Chapter Thirty-Three – I’d Like to See What Happens Next
Only a second or two had passed since Garath sat in the sand, staring into the face of an enormous orca that may or may not kill him, but now he was somewhere else entirely. He was seated cross-legged on a plush cushion inside of a crudely built log structure. In front of him there was a fire glowing softly, its flames lighting the tent around him, the pops and crackles filling the silence. On the other side of the fire, Garath saw the face of a Native American man. He’d seen it before. At least, he was pretty sure he had. He gave the man a long once over before speaking.
The man sitting across the fire from Garath was older, perhaps in his sixties. He wore a long feathered headdress, Chief’s attire. His face was that of a kind man, the face of a friend. A kind man that had spent many nights sitting before an open fire, his dark skin was as tough as leather. His eyes seemed to look through Garath instead of at him, making the Necrologist feel exposed. Naked. Then he realized why the face looked so familiar.
"Chief Seattle?" Garath asked, wondering now if the entire Dungeon experience had just been part of whatever epic dream he was obviously having.
"Si'ahl," the man corrected gently. He poked at the fire with a stick, then looked up to meet Garath's glowing eyes. "Yes, and also no. I am The Tower. I have taken the form of this man in order to speak with you directly. In doing so, I had to incorporate his soul into my own. I have the memories and insights of Chief Si'ahl, but I am not Chief Si'ahl."
Garath's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Why?"
"Of all men that have ever lived in what is now Thish'rak territory, this one was the most like myself," the Chief explained. Garath opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when the Chief raised one hand for silence. "I know you, Garath. More than any has before me. I have seen inside of you and have felt your intentions. I know you have questions; seeking answers is a part of who you are. Before you ask, I have many things to tell you and my time is limited. There is a cost for me to assume a form such as this, and my resources are needed elsewhere. You will gain a deeper understanding of exactly what that means soon enough. When you leave this place, the Entity will provide you with many of the answers you seek in the written word within your mind’s eye.”
Garath listened silently, actively working to quiet the part of him that wanted to interrupt the man with a cascade of questions. There was so much that didn’t make sense, so much he needed to understand. He fidgeted in his seat, and listened.
“I thank you for your patience,” said the Chief. “I know this will be difficult for you, so I will say what I need to say.”
Garath nodded his acknowledgement and waited for the Chief to continue.
“When I release you from this meeting, all that I have and all of the power that I contain will become yours. I have accepted you as the leader of Thish’rak Territory, what you know as the western half of North America. You were chosen because I believe that you are a man that shares my passion for this planet, but also because of the prowess you have shown in battle. The Entity brings with it an incredible power to give life but, in balance with all things, also brings a devastating violence. You have been warned of a coming threat, and given a time in which to prepare. You may believe that, by taking control of my powers and abilities, your preparations are complete. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, your preparations must begin in earnest when I release you back into your world.
“Many new races will be joining the struggle for power on Earth soon. Some friendly, others less. Thish’rak, unfortunately, will undoubtedly be a target of the Sandrani due to its coastal location. The Ice Drake, Aldrasyl, has made mention of that savage race. In preparing for their inevitable attack, I urge you to speak again with Aldrasyl. As a Dragon that shared a planet with the Sandrani, he will be a resource to you.” At seeing Garath’s confused expression, Chief Si’ahl nodded knowingly. “I have seen your mind and lived your memories,” he explained. “Your friendship, or perhaps connection is a more fitting term, with Aldrasyl is more fortuitous than you know. Make use of his knowledge in your preparation. My time is nearly up but, before I depart, I have one final word of advice. All things equal, the general that makes the most preparations for battle will be victorious. Things will not be equal when the Sandrani attack, Garath. You will be outnumbered, and the Sandrani are strong. To achieve victory, you will need to outwit them. You will need to prepare contingencies on contingencies, traps on traps.” The Chief stopped speaking abruptly. His form faded. His wise face turned apologetic. “My time is up.”
“Will I be able to speak with you again?” Garath asked. The unanswered and unspoken questions in his mind were burning a hole in his consciousness. The once-solid form of the Chief across the fire from the Necrologist was fading even more, hazy and indistinct.
“It is possible for me to manifest in this manner again,” the Chief said, his words coming at great effort as his form continued to degrade, “but not without great cost. I will be with you though, whenever you are within The Tower. My ability to communicate will be limited. You will see my words in the written
