‘No,’ he said with urgency. ‘It is you! How can it be another? It is you!’ but Shayne and the fox sped up, leaving the old man behind. Shayne grew fearful, he did not know what to do, he looked up at the light and dread crept over him.
Do not falter, the fox called out with fear for Shayne. We must find him! With that final remark, they broke into the light. Shayne covered his eyes, flinching at the blinding pain. Gradually the glare dimmed to reveal the strange man, he had his back turned and was looking up at the stars. Shayne twisted his head to follow the man’s gaze. He saw the Oxford Colonyship flying overhead and though it should be just another star he saw it as if he himself was in space and when he looked back at the stranger it was once again a small light up in the sky. The man continued to study the ship in mild fascination before he slowly turned to Shayne. The Starborn found himself drawn to his eyes of light. The man’s face broke into a wide smile. He took a step forward with his arms outstretched. He opened his mouth to say —
***
Shayne snapped awake shaking all over. His breathing was laboured with sweat running down his face. He sat up and rubbed the side of his beard. Their camp was shrouded in a heavy mist, the hanging branches a few metres away were hard to see and dew covered everything. Shayne looked around, many people were still asleep but some were up and about. As he scanned the camp he saw Kíe standing by a hanging branch, watching him. Shayne locked eyes with him, the young lionman maintained his hard and thoughtful gaze before he turned away into the fog.
Shayne rose, his clothes and sleeping bag were drenched. He shivered in the coldness, pondering why it did not wake him. He packed his damp sleeping bag and changed into his light armour utility uniform; now looking just like the other Starborns except for the extra patches and his colonial epaulets. He was glad for the uniform change, he felt more comfortable and certainly less exposed. By this time almost everyone was up and about. The sound of voices were dampened by the mist. Everything felt distant, as if they were in a dream. By the time the horses were packed the sun was high enough that everything was a bright haze, the growing warmth allowing the mist to slowly lift.
The horses had been herded to the tree where they waited patiently for their riders.
‘I wonder how long it took them to find them all,’ Omar asked, patting his horse on the nose, he had become very fond of his beast.
‘I think they are trained to stay near the camp,’ Rae said as she secured her pack to the back of her saddle, the Bohanese warriors had spent some time showing the Earthmen how to put a saddle and bridle on and how to look after them. The horses were already prepared for them except for their own gear and rifles. Hanniver was mounted and talking to Pan’arden, he was one of the early risers and he helped retrieve and clean them.
‘He seems to have made new friends,’ Omar indicted his superior with a tilt of his head.
‘And so has Rae,’ Dominic joked.
‘Get up on your horse,’ she said as she pushed him out of arm’s reach. Shayne finished fixing his pack; his eidetic memory ensured he mastered any skills shown to him the first time. As they were talking amongst each other he admired his horse’s saddle and the sheen of its coat, she was truly a beautiful creature. He ran his hand down her a few times; she nuzzled him in return before he lifted himself up into the saddle.
‘Where’s your lionman anyway?’ Dominic teased Rae. ‘Is that how you like them: Big and strong with a nice coat of fur?’ Both Omar and Dominic burst out with laughter.
‘Yeah, yeah, very funny. Don’t forget that I’m your superior officer and that I could make you dig a hole; I hear you’ve become quite good at it!’
‘Any joke is worth it, oh, and look who’s here!’ Dominic pointed as the lionman soldier emerged from the fog on his warhorse. ‘Hey, hey!’ Dominic called, waving at the warrior who cast his eyes across at him in surprise; he turned in his saddle to see if Dominic was calling someone behind, at seeing no one he gave an uncertain half smile and waved back. Rae hissed at Dominic and hit him in the leg; he reached down and rubbed his leg, laughing and cringing at the pain at the same time.
‘What’d you do that for?’ Dominic complained while he rubbed his leg, Omar also laughed and the lionman watched them with a very confused expression on his face. Rae blushed as he rode passed; she found that she could not look him in the face after the boys’ banter. He smiled at her but was still confused. Hanniver rode up to them.
‘What do you three think you’re doing?’ He glared at them, Omar and Dominic looked up at him, their smiles now gone.
‘Nothing, sir,’ Rae called.
‘Sir,’ Dominic stood at attention. ‘I feel compelled to tell you that Lieutenant Rae has fallen in love with a native, sir!’ He then saluted in the Eridani fashion, Hanniver shook his head.
‘This isn’t a holiday Corporal, please maintain some professionalism and some respect for superior officers, or I will have you dig another hole when we get back.’
‘Yes Sir,’ Dominic saluted again. The Brigadier stared at him for a moment, waiting for another comic remark but Dominic learnt a long time ago not to push your luck,
Hanniver then added, ‘Where is the robotic mule?
Dominic was taken by surprise. ‘Sir?’ he automatically replied.
‘Remember the equipment on the mule is your responsibility; don’t let it out of your sight,’ Dominic saluted again, an honest salute this time and he ran off into the mist to find the mule.
Hanniver then turned to Shayne, ‘You ready?’ Shayne answered by leading his horse beside the Brigadier-General. ‘I don’t know what to do with those boys sometimes,’ he said shaking his head.
