The Wanderers of the Water-Realm (64 page)

Myra began explaining their need to reach the base of the spire of white metal as soon as possible in order to stand a chance of crossing the curtain leading to their own world. Then, and only then, did the young witch’s inner-eye define fear in a member of the Hixian race and she even noticed that Q22’s head twitched slightly when she repeated her demand for urgent help in the name of the Hixian Prime.

The creature’s answer was slow in reaching her brain.

“Witch woman -- We must follow the commands of the Hixian Prime -- And aid you with all the means at our disposal -- But we ask -- Cannot you forget this return journey of yours and live out your lives -- Happily -- In our world?”

Myra replied at once.

“No -- No -- Certainly not -- We are absolutely determined to return to our native reality -- And we cannot do this without the help of you and your people.”

The Hixian leader replied at once, but Myra defined the sadness in his communication.

“Our family will spare no effort in assisting you in reaching your goal -- But many of our warriors will die in protecting you -- From the unspeakable horrors that we must inevitably encounter during this dreadful march -- Many of our breeders will perish when no one lives to bring them food -- Our family will face hardship and grow few in numbers.”

Q22 leaned forward and placed a huge hand upon Myra’s shoulder and began caressing it with surprising gentleness.

“Remember the courage and loyalty of the Hix -- When you dwell -- Once again -- In the comfort of your own reality -- Now come witch-woman, who’s thoughts reach the minds of others -- Let us waste no time and begin our march without further delay.”

During the following fourteen darkenings, the expedition marched ever southwards in the general direction of the shining metal spire, but the travellers were now under the protection of thirty hand-picked Hixian warriors. However, the original members of the expedition now numbered only five; the remaining porters, who had remained loyal until they had reached the village of the Hix, had chosen to travel no further and elected to draw their pay and return to the coast under a safe conduct from the Hixian family elders. Indeed, their departure had proved fortuitous; for the route chosen by Q22 was difficult in the extreme and the few belonging the travellers still possessed had been divided up and carried by their massive protectors.

After leaving the village, the expedition had followed the line of the ancient highway for a further two darkenings, but on the morning of the third day, they branched off onto a side-track leading them through a gap into the mountains and then back onto the highway with the saving of at least a full darkenings march. The detour came as no surprise to the travellers, for Q22 had previously warned them that time-saving diversions, often hazardous, would be required if the expedition was to reach the portal before their fast approaching deadline expired.

A few darkenings later, the highway swung due east and their guide led them away from the road and along a path taking them up into the highest reaches of the southern mountains. As they climbed, the air began to thin and the temperature plummeted until crimson icicles could be seen hanging from rocky ledges and a thick layer of frost crunched beneath their feet as they advanced.

The newcomer’s teeth chattered and they drew their narr-skin cloaks tightly around their bodies as they marched. Yet it was their Hixian escort who suffered worst from the cold, for the great creatures appeared to have little resistance to low temperatures and they could be seen struggling forward in a pitiable condition.

The expedition was forced to spend two full darkenings at high altitude and both humans and Hix huddled together in the darkness in an effort to conserve every last vestige of warmth. Dawn came after the second darkening spent in the high mountains and the members of the expedition rose to their feet and prepared to resume their painful march, all save two of the Hixians who had frozen to death during the night. Yet even in death the unfortunate pair continued to serve a purpose, for their bodies were torn apart and used as an emergency food source by their surviving kinsfolk.

Hours later, the expedition reached the bottom of a steep valley where they rejoined the highway and continued to follow the ancient route as it snaked it’s way ever southwards towards their intended goal.

Finally, a day arrived when the travellers emerged from the mouth of a steep pass and found themselves viewing the great metal spire from what appeared to be fairly close quarters, for the edifice towered above them and seemed to be almost touching the rolling clouds overhead.

“Three more darkenings!”

The voice of Q22 within the wisewoman’s mind was clear.

“We shall confront the last great obstacle standing -- Between ourselves and the shrine lying -- At the base of the great metal spire -- The area upon which the spire stands is entirely surrounded by a great circular valley -- A valley that is hot and humid -- And contains a forest that is home to trees and plants -- Found nowhere else in the Water Realm ----.”

For a moment the witch almost lost contact with the Hixians mind, for Q22 suddenly and quite inadvertently transmitted a wave of naked fear.

“This forest is inhabited by strange creatures that are totally alien to this world -- Many of them are dangerous in the extreme and more hideous than anything that your imagination can conceive -- We must cross this terrible valley -- And I am warning you now -- So the ordeal will not come as a complete surprise!”

