The Hollow

Omnos

"Is it broken?" Nom asked. He took another basket of bread from her and loaded it in the pull-cart.

"No," said Omuti, wagging her slinged arm forward and back slightly, "only dislocated, sprained, sliced, and stitched." Nom grimaced in sympathy, but Omuti smiled. "Not to worry, so much metal in Zulm, I taught them distillation. The prickly stone plants have sugar fruit. So, no infection," she wiggled her fingers, "and happy Omuti." Nom couldn't help but grin at her rediscovery of a standard Rabidi delight, as well as her ability to find some joy within a pit of misery. He continued transferring food to his cart.

"Listen, Omuti," Nom said softly, "Ahden and Dev have a plan to find Omega." He stopped transferring the food, and ruefully tapped the cart with his fist, then added, "And another man we met in the past, Dusti."

"Good, a plan to find Omega and Dusti."

"No, we already know where he—just nevermind him. We need you to find some ingredients for us: saltpeter, charcoal, and some rope or cord."

"Yes, I have seen all those things," Omuti informed him.

"Good. Our weapons would be nice, if you've seen those," Nom said, half joking.

"No I have not. Shall I make you some sticks and staves?"

"Oh, sure." Nom and the other kalabursi had finished packing the cart, but pretended to busily arrange the items so they could continue socializing.

"Speaking of saltpeter," said Omuti, "do not eat the meat."

"Is it not preserved?" Nom asked.

"It is. But the farm animals are" Omuti looked troubled, "—unwholesome."

Nom sighed. "I'm not surprised. Say, have you seen any children at the—"

Omuti's smile fell. "No. Go," she urged.

He looked over his shoulder to find Khargis and two soldiers striding toward him. Nom motioned to the other kalabursi, and began pulling the cart. The soldiers, however, came over and grabbed him. He protested for a few seconds until Khargis winded him with a punch under the sternum, and they dragged him away along the rim. His feet dragged and scraped until he regained his breath and was able to walk.

He finally managed to gasp, "What's this about?"

"Righteous suffering," growled Khargis in his low voice. "He wants to see you, kalabursi."

"In person," added a soldier. "He always sees you, of course."

"He sees all," agreed the other.

They walked past the area reserved for the seers. Goggled men and women loitered and wandered, the largest number of seers Nom had ever seen in one location, but no sign of Omega. As with the other seers of Zulm he'd seen, they all bore tattoos and brands, plus the intricately engraved goggles. A couple large stone buildings dominated the encampment, surrounded by smaller cabins and tents. Further back sat several reddish-black balls of goo in various sizes, and Nom became queasy as he recognized inert dragon's blood. He looked away, and turned his head about to continue searching for Omega, then was blindsided when Khargis slapped him in the face to admonish him. They kept going, turned at the edge of the barracks, and walked up between the two areas, away from the strip mine. Nom darted his eyes around with more discretion.

They reached an older multi-level stone block building, the mine settlement's headquarters if Nom recalled correctly, with sections more recently added on and still under construction. It had been painted in bright colors at one time, but they were mostly worn away into ugly patterns, and the new sections retained the dull colors of native stone. Further off in the settlement, smiths, masons, and other craftsmen busily worked in commercial buildings, most two stories with residences above.