"ALL RIGHT,
Goaded into action by Yudi's urgent tone, Lev grabbed the blanket and leather bag then hopped down from the wagon. When he tried to hand the knapsack to Yudi, he shook his head. "That bag's for you. You'll need what's in there for your trek. Now follow me. I've got something surprising to show you."
Yudi stepped further into the soaring cliff's shadows and dragged his hand along the rockface as he walked southward, toward the edge of the nearby escarpment. Without looking back, he called out. "Come along, Lev! Keep up!"
Lev turned to take one last look around him. Goodbye, Hyasa, he thought. I promise, I'll return. And when I do, by the Blood of the Three, Totoro will pay—no matter the cost.
His vow made, Lev turned back, expecting to find Yudi and catch up to him. But the diminutive man was nowhere in sight. How had he disappeared so quickly? Had he ... had he fallen off the escarpment?
Lev froze. What would he find if he continued forward? What would he do without Yudi? But then, ahead and to Lev's right, a familiar laugh trickled into the meadow. "I told you to keep up!"
Confused, Lev hurried to the outcropping and mimicked how Yudi had moved. Lev walked beside the rock wall, dragging his hand along the jagged surface. But he also focused on the ground, making sure he didn't travel too far south and plummet to his death. Twelve steps later, though, he nearly slammed headlong into a slab of rock that jutted into the meadow.
Lev grunted softly, stepped back, and examined the protruding rock before him. Its face matched the rest of the wall, making the slab hard to distinguish from its surroundings. But its edges were straight and its top perfectly arched. He was staring at a door, a partially open door.
"Yudi?" Lev called out hopefully as he stepped around the obstacle.
To his surprise, the door had concealed a dark passageway carved into the outcropping. Twenty feet away, the smooth corridor appeared to join a larger, brightly lit chamber where Yudi stood waving.
Relieved, Lev hustled down the corridor, stepped into the chamber, and came to a sudden stop. For a moment, the astonishing space overcame his worries and fears. He whistled softly as he craned his neck and examined his surroundings. Polished tiles covered the floor. Stone pillars and arches supported a vaulted ceiling. And strategically placed shafts illuminated the space with sunlight.
"Wha-what is this place?" Lev muttered.
"I'm not sure," Yudi said. "And I would never have known it existed if my friends from Pashkar hadn't shown me."
Lev stopped gawking and blinked at Yudi. "Pashkarians?"
"Yes, Pashkarians. And they are the key to my plan for you, Lev."
"How so?"
"Before the Tolians conquered us, I used to make a yearly journey to Behrad, Pashkar's fortress city south of the Varraran Wastes. I'd load up the wagon with a basket of pomegranates, several bunches of highland flowers, and a crate of my best soaps. Then, I'd travel to Behrad and exchange it all for some rare ingredients for my shop. Over time, I developed a friendship with an alchemist, Javad Zamani, who liked to dabble in perfumes. A gregarious and generous man, we bonded over our love of aromatics."
Yudi chuckled and looked away for a moment, apparently recalling something. "Yes, thank goodness for our friendship. You see, to my amazement, he's continued to be my friend during the Tolian occupation and a great help to us. Who could have guessed a Pashkarian alchemist would become one of our greatest allies? The one who arranged the exchange of their swords and other weapons for our gold, silver, and jewels. A different sort of alchemy, I suppose."
Lev screwed up his face, confused. "But aren't the Pashkarians our enemy? And isn't our border with them closed?"
Yudi nodded. "Years ago, yes, the Pashkarians were our enemy. But now, well, the Tolians have changed all that. Let's just say, the Pashkarians greatly prefer us Hyasans as their neighbors. We were never a threat to expand southward. But the Tolians? They live to conquer ... and destroy."
Yudi's revelation surprised Lev. And it seemed preposterous. "Then how ... how do you still communicate with your friend? This—"
Yudi smirked. ". Commit his name to memory, Lev. If all goes well, he's the key to my plan. As for our continued friendship ... do you know old Sevie?"
Lev rubbed the back of his neck and tilted his head. "The crazy old man who's always feeding the birds?"
Yudi snorted. "The very one, but he's far from crazy. Sevie has a collection of pigeons that carry messages to different cities around the world. He sends and retrieves Javad's messages for me. Sevie's a very important part of our rebellion ... but the Tolians leave him alone, thinking, like you, that he's just a harmless old man who's addled in the head."
"Oh," Lev mumbled, dumbfounded by yet another revelation.
