Under a Starless Sky

Chapter 46

Torny was clearly envious at the detailed drawings she found in a cursory glance at TL’s book. Tane

almost put Shen’s book down in favor of the drawings in TL’s book.

“Yeah, she is a better artist than I,” Shen said.

“My toddler is a better artist than you,” Tane said.

Coffee and tea arrived. There was honey and goat milk. It was set on the table and Abby served. TL

had a cup of coffee with milk and honey. Shen drank his black. Arne, consequently, had his black. He

made a face and nearly spit it out.

“It’s an acquired taste,” Shen said. “I won’t be offended if you doctor it.”

“I will drink what you drink,” Arne said. He nodded to the quilt with a world map. “You got this all wrong.”

“It’s to scale,” Shen said.

“It’s wrong,” Arne said.

“This is how I saw it,” Shen said. “We’re here.”

“Tamoria?” Arne said. “The Great Ridge. You’re near here?”

“Here,” Shen said.

“On the top?” Erico asked. “Even dragons can’t fly over the Great Ridge.”

“You’re under the mountain,” Arne said. “You know this because of vision, or because you have access

to outside?”

“We have access to outside,” Shen said. “Both sides.”

“It could take weeks to traverse…” Yaffa said. “Your domain is that big?”

“No,” Shen began, but stopped. Even TL Looked up at him, concerned, and then tracked his math and

saw the truth of it. He had finally had a revelation, a past experience explained. In his head, he was

walking his past. It took a solid day to walk from Easterly to East Midelay. Even if one had a strait

tunnel from East Midelay to West Midelay, it should take weeks to pass from one side of the mountain

range to the other. They did it in days. “Masters travel in three.” As a child, he couldn’t see. Some of the

passages were intentionally dark, one had to travel by light. If he clicked, he got smacked, and so was

guided. Guided through a series of gates. A gate, very thin ring, touching floor, ceiling, and walls. Four

circles on the floor, two on either side of the gate, recessed into the wall on each side of the gate. A

Master stepped into one of these people-size alcoves. There came the smell of ozone. Two Masters

stepped through the gate, each taking up the circle to either side of the gate. The party past through.

The first master that had waited came through. Once she was through, the other two Masters came out

of their ‘keyhole positions.’ The tunnel from which they came suddenly expanded, lengthening, turning

in his vision, as in a dream- the infinite hall of no escape. He nearly vomited.

“You okay?”

“He has had a vision,” Torny said.

“No,” Shen told her. “I just realized I have been asleep my whole life, not paying attention to the right

things.”

“It’s called growing up,” Yaffa said. “We all do this.”

“Care to share you’re epiphany?” Arne asked.

“Only that you’re right,” Shen said. “It could take time to pass through the mountain, with caveats.”

“Secret caveats?” Arne said.

“I don’t know. This may not be my secret to share,” Shen said.

There was silence and the Arne nodded. “That level of discernment has raised your esteem with me,

friend.”

“How many people are in your village?” Erico asked.

“Are you friends with the Tarmorians?” Torny asked.

“Have you been to Sinter?” Arne asked.

Shen held his hands up. He was overwhelmed by the speed of the questions and his sudden insight.

He took his book from Tane and showed Arne the pages. “I was raised by the Tamorians. I was born

here. They call it Easterly. I have spent time in Midelay, East, Middle, and West, and I have visited

Lakewood, here. Loxy can give you a map drawn to scale. I have forged through the sleeping forest

deep, to the wall of it here. I suspect there is another wall of Sleeping Tree over here, but I have not

pushed into that side. West Midelay and Lakewood folks do most of the sacred Night Walks there.

More and more they are coming this way. The only thing holding them back is likely the presence of

Irks. They thrive in this area.”

“We would trade for Irk skin, eggs, feathers,” Arne said. “And goats.”

“And for a supply of fresh fruits, vegetables,” Yaffa said.

“Honey would be sweet,” Erico said.

“Okay,” Shen said. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

“You have been to Sinter?” Arne asked, repeating the question Torny had asked; he clearly ignored the

offer for trade.

“Let the myths be,” Yaffa said.

