11: Sparks
For now, my mind hangs on the red-haired woman. There was Sister Somme, the clerk Sangyun, "Uncle" Paul, Bishop Hikami, Father Raphael and his family, but the saint of my childhood was the red-haired woman: Ameko Tatsumaki.
She treated me as if I were her own child. When Hikusaak came to see me, as infrequently as that was at times, she would look at him so sadly, so seriously. I wonder what it meant. I wonder where she is now.
*****
We continued along for some time. It was not so bad. Just quiet. The walls of Caleria rose up on the horizon, beckoning us forward. It was the destination of the day. Our route was not straightforward, taking us through Daval and that area, instead of passing through Han'Nyac, the leading city of the region.
Caleria itself we reached easily, with simply a silent stare here and there from the locals. We've come before and we'll come again. Of that much I am certain.
"Welcome, our most honored guests," Chief Inspector Brown greeted us at the gates, with his second-in-command at his side. He has been most hospitable in the past, providing us with topnotch information and assistance. A devoted man, many years in the service of the church, but all-in-all, merely a cog in the machine of our government.
We settled in for the night swiftly. Olia kept her talons dug into Nikolai, like a hawk with a mouse, taking him along with her to the military facilities here. My close companions and I had made preparations in advance for accommodations at the inn. I knew that I could look forward to plenty of uncomfortable time on the road, so I might as well take advantage of a proper bed while I still can.
The night passed pleasantly with no major occurrences on my side of events, except for the sudden return of Ayame. I awake to find her curled beside me in bed. ...That yell of surprise woke more than a few of those nearby, I am embarrassed to admit. However, what news Ayame brought remains to secondary at this point to what Nikolai was involved in that night. He appeared while we were busy with breakfast, and after sitting down at the table with us, he began to talk immediately. What did Nikolai have to say? I will leave repeating that tale to him.
--
"Here's what happened.
Captain Zach came down from the city's big military compound to meet us. Hight Priestess Olia dragged me along by the sleeve, which wasn't very fun. She's still all mad at me for speaking with the wise ones from Camarro. Bishop Ket's sort of giving me the cold shoulder as well, obviously just to follow her lead.
He sure is a follower. He always seems to be doing what Olia tells him to do. I thought they were of the same rank, but maybe I'm wrong. I don't want to ask that sort of question and risk offending anybody. I'm in enough trouble as it is.
A man in red and white accompanied us to the compound. I saw him approaching for a while, and eventually he caught up with. Long dark hair and dark eyes. Looks serious. He didn't say a word to anybody though, at that point, just tagged along. I kept watching him over my shoulder as we walked, so I tripped a couple of times and made everybody think I'm really clumsy. Something about the high priestess is starting to remind me of my mother. Maybe it's her temper.
Anyway, the military establishment is Caleria is really big. They have barracks and storehouses and a parade ground all contained within the city walls. I guess it's a real fortress town. Pretty much everybody was settling down for the night when we got there, but there were still a couple of battalions out practicing some maneuver by a pool. I wished that I could go and take a better look at what exactly they were up to, but I just got pulled along as usual.
We sat down in the mess hall and I got to have a really sweet melon soda while Olia, Ket, and Zach talked with some other people that I've never met before. I tried to listen for a while, to hear if they had anything to say about me or Bishop Sasarai, or just anything generally interesting, but as nothing turned up in their conversation, eventually my focus left me. All I can say about that half hour was that the soda was really good. I never got to have anything like that back home. We were always either too poor, or my parents were feeling too cheap. I suppose that's one thing to say for living with these clerics. They're generous with their money.
Err, well, sorry for going off topic there for a bit, but I just wanted to say so. It was important to me. So eventually, this sort of pudgy older man showed up, they called him "Lord Seda." He had brought a weird-looking shard of a silverish metal with him that he said came from "the pit." Everyone got excited really fast.
"If this is any indication of what we may find if we delve further into "the pit," High Priestess Olia said cheerfully, "Then we might as well keep digging until we reach the bedrock!"
Ket let me take a look at the metal, since he figured it wouldn't do any harm. When I touched it, it started to spark and glow a deep orange like metal heated in a smithy. It got so hot, I dropped it and it burned a hole through the rug on the floor. Everyone just stared at me. I hoped that they weren't going to get mad.
They didn't. They just stared, and after a couple of minutes, the man in red and white picked up the fragment, which must not have been hot anymore and examined it. There were letters all over it that hadn't been there before.
"We were correct in our estamations concerning Nikolai," Olia told Lord Seda proudly. Ket put an arm around my shoulders and nodded vigorously, like it was all his idea. I didn't have anything to say, since I didn't even know what they were talking about.
Lord Seda stroked his beard for a bit before answering, "There are enormous pieces of this metal in "the pit," High Priestess. If we could manage to excavate even a single one whole then we would have a very powerful weapon on our hands..."
"I'm amazed," Captain Zach murmured. He was obviously the one least involved in these happenings. After me, I think he was the most confused. And then maybe Ket.
"I couldn't do that without great concentration," Olia remarked.
"Nor could I," one of the mysterious gentlemen agreed.
"Good assessment," the one in red and white shrugged, "...As always."
"Should Nikolai return with me to "the pit" then?" Lord Seda asked eagerly.
"No."
The high priestess was adamant. The men paled slightly at her quick decision.
"...why?" Ket inquired with puzzlement in his voice.
"Something has to be motivating Sasarai to work with us on this venture. I don't know what it is, but since his introduction to Nikolai, his cooperation has improved exponentially. I will not jeopardize this opportunity," she told him.
Turning to me, she smiled her cat-like sly smile, "Be good, Nikolai."
Introductions commenced all around. Apparently my skill with the strange metal impressed them all enough that I received their names: in red and white; Aciano, with a dry cough; Zvonimir, and Lord Rikaard Hanzelen Seda.
I spent the night on a army cot in Captain Zach's room. I was so tired, I could've slept on the floor.
In the morning, Olia dragged me back down here and I came to see you Sasarai. ...Yep, that' s about it," the boy grinned.
"There's still what those women told you the day before..." I prompted him with some agitation.
"Oh, that's not so important," Nikolai shrugged it off, "I can tell you later, on the road or something."
"Nikolai..." I moaned impatiently.
"Let's take him up on that, Sasarai," Ayame urged me, "There's no reason to rush."
I gave in, "Okay. But don't forget to tell me Nikolai. I want to know."
"Yessir!" he saluted.