Chapter Fifty-Nine #3
“That must be Shaddad,” Nate said, pointing to the silver figure receiving the gifts.
“Ad was the ruler of the people of ‘Ad, and he had two sons, Shaddad and Shadid. When Shadid died, Shaddad ruled as the king of kings. It’s said that tributes were brought from the entire region and laid at his feet.”
“It’s good to be the king,” Shane noted.
“Not in his case. They say that the city took more than three hundred years to construct, and that Shaddad died on the road en route to Ubar from the same calamity that befell the city.”
“So who’s that bloke on the door, then?” Wally asked.
“Who knows?” Nate said. “It’s only a legend. It’s possible that Shaddad did, in fact, make it to the city before the meteorite hit. Or he didn’t, and it’s a representation of Earth’s kings bringing him gifts, depicted by an artist looking to kiss the king’s ass before he died.”
“You know a thing or two about kissing royal asses,” Shane said, nudging Wally.
“God save the King,” Wally said with a grin.
“So what kings are we talking about? Persians? Egyptians?” Tim asked, ignoring the other two.
“Persians, as we know them, weren’t around back then.
This city would have sat on the ancient Incense Route; think frankincense and myrrh, as well as spices, precious metals, and luxury goods.
Egypt would certainly have been a part of it.
So would the Babylonians, Assyrians, and perhaps Meluhha, or the Indus Valley civilization, now modern-day India…
It was an extremely lucrative business.”
“But the people who lived here in Ubar…” Ana started.
“The tribe of ‘Ad,” Nate corrected.
“Sure. What happened to them?”
That was a tough question. The truth was no one really knew. As it stood, they were currently in the process of rewriting history. The existence of Ubar on the Incense Route threw all of prehistory, as it was taught, into a tailspin. Was the city abandoned? Did everyone perish, or did some escape?
“I’m not sure,” Nate admitted. “The Prophet Hud came to warn the people to change their wicked ways before the demise of the city, but they refused. Or so the story goes. Those who were outside the city when it was destroyed are thought to have eventually banded with other tribes and become the Thamud, though no one really knows for sure. As for the people in the city?” He put his hands up.
“It’s possible some could have escaped after disaster struck, but I assume most of them died down here, either outright or in the weeks after. ”
“Not exactly a comforting thought,” Ana said.
“Hey, no one said history was full of happy stories,” Nate responded.
“Well, our story may not have a happy ending either if we don’t get a move on,” Tim said suddenly. “Look.” He pointed toward the city gate.
Nate followed his finger and saw several figures spilling through the portal. Unlike the horde of the dead spread throughout the metropolis, these people were alive and well. Even at this distance he could tell they were the same men who had come for them on the surface.
“For fuck’s sake,” Wally said, unslinging his AK-47. “These muppets just don’t give up.”
“Hand it over,” Tim said suddenly, gesturing with his hand.
“Beg your pardon?” Wally asked.
“The rifle and all your ammo. Hand it over. You too, Shane.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen,” Shane said flatly.
“What are you thinking, Tim?” Nate asked his friend. He knew he wouldn’t be offering to throw his life away on a whim. There must be a strategy behind it.
“Like you said, there’s no exit the way we came.
We have to keep pushing forward. Why don’t you guys get into that palace and find us a way out.
I’ll hold them off out here.” He patted the thick golden door.
“I’ve got solid cover, the element of surprise, and about ten minutes before they get here.
The more of you there are to search, the quicker this is gonna go. ”
Nate knew he was right. They could leave another body behind, but they would only be in the way. There seemed to be only one way into the palace, and they had it strongpointed. Their efforts would be better spent finding a way out, or at least a better position.
“Alright,” Nate said. He looked at Shane and Wally. “He’s right.”
Shane and Wally begrudgingly handed over their weapons and spare ammo. “I’ll be back for that,” Shane said seriously.
Together, they pushed the large golden doors to the palace, with equal force on both, and they swung open with relative ease just as the city gates had.
Inside was an expansive courtyard covered in paved stone, much the same as the street outside.
There was a large stone fountain in the center and areas that likely held copses of trees and bushes at one point, interspersed throughout what must have been a phenomenally lush garden.
The palace itself was twenty meters ahead, protected by opulent doors set behind massive columns.
Nate looked down at his friend, who was now crouched behind the exterior palace doors and busy readying the weapons. Tim looked up, his eyes hard, and nodded. Nate nodded back, then moved out toward the palace.