
Necropolis

Penn Fawn

Published by Penn Fawn, 2020.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Copyright (C) by Penn Fawn.

# Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Foreword

Chapter I - Nyeusi

Chapter II - The Witness

Chapter III - Nabii

Chapter IV - The Forest of Souls

Chapter V - Kimbilio

Chapter VI - To Yagan

Chapter VII - The Elephant Graveyard

Chapter VIII - Isle Of The Maimed

Afterword

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# Foreword

THE FIRST INSTALLATION of the Necropolis series has two parts, Book I, which is eight chapters, and Book II, which is an additional ten chapters.

THIS IS THE STORY'S first eight chapters. It is offered as a permafree download to introduce readers to the series. If you already know about the story, and therefore you know you want to read all of it, all eighteen chapters, for free in exchange for honest review, please Click Here in order to do so.

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# Chapter I - Nyeusi

THEY APPROACHED THE three from behind with hunched shoulders, stealthily placing one leg before the other, keeping their heads low.

Their friend, one with feet almost as dark as coal, trailed from a distance of about seventy yards. His soles made almost no sound as they came into contact with the ground.

Their targets, focused and oblivious, were fixated on the elephants in the distance. As if acting on a choreographed work they practiced to perfection, they raised their arms with a bow and poisoned arrow in hand, in unison.

The cats sprung.

Startled and dumbfounded, the men did not release. They barely made a one hundred and eighty-degree turn before large canines and claws tore at flesh and bone.

The afflicted caught a glimpse of a silhouetted figure in the not too far off distance. He watched them scream 'till their cries could be heard no more.

The dark fellow, with the sun to his back, and beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, calmly advanced while a fourth man, a stone's throw and forty degrees to the west, trembled concealed behind a large rock.

The dark one, Nyeusi was his name, sat under a nearby tree for shade while the cats ate.

He leaned back, rested against its trunk and closed his eyes. A cool wind swept through his mane of hair and dried the sweat on his brow.

The witness, a certain Daniel Salah, was sure to keep as still as he could.

He waited some twenty minutes after watching Nyeusi rise and walk away from what was left of the carnage. The cats trailed closely behind.

Daniel, having noticed there was no sign of anyone else around, got up and hastily departed.

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# Chapter II - The Witness

"I WANT TO GET OUT OF here," Daniel said.

"What? What happened?" his compatriot, Ali Samar asked. "And, where are the . . ."

"They're dead!" Daniel snapped.

"What?"

"Did I stutter? You heard me! They're dead. All but one of them."

Ali fell silent.

"All are dead except for Djembe, who luckily for him, he stayed back at the camp when we ventured out."

"What happened?"

"They were mauled!" Daniel exclaimed.

"What?"

"Not what. You heard me!"

Ali listened. "What beasts did this?"

"Lions," Daniel said.

Ali said nothing.

"Could have been me too!" Daniel added.

"I survived because I took a detour to observe a herd slightly off in the distance. It's the only reason I'm still here. Yes, it was risky to wander off like that on my own in these parts. If even just for a couple minutes, but it saved my life!"

Ali was silent.

"This is a fool's errand," Daniel continued.

"How so?" Ali asked.

"'Tis no man's land. It's so wild. Untamed."

"You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this," Ali said. "These are unchartered . . ."

"No, I didn't," Daniel cut him short. "I haven't told you half the story."

"There's more?"

"There is," Daniel replied.

"Well, go on then," Ali said.

"The cats. There was a man with them. Like he were part of the pride, leading them on like one would do with a breed of hounds."

Ali was pensive. "Madness," he said.

"Is it? Were you there?"

"You'll excuse me but you sound like one of the natives now, with their wild imaginary tales. Are you okay, Daniel? The trauma from what happened must . . ."

"Stop it and listen to me! Or, do you want to go back to have a look for yourself at what's left of the strewn carcasses? That's if some other beasts haven't already taken them away. 'Tis no ill man talking, or one who's delirious. I'm telling you what I saw," Daniel said, sternly looking him in the eye.

Ali thought there was a look of terrible concern on his face. "Well, go on then," he said.

"You've heard of this man before," Daniel said, stating what he already knew to be true.

There were none there who hadn't heard about Nyeusi. Even strangers or relative newcomers like they were, couldn't have resided there for long before hearing about him.

"I have," Ali replied. "I have and I dismissed it as superstition."

"It's no myth, Ali. I saw him with my own eyes."

Ali did not reply.

"It had to be him," Daniel said.

"And, how would you know?"

"Because he was exactly as has been described. A mane of locked hair. More exotic than perhaps any that has ever been seen north of these parts.

"He was tall. Over six feet. Very dark. Impressive build, and he did lead those cats. I watched him sit near them, unconcerned while they ate our guides alive."

Ali listened. "Well, this is savage territory. I guess it's not altogether impossible . . . ."

"It's what happened," Daniel snapped.

Ali looked him in the eye. "Was there anyone else?" he asked.

"Just him," Daniel replied.

Ali became pensive.

"What are you thinking?"

"Well, if you are to believe the folk around here, he is supposed to be part of another tribe," Ali replied.

"And?" Daniel said.

Ali looked him squarely in the face. "A tribe of beast masters," he said.

Daniel listened.

"And, the story gets much more elaborate, doesn't it?" Ali asked. "Did you hear about that?"

Daniel looked at him sternly. "Look, what do we really know about what's here to doubt or question the truth about it?" he said. "I mean really. What do we know?"

Ali did not reply.

"Nothing," Daniel added. "Not a damn thing."

"Maybe," Ali said.

"Maybe nothing," Daniel returned.

"Fair enough," Ali replied. "But if our expedition doesn't venture to find out, others will. Enough has been said about this place to inspire the more ambitious to come here in droves. But you already know that."

Daniel listened.

"'Tis no fool's errand, my friend. The more ambitious of us will come. They will come for ivory. They will come for gold. They will come for exotic foods and spices. Some, like me, may even come hoping to find the necropolis. Come they will."

Daniel, mindful that the necropolis was rumored to be the largest diamond ever found, said nothing. It was cast and encased in a silver bangle with two smaller sized diamonds placed on either of its sides. It was named after the burial ground of the fabled city called Sanctuary, whose inhabitants were allegedly laid to waste by the necromancer, the lord of the underworld.

He acknowledged he could not deny anything Ali said. The very reason they were there was to try and get ahead of the treasure and wealth-seeking hordes who would come from the lands up north, from whence they came.

They were from the lands north of the great desert, from a place they called Kemet. Their aim? Locate the fabled territory called Sanctuary.

"Listen," Ali continued. "I'm not doubting anything you said to me, but don't let yourself get carried away. You know these people are little more than savages, so it's not too much of a stretch for me to accept some may have wild pets.

"That said . . . well, for the time being anyway, I suspect we're perfectly safe here. We'll just have to be better prepared, more careful about how we go about things next time.

"But, if you've had enough and you're ready to pack up, I won't stand in your way."

"Thank you," Daniel replied.

"And, you would that easily, wouldn't you?"

Daniel did not reply.

"Very well then. So after all of your sacrifices do you mean to say because there was a bit of a scare, you'd simply just pack it up and leave?" Ali asked.

Daniel kept silent.

"There is gold here, Daniel! Gold! Plus an abundance of other raw materials of which these people know not their value!"

"A bit of a scare, eh?" Daniel replied.

Ali considered carefully what words he should use next.

"Well, it's just that I didn't think you'd get cold feet having come so far. I was of the opinion because you were willing to come this far inland you also were willing to go all the way."

Ali's hope to encourage Daniel stemmed from considering a total of eighty men began the expedition. Adventurous as they were, the weeks' long journey at sea, which was a first for many, left a good deal of the crew desirous of traveling no further inland than they needed to.

These stayed with the tribes whose lands were closer to the water. Aside from trading with them, they served as the first link among a chain of positions they would attempt to establish as their more adventurous compatriots ventured further inland.

The sea voyage, with its limited rations and countless other inconveniences, left many thin and weak upon arrival. Most, however, survived, but only to watch some of their friends die from mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria and others of which they knew nothing or had no name.

Hitherto, from a total of eighty, Daniel was one of a mere twenty who dared to endure come what may, and thus had managed to make it this far.

Djembe appeared at the door.

"Djembe," Ali said.

"Yes," he replied. "I need to have a word with you right away."

"Okay," Ali said. "Please come in."

"Thank you," he said.

"Please. Have a seat," said Ali.

"Thank you."

"What's on your mind?" Ali asked.

"Did you not hear what happened?" Djembe asked.

"Well, Daniel just began telling me something about . . ."

"Word spreads easily, like wildfire around here," Djembe cut him short. "Three of our men who went out to assist you were killed."

"I was not out . . ."

"I mean whomever of your men who went out today," Djembe interjected.

Ali's face was stern. He was slow to respond. "I . . . I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry to hear this."

Djembe became pensive. "As you can imagine, the villagers who lost their family are even more so," he said.

Ali did not reply.

"I remember you saying you were to go with the men, Daniel. I must ask, what exactly did you set out to do today?"

"You know what we were doing," Daniel replied. "What do you mean?"

"Did you set out in search of tusks from carcasses, or were you seeking to hunt the elephants?"

"Why, we sought already fallen animals," Daniel replied with a straight face.

"I see," Djembe said.

"Why do you ask?" said Daniel.

"No one here or anywhere near the surrounding villages has been killed by cats for quite some time now."

"I see," Daniel said.

"And, you must know that to unnecessarily harm the elephant is an evil omen," Djembe added.

Ali struggled to hide his contempt.

He hoped Djembe's visit would be a short one.

"I will go now, although in parting I must say I don't know how this will turn out, or what the response will be."

"Okay," Ali replied.

"Before I proceed there are some things I want to get to the bottom of," he said to Daniel, the moment Djembe parted company with them.

"Okay," Daniel replied.

"I will call a meeting with the heads of our contingent."

"What's it for?" Daniel asked.

"What's it to you?" Ali said.

"I'm curious," Daniel replied.

"I'm interested in learning more about this Nyeusi character and his group. Hopefully, I can glean some more information from the elders here."

"Don't see why you'd need to call a meeting with the key members of our group for that, and why the interest in him all of a sudden?"

"'Tis a matter of wanting to exercise caution, Daniel. That's all. The more I know about these characters the better, and I figure the best way to learn as much as I can about them is not from hearsay, but from meeting and talking to the more authoritative figures here."

Daniel listened.

"Like Djembe said, stories spread or travel like wildfire. In time, I'm sure some of our men may become distressed after hearing what happened. Families of the afflicted may by degrees become even more distressed. Who's to say many haven't already thought we've overstayed our visit, if you're following me."

"I believe I am," Daniel replied. "To some we're probably now seen as those foreigners who brought death to their people, or so I think you mean."

"Precisely," said Ali.

"And, you call that being safe?" Daniel asked. "By midnight they may have us in a boiling pot while they dance around a fire."

"We need to have a meeting tonight," Ali, who was growing with apprehension, said. "We ought to air this all out in the open and decide on what is the best course of action to take."

Daniel shook his head in an upward and downward manner. "Well, let's get to it then," he said. "While we still can."

"Don't further alarm me, Daniel. We don't know for sure what's on anyone's mind."

He was right in more ways than one. While they had no certain knowledge of what their peers or the villagers were thinking, word did reach camp about what transpired, and certain members of the contingent did become concerned and could only wonder what may happen next.

Some like Daniel, joked about the possibility of being the chief ingredients later on for a soup, if not a roast.

Some took this talk as humor. With others, the joke fell flat, and they wondered just where might Daniel and Ali be at the hour, that is, if they hadn't already been taken captive by some of the cooks there.

Ali's attention was diverted by the presence of three men who appeared at the entrance to the door. They were Penal, Asfar, and Sodom.

The later, a known rapist back in his land, was the first to offer his services when he learned their king demanded an expedition be sent to find and acquire gold and whatever other material wealth and riches were allegedly within Sanctuary and/or the distant lands.

The reward for his participation provided the mission was successful, was a pardon for his crimes. He was also promised a share of the spoils or riches too, and a reinstatement of his status to not merely a free but honorary citizen.

Those were the general terms that applied not only to him, but to the entire expedition, most of whom, were convicts.

Ali was an exception. Presently the three exchanged stares with him.

"Come in," he said.

They did so.

"Make yourselves comfortable," he added.

"As you can imagine, we heard about what happened," Penal, who preferred to stay on his feet, said.

"Ok," Ali said.

"The men are concerned, Ali," Penal returned.

"Accidents happen, Penal. What do you expect me to say?"

"They do happen," Penal added.

"Doesn't make us look good though," a concerned Asfar said. "We've been here for some time now but we're still foreigners or strangers to many. Not all are happy to have us, and now this."

"Again, accidents happen. I can't control all that goes on here."

"No," Penal said. "Not all. But you could have avoided what happened today."

"Is that so?" Ali replied. "How may I ask?"

"Well, for starters, I'd say why do you persist in pursuing frivolous nonsense, like acquiring tusks, skins of exotic beasts and all such foolery and instead stick to the real business of our travel?" Penal asked.

"Frivolous nonsense you say. The king would reward me as handsomely for acquiring a pair of tusks as he would for a pot of gold. Now as to the necropolis, well, that is a different matter entirely."

"I'll be forthright," Penal said. "What amazes me is how quick you are to bend your knee at the beck and call of vain, vile, and foolish men."

"What do you know about me?" Ali replied. "I didn't know you, nor did you know me until we were brought together under this assignment. What amazes me is how recalcitrant an individual you are, Penal.

"Lest you forget, I am the head of this exhibition, and our assignment was granted from none other than our king!"

"Indeed," Penal returned. "You needn't remind me, although I might mention titles more often than not say little about the quality of a man."

"There you go," Ali returned. "As obstinate as a mule."

"I am only being honest," Penal replied. "And, if the truth be told, when dealing with most men, honesty is the worst policy. Men prefer deceit, lies, and dishonesty."

"I'll have you know that the irony of such words coming from a petty thief and convict is not lost on me," Ali replied.

"Nor did I think they would be," Penal returned, "because mine are not cloaked in an air of pretentiousness. That is your style."

At this point, the rest of the party was as silent as could be.

"Enough of this! State your case then!" Ali said.

"Why risk life and limb of our men or others pursuing mindless trophies for soulless men is what I am asking. Why put us in such jeopardy? Either from beasts or from the scorn or wrath of the community? What does the king know or care about what we have to endure here? And, for what other than pursuing tokens of his greed and vanity."

"I was entrusted with an assignment here," Ali replied. "And, unlike you, I do have some respect for authority."

"I don't see how it would be disrespectful to solely concentrate one's efforts on pursuing that which is of the highest value or currency. And that, as you know, is not ivory."

Ali thought it best to let him continue having his say.

"I don't know about you, Ali, but I didn't come all the way here to appeal to anyone's conceit or vanity. A nobleman I could never pretend to be. I'm in this for me.

"Now you've got a community very concerned that you may have incurred the wrath of this guy they call Nyeusi, and heaven alone knows what that could mean.

"If it were up to me, I say we press on to find the gold, and God willing, that most fabled jewel, wherever that might be, since our welcome here may already be as good as spent."

Ali looked at Asfar and Sodom.

"So, is that what this is? You're planning a mutiny?" said Ali.

"No one is planning anything, Ali, but one has to first think about his safety," Asfar said.

"When you agreed to do this, you all knew it was not going to be a cup of tea," Ali said.

"What happened to those men out there today could have also happened to me, Ali. I'm all for not being sidetracked by things like exotic skins or ivory. If I must go on, well then the gold is where it's at for me," Daniel said.

"Well . . . all right then," said Ali.

"What does that mean?" Asfar asked.

"You want to move on? I'm good for moving on as well. You'll get no resistance coming from me."

"What does that mean?" Asfar asked. "Are you going to stay here and leave us be?"

"So, you did make up your minds to leave without me!" Ali said.

"No. Not really, but we do think we've been here long enough already, Ali," Sodom replied. "Whoever wants to stay and wait for word coming back from those leading the charge, let them wait. I want to be with the lead pack."

"To that, you can include me," said Asfar.

"Also me," said Penal.

Ali looked at Daniel. "And, also me," he said, albeit half-heartedly.

"What you mean is you want to lead the pack," Ali said, directing his attention to Sodom. "You speak of gold, but I would bet that privately, you hope to acquire the necropolis for yourself."

"Ali, the truth is most of our men are scared after all the talk they heard from the villagers about Nyeusi and the Shetani. So, after what happened today, good luck getting them to go out on any adventures for skins or ivory," Sodom said. "There's your mutiny."

"Aside from that, most of them here are just happy to be free," Asfar added. "They don't give a damn about going any further or chasing any gold or ivory. They explicitly said this to me. How's that for a mutiny?"

Ali listened.

"Today or tomorrow we come across gold and half of them won't even care to return home with us," Sodom added.

"So, they'd rather stay here?" Ali asked.

"They'd rather stay here," he echoed.

"You can't put a price on what it means to be free," Penal interjected.

"But they would be free back home," Ali said.

"Yes, but only on the condition they bring what the king wants back to him," Penal replied. "Their take is they're already free here, so having got this far, they'll take their chances trying to make it right where they are now. Forget all that stuff about gold or getting back on a ship."

"I see," said Ali.

"When you think of it that way, I can't really say that I blame them," Sodom said. "The only difference with me is I'd prefer to move on with what we really came here for."

Ali thought about this. "Very well then," he said, becoming pensive.

"What are you thinking?" Asfar asked.

"I'm thinking if we're to be moving on, we need to find out more about this Nyeusi, and I don't mean from village chatter and hearsay. We need to speak to the most reputable sources we can find here about him and where they think the gold might be," Ali replied.

"You've heard it a thousand times already perhaps. It's supposed to be in some forbidden and ungodly city. A place of no return they say," Penal said.

"Nonsense," Ali replied. "If it's a place of no return evidently someone must have returned from there to tell them about it. Right? I mean how else would they know? Either that or they have no idea what they are talking about."

"Whatever, Ali," Penal added.

"It's not whatever. But . . . well . . . we'll sure find out, won't we?" said Ali.

"Whose words do you think we can trust?" Daniel asked. "There is no such thing as a map detailing the way to Sanctuary. All knowledge here is laid down from an oral tradition."

"So, we ought to seek out the most learned and knowledgeable among them," Ali replied. "That means one or more of those who officially greeted us when we first arrived here."

"The elders," Asfar said.

"Precisely," Ali replied.

"Well, let's try to schedule a meeting then, and also find out who among our men wants to continue along on this journey," Sodom said.

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# Chapter III - Nabii

A TOTAL OF FIVE OTHER men were at the very least interested in hearing more about what pursuing the journey entailed. They agreed to convene with Ali, Daniel, Sodom, Asfar, and Penal, who arranged to speak to a village elder named Nabii.

A decision to continue the journey, they said, was contingent upon what they learned after having a word with he who was supposed to be one of the most knowledgeable and reputable men of the tribe.

"So, who exactly is this Nyeusi?" Ali asked him.

"He is the dark one," the village elder replied. "The leader of his tribe."

"I see," Ali said. "And, tell me, do you not feel the least bit angered when he feeds people to his cats?" Ali asked, shooting a glance in the direction of Daniel.

"I don't know that angered is the correct word," Nabii replied.

"Hm," uttered Ali. "I'm not sure what you mean, but what he did yesterday, isn't that something which makes you feel . . . Mm, I don't know, like say perhaps you ought to have him pay for that uncommon act of cruelty and wickedness?"

Nabii laughed.

Two other elders, one of each was at his side, laughed also.

"Did I say something funny?" Ali inquired.

"You strangers. The things you say. The things you do. Of what value is the tooth of an elephant other than to the elephant itself, or the bits of yellow-colored stones you aim to collect? As to the latter, you and Nyeusi are equally ridiculous in this regard."

Ali's eyes widened. "I'm curious about this Nyeusi."

"There's not much I can tell about him other than he's from the underworld," the elder replied. "One may be as enraged as could be, but the truth is there is none who can challenge him."

"Underworld you say?" Ali asked.

"Yes," the elder replied.

"I see," Ali said. "And, what exactly is this place, the underworld?" Ali asked.

"By underworld I mean Nyeusi is from the other side."

"Other side?" Ali said. "Of the village you mean?"

The elder's face grew stern.

"Other side of this world," he replied.

Ali looked at Daniel.

"Ah," he said. "Now I get it."

"Do you?" the elder asked. "What do you get?"

"Nabii," Ali began. "I'm a very practical man. Some of us don't believe in such things. You, however, are saying that there is such a place. Am I right to ask this?"

"What a question," Nabii said.

"Is it?" Ali asked.

"It is," the elder replied.

"And, I'm assuming you know its location?"

"You may wish to, but you may never see it. Not at this time."

"At this time?" said Ali. "I'm curious. At what time might that be possible?"

"When you've departed this world, my friend," Nabii replied.

Daniel looked at Ali.

"Oh yes, but Nyeusi was able to access here from his end?" Ali said.

"We're not him," Nabii replied. "We have no such power."

