CHAPTER TWENTY SIX - MEN OF THE CANYON

If one did not use ropes and climbing hooks, which Sapphire was not intent on using, there was a sole entrance to the gorge. It was a narrow ledge that descended in parallel to the canyon wall.

The silent serviles parted for him and Sapphire took his first step down. His gemmed turban was straightened, and he wore his best robes. His silver rings were polished to a shine. Clean-shaven and scented with a precious perfume the merchant walked down the narrow path, trying his best to ignore the looming chasm besides his feet.

Further down he saw fierce men lean out of the first rockside caves, holding bows of their own.

Sapphire held his hands high, showing himself unarmed. ‘I have come to speak. I am a merchant from the east, traveling the desert. A newcomer to this land, not causative of your hardship. The tall lady has sent me to speak with you, please do not kill me.’

The tribesmen in the shadowy hollows discussed, then called out: ‘Proceed, merchant from the east, but only you.’

Sapphire slowly descended, step by step, careful not to slip from the foot-wide stretch of hewn rock path and tumble into the depths besides him. How deep does this thing go? He wondered. The bottom, if present at all, was shrouded in darkness.

serrated arrows were pointed at him not only from beneath him, but also across the canyon, where Sapphire now discovered an entire village built in the shadowy rocksides. It was like a honeycomb, lighting up from within the dark, steep rock. Zig-zag steps had been cut from the stone to give access between levels. Somewhere below a rope bridge was spun between the two lengths.

Impressive, Dan Sarpa decided. Although highly impractical.

As he got within arms-length of the first tribesman he was pulled into a cave, not more than a shallow alcove, and searched for weapons he did not possess. Their tongue was difficult to discern but Sapphire could understand the basic forms of their dialect.

‘You are one of her ash-devils?’ They asked.

‘I am a traveler.’ Sapphire replied. ‘I speak your language, I come to talk.’

The cave-dwellers spat in response, but he saw the desperation in their eyes. ‘Continue down. Our chief will speak with you.’ They retook their positions and aimed their bows at the silhouettes above. Curved blades hung from their hips.

Sapphire continued, the ledge narrowing until his back and hands were pressed against stone and his toes hovered over nothing. Sliding around the corner he reached another cave, this one larger. It was filled with warriors that looked at him dismissively, and as Sapphire stood there uncertainly looking for their chief, they urged him further. The downwards path led to a wider ledge, a whole series of hollows carved out around this depth. Here families were huddled together. They were thin, sickly people showing bony faces. Mothers shielded off their sons and daughters from the strange merchant, picking them up and carrying them deeper into their caves. ‘I seek your chieftain.’ Sapphire said.

An older man rose from his seat at the back of the cave. He was bald with a strong grey beard, lines of black hair running from his lips to his chin like dual outpourings of ink. His skin was bronzed and weathered, but his lean body showed strength. His weathered arms were criss-crossed with white scars.

‘Who is this stranger in my hold?’ A pair of unfriendly eyes narrowed as they inspected Sapphire’s exotic merchant-attire, hovering over the gem in his turban.

‘They call me mister Sapphire.’ Dan Sarpa replied, pointing at the large gem on his turban. ‘I am a trader of long distances. Semiramis has asked me to speak with you.’

‘The tall witch has asked you to talk with us?’ The old chieftain shook his head. ‘Its unnatural.’ He added, walking over with a slight limp. One of the women handed him over a sword, which he fasted to his belt. Another pulled a leather cuirass over his head and tightened the armour with ropes at his shoulders. A third handed over an indented bronze shield. The old chief was taller than the merchant. The chief raised his chin and lowered his old green eyes dismissively to his guest. ‘My tribe does not serve demons of the sand.’

‘Demon?’ Sapphire asked. ‘She is a very special woman, but she is but of flesh and blood. Her bloodline comes from another age, from another world. It is natural for us men to serve those of her lineage.’

‘Demon.’ The chief affirmed, craning his neck forward and sniffing Sapphire’s neck.

‘You do not smell of sulphur and ash, but the evil men at her command do. They have come into our valleys and burned our villages. They locked off the mountain passes. They came stealing our people in the night and we could hear them feed in the darkness. Vile acts that came with the appearance of that lady. We have seen her stand at our great canyon before, demanding, proposing. First she spake in ancient tongue, which we did not understand. Then she tried the words of our neighbours, which we refused to reply. Finally she spoke our own language, learned from the victims she had captured, and from her deceiving mouth came disfigured words and tortured passages; speaking of peace in servitude.’

