Rhuna- New Horizons

by Barbara Underwood

  “Who are you, I said!”

  “It’s m-me,” Rhuna stammered, struggling to gain her composure. “Keeper of Wisdom.”

  “Oh?” asked the voice as the footsteps stopped. Rhuna heard a faint whooshing sound, and immediately a bright light ignited between the booming voice and where she stood with Goram. She recognized the guard as one of the conjurers she had often seen in the Order of Pure Power.

  “Who is this man with you? And what are you doing, lurking around here in the dark?” he asked forcefully, moving the torch in front of him to see Goram’s face more clearly.

  “We were looking for chambers inside or under the pyramid,” Rhuna prattled quickly.

  “For what purpose?”

  “When I was in Safu, some Conjurers used such chambers underneath the Golden Pyramid because the flow of energy was especially strong there,” she continued.

  “This is so?” asked the man looking intently at Rhuna. In that moment, several more footsteps scurried towards them, and several more torches were lit instantly with the mental powers of each Conjurer.

  “What transpires here? Who are you people?” asked one of the newly arrived Conjurers.

  Rhuna introduced herself again, and hoped her explanation about searching for a chamber under the pyramid would distract them from Goram.

  “Who is he?” one of them demanded to know as he raised his torch towards Goram’s face. “He looks like an Atlan!”

  “Yes, he is Brother Goram, the former leader of the Guardians of Knowledge, the Master’s servants in Safu!” exclaimed Yarqi as she stepped forward from the small crowd that had quickly gathered around them.

  “Really?” asked the first guard, rapidly shifting his sight between Rhuna and Goram.

  “Yes, and the Grand Mage has already welcomed him and invited him to tomorrow morning’s meeting,” added Rhuna with more confidence.

  “It is he, indeed, indeed!” said Charmer of Snakes excitedly, as he shuffled forward from behind Yarqi.

  “He knows all about the chambers of the pyramids, and that’s why I asked him to come and help me find them,” Rhuna said, pleased that her voice sounded firm and calm despite her racing heartbeat.

  “And did you find something?” asked one of the Conjurers.

  “Yes, there are passages and chambers below,” Goram answered casually. “We would like to explore further at another time.”

  “Right now, I must be on my way,” Rhuna said hastily, thinking of the chemical reaction Goram had set into place. She said a polite farewell to the Conjurers, and Goram repeated her words.

  “We shall go with you,” said Yarqi, gesturing with her thumb at Charmer of Snakes behind her.

  Rhuna realized that she had to think of a good reason to tell the guards why she was departing in her RTE with several others. As she walked briskly towards the open landing area, Yarqi matched her pace.

  “I want to get away from here,” whispered Yarqi.

  “I, too,” whispered her shadow, Charmer of Snakes.

  “Be quiet! They might hear you somehow, with their many extraordinary powers!” hissed Goram.

  “You can both come with us,” Rhuna said, thinking of the bond she felt for Yarqi and Charmer of Snakes due to their time in the Wilderness.

  Goram was silent, and Rhuna wondered whether he was also thinking of a convincing pretense to leave Judharo. As they approached the RTE, two Conjurers who kept watch over the open area called to them to stop.

  “Where are you going? Has the Grand Mage been informed?”

  “No, he hasn’t,” Rhuna answered innocently. “Maybe you can inform him for us. We are going to a burial site used by the Suchinda Atlans to dig up fresh corpses,” she said as convincingly as possible.

  “Yes,” Goram chimed in quickly. “We need a fresh supply.”

  “All four of you are going there? Why now, at night time?” asked one of the conjurer-guards.

  “Only I know the place,” Goram began.

  “And these two have volunteered to help us with the digging.”

  “It must be done in the dark, else the Suchinda Atlans can see us,” Goram continued.

  “Very good then,” said the other Conjurer. “We shall inform the Grand Mage and the others.”

  Rhuna turned and forced herself to be casual about opening the hatch and entering her RTE.