"I see," Ali replied. "Certain powers are involved and I'm guessing that without that power there's no way to gain access to it from here?"

"There is," the elder replied.

Daniel looked at Ali.

"I challenge you to find anyone here though, or from the villages beyond, who will dare take you there. And, why would you care to do such a thing is beyond my understanding. But then much of what you do is beyond my understanding," Nabii remarked.

"Is this another reason why you and your people came here?"

"We are textile merchants and traders," Ali replied. "Nothing more, nothing less, but your stories are intriguing."

"These are not stories, my friend. Your accomplice here has already seen what you have not. How much more evidence do you need?"

Ali was slow to respond. "I just would like to know I could go about my business safely, without fear of being maimed or harmed in any way," he said.

"Neither happened to you, and perhaps you should count your blessings. Or, maybe it was not yet your time."

"My time?"

"My friend, I know nothing about where you are from. What I have heard about your kind is you are said to have come here on a vessel. One you say is capable of traversing along the sea. Then, by the mercy, kindness, and docility of the peoples who live closer to the shore, you were allowed a passage inland.

"You used your vessel to avoid crossing the great dessert. A wise choice, but I assure you, whatever arts or craft or magic you possess will guarantee you no protection should you steer further into these lands.

"Your chances of surviving here is sevenfold that of venturing off into the wild. A hundredfold times that of venturing off toward the distant lands in search of the lair. You have already been warned that those who do not respect their boundaries will surely die.

"Your choices are either risk being ravaged by beasts or slain by men.

"Pity the three who were foolish enough to have followed you. They are said to have sacrificed their lives over a pair of sandals and some of your linen."

Daniel looked sternly at Ali.

"As to the lair, its entrance lies above a precipice of steep rock and stone. Only the very best and bravest dare try to breach it.

"Those who have tried, mind you, were never heard from again."

The party was all ears.

"And, it is not because during their ascent they fell to their deaths," Nabii continued. "It is because they dared venture beyond the entrance to the world from which no man hath ever returned."

Most of the tales about the lair and it being a pathway to the land of no return came from the Shemanchi, a nomadic tribe who during their never-ending sojourn, developed established pathways while following the migratory path of wild oxen. Following the path of the beasts took them exceedingly close to the mountainside. At about a quarter to a third the height from its base was the lair.

The Shemanchi would often set up a temporary base near there, and stay for a few days before continuing their journey. The more curious among them, are the ones who dared climb the mountainside, entered the lair, and were never seen or heard from again. Those who went in hoping to find and rescue them suffered the same fate, and it was not long before tales of it being a place of no return began to spread far and wide.

Daniel looked at Ali.

"By way of comparison, the Shetani, who scale the very walls, can move in and out of there at will."

"The Shetani? Again, I'd like to hear from you who they are, versus all of the stories I've been told about them," Ali said.

"They are Nyeusi's people, those who reside beyond the mountain. It is said that there are women there, sturdily built as the best of men, who cast their hair down the mountainside, and their men make use of this to climb down then back up to the liar's entrance."

"Madness," Ali remarked.

"That is their means of clearing the precipice, what we call the wall," Nabii added.

A moment of silence followed.

"These men," Ali said, "those who were never heard from again, what makes you think they met their demise after having entered the lair? How do you know after having entered it, they did not find a passageway toward more lush and bountiful lands? Lands that seduced them to the point of never caring to return here?"

The elder laughed.

"I suppose this could be," he said, "but I doubt it."

Ali was all ears.

"To reach these imagined places, you'd have to traverse the length of the inside of the mountain. No one, mind you, knows this way. What's more, is our great seers say its entrance is said to vanish the minute you enter it.

"Do you imagine you'd be thinking about bountiful lands upon entering such a place?"

"I see what you're trying to do," Ali said, "but I am of firm resolve, and aside from that, what you say is not the first I've heard of these kinds of tales."

"Tales you call them?" Nabii asked.

"Yes. There are more than enough of them where I am from, of every conceivable variety. About gods and goddesses and the like, and an ever-growing audience with a fancy for them it seems," Ali said.

"And, what would you make of your time here? Your life? Is that not a tale too?"

"It is," Ali replied. "But it is real."

"Real, you say? I must ask you what is real?" Nabii asked.

"Real is what is true, as opposed to the stuff of fantasy," Ali replied.

"And, is your time here not also so near impossible that at one point you may have thought it perhaps a bit strange?"

"Perhaps," Ali replied. "But one naturally accepts it for what it is, or becomes used to it."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Nabii replied. He looked Ali squarely in the face.

"In time you will become used to what I am telling you too. All men with a dark heart and mind will."

"What do you mean?" Ali asked.

"It is impossible for any of us to have any recollection of how we arrived here. Is it not?"

"It is," Ali replied.

"You, my friend, unknowingly spent near nine months in your mother's womb in a suspended state of darkness, then one day you opened your eyes and you were here.

"In time, as you say, you grew used to it, to your surroundings. You developed a heightened sense of awareness to this world that lies before you, one you had no knowledge of because you never were. A fantastic tale, is it not?"

"When put in that way in which you described it, yes, it is," Ali replied.

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# Chapter IV - The Forest of Souls

THE LAST IMAGE THE guides who Daniel accompanied on their hunt recalled, was the outline of Nyeusi's figure on the horizon. He appeared in silhouette, given that the sun lay behind him and its light was in their eyes. A second before that and the image of pouncing cats imprinted itself on their minds.

The fear, the terror, the pain they felt was no fiction, yet there they sat out on an open savannah unscathed.

The outline of three men with drawn swords, glistening in the light of the sun, moved toward them.

They rose, turned around, then ran as hard and fast as they could.

What started as a sprint progressed to a long steady jog.

Alas, they observed, a forest lay yonder.

Exhausted, they threw themselves onto the grass at its entrance.

Keita looked up at the sky.

"On our journeys, we have been this far east before. Have we not? We traveled this far and more for the better part of a day and there was always more grassland to cross before reaching the forest," he said.

"We are not where you think we are," Ossouna replied.

"That I can see," Keita said.

"But do you understand?" Ossouna said.

Keita did not reply.

"We have never been here," Ossouna added, trying to cover the note of dejection in his voice.

Keita became pensive.

"Have you no recollection of anything?" Ossouna asked.

"I do," Keita replied. A chill came over him. He broke into a cold sweat.

"We were out on a hunt for the men of the north. Weren't we?" Aswad interjected. "Do you recall?"

"I do," Keita replied. His body began to shake.

"What else do you remember?" Ossouna asked.

"Being attacked," Keita replied. "Mauled by savannah cats, and I would swear they belonged to Nyeusi. I saw him as I gasped for what I thought would be my last breath."

"What do you recall, Aswad?" Ossouna asked.

"The same," he replied.

"Then can you explain to me, if this is what we all remember, how then are we here?" Ossouna inquired. "And, where exactly is this place?"

"'Tis not our home," Aswad replied. "Or, at least I don't believe so. Any reference to it is a deception."

Keita was visibly shaken.

Ossouna's heart raced. He hoped to wake himself from what he thought must be a dream, only to acknowledge he was very much already awake.

"Had I the courage to ever venture to the top of the lair, at this time I'd sooner have jumped off and dashed my head against the rocks below in preference to this here, you hear me?" Keita said.

"Get a hold of yourself, man!" Aswad said in a hushed tone. "Lower your voice. We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves!"

"This cannot be! It must not be! What is this and what or where are we? In a dream? I want out of it!" Keita continued.

Ossouna got hold of him. He wrestled and pinned him down onto the grass.

"What's wrong with you? Get a hold of yourself," Ossouna said.

"Get off of me!" Keita yelled.

Ossouna pushed his hand firmly down onto his mouth as he tried to wriggle himself free.

"Settle down, Keita!" Ossouna said in a hushed tone.

Keita moved his head, as best as he could, in an up and downward fashion.

A horrified Ossouna softened his grip as Keita opted to offer no more resistance. He removed his hand from over his mouth.

"What the hell is this place and where are we?" Keita said under panting breath.

"Shut up! We should be dead but we are not and you panic? Rejoice that we're still alive!"

"Is that what we are? How so? Are we now spirits? And, where are we? Are we safe here?" Keita said.

"I don't know. I say we should get out of sight for a while. We should take refuge in the forest," Ossouna said.

"You think?" Aswad replied. "And, what will we do when darkness falls and we're at the mercy of the beasts of the night there? Night will soon be here."

Keita pushed Ossouna aside.

"And, what protection do we have from beasts being out here?" Ossouna asked.

"Look!" said Aswad. "On the horizon!"

They shot a glance yonder and saw the outline of three figures drawing nearer.

"If you still have a death wish, Keita. I suggest you stick around. I bet you'll see it come true," Ossouna said.

He darted toward the woods.

Keita and Aswad were hot on his heels.

With pounding hearts, they soon found themselves within an area with heavy overgrowth.

"Stop!" Aswad said under panting breath. "How much further?"

"As far as needs be," Ossouna replied.

"But we don't know where we're going," Aswad replied. "We are lost."

"Did we ever know where we were going?" Ossouna remarked. "We still don't know," he added. "We must move on."

"But please, not so fast," Aswad said. "Allow me to catch my breath."

"Very well," Ossouna replied. "But keep walking," he said.

"We must use our heads," Keita remarked, a good thirty minutes further into their journey. "The canopy here is thick. Soon it will be as dark as night, and I mean long before the sun has gone down. We ought to look for a fork in a tree in which we could lodge ourselves to get a night's rest. If not one, well then two or three such trees large enough to accommodate us," he added.

"No argument here, although I doubt I'll be able to sleep a wink," Ossouna said.

"The feeling is mutual," Keita replied.

"Agreed," Aswad added. "Never slept in a tree before."

"We'll need to get up into the canopy to avoid detection," Keita said.

"We'll need to be careful," Aswad added, "and, I don't mean be on extra guard from men. I mean to be on the lookout for snakes!"

Ossouna breathed deeply then exhaled. "Provided we survive the night," he began, "call out to me by whistling when you get up in the morning. Whistle like we did back when we hunted. Do not speak!" he added emphatically, "lest whoever that might be near hear us!"

An exhausted Keita, high up into the canopy, slept as soundly within the fork of a tree as could be.

Ossouna awoke.

Below, what appeared to be a procession of light could be seen in the distance. The bearers--he could not see who they were--appeared to draw closer and closer to him as the night went by.

His heart raced.

Aswad awoke and peered through the leaves at the goings-on. Neither could discern who were the bearers, nor what was the swishing sound they heard, followed by a dull "thud." 'Twas like the sound low hanging fruit makes after falling from a tree to the ground.

The light drew nearer and Ossouna, by this time covered in sweat, feared stirring hand or foot.

Long before either of them had awoken, two-legged beasts, the likes of which they had never seen, hoisted and suspended gagged men feet first, from the sturdier branches of adjacent trees.

Before they'd suspended them, the beasts used vines to wrap their captives' arms tightly to the sides of their torsos.

They cleaved their heads from their shoulders then quickly collected them, while the restrained torsos wriggled to as much a degree as they could.

An earthen vessel shaped like a large bowl was placed under the corpses.

This process was repeated for hours on end throughout the night.

Ossouna and Aswad soon found they no longer could sleep.

The following morning Keita's face grew long after acknowledging he had awoken, not out of a dream, but rather he arose and found himself nestled within a tree.

He made his way down, turned around and gasped violently for a breath of air.

His heel struck a root and he fell backward.

He shot up to a seated position and stared transfixed.

Trembling with a racing heart, he broke into a cold sweat.

His chest heaved.

For as far as he could see, decapitated bodies, bound from their torsos down to their feet, hung upside down from the tree branches. As to their heads, they were nowhere to be found.

Earthen vessels positioned below the torsos were used to collect their blood, and as if by art, or necromancy, the blood, which had been out in the open air for some time now, did not congeal.

Ossouna whistled short and sharply.

Keita cast a glance up at the canopy and saw him move his index finger toward his lips.

Keita nodded and Ossouna made his way down from his place of concealment.

Aswad immediately descended from the tree he had climbed.

They walked on the tips of their toes toward him.

"Be as quiet as you can," Ossouna whispered. "There is no time to explain. We must move swiftly and silently."

They proceeded to walk, hearts in mouth, in agonizing silence among the dead.

The view of hung carcasses appeared to stretch on forever. Time seemed to stand still, stiller than the corpses that did not stir as there was no wind.

Birds chirped merrily. All manner of insects were no less vocal than they usually were yet none of the three were much aware of it. What they heard, for the most part, was an eerie silence punctuated by the sound their feet made as it came into contact with the fallen dry leaves.

"We're walking around in circles," Aswad whispered.

"We're not," Ossouna said. "Or, at least I don't think so," he said to himself, scrutinizing the scenery more closely.

"They could not have laid this many people out," Aswad whispered.

"That's the panic in you talking," Ossouna replied. "Compose yourself. They went on with their ghastly business all night."

Keita began to pray. "Who are they?" he whispered.

"Later Keita. Apparently, you slept through it all," Ossouna replied. "We ought to be silent."

They continued to walk and by degrees the path ahead began to look less foreboding. Here they no longer saw any more suspended corpses.

Keita fell on his knees and wept.

Ossouna stooped before him. "There is no time for it, Keita. We are not out of harm's way. Not yet. We don't even know where we are."

"Keita," Aswad interjected. "We must press on. We must try to find a way out of here."

"There is no way," Keita said. "It's all a trap. We're doomed."

"You don't know that," Ossouna said. "Come now, lest we suffer the same fate those who we passed did."

"My legs feel weak," Keita said. "Like I could hardly stand."

"But you slept through the night, didn't you?" Ossouna said. "I did not."

"We must go," Aswad replied, and Ossouna was in the process of helping Keita get on his feet when they simultaneously looked over their shoulder.

"Up! Now Keita!" Ossouna said. "Run!"

An arrow was dispatched and a creature that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere fell on its side, writhing in agony. The arrow had lodged deeply into its neck.

A fellow appeared out of a thicket and released two more arrows. Both lodged into the chest of the beast.

The archer came out into the open, followed by a wolf.

"Do not move," he ordered. "And, don't worry. I mean you no harm."

He picked up the sword that had fallen out of the beast's hand and was at its side.

He plunged it into its chest, turned it sharply and watched the creature exhale its last breath.

The three came toward him.

"What is it?" Ossouna asked.

"A ghoul," he replied.

"'Tis the most hideous thing I've ever seen," Ossouna added.

"They probably feel the same about you."

"Such a brutish looking creature with such a fine looking weapon," Aswad said.

"It probably did not make it. 'Twas taken from one of us, I'd bet. Taken after one of our clashes with them," Noor said. "Although," he added, "they are not without some sense of refinement."

"What do you mean?" Ossouna asked.

"They're not stupid. They've figured out how to use fire, how to extract and make use of ores, temper them and make their own blades, swords, axes, and so on. It takes a creature with a higher level of intelligence to do that, I'd say."

The newcomers did not reply.

"Come. We must go. More will come. 'Tis the time when they arrive to get their wine and meat."

"Wine?" Ossouna asked.

"Human blood," Noor replied. "Come. We must go, and fast."

"Should I take the blade?" Aswad asked. "We are without weapons here."

"Fine. Take it, but we must leave now. More will come, and as stealthily as this one did. This is no place for a man to be."

"Now!" he demanded, and they followed him into the bushes.

The three keep pace.

Their guide moved swiftly, purposefully. Here was a man who knew his way about the place, or so his movement inspired them to believe.

The forest, or so Keita, Ossouna, and Aswad thought, appeared to have no end.

"Where or what is this place?" Aswad asked.

"What?" Noor said. "Where are you from? Not from here?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"No," Aswad replied.

"From far off then?" Noor asked.

"Very," Aswad replied.

"I see," Noor said. "Yet another one. Or three."

"What do you mean?" Aswad asked.

"No time," Noor said. "Keep moving. You're in the Forest of Souls."

They proceeded with haste for over an hour before their guide and his wolf began to move at a more moderate pace.

"Were you born here?" Aswad probed.

"Hm," Noor exhaled. "Born here? No sir."

"Raised then?" Aswad inquired. "You know your way around very well."

"Hm," Noor exhaled. "Raised?"

Aswad looked at him. He thought he appeared to be struggling with his thoughts.

"Did I say something that offended you? If so, I apologize," Aswad said.

"You didn't," Noor replied and became pensive.

"You asked where this place is?" Noor began. "You can call it whatever you want. Hell, the second realm or tier, purgatory. Whatever."

"Purgatory? The second tier?" Aswad said.

"Yes," Noor replied.

"Why?" Aswad asked.

"Again, you can call it whatever. For now, you may just want to call it home," Noor replied.

"Home?" Aswad said.

"Yes," Noor replied.

They were perplexed.

"Why would we want to call it that?" A concerned Aswad asked. "Is there no way back to our real home?"

"And, just where is that?" Noor replied, feigning ignorance.

The men fell silent. Noor stopped walking and looked at them. "Where is your home?" he asked, stressing on the word 'is.' "Where exactly are you from? Think you can get back there?"

"We don't know," Ossouna said solemnly. "We're not sure how we got here."

"Oh yeah?" Noor said.

"Correct. We don't know," Aswad added.

"I bet I know how you got here," Noor remarked.

Aswad was slow to respond. "And, what makes you think that? I wonder," he said.

Noor looked him in the eye. "You tell me a story, my friend, and I'll tell you one."

Aswad said nothing.

"We don't how or why we're here," Ossouna interjected.

"If you can believe it, neither do I," Noor said.

"But you . . ." Aswad began.

"But what?" Noor said.

"You appear to know your way around so well," Aswad continued.

"What does knowing my way around well have to do with anything?" he replied. "I learned, and in time you will too."

They were silent.

"Any more questions?" Noor asked. "I mean ones you may really want to ask if you're understanding me."

They said nothing.

"Why not just get it off your chest?" Noor said.

They were slow to respond.

"You do remember something," Keita said. "Don't you? About . . ."

"What do you remember?" Noor asked.

Keita did not reply.

Noor looked him in the eye then he looked at Aswad. "You think I don't know what you want to know?"

They listened.

"You came through the portal. All of you."

"Portal?" said Ossouna.

"Well, maybe not," Noor replied. "But I would bet on it."

"Please," Keita said. "Go on."

"You have a perfect recollection of having a life somewhere, somewhere other than here. Consider it the first tier, but you've since moved on, my friend," Noor added.

Aswad was slow to respond. "And, how would you know all this?" he asked.

"Take a wild guess," Noor remarked.

The men said nothing.

"Could it be because I've been through the same thing?" Noor replied.

"How is this possible?" Ossouna asked.

"How is anything possible?" Noor returned. "I don't know."

"What is this portal?" Aswad asked.

"An entry to this place," Noor replied.

The men listened.

"You know as much about it as I do," Noor added. "Through the portal is how we got here, and that's all I can say."

"Is there no way to go back?" Keita interjected.

"Through the portal? Nope," Noor replied, and he thought Keita appeared crestfallen.

"I should have said I don't know," he added. "Maybe you can go back through. Maybe when you die again."

"Or, maybe then you'd move on to some other hellhole," Aswad said in disgust.

"Maybe," Noor replied. "Don't kill the messenger. "Come. We must press on. The woods are a world onto their own. One so vast you could be led to believe it has no end.

"Keep your voices low. The further south we travel the safer we should be, but you never know. There can always be danger lurking in the shadows."

They followed his lead.

"Where is it you're going to, if you don't mind my asking?" Keita said.

"At first to meet with some friends," Noor said.

"Friends, eh?" Keita asked.

"Yes," Noor replied.

"I like the sound of that," Keita said.

"Same here," Aswad said. "It would be nice to meet another welcoming face."

"I understand," Noor replied. "Considering your entrance was at the foot of the devil's door, but a brighter world does exist beyond that."

"Devil's door? What do you mean this time?" Keita asked. "You mean the portal again, or the Shetani? Do you know who I mean?"

"I know who you mean," Noor replied. "They are called by that name too where I am from."

"And, where might that be?" Keita asked.

"Kemet," Noor replied.

"The north," Aswad said. "You are from the north."

"I am," Noor replied.

"And, I'm guessing you are southerners?" Noor added.

"Not as far south as you might believe," Aswad replied.

"I see," said Noor.

"And, where is home for you here?" Ossouna interjected.

"Beyond the great river," Noor replied.

They continued to move with haste.

"Why did you ask me about the Shetani?" Noor inquired.

"They are out to get us," Keita replied. "Well, at least three of them were. They are what drove us into the forest."

"They're out to get everyone," Noor said.

"Is that so?" Aswad asked.

"It is," Noor replied.

"Why? I wonder," said Aswad.

"Not sure," Noor said. "Depends on who you ask. I'd say the best person to ask is one of them."

"'Tis impossible," Ossouna interjected. "They communicate with no one but themselves. They are said to not even be men, but rather spirits. That is if you believe any of those shaman stories."

"They're men," Noor said. "Crazy men, but definitely men."

"I never had any reason to think much of this or take it seriously before, but . . . well, according to our folklore they can move between the underworld and from where we came," Ossouna said. "How can any normal man do that?"

