Sekali, "The Sister City"

 

                                Chapter 33

 

     The first thing that passed from the dwarf’s mouth was, "Is she gone? Can we go now? Finyat, should I lay low a few trees – leave my mark?!" Without waiting for an answer, Uther raised his axe to the nearest tree. "Uther The Great was here!" He bellowed, threatening every tree he passed by as Sekali departed toward the grasslands.
     Soon – it seemed an eternity to the Sekali – they vanished into the grasslands. He did not look back, though the thought of her was etched firmly into his mind. He spoke to neither of them until the evening, which infuriated the dwarf.
     Three days it took them to reach the ruins. Sekali had no respite from the buffeting of the dwarf, and this darkened his mood. His hand was always ready, resting upon the hilt of his blade, sharpening it with a wetstone when they did not travel.
     After the first night, Uther and Finyat stayed away from him, yet the dwarf constantly spoke of killing, especially Druids and trees. At times, Sekali studied the both of them. His conclusion was that some terrible catastrophe had occurred in the history of the dwarf’s making Uther not only stupid and insensible, but also loathsome; a curse Uther was well-gifted with.
     Finyat didn't talk much, he never did. He confided with the dwarf secretly and openly, as if he feared the dwarf’s wrath if contradicted. Sekali noticed the Shallant's beady eyes always poking and prying about, as if under every rock or bush there might be some money. Sekali came to the conclusion that the dwarf was a Warrior and the Shallant was assassin or thief. This made his excursion into the Living World more interesting.
     They headed for an ancient, ruined site where he could see them both use their skills. He figured that all displayed skills exhibited by Uther, were shown and there was nothing more to learn of him. But the Shallant, Finyat, posed an interesting fellow; always so secretive. He wondered what they would do if real trouble challenged them, not just a few "pups" with twisted blades.
     We shall see. This will be most enjoyable, he cynically mused.
     When camping for the night, Sekali meditated cross-legged, sitting erect, head lowered to his chest, sword resting upon his legs, just in case.
     Uther seemed intensely aggravated by Sekali’s mistrust of him. He retaliated by naming one-hundred different methods to kill a Druid and destroy her forest during the last camp before they reached the ruins.
     On the third day, Sekali wanted to kill the dwarf. He was thinking of challenging him to a one-on-one duel and was just about to hail Uther when the ruins emerged from the tall grasses, coming into view as the three rounded some rolling hills.
     Finyat whistled in awe at the sight before them. His face betrayed his thought of, Oh, goody!
Uther turned to the Shallant and smiled broadly, "Well? Now that our ball and chain is cut, I say we go have a peek. Eh friend?”
     Finyat nodded, but did not speak.
     Sekali climbed a small knoll for a better look and turned to stare in wonder at the fallen city before him. At one time this place must have been a metropolis of thousands upon thousands. Hundreds of shattered towers dotted the grasslands far out into the horizon. The remains of what must have been grand houses, magnificent buildings and shops, keeps and strongholds, lay dormant and quiet amidst the rubble of partially fallen buildings and towers around them. Streets uniformly lined the city, paralleling the streets on either side. The streets were strewn with rock and debris, as if a great earthquake had struck long ago. This was truly a sight to behold. Even in its fallen state, Sekali stood in awe at its magnificence and beauty. He could picture the buildings standing, people engaging in trade and commerce in their places of business. He could almost see the people of this great city, like a multitude of ants, moving to and fro, on business and pleasure.
At a call from the dwarf, Sekali descended the hillside and approached them. The dwarf snorted at him and Finyat smiled greedily.
     As the three stood at the edge of the desolated city, an archway still standing, in surprisingly good condition, beckoned them enter. Sekali studied the archway, hoping to find some inscriptions or writings that would give him a clue to the type of people who had vanished from this place. It was all a mystery to him, intriguing him to probe further into the unknown.
     After Sekali studied the archway for some time, Uther swore at him impatiently and entered in under the archway, loudly challenging all who would oppose him.
     Sekali slid over to Finyat's side and slyly whispered, pointing to the center of the wreckage, "The wealth of dragons."
     Finyat shuddered.
     Sekali could not tell if it was fear or anticipation in his quivering breath. Finyat turned to him and nodded, suddenly grinning, a wild gleam dancing within the depths of his eyes. Two short-swords hissed out of their resting places.
     "Let's do it." With that, the Shallant plunged in after the bellowing dwarf.
Sekali silently followed, his sword yet sheathed, his eyes moving among the shadows, prying into every hiding place.