  “Shiny and new – nice!” said Charmer of Snakes cheerfully, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

  “Quickly – before they do something to keep us here!” Yarqi said in uncharacteristic panic after Rhuna had closed the hatch.

  “They can bring down RTEs, as you know,” added Charmer of Snakes.

  “I know,” Rhuna said, quickly going through her well-rehearsed process of starting the magnetic energy generator and adjusting the controls.

  “Our pretended purpose in departing sounded reasonable,” Goram said.

  “Where are we going?” Yarqi asked as she looked nervously out of the window, watching Judharo fade into the darkness.

  “Back to our home in Cha’al,” answered Rhuna. “We’ll be safe there.”

  Rhuna feared she might not be able to navigate back to Cha’al in the dark, but the faint moonlight was reflected on the snow-capped mountains and the lake where her home was situated. She gave a silent sigh of relief as she operated the RTE towards the house and gently set it down.

  “There’s light inside,” Rhuna observed. “Someone must be awake.”

  Goram disembarked first and hurried towards the house, and Rhuna told Yarqi and Charmer of Snakes to spend the night in her house.

  Rhuna entered her house and saw Damell and Hari Tal standing in the dimly-lit entrance room. Damell gave Rhuna a questioning look, but Hari Tal glowered at her again.

  “We have decided to undertake an important journey,” Damell announced as she entered the room.

  Rhuna wondered whether her father was already aware of what she and Goram had done. She looked at Goram who returned her gaze with the same expression of wonder.

  “Hari Tal has begun preparations,” Damell said, pointing at some packed bags on the floor nearby. “We planned to wait until the sun’s ascent before waking the family, yet you and Goram are already active.”

  Rhuna explained that Yarqi and Charmer of Snakes wanted to leave Judharo and seek protection. Damell welcomed them, inviting them on the journey after they had rested a while.

  “Where are we going?” asked Goram.

  The Land at the Top of the World,” answered Damell. “We shall find the solution to our problems there,” he said to Rhuna. “Despite my utmost efforts, I have thus far been unable to resist the mind control the Dark Master has bound upon Aradin and Lozira.” Damell lowered his gaze apologetically.

  “Then let us not hesitate!” said Goram with sudden enthusiasm.

  “What has the Dark Master done?” Yarqi asked Rhuna with fear in her eyes. Rhuna sat down with the guests to explain, while Goram helped Damell and Hari Tal to pack a few supplies.

  “I did not know that the Dark One harmed you in this way,” said Yarqi.

  “It frightens me deeply!” said Charmer of Snakes. “We are grateful for the invitation to accompany you on this journey,” he added.

  Rhuna slept fitfully on the seating cushions in the main room where she had been sitting with Yarqi and Charmer of Snakes. The guests had also remained seated, and after many long discussions, all of them finally fell asleep.

  “Go to Dreaming Place,” Shandi called as she bounded into the main room, waking Rhuna and the guests. Lozira and Kiana followed the little girl and greeted the two guests.

  “Damell said that some people there can help Aradin and me,” Lozira said cheerfully.

  “Din-Din has to go to the Dreaming Place,” Shandi said confidently, and Rhuna smiled at her little daughter.

  “She’s very excited,” said Kiana looking at Shandi. “I’m excited, too!”

  Rhuna looked around and saw that Panapu had helped
Hari Tal to prepare the morning meal, and soon they were all seated around the low table enjoying an exceptionally large and delicious meal. As they ate, she noticed that Goram looked at her frequently, and she felt the burden of knowledge about the impending destruction of Judharo which had to remain secret.

  When everyone had dressed and packed sufficient belongings, Damell announced that they should depart.

  “The Dreaming,” Shandi said cheerfully.

  Rhuna hugged and kissed Shandi as the others continued to leave the house carrying various items. Hari Tal stopped at the door and looked back at Rhuna, giving her a particularly vicious look.

