Kicking feet were pushed toward the rock face as the Quagmire veered to the side. Nadia risked being pinned between the boat and the rocks. As the corner closed in, Josh pushed the cliff with an oar. Muscles tensed as he dug barnacles off the rocks to prevent the Quagmire from smashing into the cliff. Dew broke from steering and gave his oar to Awlena. She tensed her arms and pulled against rushing waters to keep the vessel straight. Joshes oar splintered. The paddle snapped to leave him with a jagged splintery pole.
Firm hands gripped Nadia by the underarms and pulled her out of the water just before the boat slammed against the cliff. The vessel twirled into the calmer harbor. Dew fell backwards with a soaking, salty, woman coughing as she lay over top of him. He braced her left shoulder and continued to grip her right under arm as she coughed. He lifted her up on her knees as he knelt next to her. Dew’s light robes dripped sea water. Suddenly her clammy cheeks were between his palm as he stared her down intently, tearfully.
“Think before you act!”
Nadia clenched her teeth.
The Quagmire groaned, then cracked. A split appeared along the inner structure of the starboard side, but the vessel held together. They didn’t take on any water from beneath. The sea calmed as the harbor gave respite from the strait. A narrow beach, not more than two-hundred and fifty meters long and twenty-five meters deep at the widest, rested between high cliffs.
With the one remaining oar, Awlena paddled until they grounded themselves on the southern edge of the sandy shore. Together, they slid the vessel up the shore until it was nestled against the cliff. The anchor dug into sand. Josh and Darrell organized the supplies, while the others explored. Dew retrieved some items before following after Nadia as she walked along the shady beach shivering.
“You’re soaking. I bought you a towel and a change of clothes. Please use the cabin and change.”
Nadia kept walking as she looked up. Massive sections of smoothed rock in the high cliffs hemmed in the narrow beach. They looked impossible to scale. Her heart began to beat fast until she spotted what looked like sand swept stairs suffering from erosion. A staircase about ten meters wide opened the cliff in the center. It rose gradually to the heights of the continent.
Carved from the sandstone of the cliff, the steps were low and severely degraded, especially around the edges. Some were smoothed almost to the back of the next step. The staircase formed a road flanked by sandstone cliffs on both sides. The cliffs stretched deep inland, further than the eye could see from the first few steps. Rectangular openings with rounded corners carved at regular intervals, large enough for a person, led into neatly carved shallow caves. While others led to steep branching staircases tunneling behind the cliffs. Vestor scurried into one of the openings and leaned outside a small viewing hole.
“Hey Nadia,” he waved, “I’m up here!”
“You’re shivering, please dry off and change into dry garments.”
Nadia forced her full attention to Vestor as she waved back to him. Her mouth fell slightly agape, lower lip quivered, as she surveyed the man-made canyon passage. She glanced back into the natural harbor and noticed stones that may have been the remains of a pier. Awlena ran to her side.
“The stone moved to create this port must have been staggering.”
“I think so too,” Nadia said, “Vestor! Don’t go exploring alone! It’s not safe!”
“Fine, fine!”
Nadia, still dripping, hopped up a few stairs and entered the first cave to her left. The archway of the entrance had a smooth polish. The patterns remained well preserved. Sunlight poured through the openings. The ceiling had a polish that nearly shone. A carved relief, the colorings of which had almost completely faded away, lined the upper walls. Packs of running wolves sprinted from each corner. Swirling indents at the back of the pack blew against their race. The center of the back wall contained a carving of people facing tiny imps, but it wasn’t a battle; they exchanged goods. A collection of faded ceramic pots stacked atop one another stood on a counter of polished sandstone. Ages of dust covered them. Shards of faded pottery strewn on the floor among a thin layer of sand cracked under Nadia’s soaked sneakers. An entryway that led toward a back room behind the counter.
“How did they keep these places lit?”
Awlena stared at the carvings, “I don’t know, perhaps Dew would have an idea.”
Nadia looked inside the back room. Her shoulder dampened the entryway. But it was dark so she went no further. Awlena softly laid her hand over Nadia’s shoulder and shook her head. She folded her arms over her chest while pinching her chin between her right thumb and her forefinger. Dew’s sandals crunched against the debris.
“What is this place?” Nadia asked.
“This must be the port of Haiflous,” he explained, “You did well to find it. It was once the pride of the Tramen Fohar, before they withered to nothing. They had few warriors, as their fertility goddess ensured that the vast majority of children born were maidens.”
“So this is the city of the legendary people who sacrificed their fertility goddess,” Awlena said, “But, if there were very few men, then that means.”
“This canyon was not carved by slaves, nor by hired labor,” Dew explained.
“It’s amazing.”
"There is no greater wrong than to hold something sacred in contempt. Their leaders decided it was disadvantageous to be a society of women, and as a result, they destroyed themselves. Now there’s nobody left.”
