Chapter Four #2
“Are there more than wolves on your world?” Camber asked.
“Oh yes. Humans who have no power dominate our world, and the paranormals live separate lives. There are vampires, witches, shapeshifters, good people and many dark forces. We aren’t out to the humans. We live separate lives,” Brogan said.
Camber asked, “Do your people cross the stars?”
“In ships?”
Camber nodded.
“Yes and no. We’ve been to our moon, sent probes to the planets in our system, and satellites travel to interstellar space, but as far as people in crafts—no.” Brogan continued, “But it sounds as if some of our ancestors came from a realm like this.”
“Maybe. Are your vampires…I don’t want to say bad, but…?”
“Bad,” Brogan finished for her. “All except for the most powerful clan. They are called the Debreks, and their leader Byron and her wife are good friends of mine. Their clan took a vow to only take blood by consent.”
Camber looked surprised. “Wow, I’ve never met vampires like that.”
“They led the resistance to banish Balor—the battle that had me flung into this realm.”
“Amazing.”
The conversation had taken up a good bit of the journey, but Brogan needed another rest.
“Can we stop for a break? I’m close to cooked.”
Camber pointed to a rocky outcropping, up on the sand dune hill they had climbed. “We’ll stop here. We are just about there.”
Brogan leaned her back against the rock where they stopped and gulped down the water they had brought.
Camber brought out the fruit she had bought from the market. It reminded Brogan of slices of watermelon.
“Eat this—it hydrates you more than water, something very important on this world,” Camber said.
“I don’t know how the Oiprians manage to live like this.” Camber watched as Brogan took her first bite of the fruit. “Mmm. That is so delicious. How can they grow the fresh fruit and vegetables I saw at the market in this climate?”
“Not all of Oipra is like this. There is a continent on the planet that is green from the trees and plants, and blue from the fresh water of seas, lakes, and streams,” Camber said.
Brogan looked shocked. “But why do they live here, like this?”
“Because they have been conquered by the Abnobians for the last thousand years. The Abnobians are seen as mages of sorts, and they worship them as gods. Look at this.” Camber pulled herself above the rock and took a monocular from her jacket pocket. “Look down there.”
Brogan got up next to Camber. She held out her cuffed hands, asking to be let free, but Camber shook her heard. “Not yet, Wolf. I’ll hold this up for you. Look down.”
Brogan looked through the lens, then with one of her chained-up hands moved it around the scene. If she hadn’t known otherwise, Brogan would have guessed she was looking at a scene from ancient Egypt, Greece, or Rome.
There was a huge temple structure with beautiful lush, green gardens, tiled pools of crystal clear water, and waterways connecting them.
“It’s beautiful, but how can they have water for decoration when the people guard every drop because it’s precious?”
“It’s a means of control. You see the people on their knees praying right beside the water? If anyone touches or drinks the water here, they forfeit their life, and their family’s life—on some occasions, their whole village. The Abnobians are worshipped as gods.”
Camber pointed to the Temple. “Inside that, the priest class do the bidding of their overlords.”
Brogan felt such deep anger for this planet’s plight. “That is disgusting. What are the Abnobians really? Do they use magic?”
“It’s worse. They themselves have very little magic.
But long ago, before the people that left us the portals disappeared, the Abnobians conquered other races who had powers and gifts hugely better than their own.
The Abnobians didn’t have magic, but they have one or two things that helped them take over much of the realm. ”
“What?”
“They have a gift for science and technology, military tactics, and building an empire.”
“So what happened?”
Camber put the monocular to her eye to take in the scene. “We haven’t got time to go into it all now, and especially as I don’t know for certain who you are—”
Brogan rolled her eyes, and Camber relented.
“The people of this planet have been slaves for a long, long time. The Abnobians expect every family to send one person to work in the mines beneath the sands,” Camber said. “The mines are far away from the Temple. They rarely make it back.”
Brogan shook her head in disbelief. “What are they mining for?”
“Minerals they use for their technology. They have the best scientists in the realm. Do you see the stone doorway to the right of the Temple? That’s what they call the gateway to the gods. You see the Drazani guards on either side?”
Brogan nodded.
“The gods, when they choose to, appear from there. Everyone is both awed and terrified by them. In the Temple grounds, local guards are not allowed, only the Drazani, the Abnobian military.”
“But what’s behind that doorway?” Brogan asked.
“The people think it’s a doorway to the gods in the stars. It’s really all their smoke and mirrors. There’s a spaceport for their vessels. Vessels to go off planet and to the other side of this world to get the food and water for the people.”
“How is it this world developed like this, most of it so warm and dry but one continent ideal farmland?”
“Because the Abnobians have the technology of climate control,” Camber said.
“You mean the whole planet could be green and lush?”
“Yes. It used to be. It’s the worst kind of cruelty. They use the giving and restricting of food and water, and bring artificial droughts, if the people displease the so-called gods.”
Camber leaned back and looked right into Brogan’s eyes. “If you are a bounty hunter for the Abnobians, I hope you can live with yourself, aiding and abetting this scum.”