The Wanderers of the Water-Realm (39 page)

The newcomers stood mystified. Councillor Hemm had said that the ‘Great Cavern’ contained machinery. Yet the mass of apparatus, below them, did not resemble anything which the Earth-born viewers had ever experienced within the bounds of their own reality. No steam cylinders hissed. No con-rods pounded. Indeed, not the slightest sound issued from the vast installation occupying the cavern floor, and the only movement to be seen, was that of a small number of Dark Priests who made their way, ant-like, between the tanks and the gantries.

Darryl strove to come to terms with the strange complexity of the scene lying before him, and he turned to question the envoy who was standing at his side.

“Tell me, if this is the engine house that drives the waters of the ‘Great Life River,’ then where does it derive its power? Is it wind, steam, or something so unbelievable that our minds cannot possibly comprehend it?”

The envoy shook his head.

“The truthful answer is that no one knows. The very best of the ‘Guardian Scientists,’ the ‘Dark Priests’ who tend the machinery according to the knowledge inherited from the ‘Ancient Dead,’ suggest that the power is somehow drawn from the molten core lying within the subterranean depths of our own world. Yet nothing can be proved, for compared to the ‘Ancient Dead,’we are like children groping in the darkness of an everlasting night!”

The party returned to the high chamber and Councillor Hemm rejoined the group and requested them to be seated and afford him their undivided attention.

“My friends,” He began. “You have seen with your own eyes, the great installation driving the flow of the Life River. You now understand something of the enormous burden which the ‘Ancient Dead’laid upon the shoulders of their successors. The great cavern is free from interference, for it lies far beneath the ground, whilst the Holy City of Ptah is protected by a defence system, both material and occult, that can easily repulse the assault of any force existing upon this entire world. Indeed, nothing can remain alive within a day’s march of this city, if we so wish it!”

The Councillor fell silent for a moment and gathered his thoughts before continuing.

“Unfortunately, not all threats to the continuity of civilization within the Water-Realm are so easily countered. For long ages, ‘The Guardians of the Ancient Lore,’ have worked diligently to maintain a balance of power between the differing races that depend upon the Life River, for their very existence. Only thus, could we ensure that civilized settlement could continue to flourish amidst the chaos reigning supreme on the remainder of our world!”

The Councillor paused again and then resumed his lecture, taking care to choose every word with the utmost care.

“We have maintained control by a variety of means, some of which you have personally witnessed, but our greatest weapon has always been the awe and fearful respect that most folk have for our priestly order, a mental hold that we are careful to maintain in the minds of the population. However, in recent years, this control has been much eroded by the brutalizing effect of the bitter wars upon ourd istant eastern frontier; wars that have inevitably resulted in the displacement of entire peoples who are far too desperate to fear even the terrible wrath of the Guardians.”

George’s massive frame suddenly stiffened in his chair.

“The pirate who survived the attack upon our boat, as we descended the Exit River,” he interrupted, “claimed that his band was forced to leave the shelter of their clan-house and seek victims further afield, because large numbers of desperate newcomers had also begun plundering inside their traditional home territory. Aye and one of the robbers, who held me captive in the City of Calar, mentioned that his brothers had been driven from the river for the same reason.”

The Priest inclined his head in agreement. “Yes, you are correct in equating these random acts of banditry with the growing levels of violence that I have just described. Also, please recollect that you barely survived the powerful Saxmen attack, which completely destroyed the ‘Island of ‘Plenty.’An assault, that only five cycles ago, would have been deemed utterly unthinkable.”

Darryl remembered the words of the drunken Stone-carrier, upon the night that George had fought the boatman in the riverside tavern. ‘Towns and cities, from Calar right down to Holy Ptah seem to be overhauling their defences!’the man had said, and Darryl also recalled ‘the forges of the armourer’s continue to ring!’ and his closing prediction.‘some great catastrophe was hanging over the world!’

The boatmaster was tempted to follow George’s example and repeat the old Stone-carriers testimony. However, he said nothing, and instead, put forward a question of his own.

He raised the palm of his hand, in order to catch Councillor Hemm’s attention.

“Sir, do you know the root cause of this spate of warfare upon your eastern borders and creating this terrible chain of violence?”

“I do indeed.” The Priest replied. “It is the Hix! Ten cycle’s ago, they suddenly began emerging from their distant wastelands, and launched a series of irresistible attacks against the human clans closest to their borders. These clans-folk migrated west, into the lands of the Saxmen tribes. Many Saxmen warriors were also displaced and driven westwards, and these fighters are now threatening the cities and principalities that lie close to the banks of the Great Life River.”

Myra looked enquiringly at the Councillor. “Have you given assistance to the clans-folk, in their battles with the Hix?

“We have dispatched many troops of powerfully armed mercenaries to their aid.” Hemm answered. “It is largely due to their efforts that the Hixian’warriors have not yet penetrated into civilized territory. We have also dispatched a number of scientists and seers from our own black hooded order, but the Hix are not human and are seldom totally devastated by our plagues and occult spells.”

The young wisewoman looked the Councillor directly in the eyes.