"I don't know," Noor replied. "I don't have all the answers. What I know is they look and act the part of flesh and blood, or like mere men here."

"And, where we are from too. Why do you say they're crazy?" Aswad asked.

"Their beliefs. Rituals. Their practices," Noor replied.

"Like what?" Aswad asked.

"The Shetani are nature worshippers and we are not," Noor said. "For them, that is our unpardonable crime for which we all deserve to die."

"I'm not sure I follow you," Aswad said.

"They're extremists," Noor replied. "Or, so I've heard. Let them learn that you've clear-cut what they think is too much of the forest and they just might wage an all-out war against you. They'd get pretty ferocious when all that you're doing is trying to make some more breathing space to live, or so legend has it."

"I see," Aswad said.

"So, don't think they have something just against you. They drive everyone into the forest knowing very well what's here," Noor said.

The men listened.

"Their feelings about us is about what you'd have for say a disease," he added. "Give them half a chance and rest assured they'll kill us all."

"Back home they were aloof. I never had reason to think they are as bad as you described," Aswad said.

"That was there. This is here," Noor said. "Back there, they just observe things or so I've been told."

The men listened.

"A good thing is you'll probably never see one again for probably quite some time. Not after where I'm taking you," Noor said.

"And, where is that again?" Ossouna asked.

"In time you will see," Noor replied. "Keep up the pace. This place is said to have ears."

The woods seemed to go on forever, like there was no end to it.

In time they began to grow weary.

"Not much further now," Noor said, and they collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

"Stop," Keita said. "Something moves out there."

Noor looked up and ahead. "Don't let it trouble your mind," he said. He made a short sharp whistle, and what caught their attention came toward them.

A wolf now could be seen.

Four more arrived, apparently out of nowhere, in short order.

"Do not be alarmed," Noor said. "They patrol these parts for us."

The three watched the animals gather around Noor and his wolf. He stroked and ran his hands along their fur like one may do to a domesticated animal.

"They are our friends," he said.

"Wolves are you friends?" Ossouna asked.

"These are," Noor replied.

"They're beautiful," Keita said.

"Aren't they?" Noor replied.

"Yes," Keita said. "I've seen wolves before but none quite like these."

He was used to seeing a species known as the golden wolf, which was common to the territory from which they had come.

"I know what you mean," Noor said. "Yes, these are a bit larger with a nicer coat and altogether prettier I'd say, than the more slender ones I assume you're referring to."

"Right," Keita said.

"You are truly a crazy one, Noor," they heard, and a figure appeared from out of the bushes.

"Perhaps," Noor replied.

"You are," the fellow insisted. Mbou was his name. "Went out on your own again, did you?" he asked.

Noor said nothing.

"And, how far did you get this time?"

"As far as where men are butchered for meat," he replied.

"Madness," Mbou returned. "That's a ways off from here to go on such a warm day. You're a beast."

Noor smiled.

"Your curiosity and courage will be your undoing, Noor. You've been warned a thousand times."

Noor said nothing.

"Impressive, but again, unnecessarily risky. One day, Noor . . ."

"One day I'll find out what lays beyond this world, or perhaps I'll finally get the chance to rest."

"You just might," his friend returned. "Although, I don't see what's the rush."

"There's no rush," Noor replied.

"You could have fooled me or the rest of us," Mbou said.

Noor said nothing.

"Back at the camp you once again gave us all a terrible scare there."

"Did I?" Noor asked.

"Did you?"

"I feel so tired now," Keita interjected.

"And, whom have we here?" Mbou asked, looking at him, Ossouna, and Aswad.

"Survivors," Noor said. "Proof that my efforts are not in vain."

"Indeed, but you know those efforts are often strongly against your ever getting back here, especially the farther out you go," Mbou said.

"I wasn't trying to be a hero," Noor replied.

Mbou directed his attention to the newcomers.

"Welcome," he said.

"Thank you," the three replied in unison.

"Gentlemen, this is Mbou," said Noor.

"Pleased to meet you," Mbou addressed them. "I don't doubt for a second you're tired. Few of us have the energy of this man here, but come," he added. "We must go. One can never assume he's safe. Not even here."

Mbou left nothing to chance despite the area being well patrolled by their sentinels, the wolves, who could detect ghoul odor from a distance up to roughly a mile away.

They would immediately go on a pack hunt should they pick up that scent.

The wary ghouls thus stayed tens to over a hundred miles and more away from where the sentinels patrolled; the woodlands near Besi, the great river.

Kimbilio, or the great village of men, which is where Mbou, Noor, and the newcomers were ultimately headed, was located on the other side of Besi.

This river spanned a distance of roughly 1,600 miles over varying terrain. It's narrowest width from shore to shore, near the span of woodland where the sentinels patrolled, was in the range of two hundred yards, and this is where Noor was headed.

"How much further?" Keita asked. "My weariness is such that I'm content to fall and die where I am. My legs feel like they will give out under me at any minute."

"Try to keep up," Mbou said. "It's not too much further."

"Noor has said that for what feels like an eternity," Aswad said. "I barely slept through the night. I'm fading fast."

"I am too," Ossouna added.

"Just a bit more," Mbou said. "I promise," he added, and a party of seventy men appeared out of the woods fifteen minutes later into their journey.

A swarthy earthen colored one led the procession. His name was Zaeim.

"Three?" he said, addressing Noor.

"Yes," he replied. "Just three. Three precious souls given a chance."

Zaeim looked into his eyes.

"We've told you before. Please, please don't do this again. When we go, we go as a unit. We go en masse. You know there are thousands of ghouls out there."

"I do," Noor said.

"We understand you're impulsive," Zaeim said. "But we can't save everyone, and we can't afford to lose you, especially not now."

"What happened?" Mbou asked.

Zaeim directed his gaze toward him.

"The Shetani," he replied with gravity. "They've been back."

"No," Mbou said.

"Yes," Zaeim replied.

The newcomers looked at each other.

Mbou's face grew stern.

"While their first flight was probably happenstance, their return was, without a doubt, a reconnaissance mission. It would be foolish to believe it wasn't," Zaeim said.

Noor's face was one of concern. He swallowed his saliva and Aswad saw his Adam's apple move up and down.

"We believe they're mapping the layout of the village," Zaeim added. "We believe an attack is imminent."

Mbou looked at him. "What else?" he said.

"We dispatched a messenger crow to alert our brethren in the northwestern lands about our situation," Zaeim replied.

"I see little reason to believe they will come to our aid," Mbou said.

"Pardon my interruption," Aswad began. "Are the Shetani birds and not men? How can they fly above your village?"

"They come on the backs of the kilmanya, my friend," Noor replied. "They harness it like one may do to a horse."

The kilmanya were the last of a serious of prehistoric flying reptiles from which the dragon myth and legend likely evolved.

"Come," Zaeim said. "We must go. We need every man back in the village immediately."

What many of their brethren assumed was correct. The rider, whose name was Kifo, did make a return trip over their village to survey it. Those who saw the reconnaissance man noted on his first trip he came from the south, which they knew to be a Shetani stronghold. To the south is where he returned.

On his second trip, although he flew in from the south, he continued going north.

The villagers, mindful there was also a heavy concentration of Shetani in the north, were divided about what to make of this.

Many wondered whether their tormentors would plan to attack them from both the northern and southern front.

What happened was Amri, the Shetani leader on the southern front, told Kifo to head toward the Black Mountains immediately after gathering additional information. His instructions were to go there to alert Nyeusi so he'd decide what should be their next move.

Nyeusi mounted a kilmanya within an hour of hearing the news Kifo brought. He, Kifo, and an immortal who was terrified of mounting the flying animal was instructed to get behind him and hold on, or his arms would be cut off should he refuse to comply.

They flew east toward the Sepulchral Range, a series of mountains some two thousand miles away, where the necromancer, the lord of the underworld, was thought to be.

Nyeusi, Kifo, and the fellow who held on to him while trembling the entire length of the way, dismounted from the flying beasts. His legs shook so terribly after placing his feet upon the ground that he was surprised he could move or stand.

Kifo urged him to get a hold of himself. He bound his hands behind his back, and the three of them walked past the necropolis of the ancient city Sanctuary. This is where in times past, men defeated and ran its goblin inhabitants out of its valleys and the caves within the mountains facing it, in what some called a gore-filled bloodbath.

The men had by this time long become emboldened after discovering there was a curse many of them began to regard as not a curse at all, but rather a blessing.

They noticed they never felt hunger or thirst there, and furthermore did not, and could not die for want of nourishment.

They consequently organized themselves into an army intent on making the lands at the foot of the Sepulchral Range into a place of refuge.

Many suspected the curse was the work of the necromancer, but no one could say so with any certainty. For that matter, no one or few could say anything about him with certainty.

Most of what they knew or thought they knew stemmed from hearsay, although one could find no shortage of them who swore what they heard was true, or they'd behave as though what they heard was something personally witnessed.

What many also heard was he used sorcery to lay the victorious men of the battle mentioned above to waste.

According to the legend, they went about their day to day affairs in complete ignorance regarding why so many of them suddenly fell ill and died within a few days from the flu or a flu-like virus.

Some thought it was a plague. Others suspected foul play.

Within a week or two later after they all died, the necromancer appeared on his black horse, hitherto a creature unknown in those parts. He went past the city of the dead and selected the deepest cave within the range in which to take up abode.

The stench of decay left no impression on him but his alleged dark arts perhaps proved to be a bit taxing.

He left his steed at the mouth of the cave knowing he needn't fear the well trained, devoted, and loyal animal would stray or abandon him.

He ventured deep into the cavern and found a convenient location to place his infamous stone, a crystal ball.

He then lay down on a slate masons now dead, and what was left of them lay out in the open valley, had carved from the surrounding rock.

His steed sought shelter from pouring rain walking further into the cave. It got onto its side and it and its owner fell into a deathlike sleep.

The Sanctuary Nyeusi, Kifo, and their captive approached was a ghost town.

Its only burial ground, the one they passed by, the one its inhabitants called the necropolis, was surrounded by the remains of thousands within the valley who supposedly perished by the necromancer's dark art.

Nyeusi broke into a cold sweat. His heart raced. Kifo's pounded in his chest. Meanwhile, the robust steed that lay on its side however many years ago, was now an emaciated shadow of itself. All muscles in its body atrophied to the point where one would have been able to count every rib outlined against the skin that hung onto its frame.

The necromancer, who also hadn't moved since venturing into the cave, was a deathly pale fellow. There was no part of his body where veins below the surface of his skin did not show through.

A lifetime living in caves and lack of exposure to any light, rendered his complexion into something diaphanous, although this was well concealed beneath the hooded garment he wore. It covered him from head to toe.

"Are you sure it's safe to be here?" Kifo asked. "Safe to try and approach him? Are you sure he's even here?"

"These are questions one can never guarantee," a shaken Nyeusi replied.

"Should we turn back?" Kifo asked.

"Turn back?" Nyeusi said. "No. We should proceed."

Their captive, who trembled more violently than he did while atop the flying kilmanya, felt his legs give away. He fell and Kifo was startled.

"Get up!" he ordered, then pulled him onto his feet. "Try to get a hold of yourself!"

"What is this place!" the man yelled. "Why did you bring me into this godforsaken valley and this pit not fit for the devil!" he said, backing away.

"Compose yourself!" Kifo exclaimed.

"Never!" the captive screamed. His heel knocked against a rock and he fell again, but this time onto his back.

Kifo stepped toward him.

"If you're to kill me do it here! Do it now!" the captive urged.

"I have a mind to!" Kifo said.

"Go ahead then. You may as well because I will go with you no further!" the captive added.

Kifo turned and looked at Nyeusi.

The former held onto the end of a branch he had brought with him and struck the bound man firmly along the side of his thighs.

"Not too much," Nyeusi said.

"Enough for you!" Kifo said.

"'Twill be enough when I am dead," the captive replied. He thought it best to close his eyes, to offer no resistance, to try and reach into those deep recesses of the mind one feels compelled to when it appears inevitable the end is at hand.

He grunted after receiving each blow. They now landed mostly on the sides of his arms and legs.

Kifo then reached for something he had wrapped in a bit of cloth and held it firmly against the incapacitated captive's nostrils.

The latter, if he had his eyes open, might have suspected this was smelling salts or something meant to revive or shock him back to alertness.

Whatever it was Kifo forced against him, however, provided the opposite effect, and the fellow went out like a light in the dark.

"Tie him like they do to slain pigs or boars from where they are from. I mean in the very manner they do when preparing to take one back to their village for a roast over a fire," Nyeusi said. "Look. There is a pole there sturdy enough to use to suspend and carry him."

"Right," Kifo replied.

Nyeusi assisted him, and before long they were on their way through the valley with their captive between them, hanging like a wild catch.

They continued walking through the valley, then through a narrow passage where a range of smaller rocky mountains stood close to each other.

"There," Nyeusi said, pointing in the distance. "An opening in the rock."

Kifo took note and a chill came over him.

Nyeusi saw his Adam's apple move up and down.

"You don't look too excited," he said. "He's got to be in one of these caves here. At the very least, now we can begin narrowing down our prospects."

"I don't know," Kifo replied. "Something tells me we won't have any narrowing down to do. I feel like something has lead us to exactly where we are now."

Nyeusi looked him in the eye. "You're superstitious," he said. "Finding him is never easy but in any event, I hope you are correct. I have a feeling we're on the right path as well."

"Ok," Kifo replied.

"Let's go," Nyeusi said, and they walked around the rocks on their left then up a gradual incline toward the opening.

"We will need light to venture within there," Nyeusi said.

"We will," Kifo replied, "so, let's put him down for a bit and get a fire going."

He wrapped a bit of cloth around the end of the tree branch he had brought along with him.

"Please help. Prepare one for yourself too," he said, addressing Nyeusi, who did as he was told.

"Hold them close to catch the fire," Kifo said, and he passed his branch to him.

The former proceeded to rub two sticks he'd been mindful of bringing with him for precisely that purpose. He did so until he saw smoke and got a fire going. He used it to ignite the cloth they'd wrapped at the end of their poles.

"Good," he said, looking at the fire. "Now we can go."

They were a mere couple feet past the cave's entrance when a sea of stirred creatures poured out of there.

They gasped for breath then ducked.

Theirs was a reflexive action, as was the movement of their arms that weren't engaged.

They'd instantly released their grip on the lit branches. These fell to the floor but continued to provide light while they held their arms aloft.

Hearts raced and they all but dropped their captive.

So spooked, focused, and fixated were they on the excited colony, that it took a few seconds before acknowledging the blinding sea of darkness above, and in flight over their heads, were bats.

In time they finally exited and the two looked at each other.

Their captive, now on the floor, slept as soundly as could be with fire blazing at the end of a branch, mere inches from his face.

Nyeusi got hold of it and moved it away from him. Their prize, he mused, is one he almost burned.

Kifo got his branch and they moved no further before noting there was something black lying on the floor on their left nestled against the cave wall.

They drew closer and felt a mixture of emotions when they now clearly saw it was a horse.

"You were right about your hunch," Nyeusi said.

"So, I see," Kifo replied, "unless there are other horses here aside from his."

"There are no others. You know as well as I that it is an animal alien to these parts. He is the sole person who has one."

"Is it alive?" Kifo asked.

"Looks like it is, but barely," Nyeusi replied.

Kifo looked at the scrawny animal with scorn.

"Remember what I told you when we get in there when we meet him," Nyeusi said.

"Right," Kifo replied.

"Unless you have some desire to perhaps meet an untimely death, don't dare say a word unless you're called on to speak," Nyeusi said.

"Trust me. I won't. I'm not trying to get into any trouble, especially none of a supernatural or other nature," Kifo replied.

"Good," Nyeusi said. "Are you ready?"

"I am," Kifo replied.

"Good. Let's go," Nyeusi said. "Let's get our bundle and be on our way."

What he so cavalierly referred to as our bundle was the captive who was still fast asleep. They got hold of the pole onto which he was bound, placed the ends over their shoulder and Nyeusi led the way into the cave.

"I was hoping this would not be as deep and elaborate as anything that we have back at the Black Mountains," Kifo whispered.

"You thought wrong," Nyeusi replied, and Kifo began to feel more wary of the weight they carried juxtaposed to encountering the necromancer.

"I'm wondering how much longer might this take now," he whispered.

"Well, I didn't think he'd be near the mouth of the entrance," Nyeusi said as softly as he could. "Nor did I think he'd be at the entrance waiting to welcome us with open arms. What I'm beginning to wonder is if he's even here or if we should have explored the first fork we saw as opposed to this one."

"But recall we saw his horse outside," Kifo whispered.

"That's right," Nyeusi whispered. "Where is my mind today?"

Kifo's face grew long.

"What does it tell you? Do you get any sense of his presence here at all? You said you could feel such things," Kifo whispered.

"I'm not ashamed to say I'm beginning to question that," Nyeusi replied.

"Who goes there? Who dares enter here?" a voice echoed through the hallway.

Their hearts raced and they stood frozen.

They looked about them but could not see from whom the voice came.

"Answer, lest I strike you down where you stand!"

Cold sweat appeared on Nyeusi's forehead.

"It is Nyeusi. The dark one; sworn to you by the mark of an innocent's blood. By blood did my father deliver me unto you and by blood do I seek deliverance."

An unnerving period of silence followed.

A figure wrapped in a hooded black garment made out of burlap, appeared from around a corner and walked slowly toward them.

The garment covered him from head to toe. The length of it dragged on the ground, and his hood was pulled so far in front of his face, that neither man could get a glimpse of his features.

There was a double edge battleax in his right hand sharpened to lethal perfection. He held it firmly and close to his side, and it glistened in the light their torches provided.

He stopped when he was a few feet away.

"My time here has been long. My experiences? Too many to commit to memory. How can I be assured I know thee?" he asked.

"If not by name or sight, by taste surely. My infant twin sibling's blood and body was offered to you as nourishment, so that in my hour of need you may know me. Our taste is the same, and by that, it matters not if you recall my name," Nyeusi replied.

"And, what proof have you of this?" the necromancer asked.

"The supplicant asks whether he may an offering?" Nyeusi replied.

"He may," the necromancer said.

Nyeusi retrieved a small earthen vessel from his person. He sliced the inside of his left hand with his knife, let his blood collect into it, then he stepped forward and held the dia before him.

The necromancer took it, brought it to his pale lips, and the second after he sampled the content, Nyeusi's self-inflicted wound healed instantaneously.

His blood, some of which had dripped onto the floor, immediately vanished.

The scrawny horse, the bag of bones which lay on its side at the cave's entrance, immediately became stout. It got on all fours and walked away from the cave in pursuit of some healthful exercise.

"I know thee, son of Eyin. What is it that has brought you here seeking me?"

"The need for deliverance," Nyeusi replied.

"And, from what do you seek deliverance?" the necromancer asked.

"The scourge," Nyeusi replied. "It has multiplied a hundred if not a thousandfold upon our lands. We seek the power to contain it, and as such, my accomplice and I have brought you a sample so you may recall this foe."

The sample he mentioned, awoke from being under the influence of whatever Kifo had him inhale earlier.

He was on the cold floor, on his side. He saw a hooded figure in black conversing with Nyeusi, who continued his supplication. He noted he bore a double-edged ax in his right hand and his appearance was shrouded in mystery.

For sure, he said to himself, he never saw any Shetani dressed like that, or was he one of them at all? Or, might that figure be the necromancer, he wondered, the alleged practitioner of dark arts and lord of the underworld he had so often heard mentioned.

He noticed Kifo was in the picture, off to the right of them, and he combed his mind to recall what were his last memories before awakening, provided he was awake.

His heart began beating violently.

He acknowledged he was not dreaming. The last of what he could recall before he became unconscious, was Kifo attempting to stifle him, or so he suspected was his intention. But where or what is this place of darkness he found himself in now? He could not say, and why was he on the cold floor with his arms and legs bound were questions that tormented him. Unsure of what to do, he thought it best to be silent.

His heartbeat thumped like a drum pounding in his ear.

He broke into a cold sweat and tried to compose himself enough to listen to what Nyeusi discussed with the figure draped in black, the figure who wore gloves and shoes plated in finely worked pieces of metal.

The gloves were made from interlocking pieces that moved harmoniously with every movement of his fingers. The pieces above the knuckles revealed four spikes when he made a clenched fist, and at the tip of his shoe was a spike so devilishly pointy, it could puncture and mortally wound a man or beast unfortunate enough to be the recipient of a kick from him.

None of what he and Nyeusi discussed sounded familiar to the captive, and the old fashioned manner in which they spoke did not help him get a much better grasp about what most of it was about.

He was able to discern, however, Nyeusi apparently wanted some kind of advice or help from him about how to safely and reliably transport a large body of his men over an area with limited resources. Requesting this help, as far as he could tell, required a sacrifice.

"After what you put me through today, I hope when it is your turn to die, it will be long, slow, and exceedingly painful," he said, in a desperate attempt to combat the terror he felt was threatening to drive him to madness.

His voice startled them and all eyes now focused on him.

