also i'm a bad speller/typer and my word check isnt working. so ignore any erros. i'll catch them later.
Chapter Seven
A group of dusty jeeps and trucks drive alogn a dessert path. They arrive in front of a crude looking set of doors reaching up about 12 stories blocking the entrance to a long crevance in a clif face.
Madura stands up in her jeep
Madura: HOLA!! Open Da door!
A man from uphigh waves and the door slowly swings open and the trucks drive in. They enter a wide crevace with colorful tents set up along its sides. There are buildings carved into the cliffs sides, beams and cloth and walkways reach all the way up and across the wide crevasse. Smaller cracks lead off from the main one where people have set up more tents and make-shift homes. The jeeps drive through the crowds until they reach the end of the crevasse which opens into a circular clearing where larger decorated tents have been clustered together with a large center area for a bon fire. A larger structure built of metal and tents reaching three floors is constructed on one end against the cliff face with two guards standing out front.
Madura gets out of her Jeep and barks a few commands at the rest of the caravan which drives off down a side crevasse into what appears to be a dark tunnel or cavern lit with torches before turning to face Blue, Kas, Rika, M and Aze who just stepped out of their vehicle.
Madura: Welcome to Zagwé!
Kas: Pretty nifty place you got here
Madura: We build our own citys when da Empire destroys our homes. Most people ‘ere been through hell an’ back. So I sugest you don’t be annoying dem.
Kas: We are grateful your hospitality! But if the ladies can’t keep their hands off me-
Blue elbows him in the side
Blue: Thank you, Madura. We truly are in your dept.
Madura: Ey. We do what we can to help dose in need. We be settin up a place for you in dat tent ova der.
M nods and gets back into the truck to drive it off
Madura:
She then turns to the commotion in the clearing, of the people unloading trucks
Madura: Tonight! We be celebratin’ anotha safe trip into da outlands. And we celebrate for dees lost souls ‘ere.
A roar of agreement and cheering rises up from those surrounding.
Kas: C’mon Aze, lets see what we can do to help!
Him and Aze head over to help unload a truck and Blue and Rika follow Madura into the three-floor structure. Kas and Blue share a breif look over their shoulders.
Madura pushes open a heavy cloth door and steps into the structure. It is oddly dark inside and has a dirt floor with a spiral stair case leading up to the second floor. There appears to be two doors on opposite walls. Madura leads them up to the second floor.
Madura: You said you be looking for survivors?
Blue: Well..yes.
Madura: I been out ‘ere long enough to know when I only gettin’ half da truth.
They reach the top floor which is similar to the bottom floor but brighter as it has a large window on the wall looking out over the clearing. Madura unlocks a door on the opposite wall which leads right into the cliff face.
Madura: Dat stone you got round your neck. I only seen it once before.
Rika: You know of it?
Madura: Inside.
They step inside and she closes the door casting them into complete darkness. A second later the room is lit with fire which rests in Maduras hand. She lights a few torces in the room which appears to be a bedroom.
Madura: ‘Bout two days ago I was out patrolin’ the outlands. Lookin for any Empire wrecks when dis sparkle in da sand caught ma attention.
She goes over to a table and unlocks a box. She takes out an aqua colours shard smaller, but identical to the one around Blue’s neck. Its glowing a pale blue colour.
Rika: Another shard?! But how?
Blue: That’s Impossible!
Madura: I seen stones like dis before. Dey hold great power to da user. Great and terrible dark magics. But dees magics only work when da stone is complete. De shard you got der is much larger den dis piece ‘ere. Blue, if you be lookin for dis stone, I warn you dis stone is powerful magic. I neva seen one so large before.
Rika: its about the size of a human head….I’ve seen the stone when it was whole.
Madura: Den you know of the power it holds.
Blue: Madura, We need to know if there were any other shards. If the stone we are searching for did infact shatter while it was traveling it means our mission has become a lot harder.
Rika: Do you think it really shatterd?
Blue: Possibly. Maybe it was planned this way…to prevent the Empire from finding it.
Madura: The Empire? You betta not be messin’ with dem
Blue: Look, this may sound crazy..but… This shard I have. Its supposed to guide me to this stone. The Stone was supposed to be our weapon against the empire. But the Empire found out and destroyed our base before we could understand how to harness the powers of the Stone. We managed to transposrt it away before the Empire got hold of it…But if…it shatterd…
Rika: We would have to find all the pices and connect them for the Stone to work. That could take years!
Blue: We’ll just have to pray it didn’t completely shatter then.
