Dreams of Imahken

A pale, hazy sky greeted the travelers’ morning. The far off sun had yet to peek above the trees, but it brought good tidings with its brilliant golden glow creeping higher and scattering off the clouds. Sator was the first to wake, with him Tyza. They shared a devious grin before exiting their tent to wake up the other two.

Anilee was already nearing tears the moment she opened her eyes. Sniffling and whining at the crack of dawn, sullying the optimistic air of the day.

“Eugh!” She yanked off her dress, then a petticoat, and another petticoat. Finally, she took off another petticoat and left her last petticoat on. Anilee pulled her dress back on and threw the petticoats into the tent, directly onto Illus. While he certainly had no objections to her stripping and tossing her clothes onto him, part of him hoped it could be with a lot less misery. Anilee pouted at the lack of bulk to her skirt, pulled it up and watched it sadly drape as fabric is so inclined to do. Then she felt her hair, puffed out and staticky from the friction of such quick undressing.

Tyza snickered. “You really have that wild adventurous look about you now.”

Anilee glared at her wickedly. “I am unmade, unkempt, filthy, and a disaster!”

“What’s new?”

Anilee paid no mind to Tyza.

Illus emerged from the tent as drenched as the previous mornings, folding up Anilee’s clothes and turning off the lantern.

Sator looked at him quizzically.

“She still can’t sleep in the d-” Illus began, but Anilee covered his mouth with her hand, lowering her eyes and scrunching up in embarrassment.

Tyza decided it was the perfect time to instigate an argument, “it’s a miracle your dress avoided catching fire.”

Anilee ignored Tyza’s comment and turned to Illus. She pulled her hat over her face, fighting back tears. “Can we find a place to bathe? Last night was far too hot.”

“I wonder why,” he said beneath his breath. Then Illus raised her hat and gently brushed her hair with his hands. “We will. But what have you to worry for? It’s only sweat.” He held the hat next to her face, obscuring Tyza and Sator. “You know, you’re quite adorable when you’re like this.”

Her cheeks grew red and her hands raced to cover her face. “I don’t want you to see me like this, it’s not becoming of me!”

Illus leaned lower and calmly whispered to her. “I haven’t stayed with you simply because of your appearance.”

Anilee yanked the hat from his hands and pulled it over her face again. “You don’t understand!” She stumbled back into the tent.

Illus silently went wide eyed, shrugging at Tyza and Sator. Tyza shook her head smugly and Sator returned the shrug.

Eventually, Anilee left the tent so Illus could pack it up and carry all of their things. And finally, the three of them set off with renewed optimism and Anilee.

The vibrant orange vines ended where a valley began. The gradual decline and soft soil made for a comfortable walk down, but that didn’t make navigating the dense forest easier. With no clear landmarks or sky in sight, they just had to go down and trust they had the correct heading.

Or so Illus and Anilee thought. On their escapade, Tyza and Sator scouted every which way down the valley and deliberated which one would be best for the quarreling lovers to pass. Too steep and Anilee would certainly fall to a serious injury. Too gradual and nothing would become of it. A very easy path lay further downstream, but they wanted to put Anilee and Illus through a little stress test.

Sator led the group forward through a dense, windy patch of short trees to a suitable spot. There were several short drop offs, about the height of a person, but distant from each other so that a fall would not snowball down the valley.

“The trick,” Sator said, “is to follow animal trails to get where we need.” He couldn’t lie to Illus, who was already glancing other directions at other more traversed animal trails, but Anilee would know no better.

Anilee huffed, waiting for Illus to hold back the brush for her. “Animals are stupid, Sator, and I’m supposed to believe they make paths? Are you sure we can’t find a less dense way through?”

“It’s best not to underestimate the wilderness, Anilee.” Sator ducked beneath a heavy limb. “Animals travel where it’s safest, where it’s easiest to pass. You have to be able to think like an animal to outsmart them, to hunt them.”

“Why would I want to think like a stupid animal? We’re people because we’re smart.”

Sator shrugged, starting to realize why Tyza didn’t like her. “Why does anyone do anything?”

Tyza raised a knowing pair of eyebrows Illus’s way, who did everything he could to avoid it. The dimples on Anilee’s cheeks stretched into a grimace from realizing how far beneath her Sator was, asking such an ignorant question and offering such unscientific advice. She hid her face beneath the brim of her hat so the others would not catch on to her bitter mood.