"How dare you speak out of turn in the presence of our lord?" Nyeusi barked.

"What lord?" he snapped. "l have no idea what you're talking about, nor do I care. What is clear to me now is you planned to bring me here for some type of ritual sacrifice, and your executioner seems more than ready for the task.

"So, on with it then, you scoundrel! I'm not going to cower and shrivel over you and your filth, and your hate-filled intentions anymore."

Nyeusi directed his attention to the necromancer.

"The time has come to make our offering to you," he said.

"Very well. Fetch it and follow me," he replied.

Nyeusi and Kifo once again got hold of the pole from which their bound captive had been suspended and carried, placed it over their shoulders, then followed the necromancer as he ventured deeper into the meandering pathway of the cave's interior.

He led them to a chamber in which an ancient prototype for what in later times would be called a guillotine was housed.

Hitherto, the captive had never seen such a device. He had a feeling it was meant for use on him notwithstanding, although he was ignorant about how that might be, or how one operated such a thing.

The creatures behind its conceptualization and construct were not men, but rather the goblins that once resided within the caves.

Those goblins, like goblins in general, were every bit as bloodthirsty as ghouls for man-flesh. The guillotine was a novel spectacle among their communities as an aid in their food preparation.

Nyeusi and Kifo placed their captive onto the floor and undid the rope near the base of his hands. They ordered him to stand and he offered no resistance when they then placed his arms behind his back and rebound him near the base of his hands. He also offered no resistance when they took him and placed him stomach down onto the guillotine bed.

They brought the piece of wood meant to meet its counterpart together, given that his head and neck extended beyond the length of the bed, and at this point, he felt assured of how the device was to be used now. Surely, the sharp and angular blade above him, he said to himself, would be dropped onto his neck.

He felt his captors strap and fasten him firmly onto the slab on which he lay, so there was no chance he could stir to any great degree, and what he now hoped for most, was for the nefarious affair to be over.

The necromancer stood several feet away from him. Nyeusi, who got hold of the rope which held the blade aloft, looked at him for a sign of when to release it, and the last image their captive saw was the hooded figure give a thumbs down gesture.

The normally stoic Kifo's heart skipped a beat after hearing the sound the blade made after it was released. The captive's head now lay in a container and blood poured from the neck of the victim's torso.

Kifo was quick to remove the head from there and put it aside, while Nyeusi watched the torso tremble under restraint, as blood continued to pour from its neck.

Neither was stoic about what took place, but they were ever mindful the necromancer could not do his work if he were not the recipient of a sacrificial offering.

He needed to sample the element he was called upon to affect, not once, but on any occasion he was requested to render his services.

It was after he made an offering to him, for that matter, that Nyeusi was granted a look into his crystal ball, the necromancer's stone as it was known, and from there he saw the alarming extent at which the scourge continued to exterminate the wildlife and destroy the habitat in the world beyond the lair.

"You are to return here in three days during the middle of the day," the necromancer stated, and how he spoke sent a chill down their spines.

He was not next to them yet his voice sounded as though it were coming from someone at their side, whispering into their ear.

"He would be stripped from his flesh then," the necromancer added, "and, his bones dried and grounded into a powder."

Kifo swallowed and his saliva felt like a lump of something solid going down his throat. Mindful of his accelerated heartbeat, he tried to breathe in a normal relaxed manner again.

The necromancer stated he would provide them with a vessel containing the powder, and he gave a specific set of instructions regarding how it should be used.

On the day they were to march toward the village of men, they were to whip it into a paste by adding a bit of water.

They were to then dip their finger into it, then use that finger to place a mark across the forehead of every man and beast they intended to engage.

Have no fear of it being insufficient, he added, stating they would soon discover its contents would not diminish or end until they used it on the last party they intended to employ.

He further instructed them to observe the powder will behave like a pigment once applied, and would not disappear until they'd completed their mission.

His parting words, however, were using it would not guarantee a victory, but it would enable them and their animals to last a month without suffocating from thirst or want of water.

"I was hoping for more," Kifo said shortly after they set foot outside of the cave.

"More?" Nyeusi returned.

"Yes," he replied.

"More of what?" Nyeusi asked.

"I was hoping after all this whatever he supplied us with would guarantee a victory," he replied.

"Oh," Nyeusi said. "That," he added.

"Not so for you, huh?" Kifo asked.

"Well, maybe it will," Nyeusi replied.

"And, you're happy with that?" Kifo asked. "An uncertainty? After all this?"

"How long do you think we can last during our intended mission without refreshment or supplies?" Nyeusi asked.

"Not very long," Kifo replied.

"So, there you go. The powder will be a great help."

Kifo thought about it.

"You still don't seem too convinced," Nyeusi said.

"Oh, I am."

"Could have fooled me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Mm, the tone of your voice, I guess. Your body language."

"I'm sure the powder will help but I couldn't help think about the fact that he vanquished an entire city singlehandedly."

"We don't know for sure how that came to be," Nyeusi replied. "And, it's not our place to ask."

Kifo listened.

"What, how, or why he does what he does will always be a mystery. He will forever be an enigmatic figure," Nyeusi added.

***

THE CROW THAT WAS DISPATCHED with a message for the men of the north continued toward Yagan, which aside from Kimbilio, was another safe haven for men that existed after the fall of Sanctuary.

Tazama was the fellow sitting just outside the entrance of the cave located at the region's highest mountainous peak, when he thought he heard the voice of a familiar friend on the wind.

He got to his feet and looked intently at the sky, toward the direction he thought he heard the sound come from.

Jogoo, the crow, called out again and Tazama caught sight of him.

The former, mindful Tazama was not fluent in crowspeak, landed on the rock next to him and excitedly uttered some words in that language notwithstanding.

Tazama, mindful that any visit from his feathered friend could only mean he was there on a serious errand, looked at his leg and noticed a bit of paper attached to it.

"I see you're here on business as usual," he said, and like Jogoo, meaning being mindful of the language barrier, he was sure to speak a bit slower than he usually did, and he took greater pains to articulate his vowel and consonant sounds.

Jogoo, who understood a little bit of what was called manspeak in his tongue, crowed back at him, stating he was correct.

"Very well," Tazama, who understood him thoroughly well, replied, for he knew the sound crows make to say 'yes,' in their language.

"I won't keep you long then," he added. "I will fetch Bosi immediately because I remember you don't much care for coming inside or being inside caves."

Jogoo crowed once more stating he appreciated this, and Tazama understood him as soundly as one does when he communicates with a pet wolf or dog.

He departed and the former paced about in the usual manner crows do, while musing over how paradoxical a creature Tazama and his ilk were.

Clearly, or so he asserted, they did appear to possess a reasonable degree of higher intelligence. Why were they against putting this to use in a manner that is ultimately beneficial to themselves and those things and other creatures around them, was a question that addled his mind.

Tazama returned with Bosi. Four other men who were with the latter when Tazama brought news of Jogoo's visit came with him.

Bosi removed the note from around his ankle and read it.

"What does it say?" Tazama asked.

"Shetani discovered Kimbilio," he replied, and all faces grew glum before he could finish speaking.

"They must fear an attack is to come," Bosi added.

"And, who wouldn't?" Tazama replied.

"I will be back shortly," said Bosi, a scribe, who hurriedly went back to the cave, wrote the words, "Our home is yours. Come if you are in fear," onto a piece of paper, then he returned and affixed it to Jogoo's leg.

The bird took to the sky and the men watched it fly toward the horizon.

"What message did you send?" Tazama asked.

"I bid them come this way," Bosi replied.

"Can we accommodate that many?" Tazama asked. "I understand they are several thousand now."

"They can populate the valleys," Bosi replied. "We can reestablish a Sanctuary here."

"And, then what?" Thoroughmann, Bosi's brother, asked.

"What do you mean?" his sibling replied.

"If they were to come here, when the Shetani realizes we are all in one location they will, or with the necromancer's aid, seek to eliminate us in one swoop," he replied. "Just like they did at Sanctuary."

"We don't know that is what happened there," Bosi said.

"We don't need to know or have detailed accounts of all of the specifics," Thoroughmann returned. "History has shown we can't afford to risk being concentrated in one spot."

"And, we won't risk that," Bosi said.

"How so, provided they come here?" his brother asked.

Bosi looked him in the eye.

"It looks to me like the time is approaching when we will finally unite, organize, and fight," he said. "Fight to exist here and anywhere we choose to be within reason.

"I eagerly await the crow's return and will welcome the arrival of our brethren, provided they do come."

Thoroughmann thought about what he said.

"I believe all the ages we spent here suffering from a sterile and tedious existence which threatened to drive some mad and did so, was not in vain," Bosi added. "The time has come to put that which we've learned, that which helped us pass the time to use."

What they learned was the concept of an afterlife was very real, but in their wildest imagination, none could have conceived it was quite like their newfound experiences.

The skeptics where they were from, consequently continued with the most subtle or overtly nefarious practices unfettered, for as far as they knew, there was never going to be any repercussion.

"Do you really believe it's providence?" Thoroughmann asked, since Bosi's remarks conjured images of the toil they endured, and brought to mind stories he'd heard from souls confined to damnation long before his arrival, tales in which they spoke about never-ending battles with one of their greatest adversaries, an ever-present boredom so imposing and all-encompassing, it challenged their resolve to face it and survive without losing their minds.

It was that very boredom, however, and curiosity, that led to the advancement of their technology. It is what led to their discovery of nearby ores. It is what led them to learn how to extract and temper them and fashion them into fine tools and weapons. It was what turned many of those who knew nothing about stonework into some of the finest masons around.

It, combined with a propensity for mischief, is what led their peers in the forested regions near the plains, to develop a practice called big game hunting.

For them, at least, compared to their victims, or their adversaries the Shetani, it was a big game.

Recall these were men robbed of the ability to enjoy pleasures associated with the palate, men with no need to consume anything for nourishment, yet they suffered from no ill effects.

Food was the last thing on their minds when they slew big savannah cats and other beasts of the plains. Magnificent and powerful creatures like giraffe and wildebeest were slaughtered for fun or target practice, and in the forest, apes of all varieties, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, etc. were slain for amusement.

Valuing what one took for granted was a matter Thoroughmann heard his peers speak of. He felt he grew to appreciate what they meant.

In his world of sand, rock and stone, wood, and that element from which wood is derived--that is to say trees and forests--were perhaps valued only slightly less than the air they breathed.

Wood, after all, was what they so heavily relied on to make the handles for the tools, knives, swords, battleaxes and other weapons they needed for combat.

Wood is what they relied on to make the poles at whose end they wrapped a bit of cloth to ignite and thereby make a torch to help guide them through the darkness of their caves. And, wood is what they relied on to make those enormous catapults they positioned facing the marshland, which lay just beyond them.

It was unlikely any enemy would approach by trying to navigate through the marshes, but in the event they did, they were prepared to hurl projectiles, huge rocks toward them, mindful that a misstep to one's left or right while attempting to avoid being hit, would be sure to suck one down into the bog.

Thoroughmann's fellowmen to the south, in their expansive world of greenery, valued the ores that were so abundant where he lived. They valued that and the knowledge of how to fashion them into tools and weapons.

This interest in the natural resources of their respective districts is what led them to develop a burgeoning trade route.

"Whether it is providence or not, I of course don't know," Bosi replied. "Nor do I know whether to believe if it is. I can only say I look forward to an association with them on a deeper level."

"Okay," Thoroughmann replied.

"A negative situation may have started this, but I don't see why the consequence can't be a more positive and stronger union," Bosi said.

"Very well," Thoroughmann replied.

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# Chapter V - Kimbilio

KEITA FELT SO WEARY that he began entertaining thoughts of falling onto the ground with a resolve to let whatever fate that may come his way befall him.

He wondered where might this village they had spoken about be. Apparently, not within an eternity's travel.

They arrived at what to him was yet another spectacularly uniform and indistinguishable part of the forest and still there was no suggestion of a village anywhere.

The leaders began to shorten their stride and slow their pace. They stopped dead in their tracks and he, Ossouna, then Aswad, followed suit.

Zaeim made a sharp piercing sound they thought sounded very birdlike in tone. They looked about in awe and wonder when within a fraction of a second later, similar sounds echoed from the canopy.

Apparently, or so they believed, these men could communicate with birds.

Truth is, no bird answered Zaeim's call.

The replies they heard came from other men. These were guards, lookouts inconspicuously garbed in camouflage, perched high above them, armed with quivers full of poison arrows.

"Go," Zaeim said, and they watched the men head toward a nearby thicket and seemingly disappear into the ground.

"Follow me," Noor said, and they did as they were told.

Keita drew nearer to where he saw the others appear to vanish below ground and was alarmed to notice there was a door. It was covered with leaves and earth but now moved aside, revealing what he discerned was a hole.

He followed Noor down into the darkness. His eyes widened. His heart rate increased.

Ossouna and Aswad followed closely behind. The weary sensation they were so cognizant of just moments before suddenly disappeared.

They were surprised to find themselves walking on solid rock after getting past a mere couple feet of earth. It was bedrock over which the great river in the distance flowed. It extended from the tip of the river to where they presently were and beyond. It extended for countless miles below them, and for their predecessors, 'twas conveniently near the surface in that particular part of the forest.

Legions of the damned who came before and suffered greatly at the hands of the ghoul hordes were the first to notice the small cave into which the men continued to enter.

In centuries past, their main base of operation was in the vicinity of this cave. They established lookout posts there and all along the length of the river, with the intent of making use of the bedrock.

Their masons taught a great many of their compatriots who specialized in other trades how to cut and work stone, then set them to work on extending and expanding the width and length of the underground cavern.

There were a total of three of them at varying distances along the river's edge. All were given the same treatment as the one Zaeim and his men entered. That is to say, they were worked until the men created an elaborate passageway running underneath the river.

"Incredible," Aswad remarked after descending a flight of stairs carved out of the surrounding rock.

"Times ten," said Ossouna.

Keita's eyes met his and they smiled.

The distance from the floor to the roof was around twenty feet. Keita felt it must have been at least sixty wide.

The stonework was impeccably cut and shaped to straight lines and at ninety-degree angles in the main. The masons or artists also went to great pains to furnish the place with decorative patterns and carvings, all etched out of the surrounding bedrock.

Lighting fixtures were placed at evenly spaced intervals along etched areas along the walls. These were earthen vessels shaped like vases. They had a wide bottom and a narrow opening and were filled with some type of flammable liquid. A piece of cloth that served as a wick was placed into the tiny openings, and the parts which protruded beyond the vessels' tops, carried the flames.

Keita, Aswad, and Ossouna, felt energized. They traversed the length of passageway without complaint of being overburdened by weariness and were instead intrigued and eager to see what was on the other side.

"Welcome back," a fellow who stood at the stairway near the exit said.

"Thank you, Oluso," Zaeim replied.

"I see you found him," Oluso remarked, looking at Noor.

Noor looked at him and a smile appeared on his face.

"We did," Zaeim said.

"Good," Oluso said and tried in vain to repress a smirk.

"Welcome back, Mbou," Oluso said.

"Thank you, my brother," Mbou replied.

"I see we have guests," Oluso added, looking at Keita, Aswad, and Ossouna.

"We do," Zaeim said.

"Lost ones given a chance at salvation," Noor interjected.

Oluso looked him in the eye then he greeted the guests.

"Oluso's our chief marksman here," Noor said. "You can search the whole village and beyond and you'll never find one more accurate with the bow."

Oluso laughed and a smile or grin appeared on many a face.

"Maybe after their training one of them will be my better," Oluso said.

"Training?" Aswad said. "We're going to get training?"

"Everyone who comes here is taught how to fight and defend himself," Zaeim replied. "Everyone from the most effeminate of men to the most feminine woman must learn how to fight and make use of the technology. Your survival depends on it."

The newcomers looked at each other.

"Good," Ossouna said. "We are already skilled with the bow and arrow. Any further training will be an enhancement."

The men smiled.

"Let's be on our way then," Oluso said.

The stairway they mounted on the side of the river where the village lay was a bit wider, wide enough to accommodate four men should that many have desired to walk side by side on it.

Oluso led the way.

Zaeim, Mbou, the newcomers, and Noor were next, then the sixty-nine other men followed. As many of them as could be accommodated along the width of the stairway at a time, mounted it on their way out.

Keita held a hand up above his face. "I can see a river over there, but where's the village?" he asked.

"About a mile from here," Noor replied. "We have a bit more traveling to do," he added.

"Ok," Keita replied.

Oluso made a sharp piercing sound, not unlike a bird may do, and for the second time that day, the newcomers heard similar noises echo from within the forest. They looked up but could see no trace of who or what was it was that replied.

Their attention was soon diverted and directed to four men who appeared to materialize from the very fabric of the woods. Each bore a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a sword.

They stepped toward Oluso.

"Today's business is over," the latter said. "Conceal and secure it until further notice."

He was referring to the door to the entrance of the underground passageway.

The guard closest to him, one of the four who came out of his place of concealment in the bushes, shook his head in an upward and downward manner.

"Your relief should soon be here. After they arrive and you return home, report to me directly, and I will give you an update about the particulars of the meeting."

"Yes sir," the guard replied.

Oluso and the others walked for close to a mile when Keita noticed something he hadn't seen in the forest before.

There was a clearing in the distance, an area devoid of the thick grown of trees. He could discern there appeared to be dwellings there.

Aswad and Ossouna looked ahead with growing interest. The distinct appearance of what appeared to be a settlement could now be seen. They collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

"Looks like we've reached it," Aswad said. "The village."

"I think so," Ossouna replied.

"You're correct," Noor said.

A number of its members saw them approaching. A party of three men and four women stopped what they were doing and made way toward them.

"Thank heavens you're all back, and safe," one of the women said, addressing Zaeim.

Her name was Dalia.

She directed her gaze at Noor. "The trouble and concern you cause us, young man."

"No more," he said. "I've heard there's enough brewing around here."

She looked at Zaeim again.

"Have someone get these settled in," he said, "then inform Oba we're here immediately. What's no secret is the representatives need to call an emergency meeting."

"Right," Dalia replied.

"It's critical because we don't know how much time we have to prepare ourselves," Zaeim added.

"Okay," Dalia said. "Follow me," she added, addressing the guests.

Noor held onto Ossouna's arm just as the latter was about to depart with her.

"I know you've been through a lot getting here. Try if you can, to not let what you've seen and heard so far trouble you too much. Try to relax or rest a bit, because there will be very little time for that."

"Okay," Ossouna said.

"That goes for all of you," Noor added.

Keita nodded his head.

"I'm just happy to have been able to make it this far," Aswad said.

"Good," Noor added. "You're going to hear a lot more about what's going on around here in the days to come. Our aim is to get you prepared."

"Very well," Aswad said, and he, Keita, and Ossouna departed with Dalia.

She took them inside one of the dwellings. It, and the walls of all the other buildings there, was made from mud. Its only furnishings were four straw beds, and the roof was made from a combination of wood or branches from trees and straw.

"As Noor said," Dalia began. "Try to relax and get some rest considering what you've been through on your way here. I hope it was not too much," she added.

"It was plenty," Keita replied, looking at her.

Her countenance grew somber.

"I hear you," she said. "Try to get some rest in spite of it. You'll need it."

"Okay," he said.

She turned away from him and headed toward the door.

"May I ask you something?" Ossouna said.

She turned and faced him.

"Sure," she replied.

"Can you tell me where we are?" he asked.

"This is our home," she replied. "It's called Kimbilio."

"I'm wondering how far that may be from Egangeles, provided you've heard or know about it."

"I have," she said, and her countenance grew glum. "A great many of us here came from there."

"And again, is it far from here?" Ossouna asked.

She was slow to respond. "It is," she replied, and there was something about her facial expression, her body language, and her tone of voice, which got his attention.

She departed and he felt shaken.

"Why did you ask her that?" Keita said. "Did you not believe what Noor told us? You know, about the portal and such."

"I wanted confirmation," he replied.

Aswad was pensive.

"And, do you believe you got one?" Keita asked.

"Tell me what you think," Ossouna said.

"She clammed up when you asked," he replied. "Did you notice?"

"I did," Ossouna said.

"That says something to me," Keita added.

"Like what?" Ossouna asked.

"To me it says there is something not right about this place, and that makes me very uncomfortable," he replied.

"So, you believe what Noor told us?" Ossouna asked.

"I'm inclined to," Keita replied. "Right now I don't have much if any reason to doubt him. In fact, I never did."

Ossouna felt silent.

"I've never seen anything like that beast we saw out there," Keita added. "I didn't know any such thing existed."

"Maybe because we needed to get out more," Aswad said. "The deep forest is a wild place, full of mystery and other things we also have never seen."

"No doubt," Keita said.

"So, you're hoping that beast was just one of those things and that's it?" Ossouna asked.

"Well, I would certainly like it if it were so," Aswad replied.

"Ok, but how do you explain us being here after what happened while we were out on the hunt?" Keita asked.

"I don't know," Aswad replied. "That's the disturbing part and the greatest mystery of all, isn't it?"

"I'd say so," Ossouna replied.