  “What’s wrong with you?!” she shouted at him, and then dashed past him towards the RTE.

  “A good thing you made a large RTE to fit all of us, as well as our belongings!” Goram said as he entered. Panapu carried the bags and handed them to Goram to store where Rhuna indicated.

  “Let us depart!” Goram said eagerly.

  Rhuna asked Damell to show her on the map exactly where to go.

  “Hari Tal knows the way, should the map be insufficient,” Damell said.

  Rhuna engaged the generator and the necessary controls to navigate the RTE towards the high and snow-covered mountain ranges. She noticed that the lever for vertical movement needed to be shifted further than usual due to the extra weight of the RTE.

  The early sunlight sparkled on the snow and ice, and the sky was a dazzling light blue. Despite the knowledge of what she and Goram had done the previous night, the beauty she beheld out of her RTE’s windows made her intensely happy and grateful to be alive.

  “Everything looks so beautiful,” enthused Lozira. “Green, blue, white…oh, what was that?!”

  Rhuna pushed the lever to the middle position to hold the RTE stationary. A strange shudder had rippled through the entire craft, and Rhuna feared that she had made a fatal mistake in the construction of her large and special RTE. She quickly looked at her controlling instruments in the hope of seeing the fault and being able to rectify it before the RTE dropped to the ground.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong,” Rhuna called back as she examined the panel in front of her. Suddenly, a flash of light intensely bright almost blinded her for a moment.

  “Lightning!” Kiana called out. Rhuna was relieved that the shudder of her RTE was probably only due to a storm.

  “There!” screamed Lozira, and everyone looked out of the window Lozira pointed towards.

  Rhuna felt a heavy thud in her chest as if her heart had stopped, and she thought time had slowed down. A giant white cloud mass began to form in a perfect shape, reminding her of a mushroom. It continued to expand and grow as everyone in Rhuna’s RTE looked on in silence, mesmerized.

  “Big cloud!” Shandi piped up, shattering the horrible silence and jolting Rhuna back to reality. She realized with awe that her small daughter had foreseen this event a long time ago already.

  Kiana looked at Rhuna and opened her mouth to speak when the RTE was assaulted by a terrible deep booming sound that Rhuna thought would burst her eardrums. As soon as the loud ringing in her ears began to ease, a whooshing sound shook the RTE again, this time much longer and more severely.

  “What is it?” screeched Lozira. “Is it something the Conjurers created?”

  “No,” said Goram quietly. “It is the compete annihilation of Judharo, filled with Conjurers and – I sincerely hope – the Dark Master himself.”

  Everyone fell silent and looked at Goram, who in turn looked at Rhuna.

  “You did this?” hissed Damell as he turned his head sharply towards Rhuna.

  “She assisted me,” Goram answered. “It was the only way,” he stated simply.

  “What did you do?” asked Damell breathlessly.

  “We destroyed the Dark Master once and for all!” answered Goram vehemently. “Along with all the Conjurers whose activities made life for Varappans unbearable.”

  “Along with many innocent people!” protested Damell with indignation.

  “It was the only way,” said Goram glowering at Damell.

  “It a good thing!” Panapu chimed in, watching the mushrooming cloud with awe.

  “You cannot be certain that the Dark One has perished,” Damell said after a moment, and then turned to give Rhuna an angry glare. “His Extended Consciousness could have survived – as before!”

  “We made every effort to hide our plan and activities, using high frequency interference to prevent his observation of us by means of The Infinite,” explained Goram.

  “If the destruction was instant, without warning, then he might not have been able to release his Extended Consciousness from his body,” Rhuna said.

  “It remains to be seen whether he is truly gone,” grumbled Damell. “Despite your efforts to stay hidden from his penetrating observation by means of The Infinite, I expect he has foreseen this annihilation and has saved himself – if not the body of the Commander, then at least his Extended Consciousness which is now laughing at us from The Infinite!”

