In the distance a dark line was visible.
“Those are the Gates to Ilon. In about an hour we should be there. We can rest for a day or a bit more and then continue our journey. There’s someone who lives there that we should see,” Cyrus said. “After that, if we reach Brickdale Ridge in time, we can get a lift on one of their ships and cut our journey time by more than half.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Tyson said.
They took a quick water break and then made their way towards the gates. The dark shadow that was the walls of the town looked hazy and unclear in the heat. It wasn’t too long before they could see the gates properly.
The two large black gates were closed. A large wall made of black stone surrounded the rest of the town. The town was pretty small and Tyson could see the ends of the wall where they turned, marking the boundaries of the town.
“We are almost there,” Cyrus said, sounding tired but peppy. “It’s a guarded city, but the residents tend to be friendly.”
In just fifteen minutes they reached the foot of the gates.
A small man spoke through a megaphone that looked to be made from a large, hardened leaf. He was standing in one of the sentry towers positioned at the top of each wall.
“State your names and your means of business,” he said in a deep, amplified voice, before adding, “Please.”
7
The Father of Channeler Serena
Cyrus smiled. “Bogard, it’s Cyrus, and his company, Katie Dimes and Tyson Everties. They are new faces to this area. We wish to enter the town and stay for maybe a day or two and then resume our long journey.”
There was but a momentary silence before the guard replied, “Welcome back Cyrus, and welcome company!”
The gates of the city swung outward. Even though they looked like they were many years old, the gates made no sound when they moved.
When the gates had opened Cyrus led them into the city. From the inside, the city looked much larger than from the outside, from which the walls that surrounded it made the city look like an old ghost town. The buildings were made of thick, hard dark wood. When Katie got a closer look at one of the structures, she wondered if it was even wood at all. It looked perfect, smooth, shiny and durable.
“Cyrus,” Bogard called out from atop the tower. “Day is nearing. A curfew is placed within the city.”
“Thank you for reminding me, Bogard,” said Cyrus, looking up and smiling. “We will abide.”
Bogard nodded and waved them on. Cyrus led Tyson and Katie further into the city. A few people were milling around; some just walking and others going into different stores or looking at the ground as if they were avoiding something.
“What was he talking about back there?” Katie asked.
“Something happened to this town quite some time ago. Soon enough you’ll learn the full story. It isn’t mine to tell, though, so you will have to wait,” Cyrus answered.
Katie looked around. Everyone looked like a normal human. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting because she had met Cyrus, who looked normal, but she figured that others would look different, but they didn’t. When she thought about it, Katie realized that she was actually from here and no one back on Earth told her that she looked different, so maybe they all were the same.
“Where will we be staying?” Katie asked Cyrus.
“Do you know what a hotel is?” Cyrus asked.
“Of course I do,” Katie replied, astonished he asked her such a stupid question.
Cyrus chuckled. “No, of course. I’m just saying. That’s where we will be staying, one of the finest hotels in this city. And the only one.”
They walked further into the city. It reminded Tyson of the old towns in the video games he used to play on his computer when he was a kid. Even the stores here sold odd merchandise.
“Why is the town so heavily guarded?” Katie asked.
“Well,” Cyrus said, drawing breath, “There are two gates to enter and depart the city. The rest of it is surrounded by the wall with sentries guarding it day and night. It is to protect the citizens.”
“Protect them from what?” Tyson asked.
“This town is old and holds much value and history, so raiders and thieves like to come in now and then. Also, sometimes one of the beasts from the jungle make their way here,” Cyrus explained patiently, “And I’m not talking about Stagners. Those are tame and small compared to what else can dwell in the jungle.”
Katie’s eyes widened. “What else is in there?”
Cyrus frowned and shrugged slightly as if to say there wasn’t any real danger. “You know, various creatures and animals, some like lizards twice the size of Komodo dragons, or those giant birds that eat those lizards.”
Tyson was listening carefully but didn’t say anything.
“You didn’t tell us!” Katie shouted. “We could have been in great danger! You should have warned us about those things.”
“And I will do that,” Cyrus answered. “I didn’t need to worry you about anything that wasn’t a threat. I had taken precautions to ensure we would have a safe journey through the jungle.”
The deeper they got into the town the more people there were, and the people here moved more quickly, with more life in them.
“The town has more than enough defenses and weapons against the looters and creatures of the jungle,” Cyrus said. “What worries the people here most are the spirits.”
“The what?” Tyson asked.
“The spirits,” Cyrus answered.
“What spirits?” Katie asked.
“Well,” Cyrus intoned. “No one knows. When they appear, their forms are always different. Sometimes they appear as extinct animals, and sometimes they come as people.”
“What
