The Gem Lords

The Sapphire City - Part 5

     Finally, it was time to return to the palace. "You'll spend the night with us, of course," he said, "and tomorrow we'll decide what we're going to do, how we're going to deal with Derro and save ten billion lives."

     "He won't become a rak," said Lirenna firmly. "You've already heard his decision and he'll stick with it."

     There was worry in her eyes, though, as she looked at her husband. Thomas was having his doubts, and she knew it. He'd been thinking hard all day and still couldn't think of an alternative. He hated the idea of becoming a rak, loathed the idea of becoming undead, but if there truly was no other way...

     "We'll think of something," said Lirenna firmly. "If it takes the rest of our lives, we'll think of something." Thomas nodded, and prayed desperately that she was right.

     They couldn't fly back to the landing platform, it was too high, so they flew down instead, to the very base of the palace tower, where there were a number of openings leading in, each one guarded by a pair of soldiers in the livery of Sapphire's household. "More magical creations," said Barl in reply to their questioning looks. "There's something about a splendidly dressed guard detail that adds something to the place, don't you think?"

     The guards stepped aside to let them pass, and Lirenna paused for a moment to examine one of them, her eyes widening in wonder. She reached hesitantly out and touched his cheek with the tips of her fingers. It felt like normal warm, human skin. Even with her delicate shayen senses she couldn't tell the difference! The man even flinched a little at her touch, just as a real man would have done. It just made her even unhappier, though. It was frightening that such a perfect copy could be made. She didn't like it that she couldn't trust her own senses to tell her the truth.

     Thomas saw her distress and gently urged her away, and Barl led them inside, to the base of a shaft that lead upwards as far as they could see. The Gem Lord led them into it, and they were lifted gently upwards, the floor dropping away from their feet. "This leads all the way up to the palace?" asked Lirenna.

     "All the way up to the landing platform," confirmed Barl. "Do you want to stop at the stables to see the steeds?"

     The two wizards glanced at each other in a silent communication. "No," said Thomas. "I think we'll go back to our room. We're tired, and we've got a lot to think about."

     "Yes, of course."

     Before long the floor had dropped out of sight beneath them and they were in a shaft that appeared to extend infinitely both above and below, giving Thomas an uncomfortable feeling of vertigo. He was still wearing his Autumnleaf Ring, he reminded himself, lifting his hand to look at it. If the levitation spells lifting him up were to fail he would descend gently back to the ground, but what about Lirenna? Would he be able to grab her hand in time? If not, would she be able to glide down in the confined space? He reached out to take hold of her arm and she smiled as he did so, guessing his thoughts.

     After a while they began passing platforms on either side, with doors leading to various levels of the tower, and once they passed a man in the blue uniform of Sapphire's household dropping past them, on his way to a lower level. He glanced curiously at them as they passed, but said nothing.

     It took them about ten minutes to reach the top, and they saw a flat, metal roof above them which slid aside as they approached, revealing a small circle of darkening blue sky. They rose through the opening, the door sliding back in place under their feet, and then they were gently lowered again, to be left standing on the platform, two hundred yards from their clothes.