The Last Citadel by Kevin Ashman

Author:Kevin Ashman [Ashman, Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silverback Books
Published: 2011-11-12T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Braille and Pelosus parted ways as they re-entered the keep, with Braille returning to the temporary Barracks while Pelosus made his way to his room to freshen up before reporting to Helzac. Within the hour, he was knocking on the Governor’s door.

‘Come in,’ came the response and Pelosus entered Helzac’s apartment for the first time.

Across the room, the Governor was looking out of the window toward the ring of outer towers in the distance. He glanced over as Pelosus entered.

‘Stargazer,’ he said, ‘you have returned at last, and with good news, I hope.’

‘Mixed news, Sire,’ said Pelosus, ‘yet fascinating all the same.’

‘I will be the judge of that,’ said Helzac. ‘Sit down and tell me everything.’

They both took seats at the central table, facing each other across the polished Mahogany surface.

‘First of all,’ said Pelosus, ‘our understanding of the second city seems to be correct. There is overwhelming evidence that a complete stand-alone civilisation existed down there, heaven knows how long ago.’

‘People like us?’

‘It would seem so. The dwellings are the same as ours and most contain the remains of all the same sorts of things you can find in any house today in the streets of Bastion.’

‘Like what?’

‘Furniture, platters, cutlery, that sort of thing. In one house, I even saw the remains of a child’s cot and various playthings, so it is obvious that these people were family oriented. There are alehouses, market streets and even areas that seem to have been given over to the growing of plants. Everything you would expect to see in a thriving city.’

‘But?’

‘But that’s where it gets confusing,’ said Pelosus, ‘we searched all day yet there was no sign of any exit through the outer wall to the sea or any method of accessing the main Citadel. These people were entirely confined between the two outer walls with no way of getting out. Whatever it was they did, they were entirely self- sufficient.’

‘That’s impossible,’ said Helzac.

‘You would think so,’ said Pelosus, ‘but I found these.’ He opened his side bag and pulled out a range of items, placing them on the table before him.

‘Bones?’ said Helzac.

‘Jaw bones,’ confirmed Pelosus, ‘but the like of which we have never seen before.’ He picked up the largest and held it up. ‘This is the lower jaw bone of a large animal,’ said Pelosus ‘but not a Narwl or a Ranah, look at the teeth. The beasts of the sea that feed our people have either no teeth, or the pointed incisors of the predator. These are flat and ground down through wear.’

‘And?’

‘Teeth get worn through constant grinding of food,’ said Pelosus. ‘Our old people display similar symptoms after chewing their food for a lifetime. The teeth of this jawbone suggest this animal was not of the sea, but of the land.’

‘Preposterous,’ said Helzac, ‘there is not such a beast in existence nor has there ever been.’

‘I know it is difficult to conceive,’ said Pelosus, ‘but all the evidence is there. The back of the jawbone

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