Madura: Ah. Da Alpha-Sector. I sudda picked up on dat before with da uniforms.
Blue: You know of us?
Madura: Ha. We know dat you steal from da Empire. Aren’t much different from dem, really. Provide refugee from dose who been hurt by the Empire, but only force dem to fight like dem too.
Blue: I know…I realise this now. That’s why we need to find the stone. To stop the Empire from taking from the Earth. To help the people who are forced to live out in this wasteland! All the people living in those cities are living a lie!
Madura: You juss finding’ dis out now, girl. Hm. You a’ve more use for dis den I do. ‘ere.
Rika: it’s the only shard that seems to be completely connected to the stone still.
Blue: What do you mean?
Rika: Well…I didn’t want to say anything before because I wanted to be sure. Essentially you could harness part of the stone spower through that shard..no matter where the stone is. If it is infact shatterd completely though then your shard wouldn’t be working.
Madura: Den der is still hope. If you be serchin for dis stone dat can destroy da empire den I want to be part of it. Help you any way I can wit my magics..but I can’t leave dees people.
Blue: Madura, you don’t have to feel like you need to help.
Madura: Dis stone will effect us all. Den we all need to search. Unlike some tribes the outlands ‘aven’t corrupted our minds completely. Be careful when you are out der. Juss because dey look like people doesn’t mean dey are.
Blue and Rika look at her wide-eyed.
Madura: I want you to meet someone. Anotha Fire mage like myself. She be able to help you on dis serch of yours while we search the desert.
Blue: No. please. Don’t send anyone else with us. The Empire is surely after us andall they want is the stone. They won’t have any intention of keeping us alive.
Madura: Which is why you need all da help you can git.
She stands up and heads back towards the door
Madura: And don’t worry. Der is no way dat Man is your leadea. We all know its da women who run dis world!
She laughs and Blue and Rika simle, following her back out.
The sun has just set when the three women exit the building. The group of colorful tents has been lit up by a huge bonfire in the center of the clearing. Smaller fires litter the clearing where people are cooking and partying. Everyone is having a great time and music fills the air alogn with laughter.
Blue: Where are the guys?
Rika: Oh I’m sure we’ll find them.
Madura: She be startin’ soon. Der, on da stage. Go git a good spot.
She points to a crude and brigtly colourd stage that has been set up at the entrace to the clearing. Blue and Rika leave Madura who goes off into a tent. They take a spot with the gathering crowd. M comes up to them.
M: There is a secret escape in the cavern down there if we need to make a quick get-a-way.
Blue nods
Rika: M! How could you go snooping around like that! These people have offerd protection and a place to sleep!
M: It is not them I am concernd about, Rika.
Aze appears
Aze: The Empire is looking for us. Two scount ships have been spotted on the horizon since we’ve been here. If you look up along to cliff ledges you’ll see watchers set up.
The scan the top of the cliff and notice a few moving figures, all are obviously armed.
Blue: We need to get out of here tomorrow then.
M: I agree. They seem insitant that we stay.
Aze: Can you blame them? Four months ago ten people were killed while out salvaging a ruined Empire resource ship.
Rika: What happened?
Aze: ugh. The survivors siad a group of human like monsters attacked and…
M: Ate them.
Rika: WHAT!
M: We were fortunate enough to exit the Sphere on the side that was still, mostly, habitable. Other areas are filled with chemicals and waste dumped out by the Empire.
Rika: That’s horrible!
M: hum. That is not the worst of it.
Aze: Lets just hope we don’t have to venture into those areas…
Blue: We might just have to. Look
M: The stone was already damaged, you have a large portion of it around your neck. If attacked, it is extremely likely that it shatterd, and dropped out of the vehicle piece by piece.
Aze: Oh great. Raining shards.
Rika: Wouldn’t they have landed on a path then?
M: People like shiney things.
Blue: We’re going to have to fight for some shards.
M: How much did you tell Madura?
A man walks up on stage and adresses the crowd
Man: Ladies and gentlemen!! Tonight, performing for us, The lovely, and talented, Paia!!
Cheering fills the crowd.
Blue: I’ll explain tonight. Where’s Kas?
Aze: We don’t know.
A Slim girl dressed in genie-like clothing made of flowing red fabric and gold bangles walks up on stage. She is similar to Madura but is shorter and lighter skinnd. Her hair is various shades of Red and gold,and her eyes are a warm gold colour. She wears a necalace identical to Maduras.
