The Wanderers of the Water-Realm (54 page)

Perhaps our race, if given enough time, would have developed naturally and possibly founded an advanced civilization ---- Yet this was not to be ---- For one accursed day, a predatory race of giants, who are commonly remembered as the ‘Ancient Dead’, arrived here from some benighted corner of space and time and made this reality their home.

As for the primitive Hix, our ancestors, they were totally exterminated, save for a few selected specimens; from these few survivors were genetically bred a race of powerful slaves who were strong of body and could derive sustenance from the roughest of herbage. These slave Hix toiled for their masters for countless generations and turned their pristine homeland into the world that you now call ‘The Water-Realm’ -- However, their masters were a supremely greedy race and the resources of this reality alone was insufficient to satisfy their needs and other worlds were also systematically plundered for materials.”

Prime Three paused and pointed towards the couch upon which the travellers were seated.

“One of these worlds was the planet Earth, from which you are all sprung. Long ages ago, great lumbering beasts once roamed the surface of your planet and browsed amidst the hot rain-forests of this young world, these egg-laying animals were killed in great numbers by hunting parties from this reality. The carcasses of these great animals were brought back through the very same portal by which you entered the Water-Realm and processed into food for consumption by the “Ancient Dead”, in the city that now lies in ruins at the head of the Exit River. Ages came and passed and the great beasts were hunted to extinction and were naturally replaced by smaller creatures bearing their young alive and some of them eventually evolved into the forerunners of your own race.”

The Prime bowed his head slightly and then continued.

“By now, the ancient rulers of this reality were becoming lazy and too slothful to direct the labour of their own slaves. Therefore, they took a few members of your own evolving race and used their vast scientific knowledge to endow these creatures with great intelligence and they also sought fit to equip them with considerable psychic ability -- These mutated Earthlings, were then given the task of overseeing the everyday running of the paradise, which the now extremely effete ancients had created for themselves --These new Super-human creatures are presently known to all the other inhabitants of this reality as ‘The Dark Priests.’In time the priests grew tired of serving their decadent masters and broke into open revolt. After a bitter struggle, they triumphed and drove the ancients back into the void. We, the Hix, the lowest of slaves, also wished for our freedom, but the priests were born to administer and rule and were not prepared to grant this; so we withdrew into the forests and wastelands leaving the great works of the ancients to fall into ruin.

The civilization of the Ancients crumbled to dust -- All save the portions of the Water-Realm bordering the Great Life River. The accursed priest’s caused this area to be re-populated by the descendants of a small trickle of humans, who occasionally found their way to our reality through the portals that remained open after the last of the ancients disappeared into the endless void -- In this fashion, did humankind become the new servants of the priests and have inevitably become our enemies.”

“You must hate us for robbing your people of their birthright?” George said, nervously fidgeting on the corner of the couch.

“Hate you!” Prime Three exclaimed. “We do not hate you. The humans who dwell in the Water-Realm are but simple creatures that are manipulated by the will of others. If the human populations who inhabit this portion of our world were not under the control of the Dark Priests, why then we would negotiate separate peace treaties with their various rulers and regard them henceforth as our brothers!”

“Then our mission here is futile!” Myra said, with a shake of her head, “For you will never consider a cessation of hostilities that includes the priests.”

“Not under normal circumstances, young witch.” Prime Three replied, after taking a short pause for consideration. “Yet one possibility exists ---- It has been our long-term objective to succeed in closing down all of the portals joining our reality to the planet Earth, thus denying the humans who currently dwell within the Water-Realm, of the supply of new blood that keeps their race strong and vigorous in an environment that is foreign to their race and quite unsuited to the health of their species.”

Once again, the Prime took a short pause.

“Your ancestor, Rose Littlewood, once negotiated a treaty between the Dark Priests and ourselves. We surrendered great tracks of the vastly important Thoa forests, and much else – In return, we received full control of a small and relatively unimportant portal from your world lying in the territory of the white-skinned Northmen and close to the waters of the Northern Sea. -- This portal is now blocked by an immense wall of solid masonry and protected by magical wards set by a renegade shaman of great power.”

Prime Three looked the wisewoman straight in the eye and spoke slowly and with great clarity.

“Witch–Only one portal now gives access to our world from the planet Earth ---- It is the very one you employed to gain access to the Water-Realm -- We wish it to be closed forever.

