In the morning we saw a dust cloud moving towards the oasis, Young Hailim took a brief look and put a large pot of water on to boil. We must overcome our own distrust in this strange land. Everyone here seems to help one another and they are very friendly, if you think about all the time we have spent in cities and towns and we have not had one iota of trouble. Then consider everywhere we travelled in England and Europe always resulting in a rumble of some description.
The lack of fighting is even rubbing off on Madolf, he has taken to cooking the evening meal, a practice which has been going on for some considerable time now. A month ago he took me by surprise as he was wearing an apron.
“Nice apron Madolf”
“Thanks Kyrias, I made it myself”
“Really?”
“Yeah, why? What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing, nothing at all” I checked out the stitching it was very fine and straight, I could not do such a good job. “It just not really something I would expect from you, that’s all”
“Oh I see!!”
“Hey, don’t get upset with me. I do this kinda stuff, not quite as well admittedly, all the time”
“Yeah well, I did this see” and he showed me a wonderful piece of embroidery on his caftan, in a matching colour so it blended in almost invisible until up close with it. A more beautiful and subtle piece of colour matching could not be achieved. Once the embroidery is perceived it tantalizes and teases you to take in the picture. My jaw almost fell to the floor, it was a whole panel. The picture was all of us on the boat sailing into Oakthorpe, the detail was breathtaking, my eyes kept finding new things to see and it brought a melancholy and aching to go home.
“It’s beautiful”
“It’s nice, I could have done better with the water but not bad for a first attempt”
“You do yourself an injustice Madolf” my eyes still taking in all the detail.
“I didn’t want to get this splashed with food”
“No, I can see you wouldn’t”
“Then I remembered all them frog munchin’ French’s, wearin’ these things so it kinda made sense”
“Yes, yes, I can see that”
Only last night he called us to dinner, he used to call it “tea” but now it has been bumped back to its full status of dinner. The table is lined with flowers found at the oasis and arranged in a meticulous and sensitive way, the colours blending and complimenting each other, it must have taken hours.
“Why don’t you put this much effort into breakfast Kyrias?” asked Septimus, I looked at him incredulously “You see Kyrias, this is the difference between eating and dinning. A spectacular vision Madolf, really, really well done” I’ve never had as much as a thank you off Septimus over the years and he is paying Madolf a compliment, dear journal WTF!!!
The dust cloud was being created by a small caravan, which stopped just outside the oasis. Young Hailim greeted them and offered them a drink. It is these small differences that make this a place I could live.
They were friendly enough and they are travelling to Damascus to sell their wares, they also bring news of the terrible savages from the north killing everyone without mercy. The day passes and we settle down to another of Madolf’s feasts. He is particularly proud of this one.
“All of the food we are going to eat tonight, has been foraged or caught right here, food my friends does not get fresher than this. I would also like to thank Fartie for the wonderful spice gift set, which I think has enhanced this meal to another level.” With that Madolf sits back down.
I am still irked by Septimus earlier comments, but the meal is outstanding possibly his best work yet.
He has stuffed two vultures with small fish and fruit, seasoned to perfection giving a depth to the flavor yet light enough to be sympathetic on the palette and able to taste the individual flavors, resulting in a wonderful harmony to set the taste buds alight.
“I am sorry for my earlier comments Kyrias” a rare apology from Septimus “But now I can see how you have been slacking all these years, really not good enough” My anger rises and if the food hadn’t been this good I would have stormed off.
The following morning Fartie and the caravan leave. We spend another day and night at the oasis, I am keeping away from Septimus, because I have had just about enough of him to last me several life times.
The next morning after a typical sloppy Kyrias breakfast, I am tidying away the dishes when the ground shifts and moves and we find ourselves surrounded by twelve armed men. They are covered head to foot and only their eyes are visible. Young Hailim moves towards the biggest one and they embrace like brothers.
“It has been long Young Hailim”
“Too long my brother” They walk off and are in deep discussion, the others stand unmoving just watching us. It is a little disconcerting being stared at. We tidied up as best we could, when Young Hailim comes over to us.
“These are the Bedouin you seek, if you answer their questions and they think you worthy we will break camp and travel today.”
“Why do you seek the Bedouin”
“We seek your Princess, the knowledge giver” Said Septimus
“She is not our Princess, she and if she is a she, is an evil spirit” remember this dear reader, it becomes important later.
“Why do you seek the Spirit?”
“The lands in the North are being troubled by a Titan, and we seek the knowledge of how to defeat it” Septimus continued.
“Is not the enemy of my enemy my friend? Why would you want to help them?”
“Er” Stammered Septimus
“It is our hope, that by helping the infidels to destroy their issue, they will leave us in peace”
“Good save Kyrias” Septimus whispered to me, I ignored him as I am still angry with him.
