Chapter Nine - All that glitters...

This is chapter Nine of 'THE PACT WITH THE TIME GOBLIN': Click to read Chapter One --- 'A cold drink, after the operation': https://www.reddit.com/r/sffstories/comments/41m93h/a_cold_drink_after_the_operation_part_1/

 

Our enchantment at the beautiful lights of Motaris in the dark--were soon matched with an equal fit of awe, as the sun finally rose--and dawned, in marvellous orange hues--over the golden cities before us. From the gossiping of the other twelve men and women, I learnt that the dawning of the sun---marked the fact we were no longer in the district of Necropolis (Where by some dark spell--the sun never rose).

 

Deathbeard began moving around the groups, like a tour guide. First of all he reminded us all to forget our earthly concepts of time, and minutes, and days--because such laws did not apply--here in Motaris--and greater old Motalus.

 

Able to now absorb my surroundings properly, I saw the curious changes in the six men of the South-- since I last saw them, (instead of bikes, they were now holding the reigns of great tiger-like beasts). The tigers, had leathery black skin, and bat-like wings--and the bigcats faces were very much like the strange bas-relief of the horned-lions head (Which I had seen in the labrynth of the Sanvire). I was soon to learn they were a local animal species called 'A Balinx'. The men were also wearing strange kind of ancient-looking, black uniforms, with gold insignia.

 

Deathbeard instructed his men to move ahead, and wait for him to bring the warriors to 'The Arena of Brin', except for Scout, who he told to wait for a moment. Four of the black riders then mounted the Balinx's and, pulling their reigns--made the tiger beasts walk elegantly down the steep grass hill towards the city. Deathbeards Balinx was tied to a hewn tree stump, and had a rather grand, golden saddle. He walked over to Ruby and I, saying; 'Ruby. I am going to take these warriors for their training at Brin. You are now ready for your final trials, and will be put under the counsel of the great Mitalagus. Go down with Scout now, and he will ride with you all the way there. In three dawns time, we will bring the warriors to you, whence you will go with them --up the red road--to free and kill the thing inside the castle, and liberate the great lich, Frank Webster. Then, your duties will be complete, and you will be free to watch the opening ceremony of the great tournament. Go now mi darling.' Ruby gave a disinterested goodbye to me and the others, and jumped on the Balinx with Scout, riding off downwards into the great city.

 

'Harrick.' Said Deathbeard, 'You're so close now--to the end of your time here--in these strange lands. Before tomorrow dawns--Red Dog will return to Motaris--and send you home to Hexton, New Motalus. In the meantime, you'll have the whole day to look around this beautiful place. I recommend you spend the entire time --exploring--because you'll probably never set eyes on such a magnificent place again in all your life! At some point you'll want to stop at the grand library, and seek out a fellow called Mizar about a book called 'The lock and key', which is gonna help a mile--explaining everything you been through these last couple of days. If you're lost or confused, seek out the house of Mitalagus, where there'll always be one or two of our mob, hangin' about. In the meantime-- Come with us down to the arena of Brin, and I'll get you set up with a map, and a guide book--to get you started.'

 

Deathbeard now moved over to the five warriors, whom he began to give a passionate and animated speech untoward. I couldn't (or didn't) listen to those words, temporarily resting my mind --and gazing with awe at the rising sun-- shining regally down onto the golden city. I could see the other Balinxes way down below now, walking on a wide golden street. I noticed that the whole city, kind of dipped into a semi-spherical enclave, and there were curious yellow light forms--in the sky above the city, forming a dome of colour. The whole orb like atmosphere of the district--lit up in the sunlight--like a golden sphere.

