Necropolis (Book One of Book One), Penn Fawn [e book reader android .TXT] 📗

and Noor were next, then the sixty-nine other men followed. As many of them as could be accommodated along the width of the stairway at a time mounted it on their way out.

Keita held a hand up above his face. “I can see a river over there, but where’s the village?” he asked.

“About a mile from here,” Noor replied. “We have a bit more traveling to do,” he added.

“Okay,” Keita replied.

Oluso made a sharp, piercing sound, not unlike a bird may do. For the second time that day, the newcomers heard similar noises echo from within the forest. They looked up but could see no trace of who or what it was that replied.

Their attention was soon diverted and directed to four men who appeared to materialize from the woods’ very fabric. Each bore a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a sword.

They stepped toward Oluso.

“Today’s business is over,” the latter said. “Conceal and secure it until further notice.”

He was referring to the door to the entrance of the underground passageway.

The guard closest to him, one of the four who came out of his place of concealment in the bushes, shook his head in an upward and downward manner.

“Your relief should soon be here. After they arrive and you return home, report to me directly. I will give you an update about the particulars of the meeting.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard replied.

Oluso and the others walked for close to a mile when Keita noticed something he hadn’t seen in the forest before.

There was a clearing in the distance, an area devoid of the thick grown of trees. He could discern there appeared to be dwellings there.

Aswad and Ossouna looked ahead with growing interest. The distinct appearance of what appeared to be a settlement could now be seen. They collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

“Looks like we’ve reached it,” Aswad said. “The village.”

“I think so,” Ossouna replied.

“You’re correct,” Noor said.

A number of its members saw them approaching. A party of three men and four women stopped what they were doing and made their way toward them.

“Thank heavens you’re all back and safe,” one of the women said, addressing Zaeim.

Her name was Dalia.

She directed her gaze at Noor. “The trouble and concern you cause us, young man.”

“No more,” he said. “I’ve heard there’s enough brewing around here.”

She looked at Zaeim again.

“Have someone get these settled in,” he said, “then inform Oba we’re here immediately. What’s no secret is the representatives need to call an emergency meeting.”

“Right,” Dalia replied.

“It’s critical because we don’t know how much time we have to prepare ourselves,” Zaeim added.

“Okay,” Dalia said. “Follow me,” she added, addressing the guests.

Noor held onto Ossouna’s arm just as the latter was about to depart with her.

“I know you’ve been through a lot getting here. Try, if you can to not let what you’ve seen and heard so far trouble you too much. Try to relax or rest a bit because there will be very little time for that.”

“Okay,” Ossouna said.

“That goes for all of you,” Noor added.

Keita nodded his head.

“I’m just happy to have been able to make it this far,” Aswad said.

“Good,” Noor added. “You’re going to hear a lot more about what’s going on around here in the days to come. Our aim is to get you prepared.”

“Very well,” Aswad said, and he, Keita, and Ossouna departed with Dalia.

She took them inside one of the dwellings. It, and the walls of all the other buildings there, was made from mud. Its only furnishings were four straw beds, and the roof was made from a combination of wood or branches from trees and straw.

“As Noor said,” Dalia began. “Try to relax and get some rest considering what you’ve been through on your way here. I hope it was not too much,” she added.

“It was plenty,” Keita replied, looking at her.

Her countenance grew somber.

“I hear you,” she said. “Try to get some rest in spite of it. You’ll need it.”

“Okay,” he said.

She turned away from him and headed toward the door.

“May I ask you something?” Ossouna said.

She turned and faced him.

“Sure,” she replied.

“Can you tell me where we are?” he asked.

“This is our home,” she replied. “It’s called Kimbilio.”

“I’m wondering how far that may be from Egangeles, provided you’ve heard or know about it.”

“I have,” she said, and her countenance grew glum. “A great many of us here came from there.”

“And again, is it far from here?” Ossouna asked.

She was slow to respond. “It is,” she replied, and there was something about her facial expression, her body language, and her tone of voice, that got his attention.

She departed, and he felt shaken.

“Why did you ask her that?” Keita said. “Did you not believe what Noor told us? You know, about the portal and such.”

“I wanted confirmation,” he replied.

Aswad was pensive.

“And, do you believe you got one?” Keita asked.

“Tell me what you think,” Ossouna said.

“She clammed up when you asked,” he replied. “Did you notice?”

“I did,” Ossouna said.

“That says something to me,” Keita added.

“Like what?” Ossouna asked.

“To me, it says there is something not right about this place, and that makes me very uncomfortable,” he replied.

“So, you believe what Noor told us?” Ossouna asked.

“I’m inclined to,” Keita replied. “Right now, I don’t have much if any reason to doubt him. In fact, I never did.”

Ossouna felt silent.

“I’ve never seen anything like that beast we saw out there,” Keita added. “I didn’t know any such thing existed.”

“Maybe because we needed to get out more,” Aswad said. “The deep forest is a wild place, full of mystery and other things we also have never seen.”

“No doubt,” Keita said.

“So, you’re hoping that beast was just one of those things and that’s it?” Ossouna asked.

“Well, I would certainly like it if it were so,” Aswad replied.

“Okay, but how do you explain us being here after what happened while we were out on the hunt?” Keita asked.

“I don’t know,” Aswad replied. “That’s the disturbing part and the greatest mystery of all, isn’t it?”

“I’d say so,” Ossouna replied.

“Let’s try to