"Let's try to do what they said," Keita remarked. "It will be difficult but we should try to get some rest. I've no doubt there's a lot more that will addle our minds which is yet to come."

The combination of the day's adventure and not getting much rest last night proved to be too much for their curiosity. Consequently, it was not long thereafter before they fell asleep.

They were deep into it when the chief members of Kimbilio met to discuss the latest developments.

Their preferred area for discussing critical or important matters was about a quarter-mile away from the village homes. The location was a bit remote. It was a natural clearing where they had large rocks native to there arranged in a semi-circle.

There was a larger rock facing that semi-circle, and this is where Oba took up a position to discuss the goings-on with the forty-eight representatives before him.

Six of Oba's chief confidants and advisors, three apiece, sat on either side of him.

"Time is already against us, so I am, and I am sure you probably are also very eager to get right down to the reason for today's meeting," he began.

"There is not a man in the village who hasn't seen or at least heard about the Shetani coming by this area, not once, but twice. We believe the first appearance was by happenstance. The second, not so.

"We believe having noticed we're here, they returned a second time to get a better survey of the area."

He took a deep breath.

"Of course no good can come out of this. None of you needs to be reminded that they are our nemesis and sworn enemy. Whether they will be back to do us harm is not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

"What we have to do is get prepared. The detail of this preparation is principally what we want to discuss."

"Why are we here? Do we have any say in this or have you already made up our minds for us?" Oluso remarked.

Oba looked at him sternly. "We've made no decision," he replied.

"A first!" Oluso interjected.

"If I may be permitted to finish please," Oba added.

Oluso said nothing.

"There are only two options," Oba continued. "Resist or relocate."

Oluso looked to the left then right of him at the other representatives. Mbou and Zaeim was on his left. Dalia and Noor, the youngest person to have ever been elected to such a high post, was on his right.

A wooly blond-haired fellow there, a rarity among them, who claimed to be a common sight among a number of islands back in Primordia, focused his eyes on the ground. He too was on Oluso's right. All there bore countenances as firmly as one may render to figures etched in stone.

Oluso redirected his attention to Oba. "Resist or relocate, huh? A nice way of saying resist or try to run. And, how long do you plan or think we can do that for? I will flee to nowhere," he said. "I will fight."

"And, you will die," Oba said, and he instantly regretted his snappy response.

"So, that is your decision then?" Oluso returned. "Or, the decision?" he added, stressing on the word 'the.' "Is that what your party thought of and came up with?"

"Pardon me, Oluso. I shouldn't have snapped like that. We're not here to debate. We're here to determine what is it the people would have us do."

"And, I gave you my opinion. My vote. I'd rather die here than flee and risk being killed anyway. I will fight," Oluso stated.

"But that's certain suicide," Mbou remarked. "They are too strong an enemy."

"No one lives forever," he replied. "Unless maybe you believe there is another tier to this place."

"We can live forever here and you know it, provided of course, we're never mortally harmed," Alpha, the blond-haired fellow, said. "It's something to think about, I think."

"We're never totally safe from harm," Oluso replied. "Sooner or later this day was going to come. We are always going to be hunted or on the run.

"Many moons ago, I suggested we ought to try to and blend in. I suggested we abandon all ideas of so-called modern architecture, meaning that which has become so ingrained and familiar to us based on the lands from which we came. I said plainly we should forsake any ideas that call for clear-cutting the forest, and instead make dwellings that are complementary or harmonious with nature, like the Shetani do, but no one would hear me.

"If you had listened to me, they would never have so easily known we are here. There would have been no massive clearances, no telltale signs from above.

"What we would have had instead were dwellings which blend in beautifully, if not seamlessly with the environment, which our adversaries would say--and I do agree with them here--should be the natural order of things."

"That type of action would truly have been something progressive, as opposed to what we have today. Those were my words to you, but you . . . you never listen to me. Ever."

He paused and waited to hear if someone would respond. No one did.

"We're always going to be hunted. If not by them, then we will continue to forever have to be on our guard from the ghouls of the forest. I'm not going to run anymore. I'm tired of it," he added.

"And, I'm tired of it," Zaeim said. "And, once upon a time, need I remind everyone, we were the ones who hunted."

"This is not Egangeles or Primordia," Oba stated. "'Tis the devil's domain. For us, there's no desire to hunt anything here except for target practice."

"Then, why not use the curses of this land that are meant to sour our spirits and subdue us to our advantage?" Oluso replied.

What he meant by that, or alluded to, was immortals in Kimbilio or at any other part of the underworld ate nothing because they never felt hunger. They drank nothing because they never felt thirsty, yet they never died from a lack of sustenance.

"And, to you, Zaeim," Oluso added. "I hear what you say. There's no need to be passive here. I'm for taking the fight to them."

His words grappled Oba.

"I say again, why not use the curses of this place, in particular, the fact that we need no sustenance to live to our advantage? They on the other hand, would suffer and die for want of nourishment if they go but so long without food. Think about this!" Oluso replied, and they did.

"Flee or withdraw is what you propose? Madness! They need to learn to fear and respect us!" he said forcefully, and his resolve earned him complete command of the floor now.

"A tactic that would grant us this respect . . . No, better yet, one that would instill terror in their hearts, more so than they have ever instilled in us, is if we obliterated their food supply, destroyed the plants and animals they rely on," he added.

Dalia's chest heaved. Countenances on the whole, appeared even more concerned.

"We ought to starve and suffocate them into subjugation, if not death, should they threaten us any further with violence!" he added, and waited for a response.

No one said anything.

"And, if we're talking merely about a more typical confrontation," he continued, "remember we're fifty thousand strong now!

"You can bet without fear they were alarmed. No, terrified even, at what they saw when they first came this way. Their greatest worry must be the threat we represent to them. Their concern must be how can they stop us from growing any larger and more powerful.

"This is not a time to flee. On the contrary. This is the time to continue what we began by laying claim to more territory, to lay stake to this and greater portions of these lands. This is the time to fight, to claim and defend it as our own. If we take that cowardly path you're suggesting we'll never be safe, ever."

"I am not going to leave what we spent ages here trying to develop. I am not going to go back in the direction of those beasts that capture and pen us in cages to later slaughter for food and drink. We're too close for comfort from the Forest of Souls as it is. No. I'll take my chances here come what may."

"Thank you for your input, Oluso," Oba said.

"You're welcome," he replied.

"Would anyone else like to take the floor?" Oba asked.

"I would," Alpha replied.

"Very well," Oba said.

"This suggestion of yours," Alpha began, "to deprive them of their food supply, how is that feasible? They are one with the land. To do as you suggest means to destroy the land and by extension also the animals which depend on it."

"Isn't that what we're doing now?" Oluso replied.

"It is," Alpha replied. "So, let me be absolutely clear about what you're saying. You're saying we should take a more aggressive approach to this?"

"That is what has to be done," Oluso replied.

"So, more life must perish, or be subjugated for the sake of our own?" Alpha asked.

"It is either that or we continue to eke out a very fragile survival among them," Oluso added. "This to me, appears to be a reversal of natural order because clearly, we are their superior. We are superior to them and all these things they ascribe such a high value to."

"You would not speak this way were you back in Primordia," Dalia remarked, "because there, you would have their vulnerabilities."

"We are kings among all there as well," he replied. "We are at the top of everything. Top of the food chain, intellect, everything. But aside from that, we are not there now. Also look, you do what you have to do in order to survive."

"They would never do what you mentioned," Dalia asked.

"Reverse our places and they would," Oluso said, staring at her firmly. "These are desperate times, my dear," he added, "and, desperate times call for desperate measures. They are only doing what they believe they have to do in order to survive. We have to think in the same manner provided we want to survive."

"If there was some way to broker a peace," Mbou interjected.

"There is none," Oluso replied. "In their eyes, we are a lower form of life than a parasite. Their opinion is unwavering, and as such, there is nothing to broker."

A brief period in which no one said anything followed.

"Would anyone else like to take the floor?" Oba asked.

No one offered to do so.

"Very well," he said. "Those of you who for whatever reason may feel a bit uneasy to speak now, may return to your constituency. There you can debate and think over carefully what was said here then return tomorrow to cast your vote.

"Time is not on our side. We need to come to a decision tomorrow by nightfall and put a plan into action."

***

KEITA AWOKE. HE LOOKED to his left and right and noticed Ossouna and Aswad were also awake.

"Did any of you sleep at all?" he asked.

"Soundly," Ossouna replied. "As if I were dead."

"Same here," Aswad said.

He noticed they'd spoken in a drab monotone and felt he knew the reason why.

"So, it's not a dream?" he remarked.

"No," a crestfallen Aswad replied, again in a drab lifeless monotone, and Keita's eyes filled with tears.

He fought to compose himself.

"I wish I could go home," Ossouna said.

"Me too," Aswad said morosely. "I wish I could see my family again. Just one last time. I'd give anything for that," he added, then a fellow they did not know entered the room.

"Good," the man said. "You're up. I've been checking in on you."

They did not reply.

"My name is Akua. I'm supposed to take you to where you're to begin your training tomorrow."

Still, they said nothing.

"You don't seem too excited," he said.

"Should we be?" Aswad asked.

"Perhaps," Akua replied.

"Okay," Aswad said.

"You may not be grateful for it now but in time you will," Akua added.

"Yeah?" Aswad said with indifference.

"Yes," Akua replied.

"How come?" Aswad asked.

"You mean since arriving here you've heard nothing, nothing at all about what this place is like or about what's going on?" Akua asked.

"Oh, I've heard some things," Aswad replied. "And, seen too. Much of it so strange it feels borderline unreal."

"I know what you mean," Akua replied.

Aswad did not reply.

"Well," Akua began, "Don't kill the messenger. I'm just here to remind you that you have one night before you try to collect your emotions and then it's off to training."

His guests wore long faces.

"What's coming won't break for bruised emotions or broken hearts," he added. "It's a heartless world, so like it or not, whatever is to come will come and keep on coming regardless."

"I'll be ready," Aswad replied.

"You won't," Akua said, "but that's the right attitude. It's either that or you may want to fall on your own sword."

His comment aroused Ossouna's attention. "That happens here?" he asked.

"And, why wouldn't it?" Akua replied. "This place is not exactly a paradise."

"No," Ossouna said.

"So, brace yourselves," Akua added, "because we're at the point where we're going to have to face the Shetani sooner rather than later."

"And, that's assured?" Aswad asked.

"Well, it's either that or there will be an exodus," Akua replied. "In the latter case, we're still going to have to face outside hostilities."

"Hm," Aswad uttered.

"Enjoy what's left of it, for we did have a period of relative peace for some time now."

The guests waited for him to say more but he fell silent.

"Well, the night is still young. Isn't it?" Aswad said. "Care to tell us a bit more about that, or is your job done for the night and you need to get back?"

"The night is young, but it's a long story," Akua replied, "although I can stay a bit."

"Bits and pieces will do. I mean the salient details. I'll take those, because it's not like we have anything better to do or anywhere to go," Aswad said matter of factly.

"You speak the truth," Akua replied. May as well, right? Considering I may not have many more nights in which I can stay up and tell stories."

"Why always such a tone of finality around here?" Aswad asked. "It's not the first we've heard. It's like everyone's preparing to die."

"Because there is no doubt that time seems very near," Akua replied, "and that, my friend, is a big deal. Your name is?"

"Aswad," he replied, extending his arm.

"Pleased to meet you," Akua said and shook his hand.

"Life does take on another tone altogether when you're nearing the end, especially when given time for thought and reflection."

Keita felt composed enough to speak. "We heard about the Shetani appearing here," he began, "on the back of the kilmanya, I mean. We heard about what that most likely means. They will be back to wreak havoc, I've heard."

"You heard right," Akua replied.

"But have you no power to resist them?" Keita asked. "Power to fend off this seeming inevitability we hear so much about."

"In our dreams," Akua replied, and his guests' faces remained glum.

"I'm sorry you were thrown right into the middle of this," Akua said. "I can't apologize for speaking as plainly as I do about it though. I prefer to tell you the truth rather than paint a picture that's all wishful thinking or fantasy."

They said nothing.

"Tomorrow or the day after, the powers that be will announce the final vote about what we are to do. By that I mean are we to evacuate the village or try to resist the Shetani," Akua said.

"Once again, I'm here to tell you to be prepared for anything. The people may be more or less evenly divided over whether they want to fight or flee. Either way, you will have to get training. Whatever their decision, learning to fend for yourself can only benefit you and your brethren. It's no guarantee of anything. It's just something to help you be prepared when in a time of need."

Ossouna thought about what he said and considered what they saw and experienced on the way toward the village.

"We appreciate your words," he said.

"Very well," Akua said.

"Are you one of the better trainers?" Aswad asked.

"I am," he replied, "and, I've been assigned to give you as much training as I can, given the pressing circumstances. General opinion around this place is I'm the best man for it."

They listened.

"Prior to your arrival here," he continued, "up until the present time, the talk that predominated is, what now are we going to do, or some variation of it. There is every variation you can imagine. Everything from the impossibility of brokering a peace with the Shetani to whether we should have ever begun clear-cutting the forest.

"And, why is clear-cutting the forest so bad, I wonder?" Keita asked.

"Because it highlights where we are, shows where we are concentrated. Many here have argued if we remained blended in with the surroundings, our presence would not have been quite so evident. It would have increased our chances greatly of not being detected," Akua replied.

"Hm," Aswad uttered. "A life of hiding. What kind of life is that?"

"One we and those gone before us lived for many years," Akua hastily replied.

A startled Aswad, having detected a slight tone of displeasure in his voice, fell silent.

"You kept a low profile if you wanted to have some type of longevity. Risking being found out meant risking being killed. It's as simple as that," Akua added.

"So, you're one of those who was against the deforestation," Aswad asked with measured timidity.

"I am," Akua replied, and the room fell silent for a few seconds.

"If we were going to be taken out, hopefully, that would have come by some kind of natural disaster. Like, I don't know, by being hit by a massive falling star."

The guests were all ears.

"We adapted well to this place and with the training of the wolves, learned to keep the ghouls at bay. But at some point talk about expansion or natural progression, I believe is what they called it, began surfacing," Akua continued.

"We were not out in the open free to roam the land as they do, and there were those here who wanted that. They believed we were entitled to it, so they urged us to organize and think along the lines of forming a village. One by one we began cutting down the trees and building homes until we got to the point of what you see here today."

"All sounds fairly normal I'd say," Aswad timidly added. "A normal part of evolution and development."

"It's madness," Akua replied. "We're not so feeble-minded that we don't know the consequence of it and what it means. We're not fools. Entitlement? Entitled to what? Strangers on another man's land are entitled to nothing. Nothing but some humility, or whatever the people of that land may be kind enough to grant him."

"We're entitled to defend ourselves though, entitled to desire self-preservation," Aswad said.

"You think they didn't know we were here somewhere in this general area?" Akua asked.

"I don't know," Aswad replied.

"Bet you they did," Akua said. "What they didn't know was the exact location and just how many of us there are. They probably thought we were just a few and therefore not worth combing the area to weed us out. Although make no mistake about it, they would prefer if there were none of us here at all."

Aswad listened.

"So, to what end is this feeling of entitlement?" Akua asked.

Aswad, unsure of what he should say next, said nothing.

"A hell of a lot of trouble, right?" Akua said.

"From what I now know? Yes," Aswad replied. "Very grave trouble."

"Right," Akua added. "And, that's where we stand today. On the brink of some very serious trouble, all due to our normal evolution and development."

They thought about what he said.

"I must go now," Akua added. "Sleep well. Tomorrow I will be here shortly after dawn to direct you to where you are to begin your training.

So said, so done, Ossouna said to himself as they departed with him early in the morning. While they went about their business, the leaders gathered at the same meeting place where yesterday they held their meeting.

Oba, who was eager to get to the chief reason for the morning's assembly, kept his greeting short.

The representatives noted there was a particular urgency in the tone and manner in which he spoke, like he would have preferred the reason for calling the assembly had already been addressed.

"Let's get to stating your positions pro and con," he said. "Do please keep them brief and to the point, so we can put this to the vote as quickly as possible. I don't have to remind you time is not on our side. Whatever your decision it will take some planning and precious more time to implement. By a show of hands, who wants to first have the floor please."

Zaeim was first to raise his hand.

"Go on, Zaeim," Oba said.

"After having the balance of the evening into the night to pour over this, my opinion hasn't changed. I still side with what Oluso suggested," Zaeim said.

He looked to his left and Oluso and his eyes met.

"Fine," Alpha said, "so long as you and whoever else here who feels this way realize you're talking about getting into a war."

No one replied.

"You do realize that is what we're talking about, right?" he added.

"Of course we do. Or, at least I do," Zaeim replied, and their countenances, on the whole, grew grim.

"It's not a war," Oluso said.

"No?" Alpha said. "What is it then?"

"It's self-defense," Oluso replied. "Whether we take the fight to them or not, we'd still be doing this for our self-preservation."

"Still a war," Alpha said.

"Is there no other way?" Dalia asked.

"There is the only other option you already know about," Oluso replied.

She didn't reply.

"But do you really want to start all over again? Do you want to continue trying to keep an extra-low profile by hiding out in these bushes, fearing to ever let that you exist be known?

"There was a time no one was more in that camp than I was," Oluso said. "No more. I'd rather live on my feet than go hiding and crawling on my knees in the bush like I'm not a man, but rather some kind of wild animal."

She looked at him.

"These issues we're dealing with now, they were coming," Oluso added. "It was only a matter of time. Again, I am not going to go run and hide. I never was one who wanted to live forever anyway. It's unnatural and besides, I'm not afraid to die."

"It's not about hiding," Dalia said. "It's about trying to preserve ourselves to fight another day, a day when we are better equipped to resist them."

"And, when might that day be?" Oluso asked. "We don't have the luxury of all that time. It's too late now. Now that they know so many of us are here they will search every inch of this and the surrounding territory to weed us out. If we left at this moment we would only get but so far."

"It's not too late," she replied. "There is still time for those of us who would like to evacuate. If we know anything about them we know they'll probably avoid the surrounding forest, especially those areas known to be infested with ghouls. They would not want to waste their energy and resources facing them. They will come across the plains because there are acres of forest on either side of that.

"I say we cross the river and proceed in a westward direction parallel to its bank. This way they will be on the other side, plus there will be the forest between them and us. Their kin to the north also have several acres of forest between the riverbank and us.

"It is unlikely they have been notified or will be involved because as far as they would have been told, we're supposed to be on the other side of the river.

"If they were notified I doubt very much they'd plan on toting rafts in the hundreds if not thousands through the forest, so a very large body of them may be transported to the other side. My bet is it's just their southern brethren who will bring this fight to us," she added, and her words commanded full attention from everyone.

"After crossing the river we should proceed close to the bank at all times to keep as much land as possible between us and their northern kin."

"Sounds like you thought over this pretty thoroughly," Mbou said.

"How could I afford not to given how critical this matter is?" she replied.

"What she said is speculative. We have no way of knowing if they'll come across the plains. They will come in numbers and they will be mindful of straying too far from the banks of the river for want of water to sustain themselves and their animals. They may elect to come covertly through the forest with the intent of slaying whatever they encounter on their way here. Man, beast, ghoul, whatever, then establish this area as one that's free of men once more," Oluso said.

"But all of our assumptions and alarm is based on thinking they will choose to get here in the most expedient manner. Is it not? And, that would be across the plains. Or, are you altering your tone solely for the sake of maintaining a position other than mine?" she asked.

"If they did come through the forest, it will take them an eternity to get to us. That should buy us enough time to go in the opposite direction from which they are coming plus we'll be on the other side of the river too. So, there is time, my friend," she said, and what surprised many, and had them thinking more deeply about it all, Oba included, was the matter was not as straightforward as initially believed.

"Now that Dalia mentioned what she did, and coming to think of it, it's likely there can be yet another possibility," Mbou said.

"What's that?" Alpha asked.

"They needn't hastily come here at all. They can take their time, slowly move in closer to us until they have established a secure supply line, then make their move to lay claim to the area," Mbou replied.

"We cannot chance thinking they will take that approach," Oluso said. "And, anyway, if we do, in the end we may still all be slaughtered. It'll just take them a bit longer."

"No argument here," Dalia said. "The sooner we act the better, and the time to act is now," she added, and Oba felt very grateful for her input.

"If I am to draw my last breath and it is during a battle, I wish to do so on the lands to the north and far west of us. I will face or accept my end trying to free our people held in bondage said to be within the mountains beyond the Valley of Death. That is my will and testament. I wish to try and unite with the men from the west who as you know, have also expressed a desire to free our brethren and thereby increase our influence, territory, and range. In spite of this recent turn of events, that is what I have a mind to stick to and pursue, so help me God," she added.

"Go to Yagan?" Oluso said. "That's what you propose? It is a barren wasteland."

"And, what does that matter?" Dalia replied. "It's way more than that. It's where the Shetani dare not approach for fear of sinking into the surrounding marshes. They don't know the way through it.

"Their only other option is to approach from its northern end over the mountain, which is something they would not do. The land between it and our brethren is too much for them, plus there are enormous expanses of sinking sand in that region.

