As the dim light beyond the hatch faded, it took James a moment to adjust to the darkness around him. When he could finally distinguish rough shapes, he saw little more than cracked grey walls and the studded metal ladder, which creaked as they descended.
After around thirty rungs he finally found the ground; Evan stepped off the ladder soon after. The light at the top of the hatch showed the vague shape of Rolan against the bright night sky, before he swung the hatch lid shut without further ceremony.
Their surroundings darkened considerably and the booming slam of the hatch echoed around them, causing a chill to run through James. The tunnel stretched ahead in a dull light whose source could not be determined. It ran behind them for a few dozen feet before stopping at a brick wall, making it clear which direction to go. A soft gurgle was coming from a ditch of dark, glinting water on one side of the passageway.
They proceeded through the semi-circular tunnel in single file, with their footsteps echoing on the hard ground.
“And we trust him?” James asked after a while.
“Looks like we’ll have to,” Sam said without looking back. “Although something tells me that Rolan is a truer man than he appears.”
“The man with the severed finger on his necklace?” James asked sceptically. He heard a soft laugh ahead.
“Well mostly true. Perhaps that woman has a stronger hold on him than we’d think. Or perhaps the festival gave him high spirits.”
James admitted, “He did appear in a good mood”
“Aye,” Sam agreed.
James had to look behind him to be sure Evan was still there, as the Voarn’s steps made no sound.
Faint vibrations and muffled sounds could be heard above them now. The vague sounds of drums and a soft roar of a crowd above told them they were near another celebration area. James imagined that the fireworks sounded like distant explosions of a far-off war.
“What did you say this festival was?” James watched several concrete chips fall through the spreading dust.
“The Festival of Serne Soltice. The largest celebration for the Canarrians. It takes place every hundred years, when the spirit energy of Carnan is said to renew. Any Canarrian that’s born on the day of the festival is an honoured guest of the next one, and the dead are honoured also. The blue robes you saw some wearing were replicas of the holy robes that the honoured Canarrians are given.”
“The word Serne sounds familiar,” James said thoughtfully.
“Aye. You’ve likely heard the name around town, most likely from the Serne Hospice in Gav Way?”
“Right.”
“Named after the holy spirit Serne Soltice, the Lord of Re-birth and Health. Said to be the guardian of Carnan’s spirit.”
“And it’s happening right now.” James fell silent, seeing the coincidence of the festival taking place on today of all days.
The vibrations of the celebrations had faded behind them now. Plops of water dropping could be heard somewhere nearby, which sounded loud in the quiet tunnel.
“Sul’ryanatha,” Evan said behind them. “Sul’rya. The Guardian Goddess. Mistress of Lord Imupius and protector of my world. I did not expect her influence to extend this far away. Although these Canarrians must know her by a different name.”
His voice had fallen behind. James turned to see Evan now kneeling with his head bent low.
A hand lay flat on the hard ground. Evan remained still a moment before his hand closed, gathering up dirt and grit in a tight fist. He rose slowly, his head lifting last. Holding his fist over his chest a moment longer, he let his arm drop and the chips of dirt fell from his limp hand. His face was sombre through the gloom, making him look older and haggard, and nothing like the child James had seen him as.
“Your prayer was no doubt heard,” Sam said.
Evan gave a small nod, and then a stronger nod toward the tunnel. They continued their journey.
James had fallen into deep thought. A shiver shook his shoulders as he felt the grey murkiness of the tunnel envelop him.
He was leaving Tyken Town.
Maybe for good.
While he knew some of the world beyond, the problem was he had no first-hand memory of anywhere other than Tyken Town, and to some extent its neighbour Toolin. He would experience everything for the first time, even if he had previously been somewhere. And now he was leaving everyone he’d ever known.
A smile formed when he realised he had become somewhat attached to his two companions; the mysterious yet still likeable Sam Hawkings, and the strange, lost little Voarn Evan Goodheart, even if James was unsure of what to make of him.
While it was still difficult for James to shake the lonely feeling that had become embedded in him over the past two years, he felt a strengthening will push him forward. The image of Den Keenosh’s solemn face reminded him to be strong. The old man was right; James owed it to himself to find out who he was. Who he could be. He would make the most of the opportunity of accompanying Sam and Evan, wherever that would lead him.