(all mages wear amulets around their neck. Each amulet is either a gold silver or bronze disk with a tiny colored stone. The stone runs off the same concept as Blue’s shard- a small piece connected to a larger piece elsewhere which magic is channeled through. However, a mages stone does very little as their magic abilities are mental, the necklaces are simply used as decoration once the mage develops their powers)
She starts to dance to music coming from a band off to the side. The crows stares, vexed by her beauty. The music gets faster and faster and slowly flames start to dance around her and speard. Growing and changing with the music and with her until the music stops with a big finale and she shoots up small flames into the air which burst like fireworks.
The crows cheer and roar and she bows before walking off stage.
Rika: That was amazing!
Blue: I found Kas.
They follow her gaze and watch Paia get off stage and walk up to Kas who is cheering her on.
Rika: Ugh. We’ve been here all of what, an hour?
Aze: heh heh. He moves fast.
Blue: Horney b*****d.
M chuckles a little to himself. And they head off to enjoy the festivities.
Chapter Eight
Blue wakes up In a cot coverd with faded blankets. She looks around the spacious tent to see the sleeping figures of Rika and Aze and an emptry, already made bed where M has been sleeping. She takes the neckalace out from under her pillow and puts it back on before exiting the blue tent into the clearing. It is early morning and many are still asleep, some people prepare foods in small groups.
She starts lighting a small fire in a smouldering fire pit when Kas comes, shirtless, out of another tent. He sees Blue and walks over.
Kas: morning!
Blue: I’m surprised your up so early
Kas: Pff. I’m sure you heard me get up and dashed out here to bask in my glory.
Blue: oh go put a shirt on, you aren’t that great.
Kas: Your just jealous.
Blue: Of what!
Kas has already disappeard into the blue tent, Blue mumbles to herself and he comes out with a fresh shirt on.
Kas: Where did M go?
Blue: Don’t know.
Kas: hum.
Kas: So where we going today?
Blue: Don’t know.
Kas: No glowey stone stuff yet?
Blue: Haven’t tried it yet.
Kas: Well try!
Blue: I don’t think it works like that.
Kas: Oh c’mon! it’s a ******** rock!
Blue: I don’t see an on button do you!!
Kas: hey now there’s an idea. An on button! Maybe we can get the off button installed on you.
Blue: Was that an insult?
Kas: it was supposed to be!
Blue: Well it sucked.
Kas: Why thank you.
Blue: ugh.
The sit in silence. Someone brings over cans of food which Blue starts cooking on the flames. M walks over.
M: I think it best we wake the others and make our exsit unannounced.
Blue: Why? Whats up?
M: The empire is serching. If they find us here they will surely kill these people.
Kas: how do you know this! I haven’t seen a ship fly by.
M: Kas, there are some things that are just beyond you.
Blue laughs wildly as Kas storms into the tent to wake the others, grumbling.
M: we have two shards then?
Blue: Yes.
M: I have a theory.
Blue: lets hear it.
M: hum. I can not be sure of it yet. It is still hard to de-code.
Blue: What is?
M pulls out the small note book which eh found in the van and opens it to a page. A large circle surrounded by 9 slightly smaller cirles is drawn on the page. Each circle is inscribed with the symbol for each of the 9 mage tribes. The center has the symbol of the alpha sector written on it. A line connects the large circle to the small circle with the water tribe symbol.
Blue: I don’t understand.
M: The book is filled with nonsense. The diary of a alpha secotr mage who died the year the stone was found by the rebles. He mentions the stone briefly in some parts. But… It is possible that a safety mecanizm was isntalled with the stone were it to ever coem in contact with the empire. He doesn’t specify, but it may be that the stone was ment to breka off parts. Loosing its power until united.
Blue: the nine circles… a shard for each of the mage tribes?
M: Percicsly. But I have no proof. For all we know the stone is completely shatterd.
Blue is silent for a moment before she replies: I will not give up hope M. You and I both escaped the Empire. Heh, basic training for me. They killed off all the recruits who weren’t good enough….left us in the field to die.
M nods and the rest of the crew step out of the tent a moment later.
Kas: right then. Lets leave this nice cozy safe haven and run around the ******** wasteland of a world for some rpetty pieces of jewelry. What a ******** brilliant idea.
M: If you would like to know fifty flyer droids were spotted on the horizon by the gaurds at the front gate at sunrise. They lost our tracks at the city ocne the wind coverd them with sand.
Blue: I will not indanger these people.
Kas: Lets all go be froggin heros then.
Aze: it would be less obvious of we made our way there from different directions and at different times. Thirsty minutes we all need to be there.
The rest nod in agreement. Aze and Rika leave first hadign in the opposite directing then Kas.
