Hakham spent many hours with the newly freed, soothing the horrors they’d witnessed and teaching from the Book of Wisdom, while pointing out the prophecies of old hidden in the words of its text like a breaking news story. But more troublesome, he pointed to the desperate times ahead for all and encouraged everyone to adopt the eternal ways of Jehovah and escape the torment awaiting the Alama Masu in His final judgement.
Heather wiped the silent tears from her eyes as the raw wounds festered and burst open again. She flinched when an arm engulfed her shoulders and then recognising the concerned outline of her father, pushed into his embrace.
“Your mother would have been proud of you, just like I am, Heather.”
The trembling words fell softly into her wounded heart, while her father shared in her loss. Heather stayed in her father’s embrace, soaking up his love. Although the man had had his life destroyed and the joy of his wife callously ripped from his life, he still found strength enough to emotionally nurture his only child.
The tone of her father’s soothing words unexpectedly changed and she pulled out of his embrace and stared directly into his watery eyes. “I see you are being noticed by the young men of the family, Heather, and rightly so. You are a beautiful young woman inside and out, just like your mother was.”
Heather smiled at the encouragement but she knew her father hadn’t finished. The stern glaze had settled into his eyes, like whenever he had to discipline her in the rare occasions when as a child she messed up.
“Be as gentle as a dove and as a wise as the elderly, Heather. Make your choice of a husband with great care, for he can make your life a dream or a nightmare. I have seen the searching eye of the captain of the Raiders fall upon you and I am concerned that he has intentions towards you. He is a powerful and hypnotising young man and any woman would find it difficult to resist his fine attributes, but he is a wild man and I wonder at his ability to make room for another in his careless plundering and abandon his hatred for the Alama Masu. Not to mention the constant distraction of other maidens vying for his attention.”
Heather searched the concerned eyes of her father and tested every word he spoke. “He has only smiled at me, Father; he hasn’t offered to walk the path in search of the Altar Rose and besides, I have heard he seeks Jehovah on all his decisions,” Heather coyly whispered, trying to reassure her father his fears were unfounded and that Finn’s intentions were disappointingly innocent towards her.
She kept her own secret feelings for Finn quiet and hoped that her father would not speak to Hakham on the matter. In retrospect, even though Hakham had been gentle and encouraging, her unguarded emotional display was possibly a little unwise and she quietly chided herself for revealing something so intimate.
The fact that Finn was the centre of desire for every young woman in the family only strengthened her suspicions; he was just being pleasant when he smiled at her and she was reading too much into the gesture.
*~*~*~*
Caleb and Finn walked together along the well beaten path to the Lake of Purity and stopped short of the sanctuary door. The lone flame illuminating the rock curtain flickered as their bodies disturbed the calm, humid and warm air surrounding the sanctuary, casting silent dancing shadows against the great cavernous walls. The deep, crystal clear waters of the Lake of Purity seemed more turbulent today than either Finn or Caleb had ever seen before.
Although Caleb was impressive in his stout and well muscled figure, he was overshadowed by Finn’s tall, athletic fine features; while the two men together represented a formidable force and the well being of the family and the hope of the resistance rested on their shoulders.
Finn took a step towards the rock opening, leading into the sanctuary and almost stumbled over Hakham’s prostrated figure worshiping before the altar and seeking Jehovah’s guidance. The elder stirred at the disturbance but as usual, his countenance was peaceful and tolerant at the interruption.
“I’m sorry for disturbing you, Hakham,” Finn apologised, but intent on holding his ground.
“It is of no consequence, Finn; Jehovah has spoken anyway and you have saved me the effort to find you both.”
Moments later, Caleb entered the sanctuary also and bowed before the altar in reverence to Jehovah, inspiring Finn to do the same.
“We need Jehovah’s wisdom and guidance in planning the next raid, now that the trap has been set; does the great wise one have a plan for the Raiders, Hakham?” Caleb asked.
“Yes, the raid this time will be on the palace itself,” Hakham offered emotionlessly.
“The palace?!” Caleb’s concern was immediately piqued; this would be an almost impossible mission and the heaviest fortifications that the barbaric empire could muster.
“Why does the Lord God Jehovah have us tackle such a dangerous part of the Alama Masu?” Finn calmly asked.
“It’s not just the palace, Finn, but Malhalem’s Harem.”
Now it was Finn’s turn to offer his concern. “Malhalem’s Harem?! That would be like attempting to walk into the Alama Masu’s throne room and spit on the stone of Diana, the worthless idol they worship.”
“There’s more,” Hakham paused for gravity.
The two high ranking Raiders waited for Hakham to speak again, wondering what new challenge he was about to unveil.
“You must leave the rest of your band behind; and only Caleb and yourself are to know of Jehovah’s plan and in fact, the two of you are the only ones Jehovah requires for this raid.”
Finn’s expression was incredulous. “Two against so many, Hakham; how are we to survive such a mission and what is the anticipated goal?”