"And, of course there's more," she added just before Oluso could get a word in. "What you called a barren wasteland, as all of you here know, is precisely what has given our brethren there a chance to survive."

What she meant by that was there was another way of approaching Yagan, and that was from the vast expanse of land to its east and west. What was more unlikely than the Shetani coming over the mountain to its north, was their considering approaching it from either side of the wastelands which flanked it.

The lack of resources there, the scarcity of food and fresh water would be sure to kill any approaching party who did not know better. This was not, however, enough to kill any of them given the curse.

Regarding that curse, their kin, just like those who perished in the valleys of Sanctuary, did not consider the fact they could never die for want of nourishment all bad. Well, at opportune times they didn't. It was, after all, what gave many of them what they considered an advantage over the Shetani.

"Aside from our traders, no one has ever cared to go there," Oluso said.

"Now some do," Dalia returned.

"The place is hell. They don't call it suicide city for nothing. Only the Valley of Death is worse. They share the same characteristics and features. Its location, their location. I don't have to go into any details about it with you, and to get there as you know is no easy road," Oluso said.

"Our options are limited," she replied. "While only a small number aside from our businessmen has ever cared to go there, now my constituents will, and I needn't remind you that I'm here to represent them."

Oluso did not reply.

"I'd wager many others will now not only consider going to Yagan but opt to go there too, given the extremity of our circumstances.

"You've heard my position. I will say no more," she added.

Nyeusi was not pleased when he first heard about Yagan. He didn't like knowing there was anywhere in which the immortals found refuge. His opinion changed after witnessing just how drab a place it was.

He found out after consulting the necromancer, who granted him a peek at it through his stone.

It was from it that he saw and questioned its owner regarding whether the skies above were often overcast. A blanket of clouds seemed intent on perpetually covering the area, and many a time their colors appeared dark and foreboding.

What pleased Nyeusi most, however, was when the skies turned orange. This meant it was likely a certain kind of rain was going to fall. Just like within the Valley of Death, when it rained under orange skies there, it rained blood.

Nyeusi was also pleased to learn their life was one in which the immortals lived in the caves of the hills and mountains.

There was no luscious green forest to soothe one's eyes anywhere near the location. He felt this suited a creature who in the main, and if the truth be told, did not value such things to begin with. It only purported to.

There were no sounds of birds chirping merrily, no sound of crickets making a racket, or any sound which suggested proximity to living things.

Those who first witnessed the orange skies then the falling rain always dreaded whether any tinge of that color appearing was a sign of what none there liked to see, the entire sky later becoming blanketed in orange then the ensuing red rain.

There were no beautiful rivers or running streams, or anything that suggested a thriving vibrant ecosystem, features that he also felt were befitting, given the penchant of its inhabitants for destruction.

He considered the sheer barren, dark, and desolate nature of the surroundings must have been a contributing factor to why so many there took their lives with such frequency. Yagan, he concluded, was not too bad a place for them after all.

Alpha took the floor next.

"My constituents are divided," he said. "I was not personally assured of what position to take but right now l feel inclined to side with Dalia," he said.

"Yagan has never been the subject of an attack and I don't suppose it ever will. Nyeusi, or so I assume, is happy to have us be where there is nothing to endanger or destroy," he added.

"This isn't saying anything you don't already know. What's new is my telling you it appears the time has come to do not what we would like to do, but have to. The time has come to go not where we would like to be, but have to be. That is, provided we want to survive.

"Are these your sentiments, Dalia?" he asked.

"They are, and I couldn't have expressed them any better," she replied.

A familiar sound only a crow could make was heard. They looked up at the sky with a mixture of emotions. All there knew their chief long-distance messenger had been dispatched to Yagan. Was it Jogoo and if so, what message was he bringing?

The crow flew as purposefully as any bird does when on a mission. He headed directly toward the assembly and flopped down right near Oba, his owner and trainer, who quickly removed the message tied around his leg.

The curiosity became near unbearable. "What does it say?" an exceedingly curious Zaeim asked.

"In a word, they want us to join them," Oba replied with a stone-faced expression, and the bird sang or uttered a couple of expressions in that harsh tone only a crow can make, then it flew away.

Oluso was also stone-faced. "I'll die here," he said. "I'm not going to live a life on the run."

"If you're patient, there will be better days in which to fight, Oluso," Dalia said. "And, that could perhaps mean make a return to reclaim here."

"You want to go so go then. Your mind is made up and so is mine. I will not live like a rat within the confines of a dark hole or burrow. For us, that is called a cave, and Nyeusi would have us live like that if you let him.

"If you are to believe what has been said, that is what he and his kind fancy for our brethren in those mountainous regions where they hold so many captive, and will fancy for us. I am a man, not a beast or vermin or a plague, and I will strive to live like a man. I have made my case and will say no more," he replied.

***

WHILE ON THEIR WAY to where they were to be trained, Ossouna, Aswad, and Keita, had informed Akua they were skilled at using the bow and arrow.

He thought it was, therefore, best to give them close combat training, and teach them how to fight using the swords his men used out on the plains.

He had them begin by using slim poles, which were about the length of the swords they used, then he had them apply the offensive and defensive measures they were taught using the blades.

At the end of that session, curiosity got the better of him.

"So, you're archers, eh?" he asked.

"Never thought of myself as that," Ossouna replied. "But, like I told you earlier, I or we are very comfortable using the bow. All of the men where we come from are."

"I hear that," Akua replied, "but I'll tell you this, why don't you show me what you can do?" he added, and a broad smile appeared on his face.

Ossouna looked at him and a smile appeared on his face thereafter, although he was not sure what Akua was grinning about.

"Who do you mean?" Aswad interjected. "Just him or all of us?"

"All of you," Akua replied, still grinning.

Aswad looked at Keita then at Ossouna.

"No problem," Aswad replied. "I'll show you."

"What do you want to see?" Ossouna asked.

"I want to see how good is your marksmanship," he replied. "Come with me."

"Okay," Ossouna said, and Akua took them to an area well know for its traveling wildebeest population.

Once there, Akua bid them crouch and hide in the grass.

They focused on stragglers, those animals that strayed from the thick of the herd.

It was a situation with which his guests were well familiar, although a chief difference was they used to go on this kind of adventure when they desired meat.

Akua bid Ossouna to have the first go.

"You first," he said. "Let's see what you can do."

Ossouna stealthily rose from a crouched position and released a poison arrow that lodged into a straggler wildebeest's neck.

The unsuspecting creature ran for a bit but in time fell like a cut tree.

"Good good," Akua said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear, although an X carved on the bark of a tree, or perhaps some fruit, would have served just as well for target practice.

His guests grinned broadly while the beast's peers closest to it, looked at their fallen comrade, apparently in bewilderment.

"You're good," Akua said while smiling, and Ossouna took great delight in the compliment.

"Let's see what you've got," he said to Aswad.

Aswad smiled and the minute a straggler wildebeest came within range, he dispatched an arrow toward it.

It lodged high up on the creature's hind legs near its buttocks.

It tried to run but found it now had limited use of its right leg and could move only marginally well.

The men grinned heartily while the beast, having been struck by a poison arrow, would soon die.

"Your turn," Akua said, and Keita was eager to show what he could do.

He fired into the side of one of the animals and the arrow lodged between its ribs.

It ran for a while before falling; the men were thoroughly amused.

For Akua, apparently, their one hundred percent accuracy kill rate was not sufficient proof of how skilled they were with the bow, because he had them, or they agreed to slay twelve more animals.

He then downed an additional four before they were done with the morning's training.

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# Chapter VI - To Yagan

KEITA, OSSOUNA, ASWAD, and Akua, were on their way home from combat training when his friend excitedly approached him.

"Have you heard the news?" Mjumbe asked.

"What is it?" Akua returned.

"Word is most of the people have opted to stay and fight," he replied.

Akua became reflective. "How many is most of the people?" he asked.

"They estimate about a good two-thirds of the village," Mjumbe said.

Akua was at a loss for words.

"Let that sink in," he added then hastily departed.

The newcomers looked at him.

"How do you feel about this?" Keita asked.

"You mean what am I going to do," he said, and witnessing him act and speak in so somber a manner was a first for them.

Keita was slow to respond. "Right," he replied.

"I will fight," Akua replied morosely.

The newcomers fell silent.

"You don't have to, you know," Akua added. "If you feel pressured, you shouldn't feel like you're under any pressure. I understand why you may not want any part of this."

"No one has made any decision," Ossouna said.

"Right, but you don't have much time in which to do so," Akua said. "And, given the short amount of time in which you've been here, I don't expect you'd want to stay with those who do."

They said nothing.

"Have a good evening," Akua added then departed.

An unnerving silence came among them.

They continued home steeped in thought.

"What do you think we should do?" Aswad asked, breaking the silence.

"Leave," Keita replied.

"And you, Ossouna?" Aswad asked.

"I can't believe I got myself into this," he said.

"And, what's your decision?" Aswad pressed him.

"Well, I'm sure not interested in fighting," he said. "What about you?"

"Same here," Aswad replied.

"Do you think if we told Akua this he'd still want to give us training?" Keita asked.

"No," Aswad said.

"So, there then," said Ossouna.

"Would you have wanted to stay if we had time to get more training?" Keita asked.

"No," Ossouna replied.

The others considered what he said.

"I wouldn't want to stay period. I want to move on," Ossouna added.

"We just got here," Keita said.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Ossouna remarked. "You can stay if you want to."

"Do you want to, Keita?" Aswad asked.

"I'm playing the devil's advocate. I don't care to stay either. I say move on to see what's next on the list of unwelcome surprises," he replied.

"I hear you," Aswad said.

"Again, how or why did I get myself in the middle of this?" Ossouna remarked.

"Quit beating yourself up, man. You're beginning to sound like me," Keita said.

"Right. We would never have been able to see this coming, would we?" Aswad said.

"Not in a million years," Ossouna replied.

"So, no point in crying about it now, I guess," Aswad added.

Many there, however, mostly the women, did cry, and several males who liked to think they would be stoic in the face of almost any adversity.

Akua came to the newcomers' home the following morning.

"I don't have to remind you of time not being on our side," he said. "So, to the point, what have you decided?"

Ossouna looked at the others before saying anything.

"We've decided we're going to leave," he began. "We . . ."

"Ok," Akua said, and Ossouna thought he looked crestfallen.

"It's fine," he added. "You don't owe me any explanation."

Although Ossouna was certain he didn't want anything to do with fighting their foe, he found he felt uncomfortable.

Akua placed his hands on his shoulders. "You need to prepare yourselves to depart then," he said.

Ossouna shook his head in an upward and downward fashion.

"Go. Go join the others. I know you'll move as stealthily as a thief in the night until you get to your destination. The time calls for it."

"Right," Ossouna said.

"Yagan would be honored to have you," he said.

"Thank you, sir," Ossouna said.

"No. Thank you," Akua replied. "I may not know a lot about you, but I know you're a great marksman. Your skill with the bow will come in handy."

"Thanks again, Akua," Ossouna said.

Akua directed his attention to Aswad.

"It was very brief but it was a pleasure to meet you," he said.

"The feeling is mutual," Aswad replied.

"Go in peace, but show no mercy to any man or beast you may encounter on your way to Yagan that may attempt to harm you, for they will show you none."

"That I will do," Aswad replied.

"And, to you, Keita," Akua said, facing him. He also placed his hands on his shoulders. "I bid you farewell and a safe passage."

"Thank you, Akua," he replied.

"Try to remember the little we had time to go over. It should come as a great help in close combat situations."

"I won't forget, my friend," Keita replied.

"So, that's it," he said, addressing them all. "It's that time. I must go meet with the others to learn what are the plans for defending the village."

"And, of course, we're to meet with those organizing the evacuation," Aswad replied.

"So, do that," Akua said. "You won't have far to go. A representative for this constituency will address you as a group right here in your immediate area. For you, that would be Dalia."

"Good," Aswad said.

"If you step outside you'll see the people have already begun to assemble," Akua said and they did so.

"I've stayed as long as I can. I really must go now."

"Thank you for everything," Ossouna said.

The others bid him farewell and watched him disappear between the gathering crowd.

Dalia waited until she felt it thickened to near one hundred percent capacity before she began speaking.

"Ok," she said. "l know even for an occasion such as this, there are those who will be late. We can't afford to wait for them. Let's begin."

The assembled anxiously waited for her to continue.

"We are to start the evacuation in two hours," she said.

A collective sigh came from the crowd.

"That's right," she added.

"If you thought we had time to get another night's rest in, think again."

A fellow near her raised his arm.

"There is no time to make this into a question and answer forum," she said.

The fellow meekly returned his arm to his side.

"I will be clear and to the point so we can begin getting out of here. Take every bit of weaponry you believe won't slow you down or overburden you. Bows, arrows, daggers, swords. Whatever you're skilled at using, take it. I don't have to tell you what's out there and whether or not there is the probability of running into any of it. The point is you have to be prepared. Prepared to take action if it comes down to that. We will be the lead party. I was assigned to take the lead because I'm among those here who knows the trade route well. That's it. Pretty simple and straightforward. Get your things together. Say a final word to your loved ones. We leave in just under two hours."

A groan came from the crowd.

"Disperse, I said," Dalia ordered. "Prepare yourselves so we can depart."

The time when she and the others were to leave rapidly approached.

She held her arms open and Oluso embraced her.

He then held her jaw in the cusp of his hand.

"We traversed the trader's route many a time together. Are you confident in your memory of it?" he asked. "I know or recall it like I do the back of my hand," she replied. "And, many if not most of the main merchants have sworn to go. Should I fall there is no shortage among us of those who know the way."

"Very well," he said. "In your haste, proceed with all caution. We will hold them off here for as long as we can."

She shook her head in an upward and downward manner then tears streamed down her face.

"Be strong," he said. "We won't suffer the devils to be upon us without giving them the fight of their lives. If they come across the plains, we will march and meet them out in the open and all are sworn to fight to the last man to prevent their arrival here, inevitable though that may be.

"If they come through the forest, again we will fight to the last man, and in the meantime, we will be more vigilant. The lookouts and sentinels will be on high alert hoping to ward off any surprises."

"It was always a suicide mission and you knew it," she said.

"There is always hope," he replied.

She shook her head from side to side.

"Believe it!" he demanded. "Go now," he added. "We have your back. By the grace of the gods may our stalling them be enough for you to safely reach your destination."

"Stalling?" she said.

"There is no time," he replied.

She did not reply.

"Go. The people are depending on you," he said, and she did as was told.

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# Chapter VII - The Elephant Graveyard

ALTHOUGH CROWSPEAK had a limited vocabulary, it was sufficient for those fluent in that tongue to state whether he could see movement and from where, while perched from above, or while surveying an area.

As such, Akua learned their most trusted messenger crows were dispatched to keep an eye on any movement coming from the southern front. They were to return to the base to report to them, and this reconnaissance mission would be ongoing.

Jogoo, their most trusted and faithful messenger, was not among those sent south. He was instructed to head west to Yagan to alert Thoroughmann and the others that a party was on its way.

The note around his leg read, "15,000 coming to you."

Some twenty to twenty-five thousand of those who stayed behind were to march well beyond the village.

They were to advance as far out onto the plains as they could to meet Nyeusi's men head-on, upon a moment's notice of any advancement.

A day passed, then two, then three since Dalia and the others' departure.

"Provided nothing has happened, they must be well on their way toward Yagan by now," Mjumbe said.

The time was during the early evening, well after those who stayed behind had completed the day's training and drills, and he and his friend Akua, had returned home.

"That's right," Akua replied.

"I hope they're safe," Mjumbe said.

"They are," Akua replied.

"How do you know?"

"I have a feeling," Akua said.

"I didn't know you could feel these things," Mjumbe said.

Akua smiled. "I don't care to say I do, but I do trust my feelings," he remarked.

"Given how many of them left I understand it should take about a week to get such a large contingent to their intended destination," he said.

"A week, give or take. Yes," Akua said.

"I see," Mjumbe replied, and Akua became lost in thought.

"Still nothing from the messengers, eh?" the latter asked.

"Nothing," Mjumbe said, "which worries me a bit."

"Why?" Akua asked.

"Putting so much trust in animals," he replied. "Trusting we can understand them."

"You still feel this way?" Akua asked. "The Shetani trust them and as far as we can know they do just fine by them."

Mjumbe thought about that. "I'm just a bit worried that something could be happening and we may find out too late, if we find out at all."

Akua looked at him. "But you trust the wolves?" he asked.

"I guess I do," he replied. "They do keep the ghouls away."

"So there, maybe the Shetani's got it right," Akua said.

"What do you mean?" Mjumbe asked.

"That they've long had far greater faith, trust, and appreciation, for animals than we do."

Mjumbe listened.

"We're only just beginning to understand or value them, but it looks like it's too late," Akua said.

Mjumbe thought of this.

"The crows have never failed us," Akua said, "and, I don't expect they will now."

"I hope not," Mjumbe said.

The reason they hadn't heard from their messengers was Nyeusi was busy organizing the largest body of men in their history into a fighting force to send their way.

There was the small matter of arranging affairs so they would be properly attired, armed, and organized, to go to battle.

There was also the small matter of fitting their elephants, ten thousand of them, with protective headgear.

Getting word out to their peers who resided within the caves in the mountains--their primary base for large scale weapons manufacturing--also took a good deal of time.

It also took time for their peers--who lived in an area about four days' journey from the Valley of Death--to arrive at their headquarters and join in their march.

All in all, the whole process was such a lengthy undertaking that those who left for Yagan arrived over a month and a half before Darkwing, a cousin of Jogoo the crow, arrived during the midst of a military drill and spoke excitedly in crowspeak, about having seen movement on the plains of the southern frontier.

Akua's Adam's apple moved.

"What is he saying?" a fellow asked.

Akua looked him in the eye. "The time has come," he replied.

A boisterous chant of "hooray," was heard.

Mjumbe raced toward where he placed his conch shell, blew into it, and once more, a chant of hooray came from the crowd.

Before long, a wall of sound that stretched for miles beyond their immediate area, stemmed from the messengers who heard Mjumbe's horn and responded by sounding theirs.

Men, who never before had been in combat felt their body temperature rise, and on that day, many learned how emboldened and fearless a man can feel when placed amid a crowd bent toward a given aim.

A most primal manner of thinking took hold of them, and as such, even those known to be reserved, timid even, felt inspired to fight.

These were men who for weeks slept with their weapons near or next to them, men who were prompted to be prepared for action at any moment's notice.

Word was sent out to form an assembly immediately.

Those near Akua stepped either to their left or right.

He walked through the parted crowd which closed behind him, then all faced south.

The pattern was duplicated where anyone was assigned a commanding role.

Presently, Oluso the marksman headed toward the front of the crowd where he was, and then Zaeim and Mbou.

Noor, the explorer, was not there. He was among those who had departed with Dalia. Alpha had left with them too.

"I wish I were among the vanguard," Mjumbe said.

"To be among the last line of defense is no small matter," Oba, the elder replied.

"Doesn't change how I feel," Mjumbe said.

"In life, we all have our parts to play, son. Or, we all have different roles to fill at different times," Oba responded.

Fifteen thousand men left their homes that day and headed toward the direction in which Darkwing said he saw Nyeusi's troops approaching.

A cavalry--defined here and at that time, as soldiers who fought on elephant or rhinoceros back--of around 10,000 Shetani had been marching for the better part of two days when Nyeusi, who observed the proceedings from atop his favored kilmanya, swooped down before them and signaled to them to halt.

Kifo, his most treasured friend, then Amri, swooped down on the backs of their flying beasts. The former's kilmanya landed on his right. Amri's landed on his left.

"We're about as far out I deem it prudent to be from a supply of water," Nyeusi began, "yet we still have a ways to go."

"Those of you who are near me, I bid you listen carefully, for your lives will depend on it. When you are done listening, you are to spread word about what I'm about to share to the person next to you, then he in turn, must do the same until the message is received by all.

"Again, I bid you listen carefully, for this is a life and death matter. We will never have the means to reach their base if you fail to do as I say," he added, and the men were all ears.

"Now I want you to observe then do as I do," he added.

Kifo stepped toward him.

"Remove your headgear," he said, and Kifo did so.

Nyeusi procured a vessel and a bowl into which he emptied its contents.

A wind strong enough to disperse any powder out onto the fields had been blowing yet he was able to empty the bedeviled contents into the bowl with no fear or concern whatsoever of this happening.

He applied some water to it, then he worked it in with his index finger until it had the consistency of a paste.

He used that very finger to draw a white X onto Kifo's forehead. He had Amri come forward, then he marked an X onto his forehead too.

He faced and addressed the troops.

"When I bring this vessel to you, do as I have done," he ordered. "To both man and beast," he added, and they wondered what could it all mean.

"Have no fear about the paste ever coming to an end before all hath received the mark, for this won't happen. Have no fear about the consistency of it changing for want of more water, for this won't happen," he added, and they wondered how on earth could any of what he said be true.

"How come?" he asked. "Because it is a gift from the necromancer."

A noise emanated from the crowd.