“Ah a stoic, a nice piece of logic my friend”
“We leave within the hour, but I must warn you it is fourteen days ride into the hottest most arid part of the desert. Many have tried and many have died, we will not help you, it is God’s decision if you should succeed or not”
Fourteen long grueling days on a camel, I have sores in places I didn’t even know existed. Tanith has been giving out aid to Wolfgar, Madolf, and Septimus. I am still too angry with Septimus to be sociable or even ask for aid even though I could do with it, no I will complete this journey without divine aid, and I and only I will have the knowledge that I succeeded in this harsh environment on my own stamina.
We finally arrive at the Bedouin’s home. A large natural valley carved out by water erosion, the eons this must have took, now dry, the river that carved it either long gone or now subterranean. Contained within this hidden valley hewn out of the rock face is a great structure with jackals heads and depicting a great procession, the carving and scale rivals that of the mountain dwarfs, even Madolf is impressed.
We are taken to meet their elder, we were not ready for the sight that greeted us, and the Bedouin elder is a dog like creature. That may be bit harsh, maybe a Jackal or Hyena. Our escorts remove their facial coverings and the Bedouin are all Hyena like creatures.
“The look a bit like Hyenas don’t they?” whispered Septimus
“I thought they would have laughed more!” said Tanith
“No these are the desert types, known for their dry humor!!” laughed Septimus. Some tumble weed blew past, Wolfgar checked his sundial, Madolf shook his head, a few awkward moments later.
“You seek the knowledge to defeat a Titan”
“We do”
“Ask the spirit, your question and then leave, for the spirit is a trickster and will try to fool you.”
“Will the answer to our questions be the truth or will they mislead too?”
“No they will be the truth, the spirit always answers a question truthfully, it is the rest that is lies”
“Okay”
“You want to go now?”
“I’d rather have a rest, freshen up and feel more comfortable and avail myself of our host’s hospitality before we do anything else.” I say. This is agreed on by the others. They show us to some tents, the floor covered with cushions, I don’t remember hitting them.
The night passed and it is now sometime during the day and the heat and brightness of the sun is over bearing. They offer us food, and drink which we readily accept. Then we are ushered into a chamber where a young woman manacled in what looks like adamantine fetters secured to the wall. What happens next, happens so fast, I will try to do it justice.
Tanith starts shouting to let her go, it is not right to keep her imprisoned against her will.
Septimus moves as if to strike the manacles, I stop him he quietly tells me to keep an eye on our host. However I strongly disagree and tell him this has nothing to do with us, and to leave them to it. Madolf and Wolfgar agree with me. Tanith and Septimus are not be dissuaded. Septimus says something about keeping a promise I think to the spirit but who knows, this is getting rapidly out of hand.
I ask my question, where is the incantation. Madolf asks, where the first artifact is, and Wolfgar backs this up by asking for the location of the second artifact. Our job is done. I back out of the room, Madolf follows me, picking his weapon up he is about to rush back in, I tell him it is folly once again Septimus and Tanith are wrong. The decision to release the spirit or not, should be done together and not on a whim and especially when we are massively outnumbered.
Madolf picks up Tanith’s sword and goes back in the room, Young Hailim exits and together we go off to set the camels to make a hasty retreat. Much to my surprise Madolf, comes back out. He agrees this is not our fight but Tanith with right on his side and Septimus who thinks he knows everything are not listening.
We hear the screams as the woman turns into a demon and starts killing the Bedouin warriors, Wolfgar, Septimus and Tanith stand immobile as the demon is ripping off heads and killing with wanton bloodlust.
After the demon has finsished with the Bedouin warriors in the room, it breaks free and starts killing the Bedouin men, women, and children alike. I, Madolf and Young Hailim lead our camels away turning our backs on this tragedy, as there is nothing we can do to stop it. Meanwhile Tanith the brave and Septimus the all knowing stand there watching the destruction of innocents, the scene of carnage laid out before their feet. Unmoving absorbing the true horror a demon can wreak on the world Tanith and Septimus see the true abhorrence of their actions. Meanwhile Wolfgar is being base and doing an I told you so song.
Madolf has come a long way on this journey, no longer willing to give his life for folly and picking the fights that are just and right, shakes his head and questions why. The screaming stops and it is quiet, when we hit an invisible barrier and end up following the demon and reuniting with Wolfgar, Tanith and Septimus. They are walking ahead of us and I am seriously tempted to end Septimus’s life right there.
“What gave the two of you the right to end a civilisation, to make a whole tribe of people extinct? You were told it lies, but you two have an inability to listen to sense or reason. Where was your sense of right and wrong when this demon killed all the innocents Tanith? Where were your high and mighty notions of you know best when you witnessed the slaughter. The Bedouin fed us, guided us, helped us, they told us it was an evil spirit, but you know best Septimus.” They walked in silence heads hanging low “This, all of this carnage, blood and death, that of the warriors and the innocents alike. All of this blood is on both of your hands. I for one am glad I can hold my head high and say this was nothing to do with me. If I could turn back the clock, what I should have done is killed the pair of you.” They do not reply and I have nothing further to say and we walk in silence.
I just want to get out of this place, and away from the pair of them.
