The Highest Science (Gareth Roberts) by The Highest Science (by Gareth Roberts) (html)

Author:The Highest Science (by Gareth Roberts) (html)
Language: eng
Format: epub

11:

Death By Trivia

The exploration of the temple was an unsettling experience, for Sendei at least. Its ancient architect had cut large openings in the outer walls to allow light to filter through, but the planet’s night, moonless and starless, offered no illumination.

They seemed to have been stumbling through pitch blackness for hours now. Molassi led them silently onwards and downwards. He did not stop to warn them of any of the unseen hazards he was first to discover. Sendei and Rodomonte were forced to navigate the tiny passages for themselves, and had narrowly avoided falling into open pits at least twice.

‘Rodo,’ Sendei called. The jangling of his friend’s bells and chains, which he had been using as an aid for navigation, had ceased abruptly. ‘Rodo!’

He sensed Rodo’s presence a few metres ahead of him. ‘Rodo, speak to me!’

Rodo’s voice came back. ‘He’s gone.’

‘Molassi?’

‘Who else?’ There was panic in his voice.

Sendei licked his lips nervously. ‘Let’s turn back. Let’s go back for Benny.’

He heard Rodo slide to the ground defeatedly. ‘You lead the way, then.’

Pointlessly, Sendei looked around. His eyes were wide open but he could see nothing. They were trapped.

‘We’ve got to go on,’ he said.

Rodo pulled himself up. Sendei felt his friend’s hand brush his cheek.

‘Not just the clever boy, are you?’ he said admiringly.

Sendei smiled. ‘Come on.’

He pushed Rodo aside and took the lead, his hands outstretched. The rough rock walls had already scraped a layer of skin from the palms.

A few minutes of silent shuffling brought them to a junction. The passage was narrower here, tapering off into three turnings. None of them offered any distinction from its neighbour.

Then a voice echoed tunelessly from the passage directly opposite. ‘Source of the Light, Wizard of the Night, Wild Lady of the Ruins…’

Both Sendei and Rodomonte recognized the opening lines of another of Zagrat’s interminable anthems.

Rodo sighed with relief. ‘Molassi.’

Sendei remained still and silent, ignoring Rodo’s push at his shoulder. ‘There’s something wrong.’

‘Get mobile,’ Rodo urged impatiently.

‘Light,’ said Sendei. The outline of the junction was just visible. The light was coming from straight ahead, the same passage that Molassi’s voice echoed back from.

‘Move,’ Rodo said. ‘Come on!’

Sendei walked on reluctantly. Now that the answer to the mystery seemed so close, why did every instinct warn him to turn away from it?

The passage continued for another few metres. As he edged forward, Sendei glanced up occasionally at the far end. The light was brighter now. Details of decorative paintwork were visible on his left side although only the lower portion of the work could be seen clearly. It depicted what he took to be some sort of religious ritual. Most of the figures involved were obscured by the slanting roof. The passage had obviously once been a high ceilinged corridor.

Sendei turned the final corner and emerged into a small circular space. The walls were covered with a riot of colourful designs, patterns that swirled like those on a headster‐​time blouson. Molassi sat cross legged next to a thin column of bright white light, which stood like a radiant strut at the centre of the chamber.

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