Hakham turned his back to the two Raiders and faced the altar, hoping he had heard the instructions correctly, and then filled the tense void.
“Jehovah Himself will go ahead of you. I can’t tell you what the mission is, but He will reveal it at the appointed time; and if the trap has been successfully baited, the Alama Masu won’t be expecting you.” Hakham spun to face the men again and his piercing gaze diverted their stare. ”I’m not even sure you will survive the raid, but Jehovah will prevail and your mission will succeed regardless, leaving Him alone to take the glory for the victory,” Hakham’s voice was tense, understanding he could be sending the two men to their peril.
Finn took a few moments to recover and overcome his shock, then bowed in reverence to the altar. “Jehovah’s will be done and if we perish, then we perish serving our King,” Finn said proudly.
Caleb stepped forward and bowed to the altar too. ”How great is our King Jehovah and such an honour to offer our lives on His altar.”
Hakham laid his hands on the two men and blessed them. “I am proud of you, my sons; you have not flinched in offering your lives so others may live and most of all, your commitment to the wise Ancient of Days. Now the raid begins from here tomorrow night at midnight; that should put you at the walls by early morning when the Alama Masu will be at their most vulnerable. Once you have breached their walls, then Jehovah will tell you His plan and guide your steps. If you have unfinished business within the family, I suggest you make your peace and leave a clean slate.”
Hakham dismissed the two Raiders and with a heavy heart, turned to worship the God of the altar again, knowing the pleasure of God rested on the shoulders of the two brave young men.
*~*~*~*
Finn and Caleb parted company, preparing themselves for what may be their final mission and to tidy up their affairs, as Hakham had suggested.
Finn sauntered along the narrow, dimly lit passage and almost walked straight into a figure coming the other way. His green eyes flashed in an animated apology and his heart raced when he recognised Heather’s voice.
“Don’t concern yourself, Finn; I’m not injured,” the shy, soft voice tantalised his ears and he didn’t speak for many seconds.
The long pause disturbed Heather and she wondered what the handsome Raider was thinking. “Are you alright, Finn?”
/> “Heather, th... there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you…”
A battle raged inside the young man’s head, silencing his speech and replaying Hakham’s words again: I’m not even sure you will survive.
Heather’s heart began to race wildly and she felt faint, anticipating something she dared not even think about. The dim light hid her crimson face and the shock of anticipation.
Finn sighed deeply, wondering whether it was right to make the gesture when he may not be in any position to keep it. He sighed again and decided he had no right to speak the things that were on his heart.
“Nothing, Heather. I’m sorry for walking into you.”
With that, he turned and walked away, but the desperation in his voice had communicated a lot more than he intended.
Heather was stunned. She stood shaking in the half light, watching the blonde form increasing the distance between them and tearing her heart in disappointment, sure he was about to say or do something she really did want to hear.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 16
The depths of frustration and loneliness nearly drove the small figure insane, waiting through the empty hours of the never ending night, amplifying his imagination into a fury of despair and desperate for the first rays of morning to relieve the blanket of darkness drowning him. Sleep was out of the question and by the time the effete red sun had risen enough to distinguish horizon from sky, the small figure was stretched mentally and desperate to begin the search for Elly. Not knowing where she was, if she was being mistreated, or worse, dying cruelly and alone in some foreign environment and desperately calling out to him for help added another dimension to his panic.
He would find her, no matter what it took.
Regaining his commonsense, he checked off a list of possibilities and then reluctantly decided the best avenue of attack was to look for signs in the telltale dust and for once, he was glad of its irksome presence.
But that would mean a delay in initiating the search and a frustrating wait until he could actually see the imprints in the ground and the direction the abductors had taken her. Time was critical and spending vital moments confirming clues added to the anxiety, but imperative to a successful hunt and without them, he could very well search fruitlessly for eons.
For the thousandth time, Dramble’s mind replayed the sequences of the last known contact with his charge and the events leading up to his eager return to the ruin and the hollow feeling of finding her missing.
Another perplexing question added its voice to the crowded forum: had she already succumbed to the horrors of dehydration and died of thirst?
Nervously, Dramble trudged the ruin, castigating it for carelessly abandoning the responsibility and trust he’d bestowed upon its protective walls, but judging by the ruinous rubble, it hadn’t been the first time someone had trusted meticulously in its power and strength and been let down.
Standing, staring into the morning, he slumped against the crumbling door post with such force it cracked his shoulder bones, but he didn’t even register the pain; the ache in his heart was overpowering every other need and function. He just wanted to find Elly again, while the sun teased him in the frustrating pace of its ascent into the polluted sky and reluctantly lending its light to his dilemma.
With the audacity of a lightning bolt, a sudden thought abruptly entered his worried mind. The dome he had discovered early yesterday. It was the only vestige of life and just possibly there was something more to this strange massive structure and Elly’s disappearance than a forest of botanic mystery, hidden under masses of perilous glass.
