Quest for Knowledge (Volume 1 of the FirstWorld Saga), Christopher Jackson-Ash [ebook reader web TXT] 📗

began to pick up our language. Soon we were able to communicate quite well, with drawings and simple vocabulary. He said that his name was Ivan and that he came from a city far away to the North called Kyiv. He had been part of an expedition that had been looking for trading opportunities, and I suspect conquest opportunities. They had sailed southwards but had faltered in a storm and had been washed up on a strange shore. The best part of half the expedition had been lost in the wreck. A few of their horses had survived, so they set off inland, heading south through mostly empty semi-desert country. After many weeks of travel, their horses perished, and almost dead themselves through thirst, they came upon a city on a high, arid plateau.”

“At first, they thought it was a mirage, because of its immense beauty. It was a walled city, and one that they quickly realised would be difficult to defeat in battle. They threw themselves on the mercy of its inhabitants and were treated well enough, so that they recovered from the travails of their journey. As they regained their strength, though, they found that their freedom was restricted and they were effectively held under house arrest. The city was called Illium. It was a centre of artistic, cultural, and philosophical excellence. It was everything that Tamarlan aspired to be, and perhaps has become while I’ve been away. Slowly, the visitors proved themselves worthy and they were allowed more freedom. Ivan became friendly with a local family and became enchanted with the arts. They would take him to see plays and to attend philosophical discussions. He became a civilised barbarian and decided to stay in Illium. The rest of his comrades were becoming more and more homesick. They decided to leave and attempt to return to Kyiv. They were promised horses if they would visit a farm outside the city. There was some strange cultural embargo on bringing horses or anything shaped like a horse into the city. They went to the so-called farm and were slaughtered there and buried in a mass grave.”

“Ivan was unaware of this until, at one of his philosophical discussions, the case study of a group of visiting barbarians was debated. Illium had been attacked many times in the past and was fearful of being identified by new enemies. They debated whether it was better to kill a few barbarians, who had probably raped and pillaged their way around the known world, or put the innocent lives of the entire population at risk. The horse farm scenario was presented as the logical conclusion; the lives of the many were more important than the lives of a few. Ivan could barely maintain his composure, but he managed to leave the meeting without exploding. He vowed to escape from Illium and set about devising a plan. He realised that the Illians would try to find him and kill him, so he decided he would head southwards, to confuse them. He slipped out of the city, unnoticed, one night. He stole a horse and headed into the unknown. His adventures would fill a book. Eventually he arrived in Tamarlan and told us his story.”

Ubadah paused and rang a small hand bell to summon a servant. “Bring us more tea, and something more substantial to eat.” Gamyon gave the servant a none-too-discreet nod to do as was demanded.

“I have heard of Illium, but I have never been. I believe Dammar visited there long before your time. I remember that he reported to the Council that there was nothing of interest there.” I wonder now whether that was the truth. Gamyon has yet to be convinced about Ubadah.

“Indeed. Then I think you will be surprised by the rest of my story, Manfred. As you have guessed, the lure of finding another city of artists with whom we could trade was too great to resist. As soon as Ivan was fit to travel, I began to work on him to convince him to return to the Northland. It took a while but I eventually convinced him with promises of riches to be earned and we mounted an expedition. I took ten of my best men and headed into the Northland. There was great evil abroad. The journey was fraught with every danger imaginable and many that you would not wish to imagine in your worst nightmares. I will not bore you with them now; suffice it to say that I came to learn that the Dark God was the cause. He slept then, recovering still from his battle with Gilgamesh. He must have been sorely wounded to have needed so long to recover. He tossed and turned in his sleep, riddled with dreams of revenge, no doubt. His disturbed sleep sent out emanations of evil that manifested themselves in bizarre ways. There were nomads living in the Northland who became particularly affected. We lost Ivan, early in the journey, when a crazy madness overcame him and he believed that we were Illians trying to kill him. He ran off into the night and was killed by the nomads. My men fell one by one, taken by fell creatures or losing their minds and taking their own lives. I barely held on to my sanity, but the need to find Illium drove me on. After many months and close to death, I stumbled upon the city and was taken in.”

He paused in his story as servants returned with more tea and plates of cakes and assorted meats. When they had left again he resumed. “Please, help yourselves. I hope you don’t mind if I nibble while I talk?

“Be my guest,” Gamyon said sarcastically.

“The timing fits with what we know,” Manfred said. “It was another ten thousand years before Gadiel was strong enough to begin his latest conquest.” But where does Dammar fit in, I wonder?

