Necropolis (Book One of Book One)

by Penn Fawn

  Necropolis

  Penn Fawn

  Published by Penn Fawn, 2020.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Copyright © by Penn Fawn.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Foreword

  Chapter I – Nyeusi

  Chapter II – The Witness

  Chapter III – Nabii

  Chapter IV – The Forest Of Souls

  Chapter V – Kimbilio

  Chapter VI – To Yagan

  Chapter VII – The Elephant Graveyard

  Chapter VIII – Isle Of The Maimed

  Afterword

  Next In The Series

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  Foreword

  THESE ARE THE FIRST eight chapters of Book One, pictured below. It is offered as a permafree download to introduce readers to the series.

  Chapter I – Nyeusi

  THEY APPROACHED THE three from behind with hunched shoulders, stealthily placing one leg before the other, keeping their heads low.

  Their friend, one with feet almost as dark as coal, trailed from a distance of about seventy yards. His soles made almost no sound as they came into contact with the ground.

  Their targets, focused and oblivious, were fixated on the elephants in the distance. As if acting on a choreographed work they practiced to perfection, they raised their arms with a bow and poisoned arrow in hand, in unison.

  The cats sprung.

  Startled and dumbfounded, the men did not release. They barely made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn before large canines and claws tore at flesh and bone.

  The afflicted caught a glimpse of a silhouetted figure in the not too far off distance. He watched them scream until their cries could be heard no more.

  The dark fellow, with the sun to his back, and beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, calmly advanced while a fourth man, a stone’s throw and forty degrees to the west, trembled concealed behind a large rock.

  The dark one, Nyeusi was his name, sat under a nearby tree for shade while the cats ate.

  He leaned back, rested against its trunk, and closed his eyes. A cool wind swept through his mane of hair and dried the sweat on his brow.

  The witness, a certain Daniel Salah, was sure to keep as still as he could.

  He waited some twenty minutes after watching Nyeusi rise and walk away from what was left of the carnage. The cats trailed closely behind.

  Daniel, having noticed there was no sign of anyone else around, got up and hastily departed.

  Chapter II – The Witness

  “I WANT TO GET OUT OF here,” Daniel said.

  “What? What happened?” his compatriot, Ali Samar, asked. “And, where are the . . . ?”

  “They’re dead!” Daniel snapped.

  “What?”

  “Did I stutter? You heard me! They’re dead. All but one of them.”

  Ali fell silent.

  “All are dead except for Djembe, who, luckily for him, he stayed back at the camp when we ventured out.”

  “What happened?”

  “They were mauled!” Daniel exclaimed.

  “What?”

  “Not what. You heard me!”

  Ali listened. “What beasts did this?”

  “Lions,” Daniel said.

  Ali said nothing.

  “Could have been me too!” Daniel added. “I survived because I took a detour to observe a herd slightly off in the distance. It’s the only reason I’m still here. Yes, it was risky to wander off like that on my own in these parts. If even just for a couple minutes, but it saved my life!”

  Ali was silent.

  “This is a fool’s errand,” Daniel continued.

  “How so?” Ali asked.

  “’Tis no-man’s-land. It’s so wild. Untamed.”

  “You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this,” Ali said. “These are unchartered . . .”

  “No, I didn’t,” Daniel cut him short. “I haven’t told you half the story.”

  “There’s more?”

  “There is,” Daniel replied.

  “Well, go on then,” Ali said.

  “The cats. There was a man with them. Like he was part of the pride, leading them on like one would do with a breed of hounds.”

  Ali was pensive. “Madness,” he said.

  “Is it? Were you there?”

  “You’ll excuse me, but you sound like one of the natives now, with their wild imaginary tales. Are you okay, Daniel? The trauma from what happened must . . .”

  “Stop it and listen to me! Or, do you want to go back to have a look for yourself at what’s left of the strewn carcasses? That’s if some other beasts haven’t already taken them away. ’Tis no ill man talking, or one who’s delirious. I’m telling you what I saw,” Daniel said, sternly looking him in the eye.

  Ali thought there was a look of terrible concern on his face. “Well, go on then,” he said.

  “You’ve heard of this man before,” Daniel said, stating what he already knew to be true.

  There were none there who hadn’t heard about Nyeusi. Even strangers or relative newcomers like they were couldn’t have resided there for long before hearing about him.

  “I have,” Ali replied. “I have, and I dismissed it as superstition.”

  “It’s no myth, Ali. I saw him with my own eyes.”

  Ali did not reply.

  “It had to be him,” Daniel said.

  “And, how would you know?”

  “Because he was exactly as has been described. A mane of locked hair. More exotic than perhaps any that has ever been seen north of these parts.

  “He was tall. Over six feet. Very dark. Impressive build and he did lead those cats. I watched him sit near them unconcerned while they ate our guides alive.”