Myra passed on this fresh knowledge to her fellow travellers and it served to dampen the elation they had all experienced as a result of their latest viewing of the spire.

George however, managed a laugh.

“What does it matter?” He asked, as he shouldered his long handled axe and prepared to resume the march. “We have already survived a great many dangers and the ones lying ahead need not scare us unduly. I think!”

“I hope that you’re correct.” The young wisewoman replied. “But anything with the power to frighten the Hix cannot be treated lightly. Q22 has also told me that only a single hour of daylight remains and we must make camp for the night before descending yonder cliff and entering the ‘Forest of Oblivion,’ which is the Hixians name for that terrible wooded valley lying before us. Q22 also suggests that we check our weapons carefully, for he feels sure that we shall have much need of them before we climb the cliff lying beyond the forest and finally arrive at the foot of the great spire.”

The members of the expedition were soon occupied with their normal evening tasks as the Water-Realm night closed upon them, and Paris sought out Whiteflower, who was scraping the red soil from some edible roots a Hixian guard has given to her.

“Have you given thought to the future?” He asked gently. “What do you intend to do once Darryl the swordsman passes through yonder portal and returns to his own reality?”

The girl was surprised by the nature of the question and almost dropped the knife that she was using to clean the vegetables.

“I shall be at my master’s side when he returns to his own world. I will never leave him and I will stay with him until the moment death parts us!”

“That was the answer I expected you to give,” replied the envoy. “Love blinds you to the fact that you can never cross the portal without subsequently destroying your own life and possibly blighting the future of the man whom you adore.” He paused. “Remember, lady, like most other Water-Realm humans, you have a light red skin-colouring due to your ancestor’s long exposure to the environment of this reality.

Consider, not one person in your lover’s world will resemble you and you run the risk of being regarded as an aberration of nature, a freak to be pointed out and scorned by all who see you!”

“Darryl would not care!” Whiteflower said, with tears running down her cheeks.

“Perhapsnot,”theenvoyreplied.“Buttheyearswillpassand the passions of youth will inevitably cool, and you will run the risk of becoming a loveless stranger in a totally alien world!”

The girl broke down in tears.

“What of you, envoy?” She said, with a touch of anger in her voice. “Will you have the heart to turn your back upon your witch-lover, once you reach the vicinity of the portal?”

“Yes child!” Paris answered sadly. “And for the same reasons, in addition, I am bound by my sworn duty to the Dark Priests. I must return to Holy Ptah and inform them of the success or failure of this mission to the southlands.”

“Does the wisewoman know that you intend to abandon her?” The girl asked.

The envoy nodded. “Yes, she knows and understands. It was she who suggested that I should speak with you and make the situation clear. She believes that it would be best for all concerned, if you and I were to turn back at some point and return northwards with some of the Hixian guards as escort and …”

“No, no”. Whiteflower interrupted angrily. “I will not give up my master. I will follow him to his place of birth and I will accept whatever fate the Gods may wish to bestow upon me. Now leave me in peace, slave of priests!”

She turned upon her heel and walked away, leaving the envoy shaking his head in resignation.

The camp-site was still shrouded in darkness when the travellers were aroused from their sleep by their Hixian escort and they hardly had time to pack their belonging and swallow a little food before being urged to resume the march.

The expedition struggled onwards through the darkness for what seemed like hours and they were only allowed to rest when the first glimmers of sunlight heralded the arrival of another Water-Realm day.

The light strengthened and soon they were able to look over the edge of a precipitous escarpment and down into the depths of the ‘Forest of Oblivion’ lying far below. The travellers realized at once that the escarpment was no creation of nature, but was another artefact of the ‘Ancient Dead,’ for the huge cliff was reinforced and held in place by a colossal wall of the ubiquitous white metal. However, the passage of time and numerous earthquakes had attacked it unmercifully and the travellers were able to make out a great tear in the metal wall, extending downwards until it disappeared into a vast multi-coloured jungle. Twisted shards of the same white metal and long jumbled lengths of metallic cable also hung in haphazard fashion from the damaged wall and the tangle of debris seemed to resemble the roots of some gigantic uprooted plant.About a mile from the edge of the escarpment there stood a massive white metal pylon that reared up from the valley bottom and was topped with the remains of a tubular roadway that appeared to be exactly level with the edge of the escarpment. Beyond the first pylon there stood others extending in a long line until they disappeared into the mists rising from the forest.