Ubadah finished chewing on a plump chicken leg, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and continued. “It was several weeks before I was well enough to appreciate the city. During my convalescence, I was frequently visited by an old man who reminded me very much of you, Manfred. Looking back, I realise that he discreetly questioned me about who I was and where I was from. He was particularly interested to learn about the journey and how I had survived when everyone else had been lost. He even convinced the doctors to let him give me a through physical examination. He called himself Rammad. I think he was having a game with me. It was several weeks before I realised that Rammad was just Dammar backwards. Eventually, he admitted who he was.”

Ubadah paused to help himself to more tidbits. Manfred was deep in thought. So, it’s true. Dammar was involved. Did he really pass to stone? Is he still around? What’s his game? He looked at Ubadah expectantly, waiting for more. Even Gamyon seemed to be taking much more interest.

Ubadah continued, with his audience of two hanging on his every word. “I do not claim to support Dammar or his objectives. I do not know whether the things he told me were or are true. I am simply reporting what was said and done to me. I visited Elannort once, when I was a teenager. You had restored it to its former glory, although most of the wizards were gone. I remember that you even showed me the High Tower.” Manfred nodded at the old memory, obviously still fresh in Ubadah’s mind. I didn’t know what the archway was then.

“It made a great impression on me, I don’t know why. I felt that the black archway was somehow significant for me. There is a central keep in the middle of Illium. It is not as impressive as Melasurej but it is still something to wonder at. It once had a conventional central tower of grey stone. I have seen paintings that show it in its original form. When I was last there, it had a new tower, built from obsidian. I recognised it immediately. It was an exact facsimile of the High Tower at Melasurej, right down to the black archway at the top.” Ubadah paused to take a drink of tea. By the Balance! This is unbelievable. This can only mean one thing.

Manfred couldn’t wait to ask a question, forgetting Ubadah’s earlier instructions. “My lord, may I be so rude as to ask, what is the mark of Ubadah?”

Manfred thought he saw Ubadah blush slightly, before Gamyon jumped into the conversation. “That is a matter between the King of Tamarlan and his Regent. Even you, great Sage, cannot be given that information!”

“Very well,” Manfred replied, “I will hazard a guess. If I am correct, we can safely assume that Dammar would have been aware of it as well. If I may be so bold, the mark of Ubadah is a five-pointed star birthmark.” He looked at the two men for a sign that he was correct. They stoically met his gaze. Oh well, in for a penny. “More than that, it has a specific location on the body.” Ubadah was beginning to look uncomfortable. It’s true. I have him. Manfred smiled. “It is located on the shaft of your penis.” The old magician pulls another rabbit out of his hat to amaze his audience.

Gamyon was almost apoplectic with anger. “Only Gamying and I know that secret. It has been passed from father to son for four hundred generations. He would never have told you. If you have stolen it from his mind, wizard, I shall have you horsewhipped, great Sage or no!” He stretched for the bell, in order to summon the guards. Now I see where Gamying gets it from.

“Calm yourself, Regent. There is no harm done. I suspect Manfred has long known the meaning of this birth mark and even now understands how I have managed to return.”

“Is that true, wizard?” Gamyon demanded.

I wonder if I should turn him into a frog for a while. “What? Oh, yes. I imagine that several more people than you realise have seen the royal jewels. Would it be true to say that you found his majesty disoriented and naked?”

“How did you know that? I specifically gave orders that it never be discussed. Heads will roll!”

“Don’t be such a bully, Gamyon.” Or I will turn you into a frog. “It is part of the effect of using the time portal.” He stopped and watched Gamyon as his words registered in the Regent’s brain. Now he really has something to think about.

Gamyon went white. “You mean… He is… It’s not possible. How can it be true? You are really Ubadah. You have come back to the future?”

“Well done, Manfred. Dammar said that you would be here and that you would understand. He also said that you would know what my role would be in the forthcoming war. It’s true, Gamyon, that I have returned. However, you need not fear, I have not come back to take up my throne. Tamarlan will continue to be ruled by its Regents. I have more important business to attend to, don’t I, Manfred?”

Manfred looked at the arrogant young man before him. This was something he had not expected, could not have predicted. It turned all of his plans upside down. None of his studies had foretold this possibility. “My lord, there is much I must learn from you. I must understand what Dammar knows, how he is manipulating current and past events, and what his overall objective is.” I must understand how to deal with two manifestations of the Everlasting Hero together at the same time.

A Prophecy Fulfilled

Manfred was cranky. In fact, he couldn’t remember when he last wasn’t cranky. They had been living in this primitive backwater with a tribe of barbarian humans for so long that he had forgotten what a hot bath and a cold beer felt like. What made it worse was that Mandred seemed to love