  Ali listened. “Well, this is savage territory. I guess it’s not altogether impossible . . .”

  “It’s what happened,” Daniel snapped.

  Ali looked him in the eye. “Was there anyone else?” he asked.

  “Just him,” Daniel replied.

  Ali became pensive.

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Well, if you are to believe the folk around here, he is supposed to be part of another tribe,” Ali replied.

  “And?” Daniel said.

  Ali looked him squarely in the face. “A tribe of beastmasters,” he said.

  Daniel listened.

  “And, the story gets much more elaborate, doesn’t it?” Ali asked. “Did you hear about that?”

  Daniel looked at him sternly. “Look, what do we really know about what’s here to doubt or question the truth about it?” he said. “I mean, really. What do we know?”

  Ali did not reply.

  “Nothing,” Daniel added. “Not a damn thing.”

  “Maybe,” Ali said.

  “Maybe nothing,” Daniel returned.

  “Fair enough,” Ali replied. “But if our expedition doesn’t venture to find out, others will. Enough has been said about this place to inspire the more ambitious to come here in droves. But you already know that.”

  Daniel listened.

  “’Tis no foo
l’s errand, my friend. The more ambitious of us will come. They will come for ivory. They will come for gold. They will come for exotic foods and spices. Some, like me, may even come hoping to find the Necropolis. Come, they will.”

  Daniel, mindful that the Necropolis was rumored to be the largest diamond ever found, said nothing. It was cast and encased in a silver bangle with two smaller sized diamonds placed on its sides. It was named after the burial ground of the fabled city called Sanctuary, whose inhabitants were allegedly laid to waste by the necromancer, the lord of the underworld.

  He acknowledged he could not deny anything Ali said. The very reason they were there was to try and get ahead of the treasure and wealth-seeking hordes who would come from the lands up north, from whence they came.

  They were from the lands north of the great desert, from a place they called Kemet. Their aim? Locate the fabled territory called Sanctuary.

  “Listen,” Ali continued. “I’m not doubting anything you said to me, but don’t let yourself get carried away. You know these people are little more than savages, so it’s not too much of a stretch for me to accept some may have wild pets.

  “That said . . . well, for the time being anyway, I suspect we’re perfectly safe here. We’ll just have to be better prepared, more careful about how we go about things next time.

  “But, if you’ve had enough and you’re ready to pack up, I won’t stand in your way.”

  “Thank you,” Daniel replied.

  “And, you would that easily, wouldn’t you?”

  Daniel did not reply.

  “Very well, then. So after all of your sacrifices, do you mean to say because there was a bit of a scare, you’d simply just pack it up and leave?” Ali asked.

  Daniel kept silent.

  “There is gold here, Daniel! Gold! Plus, an abundance of other raw materials of which these people know not their value!”

  “A bit of a scare, eh?” Daniel replied.

  Ali considered carefully what words he should use next.

  “Well, it’s just that I didn’t think you’d get cold feet having come so far. I felt because you were willing to come this far inland, you also were willing to go all the way.”

  Ali’s hope to encourage Daniel stemmed from considering a total of eighty men began the expedition. Adventurous as they were, the weeks’ long journey at sea, which was a first for many, left a good deal of the crew desirous of traveling no further inland than they needed to.

  These stayed with the tribes whose lands were closer to the water. Aside from trading with them, they served as the first link among a chain of positions they would attempt to establish as their more adventurous compatriots ventured further inland.

  The sea voyage, with its limited rations and countless other inconveniences, left many thin and weak upon arrival. Most, however, survived, but only to watch some of their friends die from mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria and others of which they knew nothing or had no name.

  Hitherto, from a total of eighty, Daniel was one of a mere twenty who dared to endure come what may, and thus had managed to make it this far.

  Djembe appeared at the door.

  “Djembe,” Ali said.

  “Yes,” he replied. “I need to have a word with you right away.”

  “Okay,” Ali said. “Please come in.”

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “Please. Have a seat,” said Ali.

  “Thank you.”

  “What’s on your mind?” Ali asked.

  “Did you not hear what happened?” Djembe asked.

  “Well, Daniel just began telling me something about . . .”

  “Word spreads easily, like wildfire around here,” Djembe cut him short. “Three of our men who went out to assist you were killed.”

  “I was not out . . .”

  “I mean whomever of your men who went out today,” Djembe interjected.

  Ali’s face was stern. He was slow to respond. “I . . . I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry to hear this.”

  Djembe became pensive. “As you can imagine, the villagers who lost their family are even more so,” he said.

  Ali did not reply.

  “I remember you saying you were to go with the men, Daniel. I must ask, what exactly did you set out to do today?”

  “You know what we were doing,” Daniel replied. “What do you mean?”

  “Did you set out in search of tusks from carcasses, or were you seeking to hunt the elephants?”

