The Gem Lords

The Sapphire City - Part 3

     The inside of the tower was as breathtaking as he'd promised it would be.,The entire centre of the tower was a single open space, lit by miniature suns that drifted slowly and sedately up and down the huge shaft, and there were green, living things everywhere the eye turned.

     There were more fliers circling in the air, some chasing each other, others just drifting with the air currents, but most of the inhabitants on the balconies circling the shaft were wingless; sitting at tables sipping drinks and chatting with their neighbours, or just strolling in an unhurried manner along walkways and up and down sapphire staircases.

     Barl took his two guests back into the air, gliding gently a few hundred yards down to a level where the circular balcony housed a bazaar as large as some city centres. Enough of the crowd flocking through it were winged that their arrival aroused no special attention, but again Barl was recognised and people politely made way for him and his entourage, showing a consideration and respect for his personal space that surprised the wizards.

     Evidently these people didn't worship the Gem Lords as gods, but neither did they revere them as beloved leaders, or despise them as cruel oppressors for that matter. In fact, neither Thomas nor Lirenna had ever heard, or imagined, any leader being treated this way by his people, as if he was just one of them. Just one of the people. Of course, Barl wasn't properly their ruler. He had his own realm to rule. This realm belonged to Lord Sapphire, and was being administered by Topaz in his absence, but even so Lord Ruby had to be a man of tremendous importance to these people.

     Could it be that, with three thousand years in which to practice, in which to make mistakes and learn from them, the Gem Lords had finally cracked the secret of how to create the perfect society? Or had the whole thing been arranged for their benefit? After all, with their godlike powers, it would be childsplay for the Gem Lords to create a duplicate Sapphire city and populate it with obedient automatons. Tak's memories assured him that it really had been like this during the days of his reign, though.

     Knowing it was likely that Lirenna was reading his mind, to make sure he really was against rak transformation, he thought in his mind for her to read the thoughts of the people around him, to make sure they really were the real inhabitants of the real Sapphire city. She looked at him, nodding, then turned her attention to the thronging crowd. A moment later she turned back to him and nodded slightly. So, it was real. A real paradise, willed into existence by the power of the Gem Lords. Which meant that not all raks automatically became monsters, didn't it?

     Then he remembered the ruthless birth control laws, though, and noticed the very small number of children among the adults. But if laws like that were necessary to create a paradise... He saw Lirenna staring at him, looking deeply unhappy, and realised he was wavering. It brought him back to earth with a shock. Had he actually been considering rak transformation? Had he actually been giving serious thought to becoming an undead being? He had the frightening feeling of having just barely hung onto himself, of clawing his way back from some terrible precipice, but when he looked at his wife again she was still looking unhappy.

     She made her way to his side, speaking loudly enough for Barl to hear her. "Remember we can't stay long. We ought to be getting back to Haven."

     "There's one thing you have to see first," said Barl however, steering them into the bazaar and between the crowded stalls, their wings tucked tightly against their bodies to squeeze through the crowd. "He's a special friend of mine and a talented artist. Tak used to be a dream artist himself, if you remember, Thomas. It should give you the insight to really appreciate his work."

     The two wizards glanced at each other, trying to read each other's faces, but then they followed, anxious not to lose him in the crowd.

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