‘I don’t understand them,’ Shayne simply replied.
‘Neither do I.’ They rode together until they found the head of the pack.
As the hours past the fog lifted to another bright and sunny day, the warmth reminded Shayne of something, but he could not fathom what, occasionally a sentence would pop into his head. ‘Remember how she said that, “we would meet again, some sunny day.”’ When he recalled this sentence other words would invade his mind, but he could not make them out. He did not know where this phrase came from, he had never heard it before and it was frustrating that he could not remember the rest, so to distract himself he would watch the other riders around him.
Kíe, as usual was lost in thought; the simplest things seemed to amuse and please him: like the pattern of shadows made by the tree tops, or the structure of a stone fence line, or the way the wind blew through the grass. At times when the company was silent he would begin to sing, first quietly to himself and then his voice would rise as his mood lifted. The sound of his songs would travel through the hills and gullies lifting the spirits of the small party. Sometimes he sung in the common dialect, other times in Kadalian; The Language of Kings. Shayne did not know that language but he heard some similarities with the common speech. The scholar sung one song when they came close to the boundary of the great forest, and as he sung it the lionmen fell silent and gazed dreamily out to the forest.
Vang more va myluf nor vandamor
/> my va mun mando ganda ham’nu
mara my ha ten Markees ka amdo na’din mynarda kama
thera Varda ten a’ra my ha.
No more will I be left here alone.
I will rise to see the sunrise.
Markees blood I am and to war I fight again,
for a King of old I am.
Their road crossed a major highway that connected two cities within the Afradinman Province, but they continued to follow their small dusty track, occasionally passing tiny farming communities. Their path wound around the landscape and they followed it to the edges of the Wayel-Éaa, where it met another track that traced the border of the great forest. Shayne found himself drawn to the woods; always looking in at the darkness within. The road became no more than an old path, used only by farmers and the occasional merchant that ventured to the more remote villages. After a few hours riding they took a break for a late lunch. Shayne unpacked his sleeping bag and parade uniform and draped them on a branch, with all the others following his lead. The lionmen seemed at ease in the shadow of the forest, but they spoke very seldom and always in hushed whispers.
‘Funny, when we were in there your people could not wait to leave,’ Shayne commented, ‘but now we stand on the edge and they all look — happy, as if it were an old friend.’ The forest itself seemed unusually dark as if the light was denied access, yet the space between the trees was wide enough to drive a ground vehicle through.
‘The forest serves as protection,’ Pan’arden spoke as she placed a heavy blanket on the branch next to Shayne’s sleeping bag. She looked up at the forest with a very slight smile and a faraway gaze that was reminiscent of Kíe. ‘It is a reminder of the olden days. There is deep respect for the forest and the people who once dwelt there, as well as a deep fear. You will find all love the forest provided they do not have to step forth within.’
‘Many of your soldiers seem happy to go in there now,’ Shayne observed as some walked freely amongst the trees to replenish their bundles of wood used the previous night.
‘They do not step beyond the border; they are but in the area which the forest has grown out from. They still walk on Bohanese land.’
Shayne doubted this very much, ‘How do they know that they have not already walked beyond the border?’
‘The silence,’ Pan’arden simply said with a shrug. Shayne stood frozen for a moment trying to understand the comment, he turned to Pan’arden but she was walking back to her horse. He stepped a few paces forward, staring intently through the trees; watching the lionmen as they went about collecting firewood. He tried to look into the depths, but the forestland was made of hills and gullies, barring a deeper view. Shayne’s eyes drifted to a recess, it was darker than the rest. He thought he saw movement, but as he focused upon it there was nothing. The darkness appeared to grow, engulfing the area around it; he found he could not turn away, everything else faded as his mind was drawn into it.
‘Hey!’ Shayne snapped back to reality. Kíe was at his side trying to get his attention. Rae also rushed passed very excitedly calling to Omar with something in her hands.
‘Are you okay?’ Kíe had his hand on Shayne’s shoulder and he looked down at him, a glance of both amusement and concern on the journeyman’s face.
‘Yeah,’ Shayne replied as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair, ‘I am fine.’
‘Careful,’ Kíe cautioned as he glanced into the forest; a faint smile on his face. ‘There is something about the Wayel-Éaa; it draws you in. — There is a game that the Bohanese young used to play, to prove that they are brave. They venture as far as they dared to witness it.’
‘Witness what?’
‘The silence,’ Kíe simply said. Shayne glanced at Kíe with a blank look.
‘What you just did then, that was the drawing, surely you realise that?’ Kíe searched the Starborn’s face. ‘It is remarkable that it occurred beyond the border; that is rare. People disappear; they are drawn and they never return. Those who fight it say it is like a call and they find it hard to resist.’
‘What about the children and their games?’
‘Most never even come close,’ Kíe dismissed with a wave of his hand.
‘And those who do?’
‘Have a fearful respect,’ Kíe looked out again. ‘Provided they return.’ He then looked at Shayne again dismissing the sombre conversation and smiled broadly. ‘Are you hungry?’ he asked as he made his way to a soldier handing out rations.