  “Why, we sought already fallen animals,” Daniel replied with a straight face.

  “I see,” Djembe said.

  “Why do you ask?” said Daniel.

  “No one here or anywhere near the surrounding villages has been killed by cats for quite some time now.”

  “I see,” Daniel said.

  “And, you must know that to unnecessarily harm the elephant is an evil omen,” Djembe added.

  Ali struggled to hide his contempt.

  He hoped Djembe’s visit would be a short one.

  “I will go now, although, in parting, I must say I don’t know how this will turn out or what the response will be.”

  “Okay,” Ali replied.

  “Before I proceed, there are some things I want to get to the bottom of,” he said to Daniel, the moment Djembe parted company with them.

  “Okay,” Daniel replied.

  “I will call a meeting with the heads of our contingent.”

  “What’s it for?” Daniel asked.

  “What’s it to you?” Ali said.

  “I’m curious,” Daniel replied.

  “I’m interested in learning more about this Nyeusi character and his group. Hopefully, I can glean some more information from the elders here.”

  “Don’t see why you’d need to call a meeting with the key members of our group for that, and why the interest in him all of a sudden?”

  “’Tis a matter of wanting to exercise caution, Daniel. That’s all. The more I know about these characters, the better. I figure the best way to learn as much as I can about them is not from hearsay, but from meeting and talking to the more authoritative figures here.”

  Daniel listened.

  “Like Djembe said, stories spread or travel like wildfire. In time, I’m sure some of our men may become distressed after hearing what happened. Families of the afflicted may by degrees become even more distressed. Who’s to say many haven’t already thought we’ve overstayed our visit if you’re following me?”

  “I believe I am,” Daniel replied. “To some, we’re probably now seen as those foreigners who brought death to their people, or so I think you mean.”

  “Precisely,” said Ali.

  “And, you call that being safe?” Daniel asked. “By midnight, they may have us in a boiling pot while they dance around a fire.”

  “We need to have a meeting tonight,” Ali, who was growing with apprehension, said. “We ought to air this all out in the open and decide on what is the best course of action to take.”

  Daniel shook his head in an upward and downward manner. “Well, let’s get to it then,” he said. “While we still can.”

  “Don’t further alarm me, Daniel. We don’t know for sure what’s on anyone’s mind.”

  He was right in more ways than one. While they had no certain knowledge of what their peers or the villagers were thinking, word did reach camp about what transpired. Certain members of the contingent did become concerned and could only wonder what may happen next.

  Some, like Daniel, joked about the possibility of being the chief ingredients later on for a soup, if not a roast.

  Some took this talk as humor. With others, the joke fell flat, and they wondered just where might Daniel and Ali be at that hour. That is, if they hadn’t already been taken captive by some of the cooks there.

  Ali’s attention was diverted by the presence of three men who appeared at the entrance to the door. They were Penal, Asfar, and Sodom.

  The latter, a known rapist b
ack in his land, was the first to offer his services when he learned their king demanded an expedition be sent to find and acquire gold and whatever other material wealth and riches were allegedly within Sanctuary and/or the distant lands.

  The reward for his participation, provided the mission was successful, was a pardon for his crimes. He was promised a share of the spoils or riches and a reinstatement of his status to not merely a free but honorary citizen.

  Those were the general terms that applied not only to him but to the entire expedition, most of whom were convicts.

  Ali was an exception. Presently the three exchanged stares with him.

  “Come in,” he said.

  They did so.

  “Make yourselves comfortable,” he added.

  “As you can imagine, we heard about what happened,” Penal, who preferred to stay on his feet, said.

  “Okay,” Ali said.

  “The men are concerned, Ali,” Penal returned.

  “Accidents happen, Penal. What do you expect me to say?”

  “They do happen,” Penal added.

  “Doesn’t make us look good though,” a concerned Asfar said. “We’ve been here for some time now, but we’re still foreigners or strangers to many. Not all are happy to have us, and now this.”

  “Again, accidents happen. I can’t control all that goes on here.”

  “No,” Penal said. “Not all. But you could have avoided what happened today.”

  “Is that so?” Ali replied. “How may I ask?”

  “Well, for starters, I’d say why do you persist in pursuing frivolous nonsense, like acquiring tusks, skins of exotic beasts, and all such foolery, and instead stick to the real business of our travel?” Penal asked.

  “Frivolous nonsense, you say. The king would reward me as handsomely for acquiring a pair of tusks as he would for a pot of gold. Now as to the Necropolis, well, that is a different matter entirely.”

  “I’ll be forthright,” Penal said. “What amazes me is how quick you are to bend your knee at the beck and call of vain, vile, and foolish men.”

  “What do you know about me?” Ali replied. “I didn’t know you, nor did you know me until we were brought together under this assignment. What amazes me is how recalcitrant an individual you are, Penal.