“What would you have me do, Master?”
“I need to disband my crew. Even fools must understand that this new land, sparsely inhabited, is incapable of providing for the men in such close proximity. I have broken my crew into eight groups, each under a different leader’s command. I will send them in all directions in search of food and help. I will remain here to guard the weapon — I cannot even imagine the consequence of its power falling into the hands of our master’s enemies.”
“And for me?”
“I have a different plan.”
In the early hours of the next morning, well before the sun had risen, I left with another seven of my master’s most trusted men. We were on our way back to the southern land where we had arrived so long ago.
We moved quickly, hindered only by meagre provisions and no personal belongings, with the exception of one scroll on which I was to continue this journal in the hope of one day retracing our steps.
At the end of the first day, I stopped and made some notes in this very book. It is the one that my master gave me so that I could record our journey and so one day return to retrieve the weapon for the homeland.
I had pleaded with my master to let me stay by his side, but in the end he ordered me. And so I now obey his wishes.
“Should we try and bring the weapon back with us?” I had asked.
“No, you won’t be able to protect it,” my master had responded. “The rowboat may sink, and if it does then the weapon will be lost forever. Worse still, you may be captured by any one of my master’s enemies. If that were to happen and the weapon lost, I would be the one responsible for the collapse of my master’s reign.”
“Then, should we carry it closer to the shore where we first landed?”
“No, then someone else may come across it. Leave the weapon here, and I will guard it so long as I’m alive.” My master had then handed me the scroll and said, “Take this. I have made the first entry in it — our position in relation to those mountains in the north, the river to the south, and the desert to the west.”
I had taken the book and held it as if it were the most valuable possession I’d ever had.
“Keep your entries clear, and make them often so that you alone may one day return with enough men to fetch the weapon. Don’t fail me in this, Rat Catcher.”
My master had tears in his eyes as he spoke. As do I, now that I make my own entries in this journal.
The days went by and we continued to move quickly. I made entries in my journal often, until we reached the shore where our wooden rowboat had been deserted.
During that time, the weather had changed considerably for the colder.
“The seasons are changing — we must find a way north before we freeze here,” I told my men, of whom I was now master.
“Of course, Master. The rowboat will be ready within the hour.”
“Good — we must complete our journey so that we can return in time to save our master.”
All eight of us then loaded the rowboat and started our long journey home.
The sea was rough and demanded all the strength and intellect we could muster not to capsize. After three days of continuous rowing we reached the southern tip of the land. A number of strange currents ran in both directions and it took us a further three days to finally round the point and head north.
On the first beach that appeared accessible I gave the order to land so that we were able to find fresh water and resupply.
Our party found that we were able to row in a northern direction almost continuously for months on end. Regularly beaching the rowboat for a day or two — just enough time to find fresh water and scavenge for food — sustained us.
We never stayed very long on any of the beaches, fear telling us that the dark colored locals may be violent. More often than not, the native people appeared more frightened than anything else and kept their distance. Even so, I had no intention of remaining long enough for a physical confrontation. The eight of us would make a poor army and would be vulnerable on land.
After three months, we reached the top of the massive landmass and were once again able to head west where surely our homeland must be.
We navigated by the stars as best we could, but none of us could recognize much of what we saw. I alone knew that we must travel further north, but had no way of knowing just how far that was. We rowed hard, driven by the fanatical desire not to betray our master’s trust.
Almost three years later, I and the other seven men aboard entered the grand harbor which we had once called home, now so long ago.
I stepped off the rowboat at the busy port I once called home.
I felt no fear.
My boat was only one of over a hundred inside the harbor, and no one looking at us could have imagined where we had come from.
Except that the front of the boat was still ordained with the name of my master’s ship.
Barloc Wikea.
“You there — who is in charge?” It was one of the harbor guards.
“I am,” I replied.
“And who are you?”
“I do not know what my father named me, but my master has always called me Rat Catcher.”
“Then who is your master and where is he now?” The man was being intentionally rude.
“My master is Barloc…”
The man didn’t let me finish.
“And where has Barloc gone? He left with three of our greatest ships — there is an order to have him executed upon his return for treason.”
“Treason!” I complained. “He was the emperor’s most loyal servant.”
“Then where is he?”
“His ship was damaged in a far off land and he has remained to guard its most awesome treasure, which he has captured in the name of the emperor.”
The man started to laugh.
“And you expect me to believe this!”
I was about to run, but someone had already gripped my wrists and bound them with rope.
All eight of us were taken to a prison until our fate could be decided.
Three days later a man entered the prison and advised us that we were all to be executed the following morning for treason.
“But we are loyal servants of the emperor. Please, we come bearing news of Barloc’s great achievements and to guide a ship to retrieve the greatest of treasures,” I pleaded.
“You have been away a long time, haven’t you?”
Unable to decide what was expected, I remained silent.
“We were losing so many men to battles upon distant shores that we were no longer able to keep our enemies from attacking our cities. The emperor decreed that his navy may no longer leave the harbor.”