Jadde - The Fragile Sanctuary (11 page)

‘Travellers, you are welcome to the lands
of the Brightwater people, for these are bad times. News from strangers will be
well received as we prepare plans to combat the dark scourge.’

‘Thank you,’ Malkrin said. His thoughts
raced. He had become accustomed to the accent, and the tribes name was
familiar, but the memory refused to surface. Then he had it – another reference
to Jadde’s scripture.  ‘Jadde was the saviour of the Brightwater tribe.’
Already he knew more than the Seconchane’s most learned scholars.

‘The Senate are gathering. Will you take
refreshment while they prepare?’

‘That would be welcome, we have journeyed
far.’

Malkrin glanced at his companions; they
were still puzzling out the strange drawl and the scripture references.

‘Enter,’ the man said simply. He lowered
the gold blade and indicated the now open door with a sweep of his arm.

Malkrin tramped down worn steps into a room
tinted with yellow light. Large dark-wood doors ahead were closed. He assumed
they led to a hall in the centre of the star building where the Senate were
preparing to receive them.

Turning a corner they entered a room lined
with wooden benches along three whitewashed walls. The fourth wall was bare
apart from its centre where a huge embossed emblem in gold depicted an eagle
clutching prey in its talons. A servant in a plain blue uniform handed them china
bowls with handles, full of steaming aromatic liquid. Malkrin grasped his with
reverence, because the only items like this were owned by the Brenna, and they
kept all delicate china in locked cabinets. Halle gingerly lifted his bowl to
sip the contents and Seara looked around as if she would be scolded for
touching her bowl.

They had just finished the drink when the
inner doors opened and a figure in multilayered yellow cloaks emerged. He pounded
a mace of woven withies on the wood boarded floor. Malkrin assumed it was a
ritual start to a welcome ceremony.

‘The Senate will see you now,’ the man
thundered.

Halle and Seara followed Malkrin through
the doors.

He had experienced so many unusual events since
leaving Cyprusnia that Malkrin expected nothing to faze him. He stepped down tapestry
covered steps with confidence and into a huge room excavated below ground and
soaring far above. The roof was held up by great interlaced wooden beams
fashioned into a twist ascending to a domed ceiling. Malkrin realised he was
indeed at the centre of the star building. The interior of the hall was lit by
the usual pale yellow light splashing from enchanting yellow glassed windows.

Warriors stood at intervals around the
periphery of the room. Malkrin highsensed them quickly and realised their
presence was more ceremonial than intimidating. A shadowy figure moved purposely
in the background. Unexpectedly, a dazzling beam lit the room, as if the sun
itself had entered the building. A concentrated lance of gold light focused
onto a great horseshoe shaped table inset with reflective panels. These rays were
like sun reflecting from rippling water – straight into Malkrin’s eyes. Beyond
the glare and behind the table sat shadowy robed figures. All wore ornamental
chains around their necks bedecked with faceted jewels. The gems caught the
searing yellow light, multiplying the many beams. Light splashed around the
room with a lancing, blinding glare. If the figures moved or even when they
breathed, facets of the jewels sent numerous light arrows flashing around. Parts
of the large meeting hall were highlighted then dimmed in a dancing display of bright
colours.

Malkrin looked to Halle and Seara who were
lit in a multitude of flickering light points. They flashed and played over
Halle’s hairless head and simultaneously Seara’s hands and clothes. Everything
was yellow and gold, then red, then blue, always superimposed by searing white.
Even the shadowed faces around the table were tinted with gold shafts that
shifted and swirled.   The effect was awesome and would have intimidated lesser
people. Malkrin highsensed the Senate’s test and squinted, following the beams
back to their source. He realised a strange bowl shaped glass object below the
turret created the magic.
That wasn’t magic at all
. It gathered the
light from turret windows and split it, sending narrow beams around the hall.
He shielded his eyes and the figures behind the dancing light came into focus.

Halle touched him on the shoulder and
whispered.

‘Sire, I see their thoughts. They are
testing us. They believe lowly folk will be awed by their cleverness.’

Malkrin nodded in agreement. Then turned to
the Council, ignoring the dazzling lances and set his face to show the
unconcern of a powerful warrior. He crossed his arms, set his legs slightly
apart and stared at each face as if nothing unusual was occurring.

The Senate leader in the centre of the
horseshoe spoke without emotion.

‘You are welcome strangers. What is your
business here with the masters of light?’

‘Do you usually welcome strangers by
blinding them with trickery?’

‘We are the Council of light; the great sun
bends to our will.’

‘Such a simple ruse does not impress us.
You are the Brightwater Senate first, masters of light a poor second.  Goddess
Jadde would not be impressed with your trickery.’

‘Goddess. We do not believe in such things
here.’ He flicked a hand in dismissal, ‘we have harnessed the sun to provide
light to our lives and dwellings.’

‘The Goddess decreed we should seek higher
virtues and understanding. But you seek to blind guests with cheap trickery.’

Malkrin heard an irritated sigh behind him.

Suddenly Seara moved toward the bowl shaped
object and pulled a chord that moved a thick cloth back over the channelled
rays. The entire council looked stunned by the bold move as if no one but them
could have worked out how to extinguish their magic. The guards merely stood
rigidly and awaited orders.

Malkrin suppressed a smile and nodded to Seara.
Well done, he thought. Then he turned back to the Senate. They were now revealed
in natural colours, and had recovered from Seara’s brave action.

No warrior moved to arrest Seara and no one
moved to reopen the curtain.

