Gonji: Fortress of Lost Worlds Part 19

"Remember the diamond-the display of spheres in my Tower of Gramarye-the diamonds shape tightens, becomes more symmetrical. They who control the fortresses where the angles intersect control the nexus of worlds and the territories within. You have shattered evils power at the eastern point-Vedun. I have lost the western to them in my folly. The northern point is contended eternally in a mountain fastness by powers you would not understand. Nor do I, to be quite frank. But the southern point, that which lies in the trackless desert of Algiers, is the anchor. You must close that gateway, lest evil win control of the diamond and hold sway over its gateways, to strike out as it pleases against all worlds that touch those portals. And Gonji-san, you will need help to do it."

Gonji gazed at her with furrowed brow, mystified. "What help?"

"The gatekeepers, of course," she said cryptically. "The one who has concealed the secret of the southern point. There must be one, as there is at each gateway."

"Gatekeeper...? How did you learn this secret?" Gonji puzzled. "And if you did, why dont you know more of this evil conspiracy you speak of? Youre just one more of the scholars and seers and priests who have bedeviled me since-"

"Mmmm." She smiled and waved a finger in a gesture that cautioned against further inquiry. "Any more I could say would be speculation. I do not wish to lead you falsely. I know of this gateway the same way you will know it when you find it. Now quiet... I must perform a final act of conjury-my presence here grows tenuous. I trust this poor child has all her fingers intact-si, she will do fine."

Gonji could see little of the esoteric spell the witch worked. He heard a soft muttering or chanting, repet.i.tious and in some language unknown to him. Saw her hands-Valentinas hands-ply the air now and again.

There was a sudden incandescence in the other cell, accompanied by a sound as of wind rus.h.i.+ng through a thrust-open door that was as abruptly closed. Then the witch-possessed Valentina appeared at the grating again.

She held up the wygylls medallion.

"The one I bore?" the samurai asked with wonder.

"The same. Youll need this. I cant tell you why, or they may torture it out of you-now dont give me that indignant look. Theyve spared you the worst so far, it seems. Well just conceal this on the senorita-about as safe a place as I can imagine right now-and youll just have to take her along when you decide to leave."

"This is madness!" Gonji railed, lowering his voice to a whisper at once when he heard the broken snoring of a guard. "Why cant you help me further? If you drew that thing with your power, then why cant you send me my swords? Or a G.o.dd.a.m.n pistol?"

She sighed and shook her head. "My presence here in this sphere is at an end. Even now I feel the relentless pull of the long silver cord that draws my spirit to the Great Revelation, the answer to the eternal mysteries-mercy me! I hope it isnt all revealed in one soggy lump! Ah, well...remember, samurai, that the things you do may yet affect even me in my realm to come. Who can say?

"Do you recall that I-as Paco-once told you that neutrality was impossible? I failed to heed my own warning. That was my tragic failing. These are times of choosing. You must choose sides and fight. Even as you have before, however bleak those outcomes. Your greatest duty is somehow yet to come. The powers who would choose good are confused, fighting amongst themselves. They need the clean edge of your objective vision, Gonji. Perhaps you, of all warriors on all spheres, are best suited to expose the conspiracy of Evil that destroys order in these scattered worlds. Destroy it, before it holds all possible worlds in its thrall!"

Gonji ran a hand through his long, unkempt hair, pondering it all. He saw Valentina begin to tremble.

"Im afraid its come to an end for me. Fight well, Gonji-san," the witch urged in a tremulous voice.

"Wait, Domingo-san. The woman, Valentina-is there any help for her?"

"None. Its the sickness Fracastoro gave name to-ahh, syphilis."

"Hai, syphiris," Gonji echoed, remembering now, his intensity of thought giving rise to his occasional p.r.o.nunciation problem. "They blame an evil spirit."

"Si," she replied, s.h.i.+vering fearfully now, "they make magic culpable for such ugly things-adios, conquistador!"