Anilee miserably trudged forward, her dress and hat catching on branches every few seconds. She would tug at her dress, often ripping it. It was a bit pitiful to see how out of her element she was. Illus certainly thought so, which is why he took extra care to be her doorman, to avoid any avoidable frustrations from her. After an unnecessarily arduous walk, they arrived at the ledge.

Sator and Tyza had to double-take to make sure they were in the right spot, because it was not what they remembered. They stood above a two hundred foot gorge, almost a sheer cliff if not for the slight outcroppings that they both would have sworn looked bigger last night.

A yelp announced Anilee, who emerged from the brush and fell flat on her bum.

Illus paused, wide-eyed staring down the cliff. “Surely there is another way around.”

Sator checked up and down the gorge, but he saw little in the way of easier paths.

Tyza felt the first hint of remorse for Anilee since meeting her. “Ani, Ani,” she held Anilee’s shoulders to calm her. “You’re okay, we have rope to get down.”

Anilee did not respond, her rapid breath getting the better of her, sending her straight into a panic attack. As callous as he felt for thinking it, Illus wondered how Anileewas the one who convinced him to go on this expedition.

A rainy day in June caught Illus in the cobblestone streets of New Heraldsburg. Soot in his nose and steam rising from the horizon, the city was alive long before he had risen. Distant train horns blared to announce the morning departures and horse-drawn buggies dawdled down the narrow streets with flats on either side. This was the military housing block, where Illus lived with his half-sister Tyza for almost as long as he could remember.

The New Heraldsburg branch raised them sufficiently, providing education and lodging at the cost of grueling training and military service. At 16 years of age Illus showed promise as a marksman, so he trained in reconnaissance and scouting. Dealing in the sphere of intelligence, he found himself communicating with officers more often than the other enlisted. One of those officers was the then Lieutenant Colonel Uthman, Anilee’s father. As head of the youth military training corps, Uthman closely oversaw the development, training, and personal lives of Illus and Tyza. He became a surrogate father of sorts to them and all the rest of the children who had no other place than the youth corps. He raised them to be disciplined and diligent, honest and hardworking with surprising success considering some of the pits those kids had been fished out of.

This is to say that Illus became quite the prospect for a potential officer along with about a dozen other boys and girls, including Uthman’s sons. With such potential, Uthman sought to open opportunities to them by bringing them to functions with high-profile figures.

Anilee and Illus met at a dinner hosted by Lieutenant Colonel Uthman in the lavish banquet hall of the Uthman mansion. The Uthmans were old money, golden chandeliers, mahogany, ball gowns, and an excess of champagne. There was surprisingly little for Illus to do at this particular ball, as the officers were busy gloating or flattering their way into the next promotion. The other high-value prospects had a leg up on Illus, who stood alone in the corner, greeting other partygoers who dismissed him, the polished street urchin he was. This was his first time at the Uthman mansion, but he enjoyed casually observing the blatant brown nosing from his isolated, impoverished stigma.

Out of nowhere, a rather cute girl only a year younger than Illus sneered down her nose at him, posturing in her puffy silver ball gown. “You are certainly not an officer and I have never heard of a Hayshon, so what are you doing in my mansion?”

The young Illus wore his white dress uniform, distinguished and clean. He introduced himself with a courtly bow. “Corporal Illus Hayshon, miss. Intelligence aid in the youth corps under the oversight of Lieutenant Colonel Uthman. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “I am Anilee Uthman. Your superior officer is my father.”

“Thank you for clarifying Miss Uthman, I briefly worried the Lieutenant Colonel was cheating on his wife with a child.” Illus slipped, put off by the pomp of the young woman before him.

Before Anilee could indignantly respond, Illus nodded to another woman approaching. Made up pristinely and dressed in a deep navy ball gown with silver trim that accentuated her mature figure, she carried herself with pride and elegance befitting a woman of high status. Illus couldn’t help feeling flustered by her, but he tried his best to present himself with respect. She had the same raven-black hair as Anilee, with a fair face and striking eyes to match her dress.

“Master Illus, how well you clean up. My, I have not seen such a handsome young man in this mansion in quite a while.” Mrs. Uthman held out her hand for Illus to kiss her satin glove.

“It is always a pleasure to be in the care of you and yours, Mrs. Uthman. I was just acquainted with your daughter.”

Mrs. Uthman chuckled and covered her mouth in faux embarrassment. “Oh, my apologies Master Illus, I did not mean to interrupt any courting.”