The spots before Malkrin’s eyes receded and
the council were revealed to be two women in their middle years with sparkling
jewels lacing their grey hair. Alongside them sat seven men with neatly trimmed
beards and moustaches. All the Senate wore heavy ceremonial gowns of pale cream
with flashes of brighter yellow. Under the gowns were glimpses of simple
clothing in grey and black. They all wore gold necklace chains woven around a
myriad of jewels which still glinted in normal light. They stared curiously at
Malkrin and his companions. The most authoritarian man, in the centre of the Senate,
rubbed his chin as he silently examined them. Then he shrugged.

‘Forgive us. I can see you are not ordinary
folk easily impressed by such things. What do you seek from us?’

‘We wish no harm to you and your people and
travel in peace. We seek only information.’

‘We wish you and your companion’s peace also.’

The preliminary testing appeared over. The
head of the Senate leaned closer and peered intently at Malkrin. ‘Before we discuss
urgent matters, what information do you seek?’

Malkrin searched the faces, highsensing no
animosity, more a kind of pent up urgency clothed in curiosity.

‘What information do you seek?’ the man
repeated.

‘We search for two things. First, we seek
the great Goddess Jadde. Do your priests have records telling of the Goddess
Jadde and her journey through your lands and perhaps her whereabouts?’

The Senate leader frowned, ‘We only have
reference material, some of which is ancient and unintelligible. We have no
need of priests, only scholars, so know of no actual goddesses. I will consult
with our principal scholar to answer your question.

The robed leader turned to an elderly man on
his right and they whispered for many minutes.

Seara became bored and moved to a corner of
the hall, to a globe set within a wooden pedestal. Halle gestured and she
reluctantly returned to her father’s side.

The Senate elder finally finished his
discussion and turned back to them.

‘The Light of Souls Library within the
Lighthouse Bridge is where we keep our records. Most have remained in readable
condition for countless lifetimes. Nalbar, my Principle says we have two old
documents mentioning the name you seek. They will be made available for you to
read. But why you seek one of the ancient gods is incomprehensible to us.’

Malkrin thought it best not to admit that
they had no knowledge of written letters and words. He hoped a scholar could
read the holy documents to them. At last the thought of finding out where the great
Goddess actually resided, filled him with impatience. He disguised it with
outward calm.

‘I thank you Senate Leader, we look forward
to seeing the holy documents.’

‘The leader laughed humourlessly, ‘they are
not holy, just dusty and faded. Possibly rewritten from times when survivors
settled here from the dead cities. Now, speak of your second request; then we
have two of our own. If you answer satisfactorily you will be free to stay as
guests or leave our villages unhindered.’

‘We are being sought by men adorned with
three highsense suns, do you know of them?’

‘Your terminology is strange. But yes three
strangers passed this way asking of people meeting your description. They
stayed overnight and left heading south and into great danger. They believed
you journeyed in front of them and sought to rescue you before the dark legions
engulfed you.’

Malkrin ignored the references to danger. He’d
mastered the fear of death many years ago and was immune to threats to his life.
But what were they going to be rescued from? He put the ‘rescue’ word to one
side for now.

‘Why do they seek us and where were they
from?’

‘They proclaimed that all three of you are
important to them in the coming ordeal. When we asked from where they hailed
they pointed north in the direction of the distant cold mountains and said High
Nirfana.

‘North is where?’

‘The direction you travelled from.’

Then they must be Brenna, Malkrin thought
in relief. But High Nirfana was not a place in Cyprusnia and therefore another
puzzle. He risked one more question.

‘What of the great danger that threatens to
engulf us?’ He added pieces of information together. ‘The danger threatens to
engulf the High Nirfana people and you?’

‘I will answer your question with our first
question. What do you know of the advance of the
Archenemy?’

     Arch enemy? Did he mean the Archgry?
Malkrin wondered. ‘You talk of the Archgry
?
’ The continued referral back
to the Seconchane’s enemy in the ancient scriptures was becoming alarming.
First the Skatheln’s reference now this. He began to realise how closeted his
people were from outside influence and reality, and just how many references to
life outside Cyprusnia the holy scriptures contained.

    
‘Recently a large number of
strangers from the far south have passed through our lands. They tell of the
return of the Harvesters of Humanity. These destroyers are known by many names.
The one you mention is but one name; also they are the
Archegrie
or the
Arachnid-men, Beetle-men or the Arch-devils. But one thing is for sure; they
have again risen from the depths of the scorched lands. Out of a pitiless
ancient era they return to destroy all in their path.’

     ‘All who flee before them say they are
heading this way,’ added one of the Senate with foreboding.

     Malkrin thought for a moment,
highsensing his companions foreboding as they pieced together the information.

     ‘I only know that a tribe called the
Skatheln flee toward the Seconchane lands. They are now a destitute people from
the lush forests far to the south. Their Gods have deserted them.’

     ‘Gods, paa!’ As if possessing only one
mind the Senate waved and laughed dismissively.

     ‘No such beings exist, certainly none
that will help us all now,’ the leader said.

     ‘I seek the Goddess Jadde. She fought
and defeated the Archgry and will do so again.’

     The Senate leader replied patiently, ‘your
people have beliefs and scriptures based on the ancient war of all wars. I
suspect our records will be found to be similar.’

     He looked gravely at Malkrin. ‘Now my
second question to you.’

     ‘We are led to believe – from the ones
that search for you, that you have certain hidden talents. They are what? We
need to list them and add these abilities to our plan of action. Every
conceivable defence must be considered as we prepare for the coming struggle.’

‘Our talents, should we have any, are our
own to use or give as we see fit. They are not for others to manipulate and
cannot be defined as they fail us as often as they succeed.’