 

Once Deathbeard had finished talking to the five, dynamically dressed fighters--he mounted his Balinx--and we all slowly moved down the steep, grassy slope. I kept a fair distance from the warriors, lingering behind-- not really knowing anyone (and feeling slightly introverted). I didn't really come into contact with the other five, except--for a brief moment--as we were walking down the hill. One of the warriors, who looked like an indigenous Australian, (and wore a red bandana---a bare, muscled torso, and baggy, black Karate pants)-- had been turning, and exchanging hateful glances with me. Suddenly, without being prompted, he turned backwards --and stood over me with his flexed, muscular chest. 'You got some problem, tin can?' He said, pushing me, 'You fuckin' staring at me mate?' I drew back and raised my hands, and the testosterone filed kid---swung his fist at me--cracking me in the jaw. Deathbeard heard the commotion, and quickly turned round to intervene. 'Rueben!' He yelled, 'Oi! Reuben! That's enough of that! There'll be plenty of time for fighting. Rueben! Stand down!!' The fire-hearted kid--quickly gave me one more hateful glare--then obeyed DB--returning to his friends.

 

I didn't engage with any of the five fighters at all, after that.

 

As we reached the bottom of the hill--we touched the first stones, of that remarkable civilisation. We came upon a wide, goldish-stone bricked road, (which Deathbeard said was the 'Rue de Neus-Paree' --a road I could see clearly from here, ran right through the city. The start of the road, was marked by a kind of golden culdesac, and the first mile, was adorned at the sides--with rows of carved, golden sphinxes. Strung along--like telegraph wires--above the sphinxes, were rows of Promethean torches. The torches looked less impressive, now, in the daylight-- but I remember being awed by their beauty--on the hill before day break.

 

Deathbeard was still leading the group, riding his Balinx--out in front. As we walked through the parade of Golden Sphinxes, the closer parts of the immense city --began to come into view. To the left, were quaint yellow farmlands, where curious foreign animals toiled in fields, including curious large, grazing-elephantine beasts. To the right, the scattered houses, and towers of a modest village, with thatched rooves, and immense futuristic windmills churned. As the sun rose, the citizens begun to wake and haunt the empty streets. I awed, the first time I saw one of those tall, human torsoed, golden brown horse-bodied-men. But after an hour of being in Motaris, I had become completely accustomed to the Centaurs. I could hear Deathbeard out in front--pointing out various landmarks-- An immense tower of auburn brown towers to the left, spewing brown gases--he said was the 'Brewery of Ren.' Then a lovely open garden, full of curious alien flora to the right--he called 'Princess Park', (Apparently named after a famous Princess LeGuar who poisoned herself tragically). After walking for twenty minutes, and receiving many strange glances from Centaurs, in their gardens by the road--we came to a turn off, at the cross roads-- of another huge arterial.

 

'Were going to go down this way,' said Deathbeard, 'this here is 'Cintaro broad way' --it runs all the way down to the cliffs and rocks along the coast, to the East. West here is the arena of Brin--were you're all going to be doing your training, and hopefully do us proud, so I can get paid. Eh?' He chuckled and scratched his face, 'Harrick... You should come with us to Brin, so I can get you a map and what have you. Then you're free to wander. Alright! Come on gang! No dilly daddling-- we haven't got all day!'.

 

We turned left, travelling down the dirtier, and evidently more widely used gravelled road. There were many a beautiful building to the left, in the form of futuristic architecture--styles combing Ancient Greek columnades, with New York American style modern buildings, (of the calibre of the Empire State). Some of the beautiful buildings appeared to be made of an unknown, luminous, silvery metal. We stopped finally, at an immense stone Colloseum, which seemed very ancient, but somehow not weathered by the years. Deathbeard ducked quickly into a modest little store, on the opposite side of the road, whilst he got one of the scantily-dressed, female warriors to hold the reigns of the Balinx.

 

The black haired fighter, Reuben, gave me another cold stare-- but I turned and looked elsewhere, not paying attention. Up above the shop fronts, to the South--stood about five gigantic, centaur-made golden spires --which stuck into the sky--like monolithic polygonal-crystal shards, shimmering in the sunlight. Deathbeard came back soon enough, handing me a book--saying 'good luck mate'--and then herded his new five prize-projects toward the gateway of the titanic colloseum, forgetting me completely.