  “If the Dark Master has been killed at last, then it was the right thing to do,” Rhuna added, and then thought of the Suchinda Atlans and realized that she had come to understand them better.

  “You knew this would happen, and that innocent people would also perish?” Damell asked sharply. Rhuna nodded solemnly.

  “What has happened to you, Rhuna?” Damell said angrily. “You would never have consented to such actions in the recent past!”

  “What’s happened to me?” Rhuna repeated, looking around at Aradin, Lozira and her mother. “What happened? Look! That’s what happened!” Rhuna shouted as she pointed to Aradin, Lozira and Kiana.

  “Certain events change a person’s perception of life,” said Goram, first looking at Rhuna and then at his young wife, Lozira.

  Damell’s face creased with lines of deep anguish as he looked silently down through the floor window. Rhuna took a deep breath and then exhaled, releasing the fiery emotions that had burst forth when Damell challenged her.

  “Rhuna, take us away from here!” Damell ordered, and Rhuna quickly returned to the main controls of her RTE. She slid one of the levers forward slowly, and then looked through one of the windows to check that the RTE was moving in the right direction. As she turned around, she saw Kiana move towards Damell and place her hand on his knee. Her face emitted warmth, gentleness and kindness that she had never experienced from her mother during her short childhood on Chinza. She continued to watch as Damell’s face softened and he gently placed his hand on top of Kiana’s.

  Rhuna turned back to her controls and the navigation map, then adjusted the directional levers to guide the RTE towards a land that both fascinated and terrified her: The Land at the Top of the World.

  “We are going home,” Shandi said, looking at Hari Tal.

  “Yes, Precious One,” Hari Tal said softly as he smiled down at Shandi. “We are both going home, to the Land of Dreaming.”

  Rhuna was horrified by this exchange. She felt an unearthly chill reach inside her and clamp hard around her heart. She looked at Aradin and saw her own fear reflected in his eyes. Rhuna felt the ground beneath her fall away, and saw her future with sheer and utter dread.

  Rhuna’s adventure continues in Rhuna, The Snow Dreamer (2018)

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’d be very grateful if you’d post a short review on Amazon. Your support really does make a difference.

  To leave a review at Amazon, please visit this link:

  https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?asin=

  Did you know…?

  …that RHUNA: A Quest for Ancient Wisdom is based on theories of alternate history, such as Atlantis and an ancient civilization with highly advanced technology?

  You can read ‘behind the scenes’ material by joining my Readers List:

  http://bit.ly/2wmISdH

  Or visiting the website:

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sp; http://www.rhunafantasybooks.com

  and the author’s blog:

  http://barbaraunderwood.blogspot.com.au/

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’d be very grateful if you’d post a short review on Amazon. Your support really does make a difference.

  To leave a review at Amazon, please visit this link:

  https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?asin=

  About The Author

  Barbara Underwood was born and raised in Sydney, Australia; the only child of German migrants who provided a rich and diverse childhood environment. Already in third grade she wrote a short children's book for a class project and realized that she was deeply satisfied with creating stories. In sixth grade, for another class project, her teacher was so impressed by the lengthy story she submitted, that he commented at the end "I see we are going to have another author".

  Over the years Barbara kept writing one thing or another, but only as a hobby while she pursued other interests and goals. In the 1990s, she completed a correspondence course in professional writing, doing it in her spare time after work. This led to having a few short stories published, but what she really wanted to do was write a proper novel.

  At this time, Barbara had travelled extensively and gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in subjects that held special appeal for her, namely ancient history, myths and legends (such as Atlantis, the builders of megaliths around the world), folklore (the belief that a god-like race gave mankind its technology), human psychology and the culture of other countries. What could be a better subject for her Fantasy series than to combine all these elements into one big adventure!

  Read more at:

  http://www.rhunafantasybooks.com

  Barbara Underwood’s Blog:

  http://barbaraunderwood.blogspot.com.au/

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