‘Hang on,’ Shayne followed him. ‘How come we did not witness this when we were in the forest itself?’
‘We did.’
Shayne grimaced. Kíe’s half explained replies were frustrating to him.
The journeyman sighed, ‘Did you not notice that the forest was sometimes quiet? That is the silence. Though it is not strong up in the mountains it is greatest here, for we are closer to the heart.’
‘What is it?’ Shayne asked, a feeling he had never experienced suddenly flooded over him: sending a faint shiver down his spine.
‘They say it is the spirit of the children of Markees, a dark shadow now lies where they once dwelled; the birds of the sky do not fly overhead nor do the creatures of the ground walk upon its soil. At the heart of the forest is the great city of the Markeeians. The silence is believed to be their tortured souls desiring warmth and life from the living so they call to us.’ Kíe sat down to eat his meal, Shayne remained standing contemplating the forest. His eyes wandered across the trees and into their depths.
‘I would not look too much in that direction Afra’hama,’ Kíe warned. ‘For you could find yourself lost and none will follow you, not this close to the heart.’ Shayne sat beside Kíe but he found himself thinking about the lost city. As he finished his small meal Rae and Dominic came up to him. Rae was with some of the natives trying to talk through a robot, but frustration lead her to the Starborn.
‘Forrester,’ she called to him. He regarded her standing before him. This was the first time anyone from the party had addressed him willingly other than the Brigadier.
‘Yes?’
‘I’ve found this little guy,’ she said and sat next to him holding out a sickly thing. Shayne looked down at it. It was a tiny winged creature resembling an Australian possum, but it had wings that gripped with fright around Rae’s hand as well as four legs. Another hexapedal animal, like the bird in Keemíth. This was the first wild mammal creature they had seen for a while.
Rae put the little creature into Shayne’s open hand. It instantly clung to him; its wings griped where they could, but they were the only thing that possessed strength, the rest of it would collapse in his hand, and it would fumble around trying to escape. Kíe looked at the little creature.
‘Kadhi,’ Kíe spoke, identifying its name. Rae smiled.
‘It doesn’t have any diseases, does it?’ Dominic asked. Kíe shook his head as he gently lifted one of its wings with his large hands and looked at it more carefully, Shayne tried to give it to him but he did not take it. ‘It has been attacked by something, I do not think it is serious, but it has not been able to hunt. They eat bugs, hoppers and flies.’ He then pushed Shayne’s hand to Rae who retrieved the small creature.
‘The biologist would love to look at him,’ she said to Shayne with mounting excitement as she patted the little creature.
‘It wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t recall any such creature in the catalogue at settlement.’
‘I’m going to find it some food,’ she declared then promptly went to a droid and ordered it to capture any crawling insects. The robot acknowledged the order then prioritised the command. As they had no work to do it went to the nearest tree and started to scrape the ground cover, instantly uncovering a world of warm weather insects. Rae on the other hand set about to convert a discarded food tin into a home and placed some tissue paper in it for the creature. It then went about licking the sides of the container for the taste of food.
After an hour they were mov
ing along again. Shayne’s sleeping bag and clothing were perfectly dry and packed though Pan’arden’s blanket was still cold and damp, she was not worried as she knew it would dry.
Moving along softly rising hills and down into shallow gullies the landscape began to smooth out into the open plains again. Travelling down the other side of the last main hill, they saw an old homestead further along the ridge. Old work horses peered curiously at the travellers otherwise the farm house seemed empty with the occupant out herding in the plains.
‘Look, look, I see something!’ Rahul, the private called out in excitement. Shayne peered out the direction the soldier was pointing. He shaded his eyes from the suns glare and saw in the distance something protruding from the far-eastern end of the forest. There before them was a distant tower; it was so faint that Shayne could only just make it out, but it was definitely there, standing proud above the trees. It must have been a grand structure; on the scale of a skyscraper to be so far away.
‘That is one of the three great towers,’ Kíe informed. ‘It is the tower of Septimus in Karmoníth.’
‘The Citadel Tower,’ Shayne translated to his companions. ‘It’s at the centre of the city we’re travelling to.’ The Earthmen grew in spirits at this news, their conversation rippled with excitement, but that slowly died as the day wore on and the tower seemed no closer. As the day faded they all were very tired and increasingly grim: they once again made camp. Shayne made sure to set up his swag this time before being distracted. That night they had a good fire as the Wayel-Éaa forest was littered with old wood scattered through the undergrowth.
The night was full of music, most of which was about the forest and its ancient dwellers. Shayne looked into the darkness as they sung and thought he saw movement within. He wanted to walk in amongst the trees, but the words of Kíe sat uneasily in the back of his mind.
Most of the party were in good spirits but the travelling was taking its toll on some of the Earthmen. They were tired and worn, the knowledge of at least two more days of horse riding slowly ate away at their moral. They knew that their opinions would change once there, but this night and probably the following they would remain quietly disheartened. Shayne stretched out his legs, riding did not cause him constant pain anymore but the relentless travel did mean his legs remained perpetually stiff.
The Book of Ominiue: Starborn Page 14