That shaking feeling appeared to take a physical form when a low rumble came from below. A soft whining accompanied the growing reverberations, along with a muffled boom, like rolling thunder. James felt like there was a whole other world around them in the underground tunnel, like there was a whole other world above, out there for him to discover.
Looking over Sam’s shoulder, he saw the tunnel split into two smaller tunnels, which looked just like how Rolan had described. He was relieved that Rolan told the truth that much at least.
They came to a square room where the tunnel split, with a roof several feet above, heavily stained with damp water marks. The gutter of water lined the wall and continued down the right tunnel. Both paths appeared the same except for the stream of water.
“Right, so. The left tunnel. Right?” James asked.
“Right,” Sam said.
“No,” Evan quickly said with alarm. “The left, not the right.”
James had to smile at Evan’s serious expression as Sam explained that they meant the left tunnel.
Soon after they entered the tunnel, a new sound rose in the air. It began as a faint murmur, like an atmospheric static; more of a feeling than a sound. It grew to a low roar, which was when Sam stopped and focussed on the sound.
The roar became louder and clearer the more James listened, and carried a rumbling force with it. He tried to determine its direction, though it seemed to come from all over now.
“What is that?” he finally asked.
A moment passed with them all determining the sound, until Evan called out.
“Run!”
He rushed past James, splashing through the stream of water, and called out immediately again.
Sam grabbed James’s arm and they began running. An intense sense of urgency pushed James along, his heart thudding in his chest.
A thunderous roar crashed behind them. James turned, hoping it wasn’t what it sounded like, and his heart sank when he saw a wave of water surging toward them, filling the tunnel, rolling and crashing in its pursuit, and his heart sank.
Thankfully the end of the tunnel was just ahead, which appeared to open to a large room. Sam arrived at the end room first, and after a second of looking around, he darted up and out of view.
The furious torrent gained on them fast, and James was sure he would soon be swept up.
When Evan reached the room, he dashed to the right and out of view.
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James managed to enter the room just as a powerful force knocked him off his feet. A moment of darkness came as the water devoured him, turning him around and around. He was thrown into the back wall, the air escaping him and filling his mouth with the thick water. He held his breath again, though he couldn’t do so for much longer.
Finally managing to clear the surface, he choked down more water while gasping for breath. He realised the water level was rising fast, and desperately looked around for Sam or Evan.
The translucent water was thick with a sap-like feel, and easily carried him up.
A flash of green from the walkway caught James’s eye before another wave crashed over him. Something solid knocked into his side and pushed him further down. He jerked back when a hand grabbed his arm, and he was pulled back to the surface, gasping for breath. As James attempted to see the owner of the hand, a small wave washed over him, stinging his eyes, forcing him under again. Another arm curled around his waist, pushing him up now. James managed to focus on the person through blurred eyes, identifying Sam’s dark hair flat against his face.
The roof of the room rushed to meet them.
Somehow Sam managed to navigate through the water, though James had lost all sense of direction.
Their heads bobbed above and below the water level as they neared the roof, the rolling waves crashing over them. James finally saw Evan running along the walkway above the rising water. The Voarn then cleared the railing and dove into the water to join them.
James tried to call out before he jumped, but another mouthful of water stopped him. He lost sight of Evan, who hadn’t cleared the surface as far as he could see.
The darkness of a shaft above them came into view before they were swept up within it, barely missing the ceiling as the water crashed against it. The heavy water pushed them up the tube, which was just wide enough to fit both James and Sam. A ladder on one side knocked into James’s shoulder and sent him spinning with exploding pain.
When James cleared the water, he saw another metal hatch waited for them at the top of the shaft. Throwing an arm up as best he could, he readied himself to absorb the impact. They crashed into the solid hatch with a great force that knocked the breath out of him, his back cracking hard as did a numb elbow. Another body was next to him. He managed to open his eyes to see Sam through the roiling water, full bodied against the hatch, a stray leg across James’s body. Evan soon crashed into them, his knee knocking into James, who let out a howl of pain, though his scream was muted with the water pouring into his lungs.