 

I looked at the book, which was printed on impressive golden paper, and yet somehow--still had the tacky, mundane quality of your average tourist guide book. 'A comprehensive guide to greater Old Motalus' read the cover--in cheap, colourful typography. I begun to flip quickly through the pages-- arriving decidedly at a fold out map. I opened the map--printed also on a glowing-yellowish paper. I was intrigued to discover firstly, what those enormous, gold, crystal-towers were. I began to amble back Eastwards, as I read the map.

 

Soon I managed to decipher where I was, (then quickly sought out information on the towers), marked by various hexagons on the map. 'The spires of Heramon', I read, then searched for info, finding only; 'These incredible towers were built by the brilliant architect, Digastus Heramon.' Although this wasn't particularly enlightening, I soon learned that the myriad of gold-plated high rises in front of the towers, were actually part of the city's original business district.

 

My eyes were immediately drawn to another feature marked on the map-- which we're six symmetrically arranged features, forming a semi circle -- on this side of 'Kings Road' (The road which separated Motaris from old Motalus). The six, semi circular patterned markings --were labelled respectively; 'The Dagonian vulture, Nemedian vulture, Camorian Vulture, Hyborean vulture, Cimmerian vulture and Pictish vulture'. The puzzle intrigued me--then I noticed, with pleasure, that one of the vultures 'The Camorian vulture' was on the corner of 'Rue Des Nues-Paree' and 'Cintaro Broad way' --which I had already passed. I must have missed it!.. I now began to rush back to that corner to discover what the landmarks were. I had also tracked down the library on the map in the meantime--(which was right down the Eastern end of 'Cintaro broad way'.)

 

I got back to the crossroads, soon enough. At first I was confused, unable to see anything which could be aptly labelled 'The Camorian Vulture'. There was a gigantic, black futuristic tower on the corner, (next to princess park), and I wondered if that could be it. Then finally I saw it! Way up on top--of the monolithic black tower--was a statue of a vulture-like gargoyle. Somehow the vision was extremely familiar to me --though I couldn't work out why.

 

I stood at the crossroads for a moment--wondering if it would be better to head up 'Rue Des Nue Paree' to the South, or Cintaro Broad Way --to the South East. Both went all the way up to Kings road-- and were reasonably good routes --to wind up at the library. There was a beautiful old theatre on the Southern corner of the cross-roads in front of me--which I learnt from the map, was called 'Theatres De Neus Paree.' It looked dirty, and worn by the ages, but had a certain rustic charm.

 

As I stood -- staring --an aggressive trio of black furred centaurs approached me --and directed an unexpected spree of hatred towards my personage; 'Fucking tourist scum!' One of them said to me as it barged my shoulder. Another yelled: 'You know, you humans are ruining this place. You insipid, banal species. You all disgust me! Would we had let the ferals extinguish the lot of you!' Then one of them actually spat at me.

 

I crossed the road in terror--deciding it would be better to head up Rue Des Nue Paree, and check out the famous 'Jardins' along the way. Other centaurs in the area, seemed to give me dirty looks too, as I walked--I began to find the clapping of hooves haunting, and desperately pondered the cause of all the hatred. I felt the rage-- particularly as I walked past an old public bar, when some of the jagged, hairy centaurs within ---jeered loudly in my direction. The centaurs in this area --did seem of a particularly rough stock, and I gathered the district somehow attracted creatures with a less favourable attitude towards human beings. Perhaps there was some social-housing buildings nearby?

