Kole's vision of sandy shadows coalesced into a scene in the palace courtyard from less than a year previous. Soldiers marched along the path toward the throneroom and scattered a group of mammal/crustaceans grazing on the lichen there on the ground. The soldiers were escorting what looked like two shabby walking dolls whose wooden joints creaked.

The guards led the two dolls into the throneroom. It was empty. One soldier, Geff, at this time without Captain's markings, said for them to wait. He walked brusquely down the one corridor. He came to a gold door and knocked. Geff sweated underneath his armor. He was clearly irritated by whatever news he had to report. The door opened slowly.

The Warpriest stood at the doorway, draped in the uniform colors of his rank. Black markings ornamented his face and body. Three thin needles were peirced through his right shoulder and black wings were neatly folded behind his back. His slanted eyes were pure black and almond shaped. Those eyes flickered to Geff, then up to the invisible eyes of Kole, and back to Geff.

"What is it?" The Warpriest's voice was deep and rich with time. His inflection swam with detachment and apathy, but was still gracious. Geff blinked.

"Two soldiers from Earth are here. They found something that they insist on telling Lord Klalech in person. They smell like humans."

The Warpriest paused a moment. His wings reshuffled themselves. "I will speak to them."

The two dolls stood amidst the group of guards. The smaller of the two dolls, one half the size of the taller one - which was no taller than a meter, looked around through obsidian eyes set in a ceramic mask. "Man, things sure have changed around here in the last 900 years..." His voice was a synthesized mosaic of whining bear cub, squawking bluejay, and rattling twigs. The guards did their best to ignore the creature.

"Say, how is the Big K, these days, anyway?"

 

"You will not get far with disrespectful words like that." The Warpriest's voice boomed through the throneroom. The guards snapped to attention. The doll-creatures tried to look through the bodies of the guards to get a look at the source of the voice. The guards parted to make room for the Warpriest.

Recognition flared in the bodies of the dolls. "Savan? YOU are the Warpriest? Geez, things really HAVE changed around here."

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Warpriest Savan chopped.

"C'mon, Savan, we were there when you first got here. We were sent out to give you food while you were locked up on the suspension towers."

Savan surveyed the two creatures without expression.

"We used to be known as Gomash Gome."

Another moment. Savan examined the two closely. "Gomash Gome was sent to Earth along with Lord Klalech's army. If you say you stand before me now with the same memories, tell me the first words I spoke in this world."

The smaller creature rocked back and forth on its stone toes. "You said, 'I miss the sky.'"

Savan pinched his lower eyelids.

"You said it the second day I brought you food, there was a storm on the ceiling of the cavern."

Savan lowered his eyes. "Why have you sought audience?"

The two dolls looked at each other. "For the second time... (ahem)... We discovered a valley filled to the rim with untainted souls. We wish to inform Lord Klalech about its existence... "

Savan looked up and met where the small creature's eyes should have been. "And for what, in return? You know that the physical rift between Earth and this world cannot be healed. You cannot be returned to your form without great expense."

"We know that... what we want in return is a new body. A body worthy to serve lord Klalech. A Wargolem body..."

Savan knocked on the door to the Harem. Scents of sex and insense had swollen the materials around the door until it weeped. He pulled in a strained breath and knocked three times. The sound echoed down the hallway. Savan listened as it made its way around the corners of this level of the palace - a necessary distraction from hearing any noises from behind the door.

A shush of fabric, a jingle of mechanisms, and the door opened. The smells from within coalesced into a solid wave of meaty sweetness. Savan shuddered as it crashed across his face. He closed his eyes while he adjusted to it.

"Savan!" The whispered voice gave him gifts and secrets. He knew that whisper. He opened his eyes.

Mayette, the fifth concubine of Klalech stood before him, closing herself in a transparent amber sheath. "What are you doing here?" she whispered. "Klalech is..."

"I need to speak to your lord. Is he here?" Savan announced in an official tone. Savan's eyes scanned through the columns covered with oil. Shiny bodies shuddered behind ribbons of the same transparent amber material that Mayette was wrapped in. Sounds of pleasure lapped at his ears.

Savan blinked slowly, easing the sounds and scents back into a colder place in his mind. Mayette curled past him and shut the door. For a moment, as she brushed by Savan, he closed his eyes tight and scissored his wings closer to his body.

"He is entertaining. You know he does not want to be disturbed." she said, dry and just loud enough to conceal her second voice, the whispering voice, "What is it?"

Savan, without looking at her, spoke to her mind, "contact from Earth. I will tell you later."

 

The wet clicking of moist flesh stopped and female mutterings of ingenuine disappointment rippled through the ripe air. Next, a bellow: "Savan, what from the void is so important?"

Mayette looked up at Savan. Savan stared straight toward the direction that the bellow came from. "Soldiers bearing news from Earth."

A moment, then quiet shreiks of surprise and sloppy footsteps. Klalech emerged from behind a cluster of oil sacs growing along with the amber ribbons. The sacs bobbled aside as Klalech headed straight for Savan. His stride was angry. Savan stood unmoved. Mayette stepped aside. Klalech grabbed Savan's throat. "I told you never to speak of that place, and how DARE you use it in this chamber." Oil seeped out from between Klalech's thick fingers and ran down Savan's chest. He smelled of women's secrets.

Savan struggled to speak, "It will... benefit you to... listen, my Lord..."

Klalech loosened his grasp a little. Enough. "Your soldiers... have found something... valuable..."

Savan did not try to pry away Klalech's hands. He just waited for Klalech to soften his intensity and understand. He forced a look into Savan's eyes, found something there, then pulled back his hand. The speed of his movement was the apology, Savan knew. Klalech turned away from him.

"I will meet them in the throneroom after I bathe." Klalech looked at Mayette. His eyes tightened around the expression of concern on her face. The look was directed at Savan. Mayette realized that Klalech's attention was on her, and she leaned closer to Savan. "Now get out. Please," she hissed in a cold flat voice. Savan looked down. Klalech watched her for another moment, then stalked away up the steps to the bathing hall. Mayette watched him go, then turned toward Savan. She looked for him to return her glance, but he was opening the door to leave. Her eyes stayed on him. The door was closing, and with only an inch left before it sealed shut again, Savan looked into her.

End Part 6