Yudi grinned and his eyes sparkled in the half light. Apparently, he was enjoying Lev's reaction. "Anyhow, Sevie had helped me send messages to Javad long before the Tolians arrived. And, sometime after the Tolians defeated us, Javad messaged me again—but this time telling me to travel to the meadow that you and I just left and gather supplies. Go there in three days, just before noon, the note said. It was all rather cryptic, but much like we did today, I left D'Win on the pretense of gathering flowers. And when I arrived, I found Javad and some of his friends, leaning against the outcropping. Oh, Lev, I was so astonished. How had they gotten around the Tolians, who occupied the Southern Gate? Then, minutes later, they showed me this place. Imagine my shock! I'd come to this valley for years without the slightest idea this strange space existed. But of course, the door is impossible to find unless you know where to press."
Finally, something made sense to Lev. "So that's why you were dragging your hand along the wall!"
Yudi nodded. "Mm hm. There's a small recess that hides a latch."
"But why have brought me here?" Lev asked looking around. "How is this going to help me cross the Varraran Wastes?"
"Well," Yudi continued, "the journey to Behrad normally takes over a week. You must continue along the Arevakian Way until it circles past the Kamináda. There, you'll find the junction with the Haravan Way—the road south to Pashkar and beyond. But Pashkar is Tol's greatest rival, and several Tolian legions block the southern pass at Zoravarjin, making escape impossible that way."
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Confused, Lev furrowed his brow. "But if the pass is closed ... well, isn't that the only way off the highlands? So again, how am I supposed to cross the Varraran?"
"Be a little patient, Lev," Yudi said, "I'm trying to tell you. And yes, for most Hyasans, and Pashkarians for that matter, our southern border is closed. Javad and his friends, though, are well acquainted with the desert below. Traveling by horse, they're able to cross the Varraran in a couple of days with ease. And better yet, see that?"
Yudi paused and tipped his head toward a darkened doorway in the room's southern wall. "See that hallway? It leads to a stairwell that descends all the way to the base of the escarpment. Which means, you don't have to go through the southern pass to enter the Varraran. Years ago, my Pashkarian friends used this place to smuggle goods from the spice trail into Behrad. And now, it's how they deliver weapons to us—right beneath the Tolians' noses. So, you see, the road to Pashkar may be closed, but to a resourceful few, the border remains open."
Lev closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath while he considered everything Yudi had told him. "What you're saying, then, is you want me to take the stairwell down to the valley, cross the Varraran Wastes, and hope I can start a new life in Pashkar with ... with an alchemist? Or, is he a smuggler? A criminal?"
Yudi grinned impishly and laughed. "Yep. Exactly. By my calculations, crossing the Varraran will take three days at most. If Javad and his friends can do it, so can you. Just keep south and aim for the gap in the distant hills. Eventually you'll reach Behrad's northern gate."
A sudden panic raced through Lev's veins and raised his voice. "But Yudi, you avoided my question about this Javad. Is he an alchemist or a criminal? And, besides, your friends have horses, which is no small detail, considering the Varraran is called the Oven for a reason. Surely, I'll bake before I reach Behrad!"
Yudi shook his head and rested a hand on Lev's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Lad. Javad is a good man, I swear. And don't forget, their horses are laden with swords, not riders. Still, it will be a challenging journey, for certain. But I believe in you, and if you do as I say, you will make it across the Varraran just fine. That said, there are a few things you must know before you leave. Ready? Look me in the eyes so I know you are listening."
Lev chewed on his lip but lifted his eyes to meet Yudi's gaze.
"By Ojakh's Flame," Yudi whispered, shaking his head. "It's uncanny. Forgive me, Lad, but you look more and more like your father. More hair, of course, but those eyes. Same piercing blue ..."
Yudi wrinkled his nose and sniffed. "Sorry. It's ... well, I'm sure you know. So please, for him, heed my words closely. Let's start with the knapsack you're holding. It's half empty—the extra space is for your blanket. But I packed the rest of the bag with supplies before I woke you. It's filled with food, salt, and two skins of water. Should easily be enough for three days of travel. There's also a small box with tinder, flint, and steel. Just be sure to travel when the sun is low and the Varraran is cooler—at dawn and dusk. Find shelter from the sun at its height. And at night, build a small fire to deter predators and keep you warm. You'll want to find elevated resting places to guard you from the hyenas and jackals, serpents and scorpions. Thankfully, the Varraran is dotted with rock spires, so it shouldn't be difficult to rest somewhere safe. Got it?"
Lev nodded.