"That's right," he added. "He who receives the mark shall for a month become like that accursed tribe from the world beyond. Ye shall not suffer from hunger or thirst. Not for a month! Which is long enough for us to endure this mission."

"Is there any danger the spell stemming from the mark may have a permanent effect?" a fellow asked.

"None," Nyeusi replied. "The mark shall vanish from your foreheads no sooner or later than after the spell has run its course. This, as I have said, will last for around a month.

"No more questions. We will break to take care of this business now, then we resume the march."

Most of them had never been this far north. The only ones known to have seen this landscape were those who saw it from above while atop the backs of the kilmanya.

There were, maybe a total of five hundred of them, and this figure included those from all the Shetani strongholds with which this narrative is concerned. Most came from the Isle of the Maimed, a volcanic island roughly seven miles east of the mainland of the second level of the underworld. It was a place of confinement where men who lost a limb or limbs after attempting to combat or harm the Shetani, were taken to spend a lifetime of contemplation about all the 'wrongs' they did.

The place where they presently were, being semi-arid, unchartered and largely unknown, is what bothered Nyeusi most.

Those were the factors that lead him to consult the necromancer for want of some kind of insurance policy against trying to navigate it.

There was a long stretch of dry land before them and he was mindful of their dwindling supplies.

The weather was warm but tolerably so, considering they were out in the open, under the direct rays of the sun. It was such that they welcomed the opportunity to relax for a bit while man and beast received the mark.

A force of about 5,000 more Shetani was about half a day's journey behind them. These were foot soldiers, garbed in like manner of the frontline soldiers. They would be second in line to receive the mark.

Aside from those who worked deep within the forest, the Shetani residing on the second tier never covered themselves in armor like their counterparts within the mountains.

Presently, and for the most part, they wore the very type of armor their mountain-dwelling peers did, a plate with interlocking pieces that covered their shoulders and chests.

All forsook wearing the forearm gear the guards there wore because these had three curved spikes.

Fear of the spikes at some point inadvertently poking the elephants, and possibly contributing to a stampede, or otherwise harming their brethren while they were nearby, is what led to the decision to forsake it.

They instead, affixed a shield over one of their forearms.

They were uniform in wearing a belt strung around their waists. These featured scabbards into which their daggers and swords were placed. Across their torsos were a bow and a quiver for their arrows.

They continued to administer and receive the necromancer's mark. The recipients were astounded to note what they heard about the paste from which it was drawn, turned out to be true. Its quantity, no matter how many men or beasts received it, never appeared to diminish.

All held it was the most bedeviling thing they had ever seen, so their faith in Nyeusi, the mission, and those who were skeptical about whether it came from the necromancer were reassured.

The vessel was returned to him. He withdrew a lid from his person, covered and secured it, then he made way toward the foot soldiers with Kifo and Amri, flying at his side.

Amri's brother, Dembele, the one who led the cavalry this far, led them onward toward Kimbilio.

Many who had cheered when Darkwing brought the news about the Shetani heading toward them shivered, when what appeared to be a dark line on the horizon became more recognizable.

"My lord and God," a fellow said despondently. This was Feignmann, who presently was closest to Akua.

No one gave the order for the immortals to stop. However, many froze with a mixture of awe and apprehension as they watched an army of ten thousand strong on elephant back loom larger with the passing of each second.

Their entire army grounded to a halt. Men trembled, including those with the responsibility of manning the front line.

"Advance no further!" Oluso barked. "Assume your positions!"

Many an Adam's apple moved up and down in their throats and their saliva felt like a lump of something solid after swallowing it.

A glance at what lay in the distance led Amri to think he was looking at a herd of wildebeest. Or, was it?

The Shetani at the front of the herd stared on yonder.

Dembele's heartrate increased. He felt the eyes of his peers to his left then his right upon him.

Astonished, perhaps every bit as the immortals were, they could only imagine how many they might amount to.

He turned to both sides.

He signaled to keep advancing and the cavalry marched without breaking stride.

"You know," a certain Pseudomann mused, "I got to thinking the implausibility of being here is not so bad a thing after all."

"What do you mean?" Feignmann asked.

"To stay hydrated without the need for water, nourished without the need for food. The inability to enjoy either without having any painful effect," he replied.

"What a time to be thinking such things," Feignmann remarked.

"Point is, like I said, at this time I'm thinking it's not such a torturous existence after all," Pseudomann replied.

"You don't want to die in spite of what we're denied in this life is what you're saying?" Feignmann said. "I mean common pleasures we took for granted."

Pseudomann was pensive.

"I think few ever do," Feignmann added. "Except for the most trying situations people don't hope to die. They hope for things to get better."

"Well, it sure looks like we have a lot of hoping to do now," Pseudomann said.

Mbou overhead their talk. "They are many but so are we," he chimed in, "and, our arrows are tipped with the deadliest of poisons, the likes of nothing we've seen from where we came. Takes minutes for paralysis to set in, not hours, and hours, not days to cause death."

"I hope we have as many as we need to stop them. I mean from what I can see their numbers appear unlimited," Feignmann remarked.

"We can only do what we can do," Mbou said. "And, I don't think you suspect this engagement, all of it, will be from distance."

"Of course not," he replied.

"Good," Mbou added. "You've been trained as well as any of us about how to fight with the sword."

"Right," Feignmann replied.

He became impatient with what he held was the painfully slow advancement. It seemed like it served no purpose other than to jangle his nerves.

Zaeim, who was at some distance away from him, and leading the men over at that end, was one of many who felt the same way.

All became silent and focused, for there was nothing else that mattered in the world other than that which drew nearer.

They could clearly hear the elephants speak now in that language no immortal could understand. Palms became sweaty. Patience wore thin.

Thousands toward the front of their ranks were on bent knee, with their bows and arrows pointed upwards toward the sky; all mindful it was critical to have a preemptive strike, lest they ended up being on defense against such an imposing force.

"Give the order to fire already," Pseudomann whispered.

His words were meant for his ears only, but Mbou overhead him and responded.

"Patience. The first of their ranks are almost within striking distance," he said.

Pseudomann's fear of being a fraction too late to fire led to a vision of his ranks cowering under their shields.

In his vivid imagination, the enemy had struck first, and now he could hear the uncommonly large herd of elephants charging toward them while they were in so vulnerable a state. Many would be trampled to death before getting a shot off!

"Fire!" Oluso barked, and within a fraction of a second, the immortals dispatched a volley of arrows. They free fell far and wide, hurtling with the impressionable pull of gravity toward the enemy.

The Shetani uniformly held their shields out before them. It was done in near perfect unison but their defenses could deflect but so much.

Many an arrow lodged itself into some of their warriors' legs prompting a howling and grimacing in intolerable agony.

What didn't bounce off the metal-plated armor covering the heads of their elephants lodged itself into other body parts of their beasts.

Many elephants rose onto their hind legs.

Riders who didn't fall or were cast aside struggled to hang on, and within a matter of seconds, the Shetani toward the front of their ranks were in the middle of a commotion.

"Fire!" Zaeim yelled at the top of his lungs, and another volley of arrows was dispatched. The vulnerable and frenzied beasts took more lethal fire, and the fallen were crushed beneath their feet or under those animals which fell on them.

Nyeusi, atop the back of his kilmanya, by this time reached the front of his army.

His eyes widened.

Amri and Kifo, also atop their flying beasts, looked on in horror.

Following Nyeusi's lead, they flew past the dead and dying toward the immortals.

Men who weren't awestruck by the wingspan and stupendousness of the beasts held their arms aloft and released several arrows.

"Focus on what's on the ground!" Oluso bellowed. "They can do us no harm from up there! Let those further back take aim!"

Few did, yet a concerned Nyeusi, who feared his animal may be struck, managed to fly higher, then beyond striking distance of the sparse number of arrows that were released.

Hitherto, not a single fellow from the immortal army was slain. None, for that matter, was wounded. Furthermore, the commotion they caused was such that the Shetani failed to dispatch so much as one arrow.

Amri and Kifo continued to follow their leader.

Observing from a birdseye view what the enemy army amounted to astounded them.

They were sure to fly past the breath of it, taking pains to estimate their numbers, then Nyeusi made a hand gesture which they understood meant they were to turn around.

More and more arrows came hurtling toward his men. They fell like rain and immortals near the front line took to mercilessly firing directly into the flesh of frenzied man and beast.

The Shetani behind those upfront, those closer to the middle of their army, found they could neither move forward nor backward, and down the arrows continued to fall.

Those who focused on blocking them with their shields were thrown off their alarmed animals for want of firmly holding on to them.

Those who held on dearly, were often too late in trying to avoid being hit while attempting to fend off arrows.

The panicked, like so many who almost always are the architects of their own misfortune and downfall, wondered how did they get themselves in this situation.

What started out as such a bright and sunny day, one full of promise, turned out to be quite dark. Yet as dark as things seemed, they hoped and prayed there must be a way out.

They prayed there must be some saving grace that would give them just one more chance. They vowed to never partake in the mindless activity that is open warfare again, but hope soon turned to despair.

What became clear--or so they now believed--was they were to face death one way or another. By arrow or by being crushed, or maybe by some combination of the two.

A preoccupation with avoiding the inevitable end tortured them, and it was then that the uncommonly lethal poison from the arrow tips that penetrated or grazed them began to take effect.

Muscular paralysis damned hope of those who'd been praying the hardest.

The eternal and most optimistic among them felt that optimism die, for not only had the hope they would somehow be able to maneuver themselves out of harm's way vanished, now they found they were unable to move much or move period.

What new form of devilry is this? The afflicted and incapacitated wondered. They would never know as they agonizingly took their last gasps of air.

Those who escaped being trampled or crushed by a fallen animal would expire within the hour. Their animals, although much larger, were struck much more frequently, and would not fare much better.

Hitherto, those who only despised and thought little of common men, now feared them, conceding they were far more an inventive, enterprising, and parasitical scourge than they had imagined.

Those toward the back of the ranks, those who were beyond the range of the arrows, made an one hundred and eighty-degree turn and headed back toward the direction from which they came, as man after man, beast after beast, continued to fall.

The notion of crushing their enemy like they were no more a match for them than mere ants, was now long gone.

The idea of dismounting from their beasts to run them through with dagger or sword, while the former trampled the personal belongings in their villages, was now considered folly.

The idea of an invasion where every immortal would be put to the sword was now thought to be fantasy--and so their aggressors, those fortunate enough to have the opportunity to run, ran toward where they came from.

Nyeusi's thoughts raced. He agonized over whether he should tell his advancing foot soldiers to hold their ground or retreat.

He wondered whether it made any sense at all to retreat, or should they fight to the last man to try and prevent the immortals from advancing toward their lands, or did the enemy have any intent on doing so?

Why were they so far out from their village?

What was their motive and what prompted them to arrive at where they were, and in such numbers?

There was so much about them he didn't know, so much about them and the developments that addled his mind.

He swooped down and flew low, in a parallel line to the advancing foot soldiers.

'Twas an act which meant they were to halt any further advancement, which they did.

He directed his mighty beast to fly higher, then to his left, and they headed back to the direction from which they had come.

Amri and Kifo, who were watching his every move, directed their beasts to follow his, and as to what should he do next? 'Twas the question that gave his mind no rest.

What he was sure of was he wanted a firsthand account on how matters were progressing on the battlefront, so he headed there with haste.

"They're all but a spent force," Mbou shouted. "Look at them. What did they have to offer? Nothing!"

"Not one damn thing," Pseudomann said.

Feignmann smiled and everyone was in good cheer.

"What now, oh leader?" Feignmann asked. "They're retreating. Are we to pursue them?"

"We will not," Mbou replied. "Once we can be assured we're no longer under any threat, we will return home."

No further threat presented itself. Rather, many a fleeing Shetani not quite out of firing range were struck in areas where they had no body armor.

Many of their elephants were struck in the buttocks or at the back of their hind legs or shoulders. The poison in their bloodstream from the arrow tips would ensure all failed to reach their intended destination.

"We were fools," Akua said. "They're but a specter of the fearsome image they would have us believe they are."

"They are fearsome, but it is our cunning and their stupidity that gave us this overwhelming advantage. We were better prepared."

Akua listened.

"Intimidating as their beasts appeared to be, now we all know they're a liability," Oluso said.

"There was no need for Dalia and the others to evacuate," Akua said.

"Perhaps, but we had no way of knowing that. Did we?" Oluso replied.

"Right," Akua said.

Nyeusi drew nearer to the battlefront and in the distance saw that his troops, or what was left of them, had aborted their positions and were heading back in the direction from which they came.

Further ahead were the stricken, those who tried to retreat, but made it only so far before the poison-tipped arrows rendered them immobile. Of this group, who weren't already dead were dying, and their carcasses were strewn like litter upon the open field.

Nyeusi's face grew long and his heart felt heavy, but further ahead still, or so he suspected, was what he felt he had to face above all else.

He didn't have to fly much further before he saw the heap of human and elephant carcasses. The fallen constituted the larger portion of his army, and they all died during the melee and fell atop or aside each other.

Not far from them was the cause of all of the death and destruction.

Nyeusi, Kifo, and Amri, flew over them at a height too long a distance to be struck by arrows.

All eyes were locked onto what took place above.

They watched the three make a circle, and Nyeusi's main interest now was to get back to his foot soldiers before any of his traumatized cavalrymen did.

"I have a feeling this is not over," Pseudomann said.

"Of course," Mbou replied. "How could anyone think otherwise?"

"And, what does that mean for us?" Feignmann asked.

"We will wait a bit more to see what they do," Mbou replied. "We do not want to give up any ground."

They didn't wait long before realizing the dead, which stretched so far and wide, provided an obstacle neither army cared to circumvent.

An attempt to go around the carcasses would take a great deal of time. What's more is it would have taken them away from their preferred path, one that led directly toward the opposition.

A movement in the sky caught the attention of Nyeusi's men on foot.

It was he, Amri, and Kifo, returning to the place where his men were told to await further instruction.

The three swopped down before them, and Nyeusi's instructions were they were to return home and be vigilant.

Amri was instructed to keep watch over what the immortals were up to.

Kifo was instructed to be another set of eyes for him and alert him in the event of any dire news.

"And, where would you be off to?" Amri asked.

"The Isle of the Maimed," he replied.

"That far, eh?" said a surprised Kifo.

"Yes," Nyeusi replied.

"How long do you intend to be gone?" Kifo asked.

"A couple days at least," Nyeusi answered. "Our brethren need to be informed, and I need some time away from here, time to myself to think. This is bigger than I had imagined or could have thought of giving our enemy credit for."

"Think we have that much time?" Kifo asked.

"Who can say for sure?" Nyeusi replied. "We can only guess at their intent."

Kifo's face grew more solemn. "I do not think you should leave," he said. "It's not right, not at a time like this."

Nyeusi looked him in the eye. "Your leader I am, but I am but one individual. I would not leave if I feared a threat was imminent. For that matter, my mind tells me this isn't so, and I feel assured of it."

"That's nothing absolute," Kifo said.

"There never were any assurances," Nyeusi replied, "but we did not know. This battle is over."

"Or, just begun," Kifo said.

"Then we must prepare for the next round," Nyeusi said, "and, we'd better be well prepared 'cause we can't afford to sustain losses like we did today."

Kifo said nothing.

"There was always going to come a day when I expected you to show leadership. I had no idea when it would be, but today is that day," Nyeusi added.

He directed his attention to Amri. "You must take charge in my absence," he said.

"Okay," Amri replied.

"Fly north again and keep watch."

"It is done," Amri said.

"The sentinels," Nyeusi began.

"What about them?" Amri asked. By sentinels, Nyeusi meant lions. For the immortals, wolves were their sentinels.

"They know these lands more intimately than you or I ever could. Have them monitor affairs for us. They will keep you updated."

"I will do that," he said.

"Summon them to fight with you if needs be, but pray, do not allow so much as a strand of fur from another creature to be defiled unless absolutely necessary."

"Very well," Amri said.

"Kifo, you will be my third pair of eyes."

"It is done," he said.

"In the meantime, this much we know or could assume. It would take a very large number of beasts to consume or move so much carrion, and only the largest congregation of vultures could dispose of the rest. Anything other than that and the stench of death is something no one will want to be near."

"Right," Kifo said.

"Had they a mind to, 'twill take time to circumvent the dead, should they have the gall to approach us."

"After what we saw they will be emboldened now," Kifo said.

"Then they are fools," Nyeusi replied. "Find out for sure, Amri, and if needs be, deal with them accordingly," he added, and with that Amri departed.

"I must leave now," Nyeusi added.

"Very well," Kifo replied.

"I am not deserting you in this dire time," Nyeusi said.

"I never thought so," Kifo replied.

"Again, I don't suspect I'll be gone for more than a couple days," Nyeusi added. He then mounted his beast and flew toward the Isle of the Maimed.

By the time Amri drew nearer to the dead, the immortals had amassed some distance between themselves and the area. Both armies, for some time now, had been walking away from each other.

He was mindful of flying overhead, too low to the ground, or beyond them, lest the immortals notice him and become panicked into possibly thinking their adversary did not have enough of the day's events. And so, he remained at a good distance away. Their backs faced his, so none saw him turn around and head back to his men.

Nyeusi, with a very heavy heart, continued to fly away from them all.

The immortals were well on their way home when those who felt a bit unsure finally began to concede it looked as if the battle was truly over.

There was no surprise second wave of attack. Nothing ominous appeared on the horizon. Nothing from their wildest imaginations proved to be real. No army of Shetani in the tens of thousands had navigated their way through the thick forests, got past all possible obstacles, then decimated those who stayed back at the village and was now heading toward them.

At least there did not seem to be any sign of that now, the most panicky and skeptical of them conceded.

Others, by this time, made light of the day's events.

One fellow referred to the adversary they once so dreaded as the shitani, an appellation which stuck in the minds of his peers.

They had a hearty laugh when he mentioned this. Meanwhile, predatory and opportunistic beasts began to slowly then steadily appear where the dead lay to feast.

Lions ate with no concern about packs of thieving hyenas who dined not far from them.

Wild dogs also appeared and again, the lions could not have been less concerned. No covetous beast, after all, thought it was necessary to steal anyone's kills.

More and more lions came and packs and more packs of hyenas and wild dogs, and the area, which would henceforth be called The Elephant Graveyard, became the scene of the largest outdoor feast then known.

Black specs high up in the sky, appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It looked as though some were circling while others moved about haphazardly. These were vultures. They, plus the lions, hyenas, and the wild dogs, would all die after consuming the poisoned flesh.

Amri, by this time, had already flown back to his men to inform them that an attack by the immortals on their base did not seem likely.

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# Chapter VIII - Isle Of The Maimed

NYEUSI, WHO WANTED to ensure his animal got enough rest, did not intend to return to the isle until the following day.

There were over a hundred miles between him and its coastline, and roughly twelve miles of sea between it and the mainland.

He hadn't flown toward the isle in months but he remembered how to get there as well as if he'd traveled to it yesterday. Being a man about town, so to speak, he also knew where it was safe to land to rest while en route to his intended destination.

He paced himself well, thereby avoiding over taxing his or his beast's energy. In time they arrived at the coastline and the stupendous animal took him over the sea.

They headed east of the Bay of the Maimed upon reaching the isle's coastline. This bay was a main port of entry where recalcitrant immortals were later transported to the Dark Cliffs, a stretch of precipitous rock along the other side of the isle.

Its span was close to twelve miles. The highest point was nearly five hundred feet above sea level and its rocky terrain jutted out from the ocean floor at close to ninety degrees.

Nyeusi intended to take the most direct path toward Lucirion, which is where the City of the Damned or home of the dark lords, Shetani condemned to a life of immortality, was located.

He loathed that place, more so than he did Yagan or the Valley of Death. Their landscape was similar and the darkest of clouds seldom ever left the area.

The vista facing those who approached? A volcano yonder that appeared hell-bent on erupting, but never did. The ash it spewed was chiefly why the sky often appeared dark.

The air always had a smoky smell yet somehow this was the location where the Shetani chose above all else on the island to have a main base.

They were hardly ever out in the elements to enjoy it, for the City of the Damned was principally below ground, carved out of the bedrock. At times, above ground, the color of its skies was orange/red.

The silhouette of flying kilmanyas was a common sight on the horizon, for the isle was one of their mating and breeding grounds.

It was home to a sizeable population from which the Shetani aimed to select the least ill-tempered to tame, or to domesticate, to as much a degree as that was possible.

Lucirion was a hilly and mountainous region. There were no buildings within the city, but rather several caves, which were entrances to that underground world.

Its area spanned several square miles wide and deep beneath the surface. Exactly how much was anyone's guess.

Those who weren't transported to the isle to reside there in perpetuity were employed in the construction and maintenance of the city.

The latter were the fortunate ones, meaning immortals who never angered their captors to the point where they relieved them of a limb or more.

The watchman, Kalinda, plus two youngsters Nyeusi did not know, were on duty at the time he arrived at Ashside Mountain, a chief point of entry.

"Nyeusi," he said. "My Lord. Can it really be you?" he added.

"It is," Nyeusi replied.

