Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #18 September 2015 | Page 46

Eventually he arrived in Tamarlan and told us his
story.”

with more tea and plates of cakes and assorted meats.
When they had left again he resumed. “Please, help
yourselves. I hope you don’t mind if I nibble while I
talk?

Ubadah paused and rang a small hand bell to
summon a servant. “Bring us more tea, and something
more substantial to eat.” Gamyon gave the servant a
none-too-discreet nod to do as was demanded.

“Be my guest,” Gamyon said sarcastically.
“The timing fits with what we know,” Manfred
said. “It was another ten thousand years before Gadiel
was strong enough to begin his latest conquest.” But
where does Dammar fit in, I wonder?

“I have heard of Illium, but I have never been.
I believe Dammar visited there long before your time.
I remember that he reported to the Council that there
was nothing of interest there.” I wonder now whether
that was the truth.Gamyon has yet to be convinced
about Ubadah.
“Indeed. Then I think you will be surprised by
the rest of my story, Manfred. As you have guessed,
the lure of finding another city of artists with whom
we could trade was too great to resist. As soon as Ivan
was fit to travel, I began to work on him to convince
him to return to the Northland. It took a while but I
eventually convinced him with promises of riches
to be earned and we mounted an expedition. I took
ten of my best men and headed into the Northland.
There was great evil abroad. The journey was fraught
with every danger imaginable and many that you
would not wish to imagine in your worst nightmares.
I will not bore you with them now; suffice it to say
that I came to learn that the Dark God was the cause.
He slept then, recovering still from his battle with
Gilgamesh. He must have been sorely wounded
to have needed so long to recover. He tossed and
turned in his sleep, riddled with dreams of revenge,
no doubt. His disturbed sleep sent out emanations
of evil that manifested themselves in bizarre ways.
There were nomads living in the Northland who
became particularly affected. We lost Ivan, early in the
journey, when a crazy madness overcame him and he
believed that we were Illians trying to kill him. He ran
off into the night and was killed by the nomads. My
men fell one by one, taken by fell creatures or losing
their minds and taking their own lives. I barely held
on to my sanity, but the need to find Illium drove me
on. After many months and close to death, I stumbled
upon the city and was taken in.”
He paused in his story as servants returned

Ubadah finished chewing on a plump chicken
leg, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and continued.
“It was several weeks before I was well enough to
appreciate the city. During my convalescence, I was
frequently visited by an old man who reminded me
very much of you, Manfred. Looking back, I realise
that he discreetly questioned me about who I was
and where I was from. He was particularly interested
to learn about the journey and how I had survived
when everyone else had been lost. He even convinced
the doctors to let him give me a through physical
examination. He called himself Rammad. I think he
was having a game with me. It was several weeks
before I realised that Rammad was just Dammar
backwards. Eventually, he admitted who he was.”
Ubadah paused to help himself to more tidbits.
Manfred was deep in thought. So, it’s true. Dammar
was involved. Did he really pass to stone? Is he still
around? What’s his game? He looked at Ubadah
expectantly, waiting for more. Even Gamyon seemed
to be taking much more interest.
Ubadah continued, with his audience of
two hanging on his every word. “I do not claim to
support Dammar or his objectives. I do not know
whether the things he told me were or are true. I am
simply reporting what was said and done to me. I
visited Elannort once, when I was a teenager. You
had restored it to its former glory, although most of
the wizards were gone. I remember that you even
showed me the High Tower.” Manfred nodded at the
old memory, obviously still fresh in Ubadah’s mind. I
didn’t know what the archway was then.

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