 

Walking slowly, and cautiously, my mind was temporarily at ease--once looking upon the splendorous 'Jardins de Horses'. They were a vast area of garden, with splendorous walls of Babylonesque hanging plants. It ran for yards along the left side of the Rue Des Nue Paree. There were long stemmed flowers--ten metres tall--with dangerously-beautiful looking Jurassic plants. But the main feature of course--were the wild horses. There seemed to be every breed of horse in existence running among the gardens--in fact, I dread to confess--some species caused me to shudder as I peered and walked. Some horses seemed to have mild, human aspect, in their facial features --but uncannily demented, scrawny ---and misshapen were they in their bodily forms. The half-breed things in that park were nowhere as noble as those divinely sculpted Centaurs. They seemed more like giant anorexic rats--who's genes had been spliced with horse and human DNA. They bore endless random mutations, and defects. I had to look away, feeling slightly nauseus from some of the grotesque, malformed horse things, which were groaning awkwardly in the gardens.

 

Suddenly, I felt a cold pain in the back of my head, and I realised one of the drunk Centaurs from the public bar--had thrown a half empty pint-glass at the back of my head. My hair was stained with blood, and mead. Fearfully now, as the putrid, drunk beast begun to hurl abuse at me--I started to run for my life. 'You little fuck.' The horrid black thing yelled, in a gruff, low voice, 'I'll rip your head off and stitch you to one of the horses in the Jardin. What're ya doing in these parts-- ya mangy mutt! Go home! Go home you little rat-ape.' I heard more glass smashing-- (but I had now gained a considerable safe distance from the centaurs in the bar). I stopped to catch my breath, and nurse my bleeding head. Fortunately, I still had one of the blue robes I had gotten from the men of the South-- which I tore, and used to bandage my bleeding head.

 

I stumbled on now, in a terrified daze. I realised I must've been coming into a kind of entertainment district. There were a lot of tarty dressed hookers-- flooding the streets. There were some loud, and colourful looking bordello's which blared threatening drum 'n' base music. Most of the buildings seemed more run-down, and dirty. Many were abandoned, or for sale.

 

I noticed some of the passing cross streets were all numbered. I was passing, eleventh, twelfth-- then thirteenth streets. A nefarious looking horned-beast-man began to laugh at me as I past. Seemingly, for no reason. There was a curious personage, also, between the intersections of 18th and 19th, standing against a dark wall. As I walked by, he leapt out from the darkness and accosted me. 'Hey. Hey. Hey.' Said the bald man, with a couple of straggly black hairs dangling over his face. The man wore suspicious sunglasses, he now walked beside me, 'Hey. You. Oh man. You've got balls wondering around these parts!' He said.

 

Perhaps I should've been comforted simply coming into contact with another human being, but the truth was --this sinister looking bastard scared me more than the centaurs. His face was gaunt, and pale --he was skinny, and, though he wore a black suit and tie--it was somehow ragged and unkempt, and I couldn't see his eyes through his sunglasses.

 

'Listen.' Said the man, 'You know you're basically fucked right? I mean. Jesus. You have no idea what's coming, do you? You still think you're going home, and everything is going to be just Rosie. Jesus. Man. Listen, I feel for ya.' I tried to walk away from the pusher, but he just grabbed me by the collar, and pulled me in close to his face. 'Jesus. Look man! I'm trying to help you. Christ. There's a sucker born every minute. You probably came in thinking you can trust whoever it was sold you out to these things right? Look. Look. Look.' The man stammered, and pulled a rattling orange cylinder, out of his chest pocket, with shaky hands.

 

'You ain't got no chance now. You understand? Best anyone can do for you--is give you a little bit of a ride before the walls start closing in. This'll get you higher than you've ever been. This stuff is out of this world. I mean that.' He shook the little canister in front of me; 'Tricegleptorine!' He said, 'This chemical don't even exist in whatever world your from. You get me? This is dinosaur brain. In a jar. This will make you think whatever god thought before he died. Ya get me? Here. Here.'