Sapphire licked his dry lips. ‘There is a way out of this. Pledge your allegiance to her. Save further bloodshed.’

‘Pledge our allegiance!’ The chief called out, his voice filling the cavern with thunder.

‘Have you seen what she does with her followers? Our sons and brothers were stolen and we found them back the next day, eyes like glass and mouths sealed, returning with blades in their hands to kill their own fathers. I still have a good mind, despite my proud age of sixty, and I’d like to keep it. I like to tell jokes to my friends, I like to dream, to think. I like to hear the drums of the musician and the singing of my daughter. It is good of you to have come here, but I think it is time for you to return to the surface world. We are fine in our little crevice and like to be left alone.’

Sapphire nodded with understanding. ‘What is your name, chieftain?’

‘Deccard.’ The greying chieftain stated with distrust. Sapphire gestured to the others in the cave. ‘And these are your family, your children?’

Deccard gave a glare and Sapphire smiled apologetically. ‘I mean them no harm, chieftain of this depth. But forgive me when I say I cannot mistake their sight for hunger. Starvation is a miserable end, I’ve seen it more often than not during my journeys. Above, in the following of Semiramis, there is food. She can feed them, if satiated.’ Sapphire inched closer and started to whisper so only the chieftain could hear. ‘You and me both know very well how this is going to end. Do you not want for your blood to live on after you?’

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Deccard replied in loud voice. ‘I rather throw my own children into the depths than have them serve that Beastess.’

‘You won't throw anything. You will all starve out before the end of the month. Semiramis is merciful, she wants your children to live. This deep pit you call home is of no concern of hers, and neither is this entire dry land. She wants soldiers to take to the east, to conquer, to reclaim. Where great rivers of water flow unopposed and the land becomes green. She will be grateful for servitude, negotiate well and she might even allow you to keep your own thoughts. You will have to leave this place for good, however, and follow her.’

‘We will hold out until the end, merchant-negotiator. We have denied Semiramis request before and we will do so again.’

‘Disbeliever.’ Sapphire was surprised by his own words and the ferocity with which they were spoken. ‘-She is blood of the Gods.’ He continued on calmer tone. ‘A divine creature. Have you ever seen a woman as tall as her? She is of a higher magnitude than us men, hence her cruelty is great to the lesser that oppose her. Would you not kill the rat that feeds on your grain, do you not swat the fly that lands on your lap? Serve, I beg you, serve and live. I can redeem you and your clan, forgo your pride and let them live.’

Deccard sighed. ‘Let me show you something, Sapphire merchant.’ He brushed past Sapphire and leaned out of the cave. He watched the path upwards and saw his tribesmen in their positions, sticking out of the upper caves with weapons ready. Further up the path Semiramis’ servants and her banners loomed over the ledge above, silent and unmoving like painted clay statues.

Deccard growled and moved left; following the path deeper into the depths. He gestured for Sapphire to follow. ‘Come, merchant, you must see to understand.’

They lowered into the canyon over steep stairways and narrow ledges, light from above gradually dimming. More caves were passed, poorly lit and filled with downtrodden people. They descended a long while, and when it got too dark Deccard lit a torch to illuminate the way. The caves disapeared and all that was left was an increasingly steep narrow ledge leading down.

‘What will you show me, Deccard?’ Sapphire asked.

‘An outsider like you doesn't know the customs of these lands. You must be shown instead of told.’ The tribal chief replied.

After a long descent they reached what seemed like the bottom. Sapphire had sweated all the way down, constantly afraid to fall, and felt relieved as he felt a broad plateau of rock under his feet again. Looking up, he saw the light from above reduced to a tiny snaking line, a crack far above in a world of darkness. ‘Your tribe has chosen quite the place as their home.’

‘My ancestors were wise. Ten men can defend against an army, a hundred against the world. Now come, come.’

As they moved over the bottom torchlight showed arrows on the canyon floor, cudgels, spears. A helmet. Then flattened mangled bodies, decomposing in various states of rot. Many of them.

‘Your mistress keeps sending them against us. We keep killing them.’ Deccard sighed.

