THEY entered through the open arch guarded by two standing lion men, and passing through the busy halls filled with streams of flowing water and many trees, flowers, and shrubs, they came to the uppermost level, where the lord sat afar cross-legged upon his throne. The light of the outside flowed in from the exterior arched openings, as well as from the great oculus above. And before the lord stood their friends, including Vrihkhaḥ! He seemed to have become much smaller, though still taller than the rest.
When they stood by their friends, they noticed they did not seem all that worried and were very much relaxed as they had been conversing with the lord on various matters—while still tied. It seemed that Aiṛth had still not fully recovered, her body slightly quivering.
Beside the lord stood Hirmān, Zochañtam, Fālihaḥ and other nobles with solemn face. When the three of them saw Sanyhaḥmān and Tūmbṃār, their faces became grave.
Hirmān, in disbelief, looked to the lord and said, “This cannot be right!” He approached Sanyhaḥmān and Tūmbṃār and asked, “Tell me it is not true! That you two are not aligned with these others with what has occurred in Trdsyḷūr.”
Sanyhaḥmān with a smile, replied, “I am sorry lord Hirmān, but it’s as you say. These are our friends, and I assume they have told you why it is we have come this way.”
He nodded and walked back with his head hung low. Zochañtam and Fālihaḥ sighed; not so much for the group, but for Hirmān, who seemed rather close to them after just one night’s outing.
The lord ended his conversation with the others, and looking to Sanyhaḥmān and Tūmbṃār said, “Welcome to my city! Sanyhaḥmān and Tūmbṃār I take it. My name is Zvarañyagrū: for I am One who is Heavy with Gold. Now I have been told by your friends that you had escaped Trdsyḷūr into the desert and had met the Gazhigam, who gave passage through their tunnels farther into the desert. And now you find yourselves here.”
The two looked to Iḷēhaḥ with suspicion, and she simply nodded.
“With those details having been dispensed,” he said, his eyes now glowing with interest, “I would like to make a deal with you. As you well know, King Rṭyāshphaḥ’s envoy rests within this palace, but I have not made him aware of your arrival. Now, for that to hold as it is, I should very much like something from you.” What had by this point seemed neutral, had turned foreboding, and the group became solemn. They much expected this, and they tried to steel themselves for what it was he was to ask of them. The lord cleared his throat and his lips upturned into a large smile on his aged face. “I would like you to hand over to me all the gold you have on your person! Especially those coins of the Gazhigam.”
Now, in normal circumstances, this would not have been a bad offer, but they themselves knew they needed that money for when they were to make it to the Pysefyaḷūr. It seemed odd, however, that a lord would simply ask them for their gold, when he already had much of it. Were the Gazhigam coins really that valuable?
Iḷēhaḥ spoke, kneeling, “Lord, we do not mind handing over the coin.”
“I mind!” shouted Sanyhaḥmān unable to contain himself.
She shot him a glare, and she continued, “But would you not allow us to keep at least a few, so that we can ferry passage at the north.”
“Absolutely not!” the lord shouted, his eyes filled with desperation. “I very much desire the gold of other principalities and I have yet to acquire anything from Trdsyḷūr, given they have ignored us since our inception! A hard road it is to take to this land, but unfortunately without their coinage, we have scarce any means to trade with other kingdoms or domains. Our coins are worthless outside here, save for the Gazhigam. But lucky we are that King’s men should come here after all this time, no less seeking aid for war. Perhaps now we may finally have a chance at obtaining prosperity beyond our walls, but should that fail, those coins you possess are our only hope. I know the Gazhigam shall not remain here forever. Yes, but I have just remembered: there was talk of you carrying a divine artifact. Maybe I will let you keep some coins if you could give me a glimpse. I must rethink things over if I could see it.”
Worry came over Iḷēhaḥ, and she looked to the others. They could not guide her. They had little choice, and so she hoped that things would not go afoul upon its display. She nodded to Tūmbṃār, and while still unsure, he rustled his in the bag and produced the glowing arrow. It shined like the Sun and made the room more effulgent that it already was. The Lord’s eyes opened to its glimmer while the others averted their gaze. He became enamored by the treasure and stood from his seat, walking slowly to Tūmbṃār with his arm outstretched to grab it.