 

I struggled to push the man off me, but he was strong--for a wirey bastard. I thought about hitting him with my metal arm, but that seemed a bit cruel and over the top. 'Look!' I said, 'I don't have any money ok? I can't help you.'

 

The man with the sunglasses-- gave me a quizzical look, 'Are you?... Are you serious?..oh' ...he said, (looking disappointed in me), 'You really think? Jesus. Man, did you ever stop to wonder what I'm doin' out here? Huh? You think I just like holidaying out here amongst the beasts? I'm trying to... Help me? Jesus! Are you ki...? I'm trying to help you!!! I don't want your money! Here. Here. Look, just trust me man--you're gonna need this!' He thrust a couple of triangular pills in my hand, and walked away muttering; 'They know ---not ----what they do. Roids! Roids! Stay off the roids man! Christ--you try to help a sucker-----'

 

The man's ranting faded out. I thought about chucking the pills out, but then pocketed them--just in case the guy actually wasn't nuts. A terrifying prospect.

 

As I made my way up towards the library, I noticed the big, crystal-shaped golden towers had moved off --to the left of my vision. For the first time, I could see the hills behind them--which stretched off into great elevations toward the East, and the endless grey-green horizon. There were three primary mountains-- which ascended in height, the further away from the coast they became. Atop the hills, (although quite a distance away)-- I saw the hazy outlines of great castles. There were three castles, (one on top of each of the largest mountains).

 

The one on the closest mountain was the most visible, right on the edge of the Centaurs city. There was a great, red-brick road--which ran up the elevation, and over the three mountains --linking the three castles together --then continued right along the horizon. I figured the red road must have been 'Kings road' (which according to the map separated the Northern 'Motaris' from greater Old Motalus to the South).

 

As I squinted, and examined the castles, I began to notice how remarkably like the hallucinations of castles I had seen before, they were. In fact--- there was no doubt--that the centre castle --was the precise one I had hallucinated in the labrynth, (and behind the stepped pyramid). I anxiously and excitedly rifled through the guide book, and opened the large map. It appeared however, that the three castles were not referenced on the map. Only the one --on the edge of town, received a brief mention--behind the 'Spires of Heramon' there was an arrow--underneath Kings road--pointing off the edge of the map. <-- 'To castle' <-- and this, was all it said.

 

I was determined to find out more about the strange castles --which had been haunting me in nightmares since I had arrived. As I leafed, slowly, through the guide book--page by page --my eyes were unavoidably drawn away --to the row of glittering palaces--on the other side of the Red brick road, the ascending elevation of warrior temples, and the terrible flaming mountain on the Southern horizon.

 

There! I found it. There was a double page spread devoted entirely to the blue-brick, red-spired castles. I read through the information, finding it confusing. The guide book made it purposefully clear--that the castles were not built by the centaurs. I read through a brief history of the surrounding areas to gain a context. According to the guide book -- greater Old Motalus was over eight thousand years old. Some earlier ancestor to humans and horses had laid the first stones down there, and begun to build their civilisation--apparently worshipping a group of flying-polop like deities, which were immortalised in Ancient cave paintings. Approximately 6000 years later, after contact with another civilisation --the roots of the modern city 'Motaris' were begun. It was hard to discern wether or not the red brick road existed before the founding of the modern section of Motaris, or how old indeed it was. The guidebook only mentioned superstitions about the red road --that it is believed by the locals to cause rage and disphoria to whoever walks upon it, (and worse things still). The guidebook also mentions a dangerous breed of creature, comprised of exposed enormous brain-heads-- and supported by spidery legs-- which dwell upon the fiery mountain of Muno Attah. Some passages of text seem to suggest the red brick road is somehow charged with keeping the 'brain crawlers' from crossing to Motaris or other Northern lands, but that their 'influence' is very strong on the Southern side of Kings Road, a fact which could not have been more often repeated in the guide book.