“Mother!” Anilee’s face reddened so much that her freckles disappeared. “I would never be courted by a military dog!”

Illus smiled away his contempt. “I was under the impression that she took honest interest in me, having approached first, but if my presence brings such disdain then I will find conversation elsewhere.” Illus turned away and a sharp crack of cloth sounded off.

“Master Illus,” Mrs. Uthman beckoned him to turn with her enticing tone. “Please forgive my daughter, she can act quite abrasively sometimes, but she is a lovely young woman.”

He turned back as Mrs. Uthman slid her glove on. Anilee’s eyes faced the floor, a bright red mark on her cheek. Illus had heard that Mrs. Uthman was quite demanding of her children, but he had only met the sons, some of the most promising young men in the nation. Little had he heard of the reclusive daughter.

“Corporal Hayshon, good evening.” Lieutenant Colonel Uthman’s commanding, low voice called the conversation to halt. He took the place beside his wife, and as if second nature she laced her arm into his. His stern brown eyes locked on Anilee. He wore a similar white dress uniform to Illus, but his had golden tassels at the shoulders, with a fruit salad of medals and ribbons adorning his chest.

“Good evening and congratulations on your promotion, Lieutenant Colonel Uthman,” Illus almost saluted before remembering such a thing was unnecessary at functions.

He warmly nodded to Illus. “Thank you, I hope my daughter has not been a damper on the festivities, especially for one of my brightest young NCOs. She rarely sees company.”

Anilee’s head fell lower.

Mrs. Uthman took over for them. “No, dear, our daughter was just inviting Master Illus to a private conversation in the library. She had just learned that he is quite bright and a sleuth at deciphering information.” She pinched the back of Anilee’s arm and awaited Illus’s compliance.

“Please, lead the way.” Illus held his arm out for Anilee to hold, and she guided him out of the ballroom, through the mansion corridors, to a magnificent three-story library filled to the brim with books. Illus thought that maybe she would be rid of him or perhaps open up, but instead, as soon as they were inside, she let go of him and toppled into tears on a luxurious leather couch.

Illus was unsure how to proceed, being forced into this situation, but he felt it would be rude to leave her alone so suddenly. Then again, he also had no clue of how to comfort her, not knowing her at all. He stood beside the couch while she cupped her cheek and cried.

He thought he may as well make the most of being in such an elaborate and expensive library. His curious eyes scanned the walls, then the table next to the couch, where a stack of books were piled up. The spines were all titles by a historian he was familiar with, Jiremont Carmonia. Carmonia collated ancient stories from expeditions he embarked on some two hundred or so years ago. Illus’s eyes followed a pile of books along the cushions, written by different authors, but all of them focused on the same period.

Illus picked up the book at the top of the stack, which stole Anilee’s attention and halted her tears immediately.

“No!” She shrieked. “Do not move any of these books!”

Her sharp voice echoed around the library and a butler snuck up so quietly to Illus’s side that he couldn’t help jumping.

“Young master,” the old man in a tailcoat guided the book back to its place in the stack. “These books are diligently organized by Miss Uthman. Please ask myself or her if you would like to read them.”

On one hand, she had stopped crying, but now she was expecting a response from Illus.

Illus sighed. “My apologies, I was curious about the volume, as I am familiar with some of Carmonia’s work myself. Are you…” his eyes met Anilee’s eyes, which had brightened rather quickly. “Are you researching something about his work?”

“Yes, I am.” Anilee sat up straight, reluctant to answer, but sitting upright and side-eying Illus as if eager to talk.

“May I inquire about the nature of your research?”

She fiddled with her hands on her lap. “I am studying the whereabouts of Carmonia’s last expedition. He never said where it was, just that he was investigating an ancient artifact.”

Illus nodded along. “What have you found?”

Anilee raised her head with pride. “Quite a lot, actually.”

“Such as…?” Intrigued as Illus was, his patience wore thin.

However, that was all Anilee needed to explode into a detailed explanation of Carmonia’s expeditions. She instructed Illus to sit across from her, then walked him through Carmonia’s firsthand accounts of ancient ruins and texts found in the overgrown forests around the continent. She had found records and stories from the native populations, slowly narrowing down the location. Illus’s curiosity grew the more she spoke, and he lost himself to conversing with her about the antiquated histories of Carmonia for hours. Anilee appeared less to him as a spoiled rich girl, and more a sheltered albeit inquisitive young woman.

