The Dragons of Sara Sara (13 page)

The designs were old. He recalled having seen the drawings in the old history books. They were from a past age of wonders. An age of plenty, when man had wondrous machines to help build vast cities. Much like this one he supposed. This must be a surviving relic of that past age of glory. The books had told of many strange things and Antonin believed very little of it. He put it down to the fancies of the authors. After all the books had themselves been written long after the passing of those ages.

Now there was no sign of anyone surviving or living in this long abandoned city. Antonin could clearly see that the buildings were mostly in a crumbling state. The streets and wide boulevards littered with rubble.

To pass the time he decided to investigate some of the nearby buildings.

Antonin walked out into the street and noted where he was and the building in which the others slept. Just in case, he left a small pile of stones on the bottom step of their building. He strolled along in the centre of the wide street and now that he looked closely he could see that this was a place that had somehow survived the upheavals of the last great age. A place not destroyed completely by the war to conquer the Dark Lord. The ancients had managed imprison the Father of Lies but at what a cost. Humanity itself was almost destroyed. Even now so long after the battles there were vast areas of the world that remained scorched and blackened and where nothing lived. Where nothing could live. Tharsians were a curse that held the Plains since those days, and it was rumoured that in the lands far to the east dragons still lived.

Antonin wandered along the wide avenue marvelling at the completeness of the ruins. He would not turn off the way. It would be too easy to get lost in the darkness. Only the starlight showing the way. He had gone a little way when he saw a set of stairs let into the pavement on either side of the road. Did they simply lead under the road, providing a means of getting from one side of a busy street to the other? Could there be rooms down there? Antonin could not guess the purpose. He ventured a little way down the steps of one entrance but it was as black at pitch after only a few steps down. With no idea what lay below, he returned to the street level. If he could he would have liked to explore even further but already he noticed there was a faint grey smudge along the skyline. Dawn was on the way. Antonin returned to his position by the door, leaning his back against the door frame. The city was utterly deserted and still and as he squatted motionless against the door the night slowly turned into the hazy light of a new dawn. He heard the soft footfalls of Catharina as she came to stand in the doorway. Without turning he said,

“Catharina, this is a ruin from the age of legends. I have never seen it before, have you?”

“No, I have not.” She replied, yawning sleepily.

“Did we bring any oil lamps with us?” He asked.

“Yes. There are some along with flasks of oil in our packs. Riadia insisted that we take them.” Replied Catharina.

“Well before we decide to move on, I would like to explore a very strange place I found. A set of stairs that lead down into the earth from street level.” Antonin pointed down the road. “Just along the way a little.”
Catharina looked at Antonin for a few moments, but with the unfocused gaze of one in deep thought. With a glance up the street she said quietly “We are on a search for the key after all. It would seem as good a place as any to start.” Catharina looked back into the darkened room where their companions still slept. She quietly fetched two oil lamps and a jar of oil from her packs. Her fellow warriors woke at the slight noise, instantly alert. Luan and Mei'An sat up on their beds of coats and rugs.

“What is happening Catharina?” said Mei'An.

“Nothing, Mei'An. Antonin and I will just be up this road away exploring some steps that Antonin found. We will return shortly.”
Mei'An settled comfortably, sitting cross legged on her bedding.

“Don't be long Catharina, we must discuss our plans, and where we must go now in our search.”
Catharina nodded and went out the door with the waiting Antonin. It was really only a short distance up the street Catharina discovered. Actually within sight of their resting place now that there was a little more light. The stone balustrade was almost green with lichen but still appeared strong and untouched by time. There must have been a little moisture blowing up from the depths for the lichen to live in this otherwise desolate place. The broad stone steps led down to a landing from where they appeared to branch right and left again into the darkness, and then continue on down. This was as far as the light of the dawn was penetrating and that very weakly. The two stood at the top of the stairs, the empty buildings around them eerily quiet in the dawn. Dust wafted along the broad street. There were no foot prints in the dust apart from their own, and those of some small creature that had passed along the street in the night. It's tiny tracks disappeared into a crack in a wall across the way. There were most likely lots of small animals, even birds in the old ruins. Where humans no longer lived the smaller creatures soon took over again.