 

There was actually very little information about who built the castles, or how old they were. Tourists were generally advised to stay off the red brick road. There were countless warnings about crossing it, (about the infinite 'life threatening dangers' of greater old Motalus, and the non accommodating atmosphere caused by a Mercury-like pollution from the burning mountain). There were endless warnings about getting near, or even looking at the mountain of the brain-crawlers. There was however, a high bridge --which crossed Kings road at the end of Neus Paree, and a road called 'Rue De Olympus' --which ran around the glittering palaces--where one could get a good glimpse of the lowest castle on the other side of Greater Motalus. For a long time I contemplated wether or not a journey over the bridge to get a better view of the castles was worth it.

 

At the bottom of the castle-brochure page, I finally at least found the names of the castles. The closest castle, was apparently named 'Castor Clauditis'. The middle one was called 'Iot Sotot'-- whilst the furthest away had a greater discrepancy in its names. There were three different pictoral renderings of the third castle, and it had three names according to the brochure, referred to separately as 'Castor Clavis', 'Castor Cardo' and 'Castor Clustrum'. I wondered if the names were Latin, as the repetition of verb endings suggested. I tried to remember my elementary schooling, but nothing sprung to mind.

 

This is insane. I thought. How the hell did I get out here?..and 'would this nightmare ever end?' I was more than happy to leave the riddle of the castles behind, and had no great desire to cross over-- to where those brain crawler things were. I want to go home. I decided. I'll go to the library and ask about this book Deathbeard had mentioned--then I'll find this Mitalagus guy, and find out about finally getting back to Sydney, Hexton. I was sick of fantasy. I was sick of strange new lands to which I didn't belong. I wanted to be bored, on a couch somewhere, watching Live stream augment-Television drama.

 

I walked to the end of Neus De Paree. I could see the bridge, and the Rue De Olympus which crossed over into old Motalus. I didn't cross it, instead, I turned right down '21st street' and made my way past the old sandstone gothic houses--until I reached the library.

 

I had expected a fancy old building--in keeping with the architecture of the rest of the city. What I found instead was a fairly ugly, modern structure. It was huge. Probably twenty stories. I walked straight up the steep steps and entered. I secretly hoped that the library was air-conditioned --as it was actually getting pretty bloody hot now. There was a horse-like woman at the front desk, with oversized, thick red glasses. She paid little attention to me as I entered, until I approached and made myself known to her. 'I'm looking for someone called Mizar, and a book... Called... 'The lock and the key'' I said sternly, and self importantly.

 

The bug-eyed horse woman looked up at me, staring unsympathetically through her thick lenses. She spoke in a nasal accent, 'The reception only deals with the public library acquisitions. If you have queries with any societies, or private collections --i'm afraid I can't help you. I suggest you try looking at the community notice board in the main foyer.'

 

I smiled insincerely, and the bug eyed horse lady--looked down and continued whatever she was doing.

 

I quickly found the notice board she was referencing. The vast collection of books begun to stretch out behind me--(the collection, I thought, truly must have been immense if it was such as this on every floor). There was a wooden model of the great 'library of Alexander' near the notice board. I begun to read some of the notices on the board; 'violent romanticists. Club meeting. Wednesdays at Hag-sol. Members must register online.' 'Lost pixie-hippo. 'Ariel'. If found please contact Lemax Pythor on digi-max ¥¥¥¥ (curious symbols).' Then at last I saw something more promising--- it was an advertisement for the private collection of a group called 'The Mars infirmary'. Names listed as contacts included; Deziar, Zaataar, Ixixaxar, and Mizar! The flyer also held that the collection could be found on level 10.

 

I made my way round to the lifts. I was pleased to find the Centaurs in the library were less intimidating than the previous ones I had encountered. I even noticed a few other human beings --checking the shelves, and interacting with the Centaurs on civil terms. I travelled up to level ten, asking a lady in an office cubicle -- if she knew how I could access 'The private collection of the Mars infirmary.' She pointed to a corner of the tenth floor, and I made my way over, where a youngish, half elven centaur --- was sitting at a table and writing a list.

