Richard Tuttle - Web of Deceit

“Let’s find what we need to and get out of this city,” suggested Mistake.

“I wish it was that simple,” sighed Rejji. “We have no idea what we are looking for. I wish the Sage had been clearer on the subject.”

“Maybe we have already found what we came for,” offered Mistake. “He said to discover the mystery of Angragar and learn the mysteries of yourself. Perhaps knowing for sure that you are the Astor is what he meant.”

“He also said our fate lies within the walls,” added Rejji, “so I think it is more than just opening the gate.”

“Perhaps,” agreed Mistake, “but the mark is on your hand so I think he was talking to you. He must have known you were the long awaited Astor and that is why he sent us here.”

“What am I supposed to do as Astor?” sighed Rejji. “The Qubari act like I am a god. I just want to help the people of Fakara. I don’t want to be a god.”

“Not a god,” smiled Mistake. “You are a special servant of God. Why do you fight it? Had your father never left the jungle, you would probably have ended up as the chief and Bakhai as the shaman. Why is this so different?”

“I don’t know,” admitted Rejji. “I am barely older than a boy and all of these people are depending on me. I fear letting them down I guess.”

“Then try hard not to let them down,” suggested Mistake. “Nobody can ask more of you than you will ask of yourself. Just do your best.”

“Let’s go get some torches and explore,” Rejji said. “The meal can wait.”

“You go ahead,” responded Mistake. “I want to contact Yltar and let him know what we have found. I will be along shortly.”

Rejji nodded and found his way to the stairs and descended to the first floor. He reported his observations to the others.

“That makes our task more difficult,” observed Mobi. “Still, knowing they do not care for the temple is a blessing. We have decided to split the watch between my men and myself. The three of you can use the time to explore or sleep as suits you. I will prepare the meal and call you when it is ready.”

“I found torches,” added Bakhai. “It will make searching at night possible. Shall we get started?”

Rejji nodded and Bakhai handed him a torch. Rejji lit the torch in the fire that Grank had just lit and turned to explore one side of the first floor. Bakhai lit his torch and went in the opposite direction. Rejji found mostly storage rooms as he explored until he came to the library. The room was huge and had floor to ceiling shelves, which were loaded with ancient books. Racks in the center of the room held thousands of scrolls. He glanced at the books along the shelf and realized that they would all predate the time of Vand. He could not imagine that they would hold any clue as to his fate. He ran his finger along one shelf and noticed that there was no dust on the shelf. He wondered how anything could last for thousands of years and not even have dust on it. He shook his head and headed for the next room.

As he was walking down the corridor, he heard Bakhai calling his name. He turned and ran towards the sound. He reached the entrance hall and turned to the right, just as Mistake bounded off the stairs. He passed through a massive room with benches and an altar, with Mistake right behind him. Bakhai kept calling, but his voice sounded excited, not frantic. Off to one side of the altar was a doorway and Rejji raced through it. He ran down the hallway and through the doorway at the end where he could see a flicker of light that he assumed was Bakhai’s torch.

As he raced into the room, he saw Bakhai standing in a large room with a long table in it. The table was ringed with chairs and murals adorned the walls. He did not see any danger and he slowed to a walk.

“What have you found?” asked Rejji as Mistake moved beside him.

“Something you are not going to believe,” Bakhai declared. “Take a look at the mural on the far wall.”

Rejji tired to see the wall mural, but he was too far away and mural was in darkness. He walked around the table and held his torch up high to shed light on the mural.

“I don’t believe it,” gasped Rejji. “How can this be? This place is thousands of years old. It just isn’t possible.”

“And yet there it is,” Mistake said haltingly. “I think you have discovered your fate, Rejji.”

Rejji stepped closer and held the torch close to the mural. He shook his head in disbelief. The mural was a perfect picture of Lord Marak holding his wicked-looking sinuous sword. On one side of him was a young woman and a blue star shone from her finger. On the other side was a picture of Rejji holding a staff with three red rings around the tip. A crescent mark was just visible on the other end of the staff where the likeness of Rejji’s hand held it. Above each of the three people were symbols. The woman had a five-pointed star above her. Lord Marak had his sword above him and Rejji had the crescent above his likeness.

“It is as if this is all preordained,” Bakhai said softly.

“Only part of it,” corrected Mistake. “The Sage indicated that there are many paths to the future and any one future depends upon the actions of many people.”

“You mean if I had died before getting here that the picture might have been of somebody else when they arrived?” questioned Rejji.

“Perhaps,” frowned Mistake, “or maybe you and Lord Marak would also exist at another time in history until you all got together. Maybe you both have existed before in time and the reason it has taken thousands of years is because those earlier versions of you never made it this far. I don’t really know, but I would sure like to talk to that Sage again. This is too strange.”

“Who are the other people?” Mobi asked from behind them.

“The one in the center is Lord Marak,” Rejji answered. “I do not know the woman.”

“I think what you seek here in Angragar must be that staff,” declared Mobi. “If I were king and had possession of something like that, I would keep it in the treasure room at the palace.”

“Then that is where we head in the morning,” decided Rejji.

“That may be a problem,” frowned Mobi. “The treasure rooms were sealed with magic. The meal is ready. Let us discuss this while we eat.”

The group returned to the entrance hall and Mobi explained to his men what he had seen. His men merely nodded and Rejji frowned.

“Why are you Qubari not surprised at what we found?” he asked.

“You are the Astor,” explained Mobi. “Your coming has been foretold for thousands of years. Why should we be surprised that God would know what you would look like? If he placed that mark on your hand at birth, why do you find it hard to believe that he shaped your face also?”

“So it is not that the picture looks like Rejji, but that Rejji was made to look like the picture,” nodded Mistake. “That makes more sense.”

“So what am I to do with this staff?” asked Rejji. “What am I supposed to do with my life?”

“I do not know about the staff,” answered Mobi, “but I think the mural is clear about your path. Did you not make an agreement with Lord Marak?”

“I did,” nodded Rejji.

“Then proceed with your plan,” replied Mobi. “This Lord Marak plays an important part in what is to happen, as do you. If you both have agreed to do something, I have to believe that it is the right thing to do.”

Rejji nodded and everyone finished their meal. Grank had drawn the first watch and the others bedded down for the night.

Mistake awoke first and stirred the embers of the fire until it flamed up. She looked towards the door and saw Voltak sprawled on the floor. She quickly scanned the sleeping bodies and saw Mobi and Grank sleeping and realized that Voltak was supposed to be guarding the door. She woke Mobi and they headed towards the door.