Antonin filled and lit the oil lamps, their smoky flames flickering steadily in the still air.

“We will not go far into this I think Catharina,” he said. “We can leave the oil jar here at the top of these stairs as a marker to others.”

Catharina didn't answer, just pointed to their footprints in the dust. Antonin grinned sheepishly.

Holding a lamp each, up high so the light would not be in their eyes they started down into the gloom. The smooth walls were tiled with a shiny glass like surface and strange scenes were patterned into them. Both Catharina and Antonin studied the murals but apart from the strangely dressed people depicted, nothing else seemed remotely recognisable. A mystery that perhaps the Wind Reader could explain.

They hesitated on the first landing. Go right, or go left? Peering into the dark on each side, the still descending steps angled at a lower landing so that they both descended together.

“Well Catharina. One is the same as the other it would seem.”

Antonin beckoned Catharina to follow, and began down the steps where he stood. Reaching the next landing, they peered downwards. It was very dark. No light penetrated down those stairs save the weak light from their flickering lamps. They eyes were accustomed to the fait glow now though. They had started out in the pre dawn light after all. Holding the lamps high and steady they could see that the stairs branched right again at a lower level again. They had to meet the other set of stairs that descended from the upper level. Antonin realized that this was simply a design to handle large numbers of people going up and down at the same time. Where were they going to or coming from though? Antonin again led the way and they started down. The structure was still solid. No signs of wear or decay. Only a coating of mosses and lichens. Trickles of moisture came from cracks between the stone work and fed the mosses. The mysterious murals followed them down, depicting people in strange garb going about their business in a city much like that above, but with strange vehicles in the streets and in the air that were unrecognisable to either Antonin or Catharina. The people were dressed in strange clothing that appeared to cover them from neck to ankle. Men and women alike in the same cloths, distinguishable only by their physical shapes. The designs were intricate and colourful, despite their obvious great age. Antonin could not believe such wondrous treasures remained hidden and untouched.

Sure enough, the descending stairs rejoined at the next level down and then continued on down in one wide stairway. Twenty people could have fitted shoulder to shoulder across the stairway.

"Shall we continue on?” Said Antonin looking at Catharina.

“Yes,” she replied. “At least we should see where these steps lead to. We have come this far after all.”

Her voice cracked slightly at the end as her first words came floating back up from the dark depths. They looked apprehensively at each other. With a shrug Antonin started down the broad stairway.

They continued down some distance before the stairs ended on a broad smooth area that stretched away on either side into the darkness. It was pitch black outside the small circle of light from the lamps. Antonin stepped carefully forward, the lamp held high. Catharina was close beside him. A short way forward, directly in front the smooth area ended abruptly. Blackness in front of it. It could only be the edge to a precipice that fell away into the depths of the earth. The grey of the strange stone work was smooth and unbroken, and was clearly visible in the faint light from the oil lamps. This only emphasised the abrupt cut off edge further out from the bottom of the steps. Slowly the glow of the lamps penetrated the darkness, bringing the vastness of the cavern into view. It extended away into pitch blackness however as the feeble light could not penetrate so far. Looking about them, they could see small rooms set along the walls. There were sign boards still mounted on doors and covered in layers of fine dust. The vast space was interspersed with huge pillars that disappeared up into the darkness, obviously holding up the roof of this huge room.

Catharina edged closer to the edge of what she thought must be a drop into the depths of the earth itself.

“Take a care Catharina.” Said Antonin. It was obvious though that she was taking great care. Suddenly she let out a relieved laugh.

“What is it?” Cried Antonin in alarm. His voice reverberated back and forth in the vast chamber.

“Come and see, Antonin, but take a care you don't fall in!” She laughed.