Nadia turned to Awlena, “I hear a very stupid empty wind in this place, let’s leave.”
Dew grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Nadia found herself with her back against the wall. Sunlight pouring in from the entrance reflected off her wet hair. “If you truly have been changed by the gods then you should accept it as a gift. I don’t care what you might think of me. You are truly the most magnificent woman I have ever met, mind, body, and spirit. Don’t throw that away.”
Awlena gasped as she stood behind them. Nadia looked away toward the entrance, her body tensed. Why couldn’t he just let her alone? The back of her head pushed against the cavern wall. Without thinking, she craned her neck, leaned forward, and closed her eyes. Suddenly warm air bloomed against her cold lips. Stomach rumbled as blood rushed through her shivering form faster than she ever remembered. A hand slid down the soaked sleeve until it warmed her arm. The other hand gently lifted her chin. When her eyes opened, she saw Dew’s slender nose approaching hers. Heart thumped. Bright red flushed through her cheeks. The echo of her slap reverberated throughout the canyon. Dew stepped back as he rubbed his burning cheek while Nadia returned to the outside path.
“Awlena, let’s go, these buildings are full of big bugs.”
Awlena brushed past her brother while accepting the dry clothes and the towel from his open hands. She chased Nadia down the steps back to sandy shore.
“He was attempting to apologize. He almost lost you. You nearly had yourself killed."
“Who was doing what? I only saw a bug. A big nasty bug.”
“Why are you so angry with him if he’s nothing to you?”
“Angry!? You just saw him swing me around and try to kiss me. The stupid bastard almost stole my first kiss. I hate him.”
“My brother is no bastard! He wasn’t going to kiss you. That’s what you wanted.”
“I- how could you!?”
“He wanted you to dry off but you’re being difficult. You’re soaking and shivering. Can’t you see that? You’re going to catch cold.”
“That’s because I’m a nit-wit!”
“What you did was wrong. He was only pointing that out, if a bit harshly.”
“Well, I can’t have the most magnificent mind ever and be a nit-wit. It’s one or the other!”
“You’re not an easy person to describe.”
“And what do you mean by that?!”
Dew skidded in front them with Vestor clinging to his shoulders, “Nadia, I’m sorry for yelling at you. I don’t want you to be angry with me. But what you did to Darrell was wrong.”
Nadia turned to Awlena, “Please tell the nothing in front of me that this nit-wit wants nothing to do with it and wish it should swim back to where it came from.”
“Nadia please, we’ll need him if we’re to survive this journey. This is not a goal that you can achieve on your own.”
Dew walked backward in front of the two women as they returned to the ship, “I’m sorry. I wanted to convince you to end this journey. I don’t want you to change back. I believe that remaining a woman is what your heart is crying out for. But if you achieve your manhood, I’ll love you as a brother.”
Nadia stopped and bit her lower lip. She held back tears and gathered her composure as she faced Dew. She wiped tears with her fists. A soft punch landed in the center of Dew’s chest. He remained wide open as he stood still. Her fist remained clenched against his chest.
“What is wrong with me? Do you know how much that hurt when you called me a nit-wit!? I respect you, but you called me a nit-wit! I don’t want you to think I’m stupid! I’m not a bad person. I’m not… and worse, you think you can take it back with empty praise like I'm some kind of child!?”
“You have a magnificent mind, even if you don't always demonstrate it. As for calling you a nit-wit, if I had it to do over again, I would say the same. Your impulse followed your worst nature. And I expect you to correct me when I’m at my worst. That’s what friends do.”
Her fist remained against his chest as she looked. A softness in his eyes made her blush. Hair pushed in front of her face. Nadia pulled her hair back, glanced at Vestor, then toward Awlena. A cold wind from the stairs made her shiver as she removed her fist from Dew’s chest.
“I owe Darrell an apology, don’t I?”
Dew nodded.
“The stairs lead up to the high land!” Vestor pointed upwards while clinging to Dew’s shoulders “We can get going. Shouldn’t we go help the others pack up now? Shouldn’t Nadia get dry so she stops shivering?”
“Sounds like a grand idea,” Awlena handed over the fluffy towel, “It looks like Darrell already changed, so let’s get you in dry clothes.”
Loose cotton robes matched the sandstone. Spiked toed boots deftly rolled a pebble about the edge of the cliff. Small horns peaked from the hooded cowl. The slender figure leaned against a rock to watch the new arrivals on the shore below. A pink hand covered by fingerless gloves pulled a crystal from the robes. The soft blue glow between sharp claws drowned in the harsh sunlight. An image appeared on the rock above the robed figure. A raven-haired woman with reddish eyes floated slightly. The long trail of her black robes was cut from the visual. The uchiwa hid her smile. After giving the ornamental fan a few gentle waves, the image vanished. The robed figure retreated to the interior of the desert.
The caverns filled with hissing. Clicking. A multitude of thin brown legs skittered along dark halls.