Gonji watched Valentinas eyes roll upward and her head snap back. Then the womans form sank from view. Slowly, as if descending through dream mist.

When the s.h.i.+fts changed at dawn, Gonji was not surprised to discover that he hadnt thought of sleep all that night. Nor was he sleepy. Fatigued, a-twitch with nervous tension, to be sure. But not interested in sleep.

He heard Valentinas voice as Morales came around to greet the prisoners and bring their morning meal. Gonji searched the womans eyes, which were still strained with sleep.

"Buenos dias, Gonji-san," she said wanly, not seeming herself. "Did you dream of me?"

"Si," he replied. "I think I did."

"Dreaming is not the same as having, my sweet. How do you say 'my sweet in j.a.panese?"

Something stirred inside the samurai. "You can say 'chan-call me Gonji-chan."

"Gonji-chan." She laughed, liking the sound of it. "And I am Val-chan?"

Gonji shook his head slowly, his mind still elsewhere. "Iye. Tina-chan. The other lacks poetry."

"Poetry? Hah! Listen to him, now."

Gonji gazed deeply into her eyes, holding his breath before whispering to her: "Domingo!"

He said it not as a name but with the flat enunciation of a simple word.

"Domingo?" she responded. "Sunday? What about it? Are we off to church?" She smirked at him, then seemed to grow pensive. "Did I talk in my sleep last night?"

Gonji swallowed. "You always talk."

"Sometimes its all one can do."

"Sometimes its best not to be alone with ones thoughts."

Valentina cast him a critical glance, looking insulted. But Gonji was peering down the corridor to see how near Morales and his men approached. Two cells away on Gonjis side.

"Tina-chan, listen," he whispered.

"Que?"

"Just listen, por favor. Last night, I-I sent you something. Ive been practicing, you see. Dont be frightened. Just see whether-whether you still have it."

She arched an eyebrow, regarding him for a moment as one did a lunatic. Then realization dawned, and she felt under her robe, a knowing look spreading over her features.

"Diablo!" she said in a low voice. "What else did you do? My plague demon will devour you! How-?" She seemed disturbed by the mystery of it all.

Gonji gulped and lifted a rea.s.suring hand. "Never mind. I did nothing else, just-just hide it. You must trust me. Theres no harm in it for you. I must-"

"Ohayo, Gonji-san!"

Morales stood before him suddenly, and Gonjis face instantly came to its blank set.

"Ohayo, Morarei-san. I must request-"

"No, all requests are denied again."

"Why dont you give him his swords?" Valentina grumbled at the sergeants back. "And then let me have his bath?"

"Silence, witch," Morales called over his shoulder.

"Up your a.s.s!"

"Well, amigo," Morales said, "I have some bad news, and I have some worse news. The bad news is that you have another visitor, but since youve refused to see visitors-"

"A visitor? Who?"

Morales seemed puzzled by Gonjis sudden avidity. "A...a Jew. A rich one, by the look of him. Dont tell me youve changed your mind in time to receive a Jew down here! The only Jews weve ever...entertained never left before!"

"Hai, let me see him, por favor." Gonjis mind reeled, came up empty. His lot had never been stranger. "What else?"

"Ah-si, Im afraid Ive been transferred. Your new warden on this s.h.i.+ft will be Sergeant Padilla, as of tomorrow." He fielded Gonjis questing look negatively. "No, you wont get along. Do you really wish to see this Jew? I thought you samurai were stubborn about such resolutions-"

"This food is the mornings bad news," Valentina complained from across the corridor.

"Silence, witch, or you taste the torturers las.h.!.+"

"That can be taken two ways-"

"Morarei-san," Gonji said in earnest, "have you heard anything else, however slight, about their intentions for me?"

"No. Im sorry. I can only wish you good fortune."

Gonji bowed stiffly, and Morales looked about uncomfortably before casting him an abbreviated salute.