“Harrumph.” Declared Antonin and strode over to where Catharina stood casually at the very edge of the grey expanse. His eyes opened wide when he looked over the edge. There, just a small drop below him was another level. Three hand spans at most. There was an accumulation of strange rubbish strewn along the bottom of this drop but neither Antonin nor Catharina were inclined to jump down to see what it was. Strangest of all was the structure that ran in either direction along the pit that they stood above. That it was a pit had become obvious now that they had moved to the edge. The other side could be seen in the lamplight. It appeared to be exactly the same as the side on which they stood. It's surface disappeared away into the darkness.

The structure that could be seen on the floor of the pit was perhaps a long stride out into the centre and stood perhaps knee high above the floor. It appeared to be a continuous iron rail, bolted to a supporting platform. The surface glittered like a highly polished sword, and the sides were coated with a scale of rust. This could only mean that something still used this strange device. Neither had ever seen such a structure. No blacksmith that lived could forge such a piece. It ran off into the distance in either direction. It had to have been made, like the rest of this strange place, in the age of legends. That they had stumbled into the heart of it was pure chance. They would have a tale or two to tell the others. Antonin stood scratching his chin. He looked again at the iron rail. A polished surface meant constant use. Anyone knew this, from warrior to farm hand. The hair prickled on the back of his neck as he tried to imagine what it could be that rode this rail, so far down in the earth. In such darkness. What kind of beast still lived down in these depths that would move along this strange road, ever polishing the iron rail that guided it in the darkness.

It was unimaginable. Nothing in their experience came near it. Nothing in the old stories told of it. Yet here it was, and as easily discovered as a short walk down some stairs. How was it that nothing was known of it.

“Antonin, there are no tracks in the dust down here save our own. If the thieves who took the key came this way, then they left no tracks. I think it unlikely. We should return and tell the others of this place.” Catharina started back toward the stairs.

Antonin was not reluctant to leave, but wanted to see how far the level went in either direction, and what, if anything might be in the silent dusty rooms that lines the walls.

“A quick look Catharina, then we go.” He said. Catharina merely grunted in reply. She would never understand why men had to poke their noses into every nook and cranny they found. It always led to trouble, and invariably it was a woman who rescued them. She trailed after him along the smooth stone, a smile of friendship lighting her face. They would follow each other, even into the mountains around Sara Sara. Antonin grinned back at her and continued on. Catharina stood and waited on the stone platform as Antonin entered the first room near the stairs. She could see his lamp light flickering. Suddenly she felt a shift in the entire air around her. It was the only way she could describe it. Not a breeze on her cheek or a draft in her hair. The entire body of air in the cast cavern had shifted one way then back again. It had lasted but a moment, little more than a heartbeat. Something was happening. The flame and smoke from her lamp no longer went straight up. It was now streaming away at an angle, in line with the run of the rail in the middle of the pit. Catharina was alerted and on her toes in an instant when she felt the strands of her hair start to drift out in a gathering draft.

“Antonin,” she called out. “Come quickly, something is happening out here. Quickly.”

Antonin heard the concern in her voice and came out of the rooms at a run.

“What is it Catharina?” He called worriedly.

“Watch.” She said and nodded at their lamps. The smoke rose from the flame and then flattened out and streamed away into the darkness. It felt to Antonin like the change in the air before a storm. There was still no sound, but the air pressure was certainly changing.

“What could it be?” Wondered Antonin aloud. He walked over to where the iron rail lay in its sunken pathway. His skin went tingly as he heard a low hum coming from the iron rail. It was also showing tiny vibrations. Even as he watched and listened, the hum grew in intensity. Looking away down the length of the sunken pathway to his left he was startled to see a very very faint light like an eye glowing in the depths. It seemed very far away, but it was defiantly watching from the darkness, and unless he was dreaming it was getting larger. It was coming toward them! They must have attracted the beast that lived in these depths.

“Catharina,” yelled Antonin “… The stairs, quickly. Head for the stairs.” He grabbed Catharina's hand on the way past, speeding for the stairs. What size was this monster that it could move the entire air mass in this cavern with its movements?

