The Fallen World

The Moon City - Part 6

     “Matt’s been a long time,” said Diana, frowning with worry. “Do you think he’s all right?”

     “Mmm?” said Thomas distractedly, his attention still riveted on the papers he was reading.

     “I’m sure he is,” replied Shaun reassuringly. “It’s just taking longer than he thought it would, that’s all. That’s a difficult task he’s set himself.”

     “Maybe we should check up on him,” suggested the cleric.

     “He specifically asked not to be disturbed,” pointed out the fighter.

     “We don’t have to disturb him, just have a peek through the door,” said Diana. “Come on, it won’t take a minute.”

     “All right,” said Shaun, standing up and stretching his legs, glad for any excuse to get out of the room. His attempt to get some sleep had failed. It wouldn’t have been so bad if there’d been nothing to do but the lenses of farseeing had been preying on his mind, driving him almost frantic with frustration as he longed to go back to them. He cast a resentful glance at Lirenna as he and the cleric left the room. Okay, so she doesn’t like looking down on all that war and suffering, he thought, but what gives her the right to forbid anyone else from using them? Is she afraid of me seeing something I shouldn’t or something?

     It came to him suddenly, the answer popping into his head as though it had been there all along, just waiting for the right moment to reveal itself. Of course, Haven! The hidden kingdom! Oh Lenny, don’t you trust us? Do you really think we’d betray your homeland?

     During the few seconds it took them to walk from the astronomical storeroom to the entrance hall, the same thoughts that had gone through Lirenna’s mind went through Shaun’s; that the Agglemonians must have known all about Haven but had kept it secret for some reason. Then they reached the room where they’d left Matthew, and suddenly all thought of the hidden kingdom was swept from his mind as they saw the previously locked door standing open and the passage leading away into the darkness.

     “Oh no!” cried Diana in sudden fear. “He hasn’t gone through by himself?”

     “The idiot!” agreed Shaun, running up to the door and looking through. “What in the name of Hell does he think he’s doing?” He went through the door, squinting to see in the near darkness, and called out as loudly as he could. “Matt! Matt!”

     “All right, I’m here,” replied Matthew, reappearing through the other door on the other side of the room. “Keep your hair on.”

     “Matthew!” cried Diana in relief. “What in the world possessed you? After everything we’ve gone through, all the dangers we’ve met, you should know better than to go running off by yourself!”

     “We left you alone because we trusted you not to do anything stupid,” agreed Shaun.

     “Yes, yes, all right,” said Matthew dismissively. “but wait ‘till you see what’s down there! It’s incredible!”

     “What’s all the shouting about?” asked Jerry, appearing in the doorway behind them. “Hey, great, you got the door open.”

     “No problem,” replied Matthew, grinning with delight.

     Despite his original annoyance, Shaun found himself glad for his brother. Having wizards and a cleric for travelling companions, and with Shaun having a magic sword, Matthew had been just ‘the second soldier’ ever since the six of then had first joined up. Now, though, he had had a chance to display a talent that none of the others had and would finally be feeling that he belonged as a member of this extraordinary group of individuals.