 

'Excuse me.' I said, 'Is this the Mars infirmary?' The attractive elvish centaur looked up and spoke; 'Who's asking?.' I told him my name was Harrick, and that I was looking for a private collector named Mizar--in regards to a book called 'The Lock and the key.' 'Thats a very rare, and special book.' Said the centaur, 'For what purpose are you seeking it out?' 'Im a human being, and id like to get home to Hexton, New Motalus. I was told the book would help me.' 'I don't doubt it.' Said the Centaur, 'Very well then. Follow me. The book can't leave its private quarters, but you may read the book--for a short time.'

 

The young, dapper Centaur, with short dark hair--stood up, and fiddled with some of the books on the shelf-- until a secret sliding-door opened up-- in the fine mahogany wall. He led me through the door, into an enchanting dimly-lit corridoor. All the walls were marked with gold-trimmings--and there were many curious, blue photographs adorning the dark-wood walls. The photographs depicted noble looking Centaurs, posing in fine tailored suits--in splendid offices. I guessed that they were probably either famous writers, or beneficiaries of the private collection.

 

At last, I came into a broad room, with elegant furnishings--and carefully organised antiques. There was a masked Centaur sitting upon an oblong stool--by a table, underneath a green lamp. The Centaur with the mask, was rather terrifying. He was dressed in medieval attire, custom made out of brown leather. His mask--was like a ballroom mask--with a long, sculpted beak extending out the front of it--and was reminiscent of the masks worn by medieval doctors who dealt with the plague. The attractive, unmasked centaur--introduced the scary one in the mask as Mizar, and told him the name of the book I was looking for. The one called Mizar, said nothing, but stood up and walked into an adjacent room. He returned shortly with a thick, leather bound tome. The other Centaur left now. Still--Mizar said nothing--merely handing me the book, and pointing to an empty table in the corner of the room where I was permitted to study it. His hand, was almost bird like--with long claw like fingernails--and spoke with a demonic authority.

 

I sat down at the desk with the book. As I handled the book, I realised the leather cover was only a jacket--and actually the books original casing was made, most curiously, out of steel. As I opened the book--it seemed to emit--a yellowish glow--like a laptop computer. The pages were once again made of that curious, glowing, yellow substance everything here seemed to be written on, I wondered if it was some papyrus-like strain of gold-leaf.

 

The first few pages, were hard to decipher-- containing mostly a kind of complex mathematical formulae, (or a highly complex language). Terror struck me, when I found, on the seventh page--a sub chapter marked 'the rings'. Although the concept itself--dredged up strange scary memories-- the following pages themselves, said nothing at all. They were only a myriad diagrams of ring-like designs, with varying patterns of circles and lines. There were over fifty unique combinations of 'ring patterns'. I flicked ahead to another sub chapter titled 'the keys'. Once more the following pages were an index of different key shapes, all marked with different names like; 'Valgrath', 'Eliath', 'Digreuth'. (I began to wonder if books in Motaris had their indexes in the front of the books instead of the back--and flipped forward a little).

 

I stopped to look at some intricate lithographic illustrations, which reminded me of the prints of William Blake. The images --seemed to be depicting a mythology of universal creation (Perhaps a local religion). I began to wonder why Deathbeard would want me to look at such a strange text. One illustration showed some many armed and legged beings--in a kind of void or whirlwind of matter. The inscription read; 'Illuvinus, illuvitara, sal kraya, agnarya. 'The beings of self forming matter creating the thousand worlds.'

 

I turned the page and found another beautiful illustration. It depicted a Cenozoic landscape, with huge flora, and misty mountain tops--where many ancient winged-things flew. The inscription read; 'Before earth, there was great Alosha. Where the things that formed of the air-- first experienced the great cataclysm.'

