Chapter 6

Region of Iri Geshem — Noah’s 499th year

Several thousand troops paraded swiftly around the bends and rolling hills along the Hiddekel. Lunkers and other large creatures pulled the war machines under the guidance of their handlers. At times, the only sounds to be heard were the steady pounding of footsteps interrupted occasionally by grunting beasts.

As he reached the top of a small rise, Noah looked ahead to see hundreds of rows of 20 soldiers, each stretching on as far as he could see. The line snaked across a narrow bridge over the river and then veered south on the road to Iri Geshem. Noah had never seen so many people move with such efficiency.

“We’re almost there.” Noah recognized many of the landmarks from his countless trips on the river, but seldom had he passed them on foot. To his right, a tiny village that usually bustled with activity appeared to be vacant. Perhaps the people had fled to Iri Geshem to hide behind the walls. Whatever the reason for the emptiness, Noah breathed a sigh of relief that the Nodites lacked the opportunity to slaughter anyone here.

A smile crossed his face as he watched the muscles ripple on the shoulders of the pair of unfamiliar furry animals pulling the two-wheeled cart next to him. Emzara would’ve already sketched them. He glanced up at the captain, who rode in the cart, and pointed to the large hill across the river. “You should be able to see the city once you’re up there.”

“Then this is where you leave us, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Enil.” The captain gestured to the soldier marching beside Noah. “Take your company and follow Noah to the secret entrance. If you’re able to get everyone inside the city undetected, then set Noah and the other two prisoners free. Send word back to me. We will set up camp on the other side of the river, but out of sight from the city wall.”

“And the old woman is to be spared?” Noah asked.

“I gave you my word. Enil, see to it.”

“Sir.” Enil held up a hand and made a couple of signals. Immediately a couple hundred troops moved to the left side of the road. Unlike the rest of the soldiers, these men wore their light armor discreetly under their unmarked, sand-colored robes.

“Thank you, Captain. If possible, please go easy on the citizens and spare the shipyard.” Noah rejoined Enil, spotting Elam and Rayneh between two warriors a few rows back. “This way.”

Daylight had slipped away early due to the overcast skies, which served as both a blessing and a curse. While making it more difficult to find the small shed, the darkness also kept them hidden from the sentries on the city walls. They waited along the edge of the forest to allow the darkness to grow even deeper.

The wall around the eastern part of the city loomed in the distance. Torches flickered at various lookout posts along the top of it, providing enough light to see a few soldiers standing guard. Suddenly, the distinct ring of metal being struck pierced the darkness. “What is that?” Enil asked.

Noah held up a hand to request silence. Listening closely, he heard four more clangs at regular intervals. “They do that every night to signal a shift change for the guards.”

“Let’s go,” Enil said.

“Wait.” Noah stood and pointed ahead and to the left. “It should be up there a little way, but it’ll be hard to find at night. You and I should go look and then come back for the others.”

Enil motioned for two nearby soldiers to join him. “The four of us will go — just in case you’re planning on escaping.”

Noah shrugged. “You have my friend and his daughter, so I’m not going anywhere. We’ll need to stay quiet. The city is surely worried about reports of your army, so they may have extra sentries posted.”

“Right,” Enil said. “What are we looking for?”

Noah faced the three Nodites. “The tunnel entrance is in a shed on the south edge of a small clearing about 200 cubits from the wall. Let’s go.”

Staying low, he quickly moved out of the woods and led the trio of soldiers across a glade. As he slowed behind a copse of trees, a low-hanging twig scratched his face. He carefully grabbed the small branch and allowed it to move back into place. “It should be just over there.”

“I see something,” one of the soldiers said. “Right there.”

Noah stared into the darkness in the direction the man pointed. Eventually, the faint outline of a building came into focus. “That’s it. Let’s make sure it’s empty.”

“But don’t make a sound,” Enil said as he moved ahead of Noah.

The four men soon covered the distance to the shed and quietly opened the door. Slipping inside, they found themselves in complete blackness.

“I can’t see a thing,” Enil said. “Is it safe to light a lamp here?”

“There aren’t any windows so it should be,” Noah said. “Just keep it low.”

A spark flashed to Noah’s left along with the muffled clack of two stones striking each other. This was followed by a second and then a third strike before a soft glow emanated from a tiny oil lamp. Noah had started fires using two types of stone before, but the Nodites must have invented a device that made the process more efficient. The man put the fist-sized flame starter into his pocket. Holding the lantern up, he moved toward the back of the room. “I don’t see any entrance.” He spun and glared at Noah. “You lied to us.”

Noah held up a hand. “No, it’s there.” He pointed to the left corner. “It’s behind that wall.”