The luminous water grew dark and dull as James began to lose focus.
With a great jolt and sudden rush of momentum, they were pushed upwards as the hatch door swung open. They flew several feet into the air within an immense column of water, the rush of the evening air as cold as ice.
James met the ground hard amid the flowing water, striving to gain what air he could. The rolling water washed over him, bright spots dancing in his view. Coming to his senses, he saw Sam and Evan recovering beside him, dripping with the gummy water that clung onto them.
The sun had met the horizon now, leaving a dark purple sky with bulging clouds overhead.
The water moved around them in rivulets, seeping into the earth. Wiping the hair from his face, James looked around to see the rocky hills of the surrounding land. The edges of the Tyken Town borderlands lay behind them. Further ahead was a tall windowless booth, weathered and eroded to a dull brown and glistening in parts with the thick water.
Sam was the first to rise, helping Evan to his feet. He held an arm around Evan while the little Voarn found his own strength.
James got to his feet and saw Evan’s sword lying near him. He picked up the scabbard and noticed, along with its heavy weight, the thick wooden under-layer beneath the leather casing. He carried it to Evan, who leaned away from Sam’s arms as he approached. Evan stood for a moment, eyeing James. They shared a look as James laid the sword across Evan’s arms. The Voarn’s face twisted with emotion when he brought his sword close to him. He regarded James, eventually giving a slight nod that carried something that might have been gratitude. Evan’s legs weakened under him, and James caught his arm before he fell.
“You all right?” he asked Evan, finding his voice croaky.
Evan looked up with red eyes. “All right.” The words sounded strange coming from Evan, who smiled at James’s furrowed brow. A coughing fit soon followed in which he spat out some water.
A glob of water ran down Evan’s shoulder, which James caught in his hand. He played it around his fingers, still undecided if it was watery or gelatinous. It had lost its luminescence in the low light.
He turned to the approaching Sam. “What is this stuff?”
“A kind of nourishment water, I’d wager.” Sam also sounded hoarse. “Could be a regular flush to keep the tunnels clean.” He paused for a coughing spasm. “Or perhaps we triggered some sort of trap down there.”
“Either way,” James said, “it looks like Rolan failed to tell us about it.”
Sam nodded, arching his back. “Aye. Perhaps he did.”
James shook the heavy water from his hands and surveyed the area. “You know where we are?”
“I think so,” Sam told him, looking around.
The dark clouds were moving fast. Through them, the first stars were beginning to shine.
“Ready to go?” Sam eyed them both in his protective manner.
Evan stood stronger now, releasing a long breath, and nodded.
“This way,” Sam said, gesturing.
The expanding desert spread out ahead of them and on the right, with a stretch of high rocks to their left. Their footsteps splashed in the remaining water that was soaking up the hard ground.
Now that James had time to recover from their ordeal, he assessed his state and found he was surprisingly alert. He guessed he would fall asleep the first chance he had, but while they remained in possible danger, he discovered a well of strength that carried him forward.
He had finally left Tyken Town.
As if to celebrate the occasion, a cluster of fireworks lit the sky behind them, bathing the city in radiant colours. If James didn’t know any better, he would have sworn that Tyken Town was bidding him a farewell.
He smiled up at the first stars dotting the heavens above. A strong breeze whipped around them, causing an uncommon chill to run through him and his wet clothes. He hadn’t realised the outskirts of town were so cold at night. He tried to make sense of his new life with his new companions, and still couldn’t believe what he had gotten himself into.
Someone was building an immense army, using people who had disappeared from all over the galaxy. And his father, Hayden Island, was reportedly one of those people. James couldn’t begin to imagine what they would find in Riondon, once they reached the Iron Forge there and spoke to the arms dealer Higero Jaxx. He just knew that he needed to be strong enough whatever they were going to face.
So long, Isles. Keep dodging the Abyss.