“Why have you brought us here?” She asked.

“To help us make peace with the Hix” He answered at once. “You and your friends represent the only hope that we have of ending this ocean of bloodletting. If you bear with me, I will explain how this may possibly be accomplished.”

The Councillor straightened his robe, before continuing. “Many years ago, we ‘Guardians,’ together with most of the human races in the Water-Realm, were in a state of perpetual conflict with the Hix. Sometimes, our wisest Councillors dispatched envoys to treat with the Hixian’leadership in order to stop the killing, but they were always murdered, and their heads returned to us as a token of their hatred for us. A hatred that is deep and quite beyond our understanding.”

The Priest paused, and smiled at the twins.

“Then a seer possessing immense mental powers arrived in the Water-Realm. Her name was Rose Littlewood and she is a direct ancestor of yours. She made a bargain with the Council of Guardians, that she would journey to the wastelands of the Hix, that lie far to the east and attempt to negotiate a treaty with the Hixian’leadership that would end the conflict. In return, the Council of the day agreed to tell her the location of the secret place where she could pass through the curtain and return to her own reality. Your ancestor succeeded. She returned with a promise of peace from the Hix, providing that half of the Thoa-nuts from the great eastern forests would be turned over to them, in exchange for quantities of the rare metals that abound within the Hixian’lands.” Hemm sighed. “The agreement with the Hix held solid until ten cycles ago and it was of great benefit to all who dwelt within this reality. As for Rose Littlewood, she continued her journey and was never seen again!”

“My friends,” He continued. “We wish you to retrace the steps of your illustrious ancestor, and make a new treaty with the Hix, in return for almost any concession lying within our power to grant. On your return to Ptah, we will divulge the same secret that was given to Rose Littlewood, and you will have the means of returning to your home reality.” Again, he paused.

“The route to the wastelands of the Hix passes through dangerous and difficult territory, but the ability of your little group to surmount danger, has been well proven in the course of your journey to Ptah.You must forgive us for not giving you greater assistance during your journey, but we needed to test yourabilitytosurvivearangeofperiloussituationsandweonly intervened on your behalf when your position became critical.”

Councillor Hemm sat quietly for a full minute, before concluding his breathtaking explanation.

“I am the first member of our order, for long cycles, to request help from a traveller from another reality, but it is now my duty to do so. I beg of you in the name of all the forces for good, in the known and unknown portions of the universe. Please come to our aid!”

Councillor Hemm urged the three travellers to give his proposal their most careful consideration and returned them to the care of Paris, who installed them in a suite of comfortable rooms at the base of the tower; where they could rest and decide upon a suitable answer to the ‘Dark Priest’s’ plea.

The envoy was about to leave them to their deliberations, when George suddenly grasped him by the wrist. “Tell me.” He asked. “How is it possible for some wandering seers from Earth, to successfully treat with the Hix, when all your native Water-Realm adepts have failed so abysmally?”

“A necessary question,” Paris replied. “The answer lies in the way in that individual Hix communicate with each other. They have the ability to speak and many are able to converse in the common Water-Realm tongue. Indeed, a few brave and enterprising border clansmen seem to have met and spoken with isolated groups of Hix and succeeded in conducting a profitable trade with them. However, the Hix are accomplished telepaths and normally prefer to converse with their fellows by mind-power, alone, and have little need of the spoken word. The ‘Dark Priests’, they hate beyond understanding and shun all mental contact with them. Whilst we Water-Realm seers, who are descended from human stock, appear to have lost the telepathic ability to contact all but our own kind.”

“One last question,” George said, releasing the envoys wrist. “If we refuse to journey to the wilderness of the Hix, will we be killed out of hand?”

Paris appeared shocked. “In the name of the unseen powers, never, you would be allowed to depart unharmed. Or offered responsible positions in the ranks of the overseers, should you choose to stay in Ptah. No’ Dark Priest’ would harm a descendent of Rose Littlewood, whose memory they hold with great affection.”

The newcomers rested awhile and then began discussing the Councillors proposal.

George was sceptical about the entire business and had little confidence in the assurances of good faith given to them by Hemm and his envoy. He stated that he would willingly turn his back on the problems of the ‘Dark Priests’ and take his chances on the river.

Darryl, by contrast, was much influenced by the evidence of the growing chaos witnessed during their voyage to the Holy City. He worried over the possible fate of the people who had shown them kindness and generosity, people such as Thom Jaks the wizard and Agar-Marduk the merchant, and their numerous families. However, time appeared to be an important factor. Paris had mentioned that a round trip to the wastelands of the Hix, was likely to take the best part of a year, and perhaps much longer if unforeseen difficulties were encountered. The boatmaster wondered if enough time would remain for them to reach the exit portal that, Thom Jaks believed lay far beyond the Southern Sea.

It was the young wisewoman who finally decided the issue.

“Remember,” she said. “Only the ‘Dark Priests’ know the exact location of the exit portal. Without their knowledge, we might well blunder around the furthermost reaches of the Water-Realm for the remainder of our lives without finding our way home.