"It's been probably over half a year now," Kalinda said.

"It has, Kalinda."

"I thought we'd never see you again," he said.

Nyeusi smiled. "You look well," he remarked.

"Thank you, sir," he returned. "Allow me. Please," he said, and Nyeusi let him take hold of the reigns on his kilmanya.

"Has she eaten?" he asked.

"She has," Nyeusi replied.

"Good," Kalinda returned. "Abysinnia is who you seek," he added.

Nyeusi nodded his head. "How did you know?" he asked.

"It can only be," he replied. "I don't suppose you're here on vacation."

Nyeusi smiled.

"If I may say so, must be that you're on a serious errand. I have not forgotten your dislike for this place, or so it's been said."

"You have a good memory," Nyeusi, who didn't care to address any specifics, replied.

Kalinda was on point. The place he referred to wasn't merely the city or Lucirion, but the entire island.

It was little more than a penal colony, slave camp, and home to most things he considered dark.

There was a thriving gargoyle community within the mountainous regions northwest of there. While he could tolerate the gargoyles to some degree, ghouls populated the areas most pleasing to his eyes, the forests.

"Very well," Kalinda said. "I won't keep you any further. The guards will escort you."

They lead him into the cave, toward Abysinnia.

It all looked familiar. Things hadn't changed much since the last time he was there. Friends and subordinates were intrigued. Some delighted to see him but he hadn't the time for small talk or much time to exchange pleasantries.

The watchmen took him directly toward the man he sought.

He was sitting at the head of Asamando in the company of some of his best fighters.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Nyeusi I see enter the halls of Asamando?" he said.

"Your eyes do not deceive you, brother," he replied.

"I'm surprised as any to see you here. The talk about was you'd abdicated any allegiance to these lands."

"The underworld is immense. I cannot be everywhere," Nyeusi replied.

"I ask only because you never were tight-lipped about your feelings toward our home," Abysinnia said.

"I'm not here to debate you, little brother," Nyeusi said, and Abysinnia didn't much care for how he addressed him.

"Clearly you are capable and confident enough to lead and manage affairs without my being around."

"You speak the truth," Abysinnia quipped.

"There's no time," Nyeusi said.

"To the point then. What wind blows you this way?"

"Only the most urgent, most pressing of matters as you will no doubt be assured. The chief council must be summoned to an assembly at once."

Abysinnia was silent.

"Again, there's no time for wrangling. Lend me your ears in privacy and before long you'll better appreciate why I stand before you."

Abysinnia's eyes met those of his trusted confidants. They rose and all parities withdrew from his and Nyeusi's presence.

Nyeusi walked up to him and spoke barely above a whisper.

"'Tis still not private enough," he said. "Let us retreat to the chamber."

"As you wish," the younger brother, now taunted by curiosity, replied.

"Troubles the likes of which I have never seen is upon us," Nyeusi said the moment he entered the chamber with him.

"Speak, for you so addled my mind that I can't bear to wait for the council to arrive."

"Very well," Nyeusi said, and Abysinnia was all ears.

"Pray," Nyeusi continued. "Do not suffer yourself to believe you're immune from danger on this island recluse. A creeping necrosis beyond it has spread like a plague."

"The immortals," Abysinnia replied.

"Indeed," Nyeusi said. "What else? Out and roaming about in numbers you will find difficult to comprehend."

"Do continue," Abysinnia said.

"I commenced to cull them, but they devoured upwards of 6,000 of my finest men and beasts of burden in one swoop!"

"No!" Abysinnia exclaimed. "And those numbers! You engaged them to war?"

"Not to war," Nyeusi said. "I intended to surprise and obliterate them."

Abysinnia said nothing.

"But they found out and I have no way of knowing how."

"I wonder myself," Abysinnia said. "How in the world could they know of developments taking place so far away from them?"

"I cannot say," Nyeusi said. "But they had some way of knowing."

"Go on."

"They marched out to meet our troops head-on and I am hurt and ashamed to say, they defeated me."

"Incredible," the younger brother replied. "What beasts did you bring to battle?"

"Elephants," he replied. "Regrettably. 'Twas a terrible mistake. Aside from transporting supplies, they were of little purpose other than serving as target practice for the enemy."

His brother said nothing.

"I all but cried blood. Not in the presence of our brethren, but on my way here, while I lay my beast down so that we might get some rest."

"I cannot imagine you crying."

"I did," Nyeusi admitted. "Like if I had a mind to fill a river."

"I see," Abysinnia said.

"The slaughter was a terrible, terrible sight to behold. It produced a wall of carcasses. Beasts and men were slain all along the front lines. To the benefit of those who survived or what was left of our troops, 'twas to the point where the dead formed an enormous blockage, a fortification."

Abysinnia's face grew long.

"You at least could have let us know what was going on, brother. I mean prior to your attempt to take them on."

"I felt compelled to act and act immediately," Nyeusi replied, "so surprised was I when I learned of their numbers."

"And, what do you estimate that might be? I'm afraid to ask."

"Somewhere in the tens of thousands," Nyeusi replied.

"No!" Abysinnia exclaimed.

"I'm afraid they managed to establish a thriving community during years of our paying where they now reside little mind."

"I see," Abysinnia said.

"The world beyond, as you know, is vast. I cannot split myself into two, or more. I can monitor but so much. I can only spend but so much time with our kin in the mountains and so much with Amri's men and of course I am seldom ever here.

"Our kin to the north steer those who enter the portal toward the Forest of Souls, where we assumed, they were no match for the ghouls."

"How they grew to so large a force must be looked into," Abysinnia remarked. "So near to Ghouland yet they managed to escape the clutches of those bloodthirsty devils? Something's amiss."

"Indeed. There are many questions, but escaped they did, and given that they managed to thrive and in such numbers is the more pressing matter. How, whys, and so forth, can be addressed later."

"Okay," Abysinnia replied.

"They have long begun, as is their want, to obliterate all that is green around them. This evil, my brother, appears beyond my ability to contain or subdue.

"Left unchecked, in time only the damned may survive something like this, and they too, can be confined to the ether provided our enemy learns the way."

"There are but a few damned and few if any immortals know about what you mention. Still, they are the scourge of the world beyond the lair and now much more a threat to even us here. Not so much us on the isle but you know what I mean."

"Correct," Nyeusi replied. "You need no reminding when I say if the truth be told, they value no life other than their own."

"I hear you," Abysinnia replied. "But what would you have us do?"

"I'd have you listen. You, the council, and from there word will spread," he replied.

"Yes, but you want some type of action," Abysinnia said.

"It is why I am here," Nyeusi replied. "But before this, all of our kin, down to the last skeptic must know about what has transpired. Perhaps now they may be convinced any talk that suggests the immortals can cohabit or exist harmoniously with nature will be abandoned.

"After what happened out on the plains, we now have enough witnesses to testify about how murderous a lot they are. The authenticity of this will not be questioned."

"Very well," Abysinnia said.

"After the council meeting, the people here will come to know and I will personally meet with our kin in the mountains to inform them about the savagery of these creatures."

"As you wish," Abysinnia replied.

"You are to be mindful of your telling this," Nyeusi said. "Do you hear me?"

"I will be," Abysinnia replied.

"In any event, you will be here as I relate and give a thorough account of it to the council. They were the aggressors, you see," he added, looking Abysinnia in the eye.

"Recall my telling you luckily, after a routine flight to monitor the lands between us, we observed them advance toward our homes, clearly with the intent of destroying us."

Abysinnia stared at him and Nyeusi felt he appeared at a loss for comprehension.

"Right," the younger brother said, then he shook his head to confirm he understood.

The council members began arriving, and shortly after they all did, Nyeusi explained once more what transpired.

"I'm surprised but perhaps should not be by several things you mentioned," one stated. This was Firstson.

"At what in particular?" Nyeusi asked.

"On the whole, it's an incredible story," he replied, "but to learn they've grown to such numbers and are out there in the open is quite troubling. To know they've become as audacious as to launch an attack against us, that's all the more disturbing. No one pretending to have any kind of sense would argue this can be allowed to continue."

"Not just any attack," Nyeusi said. "They meant to obliterate us, but ours fought bravely and although our body count was high, we did manage to repel them."

"Hm," Firstson uttered.

"Now that you've shed light on what transpired, you understand our indignation," another councilman interjected. This was Moto. "The question now is what would you have us do," he added.

"Well," Nyeusi began, "I am open to suggestions and I was hoping I could get some good ones from you. As the old saying goes, two or more heads are better than one."

"Given the casualties you sustained, do you now not have enough fighters to stand against them?" Moto asked.

"We have enough to give a good account of ourselves but I need more," Nyeusi replied. "A good account is hardly enough. I need assurance there will not be a repeat of what happened."

"There are a million miles with all sorts of terrain, plus a sea between us and Urkran," Moto replied. Urkran was the Shetani stronghold located south of the Kimbilio, across from the Great Plains.

"I know," Nyeusi said.

"You're not suggesting . . ."

"Anything," Nyeusi interjected. "Not yet. Not before I hear your suggestions."

"But you want more resources. More fighters. Do you not?" Moto asked.

"I do," Nyeusi replied.

"Then, the question of how do we get them to you is paramount," Moto said.

"Without a doubt," Nyeusi replied.

"Not only will it be a challenge, it will take time," Moto said. "More than you care to know."

"Indeed," Nyeusi said.

"Securing aid from our kin in the mountains is probably the better bet. They're not quite as far away, are they? Plus, there is no sea between you and them," said Firstson.

"And, what of our brothers north of the Forest of Souls?" Abysinnia asked.

"You know the answer to that," Nyeusi said. "That would introduce the probability of facing another battle just to get to their village."

"Another battle?" Abysinnia said.

"Where's your memory?" Nyeusi returned. "The forest is infested with ghouls. No one wants any trouble with them if that could be avoided. Recall they are as plentiful as the forest bats there and well nestled within that terrain. They know how to fight from a position of concealment and would therefore prove to be no mere nuisance."

Abysinnia said nothing more.

"And, what of our mountain kin?" Firstson asked.

"That will present some additional challenges," Nyeusi said.

"Enough to make them the less viable alternative?" Firstson asked. "Come now, Nyeusi. When was the last time we saw you? You're here for a reason. You never fail to think things over thrice. What's on your mind?"

"Ideally, to punish them with a surprise attack," he replied.

"And, what's to stop this?" Firstson asked.

"I'd eliminate the lot before they could so much as raise a finger," Nyeusi replied.

"You're asking the impossible," Moto said.

"Am I?" Nyeusi asked. "They all but did the impossible to us. Should we manage our affairs efficiently that would be a just reward."

"And, you still haven't told us specifically what you have in mind," Firstson said. "Or, do you have any specifics in mind? I suspect you do."

"Sounds to me like no matter what choice is made there will be heavy casualties. If they've grown into such a force, shouldn't we consider a truce? I'm getting the impression this would likely be best for both parties," a certain Betason added.

The room fell silent.

Nyeusi's neck and head suddenly felt very warm, then hot.

If it were possible to pierce a man like one may do with a spear but by using a cold hard stare, Betason would have been mortally wounded, if not dead, instantaneously.

"You're getting the impression?" Nyeusi said, and he held him in this visual vice grip for the next few seconds.

Betason did not reply.

"I wonder what do you know or how much do you think you know about these invaders to dare mention what you did. Must be a lot."

Betason remained silent.

"Well, let's hear it," Nyeusi said, but Betason thought it best to say nothing.

"I suspect saying anything to you will be a waste of time, but I will speak anyway. Not because I'm interested in you or anything you or those like you have to say or believe. I'll speak for the benefit of the others to hear.

"I have traveled longer and farther than you can imagine and during that time I have seen what this scourge you'd offer a truce is about."

"I didn't say offer, but rather consider offering, my lord," he interjected.

"Be silent!" Nyeusi said emphatically.

"I offered you a chance to speak before. Did I not?"

He did not reply.

"There is nothing to consider!" Nyeusi added.

"I have seen what these invaders are about, both here and from the lands from which they came. I can see their world because I have traveled through the portal in the mountain. Have you?

"What's more is I've had a view of what the future holds for all life there through the necromancer's stone.

"This scourge you'd consider offering a truce won't merely kill a wildebeest or two, and not for food but for fun. Or, as they call it, cull herds to make space for their ever growing numbers. They will obliterate entire forests, poison and kill all life in rivers and streams. Oceans, seas, nothing to them is scared, and nothing anywhere will be spared.

"So, what do you think they will make of you, my foolish friend? The most they may offer you is not a truce, but if you're lucky, confinement like we do to their kind in the mountains.

"Your fate, however, is more likely to sooner or later be extermination, given their penchant for doing this without exception to whatever does not look like them.

"Now, is such a profane creation something you'd offer a truce to?"

Betason looked at him.

"You may speak," Nyeusi said.

He was slow to respond.

"I wonder," he began, "if two wrongs make a right and if perhaps we ought to not lead by example."

Nyeusi allowed himself a moment before replying.

"I'll be kind and generous enough to offer you one of two options," he began. "Meet me outside now and you'll be allowed the use of your sword in defense, or you may remain here in silence until this meeting is over, after which I'll have your head removed. Which one is it?"

"My Lord . . ." Betason began and he stood up.

Nyeusi raised his arm in the air and he said no more.

"Which one is it?" Nyeusi asked, and the room once again fell into a deathly silence.

A second passed, then two, three . . . . Seven seconds passed.

"Sit down, you would be traitor," Nyeusi said, and Betason did as was told.

Nyeusi's wrestled with trying to come to a decision about what should he say next.

"Now where were we before being so rudely interrupted?" he said.

His temperature slowly began to cool. Betason suddenly felt quite cold although perspiration appeared on his forehead.

Nyeusi began to discuss what he had in mind as a strategic attack and the assembly, all of them but Betason found it difficult to concentrate on the topic of discussion.

The inability to concentrate lingered. The meeting drew to a close and Betason could not recall a word of what was discussed after he was told to sit and be silent.

Nyeusi gave his closing remarks and Betason, with the longest face he ever wore, felt numb.

"Take him to the executioner's block," Nyeusi ordered, then he made to depart. "His life is forfeit."

"My Lord," the condemned soul lamented, but his words fell on deaf ears.

In the blink of an eye, Nyeusi was no longer among them and his thoughts were on whether he should try to get a bit of rest.

He decided he would.

He headed toward his chambers and was pleased to see his bed and all within the place was keep in as immaculate a condition as if he had never left.

Barely twenty minutes passed before he settled into bed when Abysinnia came looking for him.

"Leave us," he said, and the guards who came with him departed.

Nyeusi sat up.

"It is done," Abysinnia said.

"Very well," the elder brother replied.

"How long before you'd have us leave for Maar?"

Maar was a pristine forested region hundreds of miles east of the Besi or great river.

"I wasn't thinking of you going," Nyeusi replied.

"No?" Abysinnia said.

"No," Nyeusi replied.

"Okay," Abysinnia said.

"Do you want to?" Nyeusi asked.

"It doesn't make a difference to me," Abysinnia replied.

"Why not stay here?" Nyeusi asked. "Continue to be my eyes and ears while I'm away. In fact, I'd prefer that."

"As you wish," Abysinnia said.

"For the immediate future most of what's to do away from here will be grunt work anyway. Stay here and relax a bit," Nyeusi said.

"Fine," Abysinnia replied.

"Good," Nyeusi said.

"And, when the work is done, when they are prepared, what will you have me do? Will you at least keep us informed this time considering how much of our men here will be involved?"

"Of course," Nyeusi replied.

"And, will you not want me to play any larger role then? I mean after they have built the boats?" Abysinnia asked.

"You are a commander and a strong leader," Nyeusi replied. "You needn't throw yourself into the heart of this battle unless you have a mind for it."

"I needn't but I don't mind," Abysinnia said.

"Your enthusiasm warms my heart, brother. I commend you. This time there will be no mistakes. They will not expect an approach coming from the east as they have no men that way, or certainly not as far away as Maar. Also, this is not a last stand kind of situation," Nyeusi said.

"But you were mistaken about their presence before."

"I'll have the area further monitored before long. How's that?" Nyeusi said.

"Very well," Abysinnia replied, "and, on that note, I'll leave you to get some rest. Who isn't already informed about what's going on needs to be. I'll see to that.

"Our riders will need to be informed and prepared with all the necessities for the journey. There is no time for play. We shall talk further before you depart."

"Thank you, brother," Nyeusi said.

Dusk was fast arriving and the immortals decided they would rest also. They were grateful to be blessed with consecutive days in which there was no rain since getting any rest meant sleeping out in the open exposed to the elements.

Fear of being attacked by nocturnal predators persisted while they slept, but the fires they made around them proved to be sufficient to ward off any beasts that may have had having a meal in mind.

The individual campfires stretched out over so large an area, for that matter, that for the nocturnal animals, they proved to be more a spectacle and source of intrigue than any inspiration to launch an attack.

Men shared the responsibility of awakening every few hours to ensure they kept the fires going, plus keep an eye out should there be any daring and wayward beast that may have fancied having a go at them.

They awoke at the crack of dawn as did Nyeusi, with both parties bent on heading to their homes.

"I hope I will see you again," Abysinnia said.

"Like it's such an improbability. Why do you say it like that?" Nyeusi asked.

"Because," Abysinnia replied.

"Because what?" Nyeusi asked.

"Because these are trying times," Abysinnia replied.

"They are," Nyeusi affirmed. "But as far as being involved in any unusual danger, nothing will happen unless they launch an attack on us."

"And, how probable do you believe that is?" Abysinnia said.

"Anything is possible," Nyeusi replied, "but at least we're making plans."

"Plans that may be thwarted," Abysinnia said.

"Have faith, my brother. Think positive thoughts," Nyeusi said.

"Very well," Abysinnia said.

Nyeusi embraced him and he and a farewell party that included Firstson, Moto, and Kalinda, watched him mount his kilmanya and fly away.

Abysinnia turned to Moto. "We have work to do," he said.

"Indeed," Moto replied.

"We must tell the riders the time has come to prepare themselves to head to Maar," Abysinnia added.

"Right," Moto said.

Meanwhile, there wasn't a man left at Kimbilio who hadn't ventured out onto the plains who now failed to assemble outside of the village.

They stared fixedly at the horizon. The inside of palms clenched steadfastly to weapons became sweaty.

Perspiration congealed on many a brow, and there was not a cheery face among them.

Apprehension slowly turned to curiosity as the source that so alarmed them drew nearer, and now, it did not appear to be so foreboding after all, or so many of the onlookers began to believe.

Several men from the approaching army raised their arms in the air and waived.

Oba, who was at the front of the ranks, smiled.

"They're our men!" he exclaimed. "It's a miracle!"

A boisterous cheer emanated from the crowd.

"So many of them. Can this be true or do my eyes deceive me?" one fellow said.

Glum faces now appeared happy. All fear and trepidation vanished and many an immortal ran madly and excitedly toward each other.

One, in his overzealousness, would have knocked Oba over had it not been for a friend who held him before he hit the ground.

They threw themselves into each other's arms, wrapped themselves around each other, lifted others off their feet, all in uproarious jubilation over what they previously believed was improbable.

How in heavens name could they have overcome so terrifying an army, or did they ever face Nyeusi's men? The questions in their heads were endless.

"Can you believe your eyes, my brothers?" Oba asked.

"I can," the fellow nearest him replied.

"How in the name of God?" a fellow next to Oluso asked.

"Because we are more manly than they are," he replied, and a boisterous roar came from the crowd.

"Right you are!" someone shouted.

"Hooray!" the crowd roared.

"We are all ears," another fellow who stayed back among the last line of defense interjected. "Onward home we go then do tell us all," he added, and those words too were met with great cheer.

Those who stayed back hoisted a number of the victorious into the air to shouts of hooray every time a fellow was caught and flung upward.

Others got hold of the triumphant ones and carried them aloft or on their shoulders toward their home.

"All that's missing now to make this the perfect occasion, is a good strong drink," Feignmann remarked.

"Agreed," Pseudomann added.

"God, do I miss being able to drink. Drink and be able to hold it down, enjoy what I drank," Feignmann said.

"We all do," Zaeim said, "but don't let it dampen the mood. Be grateful we are still alive."

"I am," Feignmann said. "It's so good to be alive."

The minute they arrived home, those who comprised what was to be their last line of defense, reminded their warrior peers to spare no detail about their adventures.

"Tell us everything," Mjumbe said. "I mean everything," he added and the men laughed.

"Sure," Feignmann said. "Want to know more about the shitani, eh?" he added, and the men laughed heartily at that appellation. "We will tell all."

"Little did we know we had more to fear from mice than they who purport to be men," Pseudomann added, and his remark was met with boisterous cheer.

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# Afterword

BOOK ONE of the series (banner shown below), which features the continuation of the story, or all eighteen chapters, is available for free in exchange for honest review. Please Click Here in order to do so and keep abreast of what became of Daniel, Ali, Penal, Sodom, and Asfar, the ones who entered the lair, the cave featured on this book's cover. The lair is an alternate, more frightful entry to the underworld where the antagonist Nyeusi, and the Shetani, have a stronghold.

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