“So throughout Carmonia’s expeditions,” Illus gathered, “he was piecing together the fall of an ancient civilization, the Imahk, but he never returned from his final journey to this Imahken… a place he said nothing of?”

“Precisely,” Anilee held her finger up as she made her point, “and it’s assumed that he was killed by a reclusive group or tribe inhabiting the ruins of a presumed temple. His research is unparalleled, but his methods and personality caused him to be chased away from many of the locations he investigated. He often attempted to woo local women and use mercenaries to clear natives out of the archeological sites.”

“Do you know where the ruins are?”

Anilee hesitated. “No… but I have several clues as of now. Accounts from others say he led the group into a secluded forest region in search of a bald mountain, but it does not say what range or forest. And that’s only a loose assumption based on one line of text.”

“So-” Illus was interrupted by the opening door.

The same butler returned to the chambers.

“I am heartily sorry, Miss Uthman and Master Hayshon, but the festivities have concluded and Lieutenant Giret has requested your return, Master Hayshon.”

Anilee’s enamored eyes returned to their sullen lonesomeness.

“Then,” Illus rose, “shall we continue this conversation another time?”

“Huh- yes!” Anilee shot up, beaming at Illus before she bashfully closed herself off. “Is this of interest to you or would you rather do something else?”

He smiled. “And leave this mystery unsolved? Shall I return in a fortnight, when I return to New Heraldsburg after some training?”

Anilee nodded. Already speechless, Illus left her breathless and flushed when he kissed her hand and bade her goodbye.

The butler guided him from the library to the ballroom, where Mrs. Uthman caught him. “Master Hayshon, you spent quite a while in the library. Shall we be expecting your return?”

“In a fortnight, if it pleases?”

“Not sooner?” Mrs. Uthman chuckled with a step in. “Oh, I suppose I should refrain from rushing youth.” A moment of hesitation caught Illus, which Mrs. Uthman picked up on, leaning in. “Is something amiss?”

Mrs. Uthman’s naturally forward and flirtatious mannerisms caused more stress in Illus, especially with how close she was. He stammered in gibberish to no clear end.

She cut in, whispering to him. “Is it her appearance? She takes after me so much, and I filled in a bit late. You have nothing to worry for.”

Illus’s face flushed further, embarrassed, but beginning to recollect his words. “That’s- uh- reassuring, Mrs. Uthman, but my hesitation arises from the Lieutenant Colonel.”

Mrs. Uthman chuckled and whispered once more to him. “Dear Master Illus, it was your Lieutenant Colonel who suggested I step in.” She pulled back. “Now, was he wrong to do so?”

Illus lowered his head for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief. “No, Mrs. Uthman. Thank you.”

Illus took his leave with a courteous bow.

Two busy weeks flew by and he visited again. He and Anilee continued their conversation then researched deeper into the old tomes. Research became unrelated talks, and unrelated talks became trips to carnivals and outings into the city. They researched and enjoyed posh snacks, but rarely did Anilee ever express interest in any of his outing proposals, only hers. Her obsession with her research worried Illus, and he thought that if he helped her see it to its end, she would open up to the rest of the world a little more. Through all that time, though, they were never alone. There was always a butler or maid on hand and watching, waiting to report back to the Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Uthman, leaving Illus at an impasse. Anilee refused to steal away with him when he urged her to step out of her comfort zone. Eventually the research led them to finding the location of Imahken over the course of five years.

Often, she grew frustrated or burnt out from research and pushed him away, or resented him for spending time with others when he could have been visiting her. After every fight, she would cry and tell him how to not mess it up the next time. Illus was always the reason she cried, and if not she still blamed him. He wondered if it was from the stress of fruitless research, and that maybe once it was done, she would be less prickly.

In time, Illus commissioned as an officer and acted as a training information officer and sniper, visiting Anilee even less. His station increased and he stayed with the military while Tyza met Sator and left service. Tyza no longer by Illus’s side so much, he had even more free time to devote to Anilee. She turned from a research partner to an inconclusive something more with how much time they spent together. Everyone assumed they were betrothed, but she always dismissed such assumptions as jokes, never quite saying what she thought of him. She often became bitter and blamed Illus for giving people the wrong idea, which put a strain on their already complicated relationship. But Illus held hope strong.

When they did discover the potential location of Imahken, Anilee’s spirits became rejuvenated like never before. Her obsession grew stronger, fiercely pushing Illus to convince her father to take her in search of Imahken, regardless of the struggles and challenges she would face.