Catharina needed no urging. She knew there would be trouble – men always caused it – but she could hear the hum from the iron rail herself now and the glow from the eye of the unknown beast was now lighting up the tunnel ahead of it as it sped toward them. They leapt the stairs two at a time, the beast of the depths now roaring in their ears. Catharina dropped her lamp and it sputtered out as it tumbled back down the steps. They sped upwards, the awful roaring increasing in intensity with every step they took. A sudden blast of air rushed up the steps past them, it's force enough to nearly blow them up the steps and into the street.

The roaring from the depths stopped as abruptly as the wind died. A faint movement of air back to the depths drawing disturbed dust after it.

Catharina and Antonin struggled out into the daylight and fell into each other's arms laughing and capering about in relief, and with some chagrin at their wild panicky flight.

“What could it have been?” panted Antonin, now resting with his hands on his knees.

“I don't know, but would you like to come back down and see.” Laughed Catharina.

“I think not.” Replied Antonin.

The day had now dawned, the cloudless sky above a deep blue. The buildings looked sad and neglected in the daylight. Antonin picked up the oil jar and they set off back along the street to where the others waited. Their footsteps were clear in the fine layer of dust that had settled after the windstorm of the previous night.

Mei'An and Luan stood out in the street peering in their direction. The others, Gaul, Rees, Edina and Elsa stood with the horses on the wide entrance of the building at the top of the steps.

“What was that noise?” Asked Mei'An as the two adventurers drew near.

“It sounded like it was coming from deep in the city. We thought the building would shake apart.” She added.

Talking over the top of each other, Antonin and Catharina recounted their adventures, and the sudden arrival of the huge monster along its own tunnel.

The roaring had suddenly stopped so they did not know if it waited below, or had simply continued along its path. They had no idea what it could have been.

“… And I lost one of the lamps!” said Catharina into a sudden silence. Her two friends laughed. Only another Mare Altan would have been game enough to laugh at the discomfort of a warrior. The two boys looked studiously at the buildings up and down the street. Luan was studying the inside of his hat as though he had never seen it before.

Catharina could see all this of course, and went as red as a Bloodroot vegetable. She sputtered and stamped her foot in anger and looked daggers at Antonin.

“It's all your fault you wool headed farmer,” she spat. “If you hadn't run like a frightened cat we may have seen what the beast was.”

“Me! Run,” he laughed. “I was simply making sure the way ahead was clear for you. You could have gone back down to pick up the lamp.” The grin on his face was too friendly to ignore and Catharina suddenly realized she was being foolish.

“Truly, I was afraid,” she said. “It was like nothing I know to be faced by something unknown in the depths of the earth. Out here in the open is where I am used to fighting. Not buried in a tomb."

Catharina threw her hair over her shoulder in a defiant flick. It was a mannerism of hers that Antonin loved. With a sudden rush he realized that he loved everything about Catharina. “But what would she see in a farm boy?” he thought. Oh, he knew they had been friends since the cradle, but while he had taken his place on the farm she had taken up the spear. That meant that it was most unlikely that she would ever wed other than another warrior. One of the feared Asha Altan. Antonin kicked his toes in the dust. A sudden sense of loss gripping his heart with icy fingers so fierce that he gasped aloud. Catharina looked at him with a quizzical look in her eyes.

“Come,” he said harshly. “Do we plan our quest for the key or play the fool?”

The last aimed at himself. Catharina looked at him from beneath her eyelashes as she bent to retie a bootlace that had loosened. "So Antonin sees me again,” she thought. “But what has upset him so?” She resolved to find out if she could. Catharina had realized when she was quite young that one day she and Antonin would wed. It had been as clear then as the sun coming up in the morning. She knew also that it would not come to pass for many years, but it did not stop her from dreaming. Even when she took up the spear and joined the Mare Altan she knew she just had to wait. Antonin would come to her. She waited and wondered in here secret moments, and continued to discourage suitors from the clans of the men. She would wed Antonin if she had to wait until she was old and haggard and he stooped and grey haired. It was not an obsession, just something she knew.