The man with the lamp inspected the corner and soon disappeared through the small opening and the soft glow faded until almost vanishing entirely. He soon reentered the room. “Looks like our prisoner was telling the truth after all. There’s a tunnel beneath the floor in there.”

Enil turned to the other soldier. “Get the rest of the men, and make sure they are quiet.”

The man nodded and stole outside.

“So am I free to go?” Noah asked.

Enil snorted. “Not yet. We need to get everyone safely through the tunnel first. Let’s have a look at it.”

Noah followed his captors into the hidden room and looked at the hatch on the floor. Could it have only been two days since I was here? Feels like a whole moon. “This leads into the lower level of a home built against the inside of the city wall. The woman who owns it is the one you need to spare.”

“Then you can go through with me to tell her.”

Noah nodded. “It’ll be difficult to open the door at the end. It may take a few men to push it open since she keeps a large, heavy bin on the other side to hide the entrance.”

“I’m sure we’ll manage. And once we’re inside?”

“That’s up to you. You’ll need to cross the bridge if you have any hope of opening the main gate for your army.”

“Of course.” Enil measured Noah with his eyes. “So how does it feel to betray your own people?”

Visions of the Nodite army overrunning the city generated another wave of guilt. After wrestling with his decision throughout the day, he had thought he was at peace with it, but this new twinge of shame made him second-guess himself. For the first time, he voiced his conclusion out loud, hoping it still sounded appropriate. “The people of this city have already turned against me, but I’m not doing this to get back at them. I’m helping you battle the Havilites while hoping you’ll treat the citizens well.”

Soft footsteps pulled their attention to the front of the shed. Enil used the first lamp to light his own, and the flickering illumination made the designs burned into his high cheekbones dance. “Have the men kindle some lanterns once they’re in the tunnel. I’ll direct the rest from here.” Enil moved into the other room and spoke quietly to his men.

A long steady stream of soldiers passed Noah before descending into the hole. Their organization continued to impress him. Two hundred troopers dropped into the tunnel faster than he could have imagined.

Elam carried Rayneh into the room and Enil followed closely behind them. “Your friend and the little girl will go into the passageway, too. Once we’re safely inside the house, the three of you are free to go.”

“I’m ready.” Noah gave Elam a half smile and then climbed down the ladder.

The tunnel seemed much different than Noah remembered. Two nights earlier, he and Elam had been in such a hurry that they never really studied the results of Zain’s labors. Now that Nodites lined one side of the passage with several lit lamps, Noah saw the extent of the burrow. It was not very wide, but being so long, it still must have been a massive undertaking. How did Zain do all of this without telling anyone?

Enil and Noah advanced to the front. Enlisting the help of two soldiers, they forced the small door open. Noah entered the room and pushed the bin farther to the side. Nodite combatants poured into the room behind him.

“Let’s go find the old woman,” Enil said.

Noah grabbed a lamp and led Enil up the stairs and quietly entered the top level of the home. “Kmani?” He called her name softly as they moved through each room. He knocked on her bedroom door. “Kmani. Are you in there?” Upon hearing no response, Noah cracked the door and peeked inside. He pushed it open and scanned the room. No excess belongings were out. I hope she’s left and is safe. “She’s not here.”

Enil grabbed his arm. “How do we get to the palace?”

Noah shook his head. “There is no palace.”

The commander crossed his arms. “You know what I mean. Where will the king be staying? And what about the town council?”

Noah headed back to the front room and pointed. “This road outside goes straight to the river, and there’s another road there. Go left, and it’ll take you all the way to the bridge. That’s the easiest way and at this time of night will have the fewest people.” Noah took a deep breath. “If you make it that far, the king will likely be staying in the guest mansion on the northeast side of the main square. It’s next to the town hall, which is the tallest building in the city. You can’t miss it.”

Enil shook his head. “I didn’t think your plan would work, but you’ve lived up to your end of the bargain. You’re free to go.”

“Thank you. If the old woman returns, please be kind to her.”

“We’re under orders from the captain.” He reached into a pocket and produced a small strap with a patch sewn into it. “Here, take this. If you run into any other Nodites and they seek to detain you, just show them this and tell them that Commander Enil, son of Mehetael, has granted your freedom.”

Noah nodded and slipped the item into his pocket. He hurried back down the stairs, past dozens of soldiers in the lower level, and waited impatiently for a break in the traffic to slip into the tunnel. Hugging the right wall, Noah squeezed past the line of warriors that stretched halfway down the passage. He found Elam and Rayneh behind the last soldier. The little girl’s large round eyes looked up at him, and he wondered how much of this she understood.

“Can we go now?” Elam asked.

Noah clapped his friend’s shoulder and produced a smile. “We’re free. For now.”