"All right," Yudi said. "Then most importantly, you must conserve your water ... yet also use it wisely. Small sips when your mouth is dry, a little more when you stop to rest, and you'll be fine. Half a skin the first day would be a good pace since you won't be in the Varraran all day. And make sure you use up the salt since you'll no doubt sweat bucketfuls. And finally—"
Yudi stopped his instructions to reach into his trousers pocket. When he withdrew a small scroll and a silver coin, Lev raised his eyebrows. Such money was hard for Hyasans to come by.
Grinning, Yudi extended both the coin and note toward Lev. "And finally, there are these. Once you get to Behrad, give the guards at the gate this note and coin. Promise them another coin if they do as the note instructs. That should get them to take you to Javad. Once he knows who you are, I am certain he'll take care of you. Perhaps his methods of earning a living are less scrupulous than others. But criminal? That's far too harsh. He is a man of vast means, and incredibly generous with his riches. So, I am certain he'll pay the guards and take care of you."
Lev took the note and silver piece and stared at them. Given the dire circumstances, Yudi's plan seemed sound enough—besides, what else could he do? Nodding, he tucked the objects into his pocket, only for his fingers to brush against his father's journal.
A wave of embarrassment washed over Lev. Why did he keep forgetting to deliver the journal?
"Yudi ..." Lev said, tentatively.
"Yes?"
Lev clutched the journal, intent on finally handing it over. But his arm betrayed him and refused to move. How could he give away the only possession he had to remind him of his father?
Thrown off by the unexpected change of heart, Lev scrambled for an answer. Then he remembered a childhood fear he had of the desert. "What about leopards, Yudi?"
Yudi nodded and his chest heaved with a deep breath. "I can't lie. Although rare, they're a concern. An outcropping, no matter how high, won't deter a hungry leopard. But your small fire should give it pause. If not, as a last resort, I've got something else to give you."
With that, Yudi turned and started to walk away, gesturing behind his back for Lev to follow. Instead, Lev's feet stayed rooted to the stone tiles, and he stared blankly ahead, stunned by Yudi's response. Until that moment, Lev had only worried about the Oven's heat. But leopards, too?
"Trust me," Yudi said, stepping back and grabbing Lev's sleeve. "I've got something that will lift your spirits."
Slightly intrigued and too tired to fight, Lev acquiesced and let himself be pulled across the room. He had thought the chamber was completely empty, but Yudi had blocked Lev's view of a rectangular stone structure tucked against the wall. A strange symbol—a center line with three shorter lines branching up and away from the center like a stylized tree or broom—had been chiseled into the box's lid. Lev paused. What was he looking at? A coffin, perhaps? An altar?
"Lend me some help here," Yudi said, thrusting his jaw toward the opposite side of the stone box. He already gripped the lid's edge and waited for Lev to do the same. And once he joined in, they slid the stone panel aside.
Lev gasped at the contents. The box was filled with swords and daggers. Real weapons made from
A clatter of metal echoed through the vaulted chamber as Yudi picked through the weapons. At last, he withdrew a scabbarded dagger and sword, which he presented to Lev.
"Your father used to brag about your skills as a swordsman all the time,," Yudi said, his eyes moist. "All the time. Quick as lightning and equally clever, he'd say. I have no doubt that with these belted on, you'll be a force to reckon with. Even a match for a hungry leopard."
A strange numbness filled Lev as he accepted the weapons. Their heft, mixed with Yudi's words, stirred a sad memory.
Lev pictured his father standing in the alley, his eyes filled with love and pride. Once again, his hand rested on Lev's shoulder while he said:
Lev sucked in a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to clear the memory. He pursed his lips, opened his eyes, and tried to belt on his new weapons. But an irresistible sadness rolled through him and made his hands tremble. The simple task of buckling a belt became impossible. Struggling to concentrate, he dropped the weapons and started to sob.
Yesterday morning, he'd been so filled with hope. He pictured his family gathered around the table, the happiest they'd been in forever. And now? How had so much changed, changed so , in just a day?
A buzzing filled his ears, and the image of his family hanging from their crosses paralyzed him. He remained frozen in place while the shuffle of sandals and rustle of clothes approached. While something solid thumped against his thigh. While a firm pressure pulled against his waist and cinched around his torso. And while an insistent hand clenched his wrist and closed his fingers around a familiar form—the hilt of a sword.
Lev opened his eyes and found Yudi staring back. He squeezed Lev's hand and smiled. "I wish I could cheer you," he whispered. "Make it all better. But only time can heal some wounds. Time and acceptance and determination. So let yourself grieve, Lev. Let yourself grieve. But always remember that your family loved you, and you owe it to them to keep going. To do all you can to survive. I promise you, they would want you to lead the long, wonderful life that they were denied."