     They searched the wreckage for an hour before finding what they sought. Even Sekali's heart quickened at the sight of a stairway leading down into the underground, into blackness. The stairs were wide enough to march four men side by side comfortably. At the bottom, down twenty-four steps of hewn stone, sat a pair of oval-shaped doors. They stood ajar. Both were in surprisingly good condition, which baffled them all greatly. Uther and Finyat set down their packs and fished out torches, lighting them quickly. There was no planning, no order in which they agreed to enter this mysterious place. Even against the advice of Finyat, Uther grunted and blundered his way in, making a racket that would have provoked the dead.
     Sekali followed last, bearing no torch, his eyes quickly adjusting to the murky shambles of the debris-strewn tunnel. The passage that led in, also angled downward. Sekali almost smiled to see the two in front of him, poking around, crouching as if in pursuit of some abominable creature down here. The dwarf never stopped grumbling, yet his mutters now were directed inward, and not to others. It was as if he was talking himself. Sekali could not hear what he was saying; his plated armor drowning out the sound of Uther’s voice as he stalked the ruins.
     When the underground passageway split into two corridors, the two halted, waiting for Sekali to join them. The dwarf turned to him as he approached, whispering loudly, "Well, Elf? Which way?"
He shrugged and looked down one tunnel, and then the other.
     "It doesn't matter, as all who may reside here heard your threats as we entered." His words dripped with sarcasm, he made no attempt to hide his disapproval.
     Uther grunted, "Then I choose left.” He pointed his axe down the left corridor. Finyat agreed quickly, and Sekali nodded. They proceeded.
     As they strode down the tunnel, Sekali's heart began to beat noticeably and he felt a sudden giddiness that brought on concern. In the Wastelands there were creatures that could cause a man to turn to stone, liquid, or vapor. He knew anything was possible in this world. Foreboding began to clutch his heart, wrenching at emotions buried for years -- decades. Something was wrong, and the two at either side of him did not seem to notice.
     The deeper they penetrated into the darkness of the tunnel, the stronger the feeling assailed him. As sweat began to trickle down Sekali's face, Finyat pointed up ahead.
"There is light ahead. Can you see?"
     Sekali nodded, feeling overwhelmed, as if he was suddenly covered with weights. It felt hard to move.
     Uther growled and stopped.
     "There is no light in the distance. It is here, growing!" He took a step back.
     It was true, the light was not in the distance, but directly before them, expanding and stretching before their eyes. Soon the illumination filled the tunnel, making the torches seem mere candle flames in the noon-day sun. Within that light they beheld the form of a woman. She looked upon them emotionlessly.
     Finyat fell to his knees, dropping his torch, and bowed in sudden submission. Uther stood speechless, mouth gaping wide. Sekali leaned heavily backwards, feeling the stone of the tunnel catch his balance. He knew if he fell, he could have enough strength only to crawl.
     The woman blinked once at them, her eyes of white flame burning steadily. She wore a brilliant white robe. A magnificent sword, a katana, hung at her left hip, her right hand resting upon the hilt as she studied them.
     "Why dost thou enter this place?"
     There was no answer from the three. She repeated her question, staring directly as Sekali. "Why dost thou enter this place? Art thou common thieves, come to plunder this city?" Sekali shook his head, swallowing hard, trying to gain enough control of himself to speak. Finally, under her piercing gaze, he spoke.
     "Nay, lady. We are explorers who seek knowledge." The lady floating above them looked upon Finyat, again asking the same of him. He shook his head and stated in a weak and trembling voice, "We are not thieves. We are travelers seeking knowledge."
     The woman then turned to Uther. She inquired the same of him. Uther dropped his axe and stammered. The woman’s expression hardened as she listened. Uther looked at Sekali and then at Finyat.
     "I am with them. My - I will not take a single rock, I swear it. Forgive me."
     Forgive me? Had he heard Uther correctly? Sekali was impressed.
     The glorious woman nodded as she drew a white sword. She pointed with it down the way they had come.
     "The other way lies thy path. This way, I forbid thee to traverse. Go."
     Sekali noticed his two companions retreat into the tunnel behind him. But he could not get himself to move with them, so beautiful was this woman before him. He stared at her radiance and power as she sheathed her blade. Her hair was as finely wrought stands of sliver moon beams, her eyes filled with the blue of the clearest and brightest of skies, mingled with a touch of white fire. Admiration hatched in his mind and heart for the woman, who now looked upon him. He felt his frame shake at her glance. Few creatures of the wasteland had ever done this to him.
     "Lady of white, what are you? Mehentaon?" (Herald?) Her expression softened. Fondly, she smiled upon him, making him feel exposed, helpless, easy prey.
     "You are perceptive. This inquiry is not often voiced, Sekali of the Wastelands. Continue thy search and thou mayest know the answer . . . one day."
     The light about her began to fold inward as she smiled warmly upon him, withdrawing into her being, leaving the tunnel in darkness, until she vanished completely, leaving him once again to himself.
     His eyes adjusted slowly as he thought about her, while making his way slowly back to Uther and Finyat.

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