Tam’s hard voice carried through the wind to him. At least, that’s what James imagined he would say. But then Tam—the real Tam—who knew all about his amnesia and had watched over him along with Sam and Den Keenosh, would have likely said something else altogether. Perhaps he would be happy that James had finally left town. Maybe he would have apologised for keeping James’s true identity a secret from him. Another shiver ran through him, although this time it was for the mentor he was leaving behind. The closest to a father figure he had in his limited memory. James made a mental note to ask Sam more about their foreman when he had a chance. He was sure that Sam could say a lot more about the man.
The rolling hills stretched out before them as they ascended a low rise. Several clusters of lights shone within the dim landscape, showing the distant towns and settlements, some of them within the mountains on the horizon. Another howling wind swept through them.
Further in the distance, James could see something moving against the dark landscape. He soon made out the shape of a figure rising up the slope. In the low light, it looked like a walking shadow, and appeared to be walking toward them.
The flow of a heavy coat extended from the person. When he was closer, James could see the coat was in fact a robe, like a priest. It was a red so dark it could have passed for black, and had a large hood that shrouded the person’s face in darkness.
“Say nothing,” Sam said quietly before the stranger reached them.
“Good day, folks,” came a low voice within the hood.
“How goes it?” Sam said to him.
The traveller pulled his heavy hood back, revealing unkempt brown hair. His jet-black eyes were lined with thin creases that betrayed his youthful appearance. Though he looked human, James wouldn’t have been surprised to be told otherwise. Something about his smooth skin.
“Out into the wilderness?” the stranger asked, nodding behind him. After a silence he added, “You know there’s a sandstorm on the way?”
“A sandstorm?” Sam echoed.
“Aye. It’s been creeping up on me for a while now. Looks like it’s heading toward the city.”
“As are you?” Sam asked.
The stranger nodded, his eyes falling over their damp clothes. “Raining, is it?”
“Briefly,” Sam said. “Though the skies have cleared now.”
James hoped the man didn’t know how rarely it rained in Medropon, and that when it did it came thick and heavy and lasted for days.
“Looks like they’re boiling up again,” the stranger said with a gesture to the roiling clouds.
“What order do you serve?” Evan asked.
It took a long, tense moment for the stranger to answer. If Sam was angered at Evan speaking up, he didn’t show it.
“An old order,” came the reply. “Far from here. One you would have likely not heard of.”
“I am also far from here. Which god do you bow to?” There was a tightness in Evan’s voice that was familiar to James. It almost sounded like Evan had a problem with the stranger.
The man’s dark eyes narrowed minutely. “Menas. The White Father.”
Evan looked thoughtful, about to say more, but Sam responded first. “Light be with you.”
“And you all,” the stranger said, nodding dismissively.
James noticed that Evan continued to watch the traveller closely, and wondered what he was thinking.
“I should be going before I lose myself on the border,” the stranger told them. “You folks better find some cover. There’re caves further down a ways. Should serve to ride out the storm.” He pointed to their left, toward the high rocks.
“You have our thanks,” Sam told him.
“A pleasure. Safe travels, now. Light be with you.” He lifted his great hood and his head vanished beneath it. The traveller gave another nod before turning toward the city border.
In response to his departure, a strong wind swept over them, reminding them of the approaching sandstorm.
“We should get going,” Sam said. “I can smell the storm in the air.”
James watched the red robes of the stranger merge into the darkness beyond, and then turned to follow his companions.
The grey-green orb of Dendo cleared a large cloud, bathing the land in its milky light. James looked up at the moon as they neared the large mass of rocks, admiring the radiant glow of the brightest stars and the faint, reddish gas clouds of space beyond. The night sky out in the desert was a truly remarkable sight.
“You see that?” Sam pointed to the eastern horizon.
Through the darkness of the hills, James could see a line of a distorted blur, like the poor reception of a fuzzy cast, smeared over the horizon.
Evan said, “Yes. The storm does indeed approach.”
Their pace quickened to keep up with Sam. Up ahead, the jagged entrance of a cave lay beneath a low ridge. The wind gathered and howled, the prelude of the storm beginning to throw chips of stones in the air.
James entered the sanctuary of the cave with his companions a few moments before the storm hit, covering the world in a furious maelstrom of dirt and sand and darkness.
In that cave they waited for the storm to pass.