If the Dark Priests crave peace, they must agree to give us this last portal, together with the nearby lake. They must also surrender the ruined city and all of the crimson plains stretching from the northern bank of the Exit River, down to the outskirts of the City of Calar ---- We will then close this last remaining portal and the drift of fresh human stock from your home reality will cease forever.”

Myra was silent as she considered the implications of the Prime’s words and then she spoke.

“You are offering the priests a choice between the imminent extinction of their human subjects, by warfare, or alternatively requiring them to agree to a blockade that will slowly rob their human subjects of their vigour and reproductive capacity?”

“Precisely,” Prime Three answered.

“We are certain that our strategy will eventually lead to the supremacy of the Hixian’ race within this reality and we shall regain what was rightfully ours before the coming of the ‘Ancient Ones.”

“I wish to ask you a question!” George said, the moment the Hixian’ leader had finished speaking. “Why do you not simply ignore the humans and their priestly masters and simply expand into the regions lying far beyond the wastelands your people presently occupy?”

The three travellers felt the cold aura of dread exuding from the minds of the six Hixian’ Councillors at the very moment they understood the young boat hands suggestion.

“What you propose is simply not possible.” Prime Three answered in reply. “For, to the East, lies a great desert inhabited by life-forms that are terrible to contemplate, which the Ancients probably imported from the many realities they ruled and plundered. The finest army that we could raise would not survive there for long, even if we were foolish enough to order an advance into that wretched desert.”

Prime Three stood up.

“Perhaps it would be best if you were to return to your rest chamber and discuss our offer to the Dark Priests. We will await your reply. Finally, do not fear for your personal safety. Whatever the outcome of our negotiations, you will be allowed to quit our lands in good health and without any harm coming to the three of you -- I give you my word!”

The travellers re-entered the rest chamber and refreshed themselves with cool water from an earthenware container standing in the corner of the room.

Afterwards, Myra turned and faced her companions. “It is my belief that we should return to Ptah and inform the Dark Priests, of the peace terms that we have negotiated with the Hix. We should advise their acceptance without a moment’s hesitation.”

Darryl, however, appeared unenthusiastic. “Are we not betraying the birthright of all the human beings living in the Water-Realm? After all, do they not belong to the same race as ourselves?”

Myra shrugged her shoulders.

“Perhaps, but only if one accepts the theory, that humanity cannot survive within this reality, without a constant supply of fresh blood from the Planet Earth.

Yet we know that diverse groups of humans have managed to exist in remote corners of this strange world without degenerating into weakness and impotence. The white skinned Northlander’s are a good example. I consider it quite possible that humanity will continue to exist here without an endless supply of ‘Stud Bulls’ from our own reality.”

She waited for a moment for her words to sink into the minds of her companions and then she continued to speak.

“It is my belief, that in the fullness of time, the human population of the Water-Realm will cast off the tutelage of the Dark Priests and become responsible for their own destiny. It is also my belief, that a free population of humans will either come to amicable terms with the Hix, or find the will to resist them unaided.”

The wisewoman paused.

“This was also Rose Littlewood’s view for she mentioned it in her grimoire, which I have successfully translated.”

The huge boat hand appeared to be satisfied with Myra’s explanation, but Darryl’s face still wore a worried expression.

“If the Dark Priests relinquish all control over the territory north of the Exit River, then will not our narr herding friends in the Fruitful Valley be left at the mercy of the Hix?”

“Have no fear of that!” Myra said to her brother in a soothing voice.

“My witch’s intuition tells me that the Prime’s bargaining position is not set in stone.

I believe the Councillors will accept much less territory providing they gain their main objective, control of the portal through which we entered this world.”

The young wisewoman combed her long Red hair and arranged her dress, then pointed towards the door of the rest chamber.

“Come gentlemen!” She said firmly. “Let us rejoin the Prime and see if we can bring this negotiation to a satisfactory conclusion without further delay!”

Many hours elapsed before the trio re-entered the rest chamber, for the negotiations with Prime Three and the other members of the Hixian’leadership had been protracted in the extreme. The Hix had argued over each simple point at issue and the travellers were dog-tired by the time a comprehensive settlement had been finally worked out. However, the newcomers were more than satisfied with the eventual outcome.

The Hixian’ leaders had agreed to evacuate most of the great tracts of Thoa forest they had recently conquered from the humans who occupied the border-lands.