They passed the fallen corpses and discarded arnaments and came upon a small break in the canyon wall, a glow of light coming through the opening. The passage was tight, and only one could enter at a time. Deccard sternly gestured for the merchant to enter, one hand resting on the bronze sword in his scabbard. Rounding the corner Sapphire was hit with the sudden heat and brightness. He blinked his eyes, and before him he saw a twelve white robed men on their knees, praying around an altar of fire that glowed within an encasing of patterned multi-coloured glass.

The glass panels were held in place by gold, and four golden rings held two long wooden staves used to carry the fire-chest. The flames within danced and sparked, and through the glowing glass panels the dark cave walls were primarily cast in orange light, though occasionally fragments of green, red and blue simmered through the rays. Sapphire stood in awe until he realized the muttering of the monks had ceased.

Twelve old men now stood upright and watched the newcomers expectantly. Milky, yellowed and blind eyes twisted around the merchant. Strangely, Sapphire felt fear at the sight of these robed elders.

Deccard pushed Sapphire out of the way and the large aged tribal bowed his bald head. ‘My apologies, wise ones, for disturbing you.’

One of the white robed gestured with a wrinkled hand. His back was crooked and he shuffled a finger’s breadth closer. ‘Good day and blessings to you, Deccard of the canyon-men.’

His head switched back to Sapphire, and the rest of the old men followed. ‘Good day and blessings to you, stranger. Have you come to purify yourself?’

Deccard snorted. ‘He is a messenger of the Tormentor. According to him she wishes to negotiate.’

He placed a strong hand on Sapphire’s clothed shoulder.

‘Your eyes are not worthy to see but circumstance has allowed you this instance. These are the grandmasters of the order of the sacred flame, alongside their greatest relic now assembled in my house. Monks. Masters of wisdom. Now forced to take refuge in my house. Your mistress has scourged their kind from these lands. Beyond hunger of my children, the struggle of my people, I must keep them secure. They have put their trust in me and I cannot surrender.’

One of the monks gave an angry frown, stroking his long white beard furiously. ‘She will extinguish the sacred fire now she knows it is here!’

Another old man, more gentle of appearance, interceded. ‘She will extinguish it nonetheless. What was the last time you ate? Dear Deccards men are starving, as are his children. We have burdened him so severely…’ The old monk shook his head. ‘I am sorry we came to your house, Deccard.’

‘I have no regrets.’ The chieftain replied and made way to leave the monks again. ‘Now you know, merchant of the Tall one. How will you negotiate? I cannot surrender these wise lords to your mistress, the Tall one will leave them tortured disfigured corpses.’

Dan Sarpa licked his lips as he sensed opportunity. He had come upon a trapped cargo of priestly men and a golden fire; A rare variable, valued so highly by the opposing party. Here was room for haggling and profit.

‘If my mistress lets them go and gives them free passage to any of the wind’s directions, will you finally bow down? Will you provide her with soldiers and sustenance? Shall you depart from this pit and follow Semiramis to far-away territories, wages paid in full in the lives of these great men?’

Deccard said nothing and Sapphire pressed further. ‘Resistance will be met with inevitable death for you and your men. Thát beautiful fire will be doused in the blood of its keepers. The coming fate of your tribe I dread. My mistress will take in her collection all their minds and use the empty husks for her purposes until they are spent completely. Dead-eyed children will march across the sand, and the women will birth a generation of pain and slavery.’

Deccard frowned. ‘Perhaps death is a better alternative than servitude - for all of us.’

Sapphire pouted his lips. ‘There is a way out, for these monks and their fugitive altar, and for you, Deccard. Strike a deal and there’ll be no rapine, no extinguishing, no decapitation and no more hunting. Your tribe will cease to become prey and be safe under the sacred banner of Semiramis the tall.’

Sapphire nodded contently at his own words. Semiramis the tall. ‘I have seen enough. Allow me to return to Semiramis and speak with her. I will swiftly return with an offer. It will be yours to accept or decline.’

Deccard looked to the monks for guidance, but they kept their faces masks - unwilling to manipulate the fate of the chieftain for their own lives. He swallowed, a droplet of sweat rolling over his temple. ‘As you wish…’ Deccard stated weakly.

Sapphire’s smile widened to a wolfish grin, and he returned to the surface with haste.