He thought he was close, closer than ever before to getting Anilee everything she ever wanted. By extension, this would put their five year long struggle to rest, a new chance to grow closer off a monumental success.

His hopes overrode his doubts in Anilee, and he prayed that perhaps she would be happier after one final breakthrough.

Illus, despite his frustration, believed they could make the venture down the gorge, then up the other side with good effort. They could, but Anilee would certainly struggle. He sat next to her and gestured for the other two to give them a moment.

“Ani?” He stroked her hair and pulled her into him. To his surprise, no resistance from her. “It’s scary, isn’t it? A nasty fall if I’ve ever seen one, but don’t you want to see the other side?”

She wiped at her tears, calming her breaths. “I- I can’t- I can’t make it!”

“I am not asking if you can or cannot, I am asking if you want to?”

Anilee met his eyes passionately. “Of course! Of course I want to see the other side, but I have never climbed such a place in my life! How could I-”

Illus held a finger to her mouth, silencing her. “Then trust in us to get you across. It’s why we’re here. We can do it, and we can help you do it. This one climb is all that stands between you and everything we spent these five years searching for. Fear is something to be faced. You’ll be stronger on the other side.”

Obsession overpowered fear, and she nodded, glancing at the edge. Illus witnessed the courage fleeting from her eyes, so he guided her terrified pearls toward him. “Don’t look at the ledge, look at me.” A strange calm took the air as their eyes held each other’s gazes. “Just look at me.”

Sator side-eyed the two with a smirk at Tyza, who grew more frustrated with the smugness than Anilee’s childish behavior.

Sator approached the ledge and tied a rope around the sturdiest tree, tossing it down into the gorge.

“Wha-? Huh?” Sator squinted over the rope, which seemed to be cut off immediately at the edge. He pulled it up, and more rope appeared out of thin air. He shook his head and held the rope tightly, climbing down. His lower body disappeared, then the rest of him.

Illus and Anilee approached the edge, unaware that Sator had gone down. Tyza watched in utter confusion, about to speak before Sator’s voice startled them all.

“Hah! Tyza, climb down here.”

Tyza sank to her knees, looking down over the edge. “Sator, darling, what’s going on? Is it safe? Where are you?”

“It’s the cliff, it’s masked by something, like a mirage in the desert.”

A cackle echoed across the gorge, all of their eyes following the sound to a little outcropping of rock that the same black and blue fox sat atop of, laughing at them. The air before them shimmered, revealing what Tyza and Sator had seen the night before. Several easy climbs down with enough space between them to be safe. Tyza and Sator shared a sigh of relief and Anilee gazed down with more confidence than before.

The fox darted away, leaving them to their slow climb down. Illus went down before Anilee each time, and Tyza held the rope so she felt secure. They reached the bottom without struggle, a knee-high stream greeting them from the middle of a dried riverbed.

“Ah!” Sator exclaimed as they started crossing. “Illus! Don’t!”

The whole group halted, concerned from Sator.

“What?! What?” Illus backed up from the water.

“Illus,” Sator emphatically implored him, “you’ll sink like a stone! It’s too deep for you.”

Illus rolled his eyes and walked across.

“Do you think…” Anilee mumbled.

“Hm?” Tyza lackadaisically back-stepped across the stream.

“Could we clean up here?” Anilee meekly asked.

Sator and Illus exchanged a glance, looking up toward the sky for the sun. It was just before noon. They had some time.

Illus nodded. “Let’s be quick then. Ladies first. Sator and I will scout ahead in the meantime. Holler when you finish.” He set down their bags by the streamside and the men traipsed up the hill.

As they neared flat ground, a wall of deep green speckled by blue blocked the way ahead. A solid thorny hedge blocked the way forward, standing twenty feet high with pristine blue roses growing all throughout.

“I had no idea roses could be blue,” Sator said.

Illus stopped, cautious to approach the strangely shifting wall of roses and thorns. “As far as I know, they can’t be.”

“Sator, Illus! We’re done!” Tyza called up from the valley.

“No!” Anilee screamed in pure terror. “We are not done!”

Tyza laughed loud enough for them to hear. The mules groaned, tied up atop the other side of the cliff. The two men mimicked them.

Sator put his hand on Illus’s shoulder. “Anilee isn’t afraid of flowers too, is she?”

Illus optimistically guessed. “She spends quite a lot of time in the gardens with them. Hopefully the groundskeeper is thorough enough for her.”