Chapter Thirty-one
Wyland
Leitus and Janik, inexperienced oarsmen, fell further and further behind Erika's abductors. On the fourth day of their pursuit, they lost complete contact, and found themselves paddling aimlessly through an archipelago of small, rocky, pine covered islands, that dotted the western end of the lake.
"This is hopeless, Janik. We can't even find the site where they last camped, and every one of our attempts to reach the lake shore has failed. It's like being in a maze."
"Maybe they didn't continue westward, Sir. Maybe they've changed direction. We've no way of knowing."
"We can't give up. I'm responsible for her."
"Why do you think she was kidnapped, Sir?"
Leitus raised his arms and shrugged, indicating he thought the answer was obvious.
"It might not be as bad as you think, Sir. Her captors were reasonably tall, and fair skinned, definitely not Myr and possibly of Darsian extraction. Maybe they were surprised to meet another Darsian and have just taken her for interrogation."
"You're so naïve, Janik. Four men all alone in the company of a woman as beautiful as Erika, I shudder to think what might have happened to her already. There's no way we can give up. We must track them down no matter how long it takes."
*****
"Wake up! Wake up! We can't wait all day for you."
The words roused Leitus from his fitful sleep on the flat rock adjacent to the long dormant campfire. Towering above him stood a man in flowing robes, sporting a full grey beard and a waist-length mane of hair. The sun shone, directly behind this strange figure. For a moment, Leitus thought his time had come.
"Are you Leitus Born?"
Leitus nodded, as he struggled to a sitting position, wondering how the stranger could possibly know his name. It suddenly dawned on him. He regained his poise.
"Before I answer any of your questions, you answer one for me. Are you part of the group that kidnapped Erika, my assistant?"
"Kidnapped is a rather strong word. We have taken good care of her, and I would think by now she will be luxuriating in the comforts of the Women's Grotto. You'll get to see her tonight. She's fine. But back to my questions. Are you related to a Walter Born?"
Leitus, relieved to hear that Erika was alive and well, willingly responded.
"Not presently, but there was a Walter in the family who emigrated to Pergamon well over two hundred years ago."
"Where did he settle?"
"In the town of Timus. I think they call it Charon now."
The elderly man scowled. "It'll always be Timus to us," he growled. "What did this Walter do for a living?"
"Well he started out as a miner, but had to retire because of illness. And I believe he then tried his hand as a barber."
The interrogator positively beamed. "And his wife's name?"
"Hilda."
Arms were outstretched. The stranger pulled Leitus to his feet, and enveloped him in a monstrous hug. "Welcome Leitus. Welcome to Wyland. My name is Travis Galgov."
*****
Galgov escorted Leitus and Janik on to his recently built yacht, which he then expertly steered through the islands, following markers invisible to the uninformed. In just over an hour, the vessel entered a small harbour.
"This is Badur," he said, his arms outstretched. The town was abuzz with activity, a major reconstruction in progress.
"What's going on here?" asked Janik.
"We're reclaiming what is rightfully ours."
"What do you mean?"
"This town was built by our ancestors, just after the introduction of the alphega diet."
"What was that?" queried Leitus.
"A wonder food that promised longevity, but we wanted nothing to do with it. We moved away from the big cities, and founded our own settlements, all along Lake Nipogon. Everything was fine for a while, but then a series of incidents escalated in to a full-scale civil war. The Myr with their superior fire power destroyed our villages and drove us to our mountain refuge."
"I don't think you have much to fear from the Myr now," intoned Janik.
"That's what Erika told us. I gather you think something terrible has happened to them."
"More than terrible. They appear to have been wiped out," replied Janik.
"We knew something must have happened. Their attacks ceased about eight years ago. We were reticent to send out scouts because of the Myr's automated sensors and their powerful weapons."
"They don't function anymore," said Janik.
"We thought that might have happened, but from long and bitter experience, we have learned to be very cautious as far as the Myr are concerned. They almost wiped us out. The decision to rebuild here met a lot of opposition."
"If you don't mind," interrupted Leitus, "I would like to return to the question of their possible extinction. Do you have any idea what might have happened to them?"
"There are a lot of wild theories about that. Their whole way of life was based on solar power, but the sun is still there. It didn't disappear. Some people think it might have something to do with Canadome."
"Canadome?"
"It is, or was, one of the highest peaks in the Grampians. About eighty years ago, it suddenly burst in to activity. Few had realized it was a volcano. There were several minor eruptions over a period of several years, and then it returned to its dormant state. That is until the big one. Eight years ago, half the mountain was blown away. The sky remained dark for days."
"I remember that, Sir. Remember that morning we woke up on campus and found everything covered with a dusting of white ash. Everyone thought at the time that there must have been a volcanic eruption but didn't know where. It must have been Canadome."
"Could be," Leitus mused.
"It's time to disembark, our horses are here."
Travis Galgov, astride a black stallion, led a party of twenty armed men through the town. Leitus and Janik, mounted on sturdy mountain ponies, rode by his side. As they trotted along the dusty main street, Galgov pointed out the various reconstruction projects. He was particularly proud of the medical facility nearing completion.