“I am not welcomed in Sinter. I have never been,” Shen said. “I thought it was a race thing; I am

unaccepted because I am white. Then I thought it was just a man thing, but men clearly get accepted to

go fight. I believe it is because I use magic. More likely, it was because I failed to assimilate to their

ways.”

“What could be so horrible a goat fucker wouldn’t do?” Erico said.

“Call him goat fucker one more time, and I will level you,” Arne said. “That joke is done.”

“I apologize,” Erico said.

“Thank you, Erico. I will not hold this grievance against you,” Shen said.

They nodded to each other.

“I am curious. You clearly hold yourself well. I assume intelligence. What was it you couldn’t abide?”

Arne asked.

“I won’t fight,” Shen said.

“You can take a punch, Sir; you can fight,” Arne said. “I will teach you.”

“I am sure I could learn much from you, but I won’t fight. I will not fight,” Shen said.

“What kind of man won’t fight?” Yaffa asked. There was a bit disgust in that question.

“The man that never loses,” Shen said. “I will not lose. People get mad. Things escalate. People die.”

“That can happen in a fight,” Arne said. “It doesn’t have to go that way. Intelligence provides discretion

and alternative solutions.”

“You don’t understand,” Shen said. “I don’t just go a few rounds. My response to physical conflict is

always exaggerated. I overkill to shut it down. I don’t just exchange punches. I kill people. The more I

kill, the more people come at me to fight. I don’t want that. I don’t want to kill. And so I have sworn off

fighting.”

“You have sworn off fighting the people of Midelay,” TL said. “Not never to fighting again.”

“Interesting interpretation,” Shen said. He looked to Arne. “I do not want to fight.”

“You’re a berserker?” Torny asked.

“Fight with me, let me see your threshold,” Arne said.

“You can leave now,” Shen said.

Arne put a friendly hand on Shen’s shoulder. Shen clearly went to high alert, and there was a bit of

anger on his face as he had expected Arne was about to challenge him. It turned out to be an

affectionate gesture. “I just want to understand you.”

“I accept that. I will not explain further. I will not story this. Stories becomes rumors. Rumors become

myths. People come to challenge myths. I am not seeking understanding or sympathy or any other

generosity. You will accept that I will not fight, or you can leave. Go to war with me, you will die.

Everyone who will not run away or cease hostilities against me will die. That is not a threat. That is the

way of it,” Shen said.

“Such a mighty warrior who can’t be beat should not be hiding in a cave,” Tane said. “You are a

coward.”

“Tane! Silence,” Arne said. He studied Shen’s eyes. “Shen, friend of the forest. Jon Harister, Captain of

one. You will hold your ground. That is courage. I disagree with not fighting, but I do not wish to end

this friendship, yet. Mark these words, Sir. Should an enemy fall on me or my people, and you are there

to witness- and you do nothing, not only will I end our friendship, I will kill you with my own hands.”

“That is clarity,” Shen said. “May you never see the day I am called to battle.”

“May all the days be that easy,” Arne said.

They gripped each other wrist. There was understanding.

“Forgive me,” Shen said. “I am feeling suddenly overwhelmed and wish to retire. Loxy, you have our

guests.”

Everyone stood.

“Of course. I will join you when they’re settled,” Loxy said.

“Good night, friends,” Shen said.

His absence left an awkward silence that lasted maybe a minute.

“What kind of man leaves strangers with his woman?”

“A trusting one,” Torny said.

“A moody one,” Tane said.

“As if you have never been moody,” Yaffa said.

“Someone who has been to war,” Arne said. “Loxy, will you tell us his story.”

“It is not mine to give,” Loxy said; she touched his book. “This book has been made open to you. You

will find his words.”

“I have many questions,” Torny said.

“I know,” TL said. “But I would like to withdraw to be with my husband. Abby and Rock will remain in

earshot. There are beds in the rooms between here and the dining room, or you may sleep by the fire

here if you prefer. If you have need, just call out. Our home, the books here, they’re open to you. I will

return before morning, with gifts for your journey.”

“Will we see Shen before we leave?” Arne said.

“I promise,” TL said. “He will be recovered by morning.”

“How bad was the war?” Torny asked.

Loxy gave a faint smile. “I will let you know when it’s over.”