“May I touch it?” he said in a gentle whisper. His hand reached suddenly for it. But it was caught by the wrist, and Nakthaḥm gave him a fierce look.
“Do not make the same mistake as the King of Trdsyḷūr,” Nakthaḥm said.
“What mistake!” said Zvarañyagrū, his eyes filled with immeasurable greed. “With this, we could very well march onto Trdsyḷūr! we could depose Rṭyāshphaḥ and at last be done with this horrible desert! Yes, yes, that is what I must do.” He turned his face to Nakthaḥm with a child-like gaze and said, “Is that not right? Is that not what I should do—for, for our people.”
“Make no excuses to me, lord,” said Nakthaḥm, “you shall not have it!”
“Nay! It is mine!” He lunged further, but Tūmbṃār stepped back and suddenly Aiṛth, breathing heavily, grabbed onto the lord’s hand and said, “Do not do this, Lord Zvarañyagrū! They have been sent by the Dehaḥṃār to stop an invasion of the Yavhaḥṃār upon Ārhmanhaḥ—they are the Agents of the Gods! Listen to Nakthaḥm. Make not the same mistake as King Rṭyāshphaḥ!” Her breathing became more labored, and her arm quivered and her legs shook.
“Silence, you ill-begotten priestess!” he lashed out. “I know from the news that Rṭyāshphaḥ’s envoy has sent here, that you have been stripped of your title; yes it was your father, as I recall, who had made the declaration.” Those words stung her, and her grip weakened. “Your words have no bearing on me now! Begone, you fools. Give me what it is I desire!”
He his other hand, and Nakthaḥm caught it. But the force of his body shook Aiṛth, and she collapsed back. Her pants were bloodied, and she quivered; Feyūnhaḥ and Iḷēhaḥ immediately rushed to her side. The aristocrats were horrified, but the guards closed in on them.
Tūmbṃār immediately concealed the Dvhaḥṣhtro in his bag and tried to run, but the guards behind blocked his path. He looked behind to see the lord trying to free himself from Nakthaḥm’s grasp, his eyes locked to Tūmbṃār’s bag. Hirmān rushed to his father’s side and held him by the waist while Zochañtam and Fālihaḥ tried to keep the guards away.
“Stop this madness, father; you have already injured a priestess! You must not do this! We now know them to be the Agents of the Gods. Even were you to possess the Dvhaḥṣhtro, your attempts at invocation would prove futile!”
“No, no, no, you foolish son! Forget that impudent priestess. The boy, the boy! He shall tell me the words. This power: I desire it oh so much! I would give even the entire kingdom for it!”
The guards closed in, and the others backed away slowly. But as they did so, Erezuri passed through the guards and halted their advance. She stood in between Tūmbṃār and Zvarañyagrū. The lord looked at her with a gaze of malice, but she remained unflinched. Her hand rose and suddenly swung fast! A powerful slap struck the lord’s face, and he stumbled back toward the steps of his throne. He shook his head as if he had been splashed with a bucket of water, and looked to the captain, who held a fierce face that betrayed her otherwise calm demeanor.
“Daughter, what ails you so?” he said with a worried look. “Can I not take the Dvhaḥṣhtro?”
“Do as you wish, you foolish father of mine.” She turned to Hirmān, her expression becoming solemn. “Why do you refuse to take the throne, Hirmān? Our father has grown old and foolish. You are already of age, yet you shirk what you must do. Are you proud of this? Of the life you now live, when our kingdom slowly withers away. You very well know we can no longer remain here as the sands slowly encroach upon our domain regardless of the departure of the Gazhigam!”
Hirmān hung his head low and did not respond. She clicked her tongue, and went to Aiṛth’s side and prostrated, apologizing to the group.
The lord now looked confused and more like a babe. He looked to Tūmbṃār and then to the others and said, “I am sorry for what it is I have done.”