Dramble stepped down off the concrete landing, disturbing the ground with a copper coloured plume of dust. He’d have to carefully examine the mix of footprints and distinguish between his own tortured ramblings the previous evening and legitimate clues of Elly’s abductors.
The sun, in an exhausted effort, finally consented to supplying usable light over the decaying environment, allowing Dramble to make out specific imprints but he would have to be patient and painstakingly track the direction they had gone, while his suspicions were highly aroused and pointed towards the glass dome.
His eyes locked onto a set of prints and with his heart pounding, recognised Elly’s runners immediately, the distinct pattern on the sole made it easy to identify, but the realisation that the accompanying prints were his own gallingly sent him scurrying back to the beginning of the trail again and set out on another track.
This time, a set of unknown imprints arrested his gaze; the large, flat impression was too big for his foot and there were two sets of similar depressions, first leading into the building and then leading out.
Taking on the mind and posture of a bloodhound he locked onto a trail, following the indents through the rubble and watching them disappear in the direction he had traversed the previous evening, but in a wider arc.
A disturbing vision played with his mind and a thought bristled the hair on his neck; he may have unknowingly passed right by them in his haste to get back to the ruin. Then another disturbing thought rankled his mind. He could easily see the captors’ boot prints, but where were Elly’s? The absence of Elly’s footprints mystified him for long moments until enlightenment suddenly cut through the fog.
They were carrying her!
*~*~*~*
The risky rendezvous had been scheduled for quite some time, so missing the meeting meant a valuable contact would be lost and the supply chain broken forever. It was a necessary evil and besides that, they had an irritating bone to pick over the missing last payment. Adding to their dilemmas, they were becoming suspicious that the family had suspected something and the rescheduling of the raiding party’s activities in an unusual public meeting, only confirmed their suspicion.
Meanwhile, pacing around the mounting dust of the domain of the ruins had its trials too and concealing the obvious coloured dust stains to their clothing was another hurdle in the dealings with their trusted business associates. To avoid rousing suspicion further, their clothes were always washed away from the other members of the family and at a time no one would suspect. This was extremely dubious and had drawn some discussion from other members when they were discovered doing the dreary task alone, a task that was normally done in complete community with other family members, making a loathsome chore a time of fellowship.
The mounting heat of suspicion added a new dimension of caution to their activity and after the morning’s business intrigue, they intended to call a brief intermission to their dealings, hopefully downplaying the family’s suspicions and diverting the real possibility of being detected.
The thought of betrayal upon the family had been perfectly rationalised. After all, they were only giving the Alama Masu the schedule for the raiding party, not the whereabouts of the family’s hiding place.
They weren’t that stupid. That would have dire consequences for everyone, even them.
The raiding party, however, was bringing more and more new people into the crowded gathering and taking food from their own mouth, in turn absolving their justified feelings in their deceit and certain the Lord God Jehovah not only agreed with their activities, but wholly condoned it. In their opinion, the raiding party was considered to be committing a crime against the Alama Masu and all they were doing was equalising the playing field... to their twisted way of thinking at least.
Finn, Caleb and the men of the raiding party were strong, fit and agile and according to their own conceited admission, enjoyed the adrenaline rush of outfoxing their adversary, so now with the new information in the enemies’ hands, the rush would be even more enjoyable.
Any thought of their champions being caught, tortured and executed wasn’t even a remote possibility and didn’t even cross their mind.
They even fantasised about sharing some of the rewards with other family members when the limited food supply dwindled to the point of drying up altogether and becoming an immediate saviour among the fa
mily, elevated to a position of respect and wielding great power.
Thoughts of grandeur slipped from their mind as the escape from the family gathering place took precedence instead, but as usual, it had gone off without a hitch and in complete competence.
Too early for prying eyes and easily outsmarting the lookouts once again.
It had been nearly two hours since leaving the safety and confines of the family, using the total darkness for cover, but the necessary tactic made the journey perilously slow without the guidance of the sun.
Eventually, two black hooded figures loomed in the distant growing light, moping among the ruins and waiting for them to show. The figure increased their pace and closed the void quickly.
Moments later, the huddle completed its unholy circle and dissipated into animated and excited hand gestures, while raised voices galloped across the bareness without concern for being overheard in the dreaded graveyard.
*~*~*~*
An abrupt rendition of aggravated voices close by took Dramble by surprise, wondering whether he had been detected and if he would soon be another victim of Elly’s fate. He stole to the top of a concealed pile of rubble, raising his head slowly to get a closer look and gather intelligence.
With his head just above the rubble and well hidden by his surrounds, from his vantage point he could see three figures engaged in a fury of hand gestures. Two figures looked like evil incarnate with black hoods covering their heads and faces, while a strange mark was clearly tattooed to their foreheads and the same mark banded around their right arms. The other figure wore a tan robe and its head was also covered with a encompassing scarf of some description; clearly they were members of different groups, but furiously jabbering in a language he didn’t understand.