"This is to be the Walter Born Memorial Hospital."
"Why the Walter Born?" asked Leitus.
"Obviously you're not aware. If it wasn't for Walt's courageous act it's doubtful that we would be here today."
"Tell me more."
*****
On the outskirts of the town, the street narrowed to a path meandering through what must once have been fertile farmland, but after years of neglect, the forest had reclaimed the land. The path through the trees steepened. Deciduous trees gave way to a forest of conifers that thinned out as they climbed to higher elevations. Eventually they emerged on to a high shale covered plateau. In the distance loomed a range of jagged peaks.
"You can just see Wyland over there," said Galgov, pointing in a North-easterly direction. "The twin peaked mountain. We built in there."
As they approached the citadel, Leitus began to realize why. Large holes pitted the sheer face of the mountain. Many were the mouths of natural caves, but others, of a more regular shape, were obviously man made and probably constructed for defensive purposes. In Leitus' view, this seemed an unnecessary embellishment as their final approach to the stronghold was blocked by a narrow gorge, carved out of the rock by a raging river now laying twenty feet below. A signal from Galgov, and the guards lowered the drawbridge. The horses thundered across the wooden structure, and through a man-made entrance into a huge limestone cavern, illuminated by natural light streaming through holes in the roof.
The party dismounted. Galgov turned to Leitus. "I presume you're wondering how we could possibly survive here."
"You presume correctly."
"Let me show you."
Galgov led Leitus and Janik along a tunnel opening up into a natural amphitheatre that had formed between the two peaks. It was open to the sky. The slopes, terraced for farming, surrounded a large pool of clear water.
"The water is hard, but quite therapeutic," said Galgov.
"But where is everyone? I don't see anyone tending the crops and where are the women and children?"
"You don't seem to have realized how few of us there really are Leitus. The majority of the men are down in Batur. The few women that have survived will probably be at their leisure in the Women's Grotto. Erika is there with them."
"Can we see her?"
"That's up to her."
Galgov approached a thick oaken door, the entrance to the Grotto. He knocked three times. A shutter opened. Leitus could see the framed face of an elderly woman. A short conversation ensued. Galgov returned.
"Men can only enter the Grotto by invitation. Matron is checking to see if you are welcome."
A few minutes passed. The door opened. Matron beckoned them forward. Leitus and Janik passed in to the Grotto. Galgov was refused admission. He made his excuses and retired to his quarters,
Several couches, occupied by women in various stages of pregnancy, were scattered around the Grotto. As they entered, Erika emerged from her private quarters and rushed towards them. Losing her normal self- control, she flung herself in to the receptive arms of Janik. The passionate embrace elicited a cooing response from the reclining ladies, and discomfited Leitus who later received a perfunctory peck on the cheek.
"Is everything O.K. Ka?" he asked in a sorry attempt at intimacy.
"Fine, Sir." Leitus frowned at the formal response. "They've treated me really well. Come with me to my quarters. We can talk in private there. Both of you!"
Her quarters turned out to be a curtained off alcove containing a fur covered bed and little else. Erika sat on the edge of the bed, and regaled them with details of her kidnapping.The two men squatting on the floor listened intently.
Her tale complete, Erika switched topics, unable to resist the temptation to tease.
"I don't know whether I'm glad you found me."
"What do you mean? We bust our guts trying to save you," Janik blustered.
"I know you did, and I appreciate that, but you have to realize that this place is a woman's idea of paradise."
"Some paradise," scoffed Leitus.
"Let me finish. This very evening I am invited to the viewing gallery where I will watch a parade of available young men. I have my pick, and..." she raised her eyebrows and giggled, 'I am reliably informed that they will be stark buck naked."
"How crude!" bleated Leitus.
"At least I'll know what I'm getting."
"What do you mean 'getting'?" asked Leitus, unable to hide his disgust.
"That's the best part. The one I choose will be brought to my bed whenever I wish. If I tire of him, I can request a replacement. This will continue until I become pregnant. Then I will be put in the care of the asexuals who will cater to my every wish."
"Asexuals!" exclaimed Leitus.
"Yes. Didn't you notice my kidnappers? The bloated faces, the high-pitched voices, it's a give- away. Apparently when a male child is born it is determined by lottery whether he is to become what they call an asexual."
"I wonder if that has something to do with the X?" said Janik. "You remember, on that sheet we found in the birthing centre."
"Oh yes. We were wondering about that, weren't we? I cannot believe that they would practice such butchery."
"It's not as barbaric as it sounds. They do it chemically. Apparently it's painless."
"Painless or not, why would they do such a terrible thing?" said Janik, reflexively touching his testicles.
"There are so few women. The Myr apparently targeted young women of child bearing age and decimated the Darsian female population."
"Why would they do that?" asked Janik.
"There's a possibility this drug Alphega made Myrian women sterile," suggested Leitus. "The Myr might have needed breeding stock. Maybe we'll find the answer in Ruanda, assuming they let us go. Are you still with us Erika?"
Erika paused before answering, "I don't really know, Sir. Could I wait until after the viewing before making up my mind?"