 

I turned the page once more, finding another collosal war of strange creatures. It seemed to depict a battle between flying dinosaurs, and giant shape-shifting birds. The text read. 'On the great argument of the direction of matter formers. Renovis argues with Gladriel. Illuthasar dissaproves of illuvitara's 'angels'.'

 

I flipped again. The next illustration depicted a grassy plain, of bird-men being attacked by terrifying flying pollops--with blasting lasers, and somehow erecting black basalt stones with their minds. The inscription read; 'The mad gods expel the Aenir from the plains of Muno Attah. The attack on Golden illuvitus. The defence of Hean Lava. The riddle of Yah-Luhar.'

 

Although the illustrations were remarkably beautiful--I was too confused and bored to absorb it. I flipped through, only absorbing some of the images; (Two centaurs sitting on golden thrones inside an alien-like machine---- UFO's over Motaris, during the early years--- The Sanvire create--

 

I suddenly stopped again---to look at these pages in more detail, because they did seem more relevant. There were many pages of the familiar white beings--building vast machines. One showed a creepy looking Sanvire--with two smaller Sanvire children, standing in front of a wall of computers. The text below said; 'Sukararh. Sanvire behind Asop terminal. Date of the completion of 'Oceanus technus'. The silver earth was a project to restore and preserve the Utopias of Earth and Alosha.' There was something slightly more odd about this particular illustration. At first I wasn't sure what it was--then it suddenly dawned on me. It was animated!'

 

Somehow the pages ahead, were all moving-- as if by magic--the ink on the page was inscribed with motion. I flicked through again, when terror struck me once more. There was a page, depicting that curious castle of iot Sotot. Moving and animated, those familiar clues began to appear: 'he is not to let the water stop flowing from the island of the tower. He is not to open the door that leads to the strange time and place.' and I came to realise that the animated page itself, was another interactive puzzle! Unable to handle the stress of it, I flipped to the next page and avoided the game altogether.'

 

What I saw on the next page, however, would only serve to further break my brain. The inscription said; 'The wise Centaur in council with the thorny leader, the betrayer and the deceiver; to decide the matter of protecting the sacred borders.' But the animated picture, which had an eerie life-like quality --seemed to depict two men who had become very familiar to me in recent days. I flipped the page, and experienced the crescendo of terror. There on the page, to illustrate the title; 'Upon the sacrifice of 'the bearer of strange tidings' who's death will herald the coming of 'the watcher', 'the assassin' and 'the first round of earths challenger warriors'-----there was an illustration of me, sitting down right now, at the desk in the library!

 

I stood up and dropped the book. Turning, I saw the statuesque figure in the mask, who merely stared--still, like a magpie. I stood up and rushed out of the room. Fortunately, I found the secret-door still open, and raced towards the lift-- ignoring the cries of the black-haired centaur behind me. I was fortunate, to find the lift waiting for me--and in no time I was out the front door of the library, racing around the corner--where I leant against the wall--and tried to catch my breath-- and slow --my pounding heart.

 

It was a couple of minutes before I gained even the temporary sanity to remember where I was.

 

Then I found to my horror, that there truly was no escape from this living hellish nightmare. For as I lifted what had been--in my metal hand--the guidebook Deathbeard had given me--I saw with horrified confusion it was no longer so. Like a pursuing curse, the book I held up to my face--was that insane, demoniac text 'The lock and key.'

 

Surrendering to a fate, I opened to a random page in that metallic tome once more, to glean what horrible truth the devil wanted me to know.

 

It was a strange enchanting page I looked upon, with no text.

 

It was simply a glowing --full page illustration- of an elvish-gold-chained necklace --upon which was a locket--with two carven birds.

 

'THE PACT WITH THE TIME GOBLIN' Continued in Chapter 10 - 'The locket with the two birds': https://www.reddit.com/r/sffstories/comments/46zg2c/chapter_ten_the_locket_with_the_two_birds/