Gonji finished his meal quickly, and his mysterious visitor was brought to him. The samurai gaped an instant before composing himself: Striding up the corridor with many a birdlike flutter and nervous cluck over the oppressive dungeons, the merchant Jacob Neriah, from lamented Vedun, was admitted into Gonjis cell.

"A Jew!" Valentina was shouting. "An infidel! Whats he doing walking about these dungeons freely while I rot here?"

"Hush up, Valentina. Hes an old friend," Gonji said without rancor.

"Your amigo?" she replied incredulously. "I shall immediately change my opinion of you, slant-eyes. Tell your friend how we mate our lice!"

Neriah stared at her in abject indignance until the door was clanged shut. He was visibly shaken by his surroundings.

"May all good kami smile upon you, old man, despite your dishonorable merchants calling," Gonji said warmly, bowing to him.

"And may Yahweh spare you all torture most foul, friend samurai," Neriah replied quaveringly, "though Im afraid my prayer may be in vain." He beat his breast and gazed about the tight, austere chamber. "Where I found the foolish courage to come to you here, Im sure I dont know. Judging by how thoroughly they searched me, Id guess they might be considering keeping me here."

"Except for your money," Gonji said, smiling knowingly as he scanned the wealthy merchants well-appointed traveling garb.

"Yes, my friend, except for that, wed be sharing the rack! Are all your parts intact?"

Gonji smiled thinly and stretched in response. He was both astonished and warmed to share a visit with the garrulous, wizened merchant, whom hed not seen since the destruction of Vedun. He liked old Jacob, despite having been raised in a cultural structure in which a merchant occupied a social stratum below that of a gravedigger.

Neriah seemed more stooped with the years, but, if anything, more loquacious than ever. They spoke of the settlement that the Vedunian survivors had established on land owned by Neriah in Austria, and of the amazing circ.u.mstances that had brought him to Gonji.

"We shall get you out of here," old Jacob was saying, "we shall, you know. By all the holy tribes, but this place stinks! How do you reconcile this with your strict upbringing? My, my, my-well, do you know, Wilfred and Genya Gundersen have sent their prayers and well-wishes? And the Benedettos, and the Monettos, and-and-well, have you come to hear of the marvelous social movement youve sp.a.w.ned?"

Gonji shook his head vapidly.

"Yes, well-social, religious-its hard to say exactly, except that it involves tolerance of anothers beliefs, and the sense of duty in opposition of political Evil, and I think it grows more militant with the pa.s.sing years. Youve become quite infamous. You do have supporters in high places: Grand Duke Frederick of Vienna, and certain prelates among the-the-"

"The Knights of Wonder?" Gonji inquired.

"Yes! The Wunderknechten! My, my, their work penetrates even this fanatical Christian grinding mill." He extracted a handkerchief and cleared his irritated nose.

"I think this movement, or whatever it is, has caused me all my grief. Have they dared use my name in conjunction with their efforts?"

"Well, but, you are the chief influence behind it, you must know. You and your teaching about a place for every mode of thought, and all such. You havent changed your beliefs, have you?"

"Im not sure I hold fast to any beliefs anymore. What of this business about getting me out of this reeking h.e.l.lhole?"

"Ah, well, Im not certain what theyll do yet. They wanted me to discern for myself whether you were surviving as the Inquisition has claimed. You have no idea what letters of transit were required to-ooh-ooh! Be cheered, my friend! Your precious swords-your dai...dai..."

"Daisho," Gonji breathed in wonder, snapping alert.

"Yes! Ive rescued them for you. Of course, I couldnt bring them here, but-"

"You have my swords?" Gonji asked with s.h.i.+ning eyes.

"Its amazing what the Church will sell in the interests of money to support its cause. It seems theyve deemed your witchs blades free of black magic, now theyve immersed them in enough holy water. I hope they havent rusted."

"Oil them, dozo, and lay them away safely."

Neriah nodded. "Done! I will keep them close to me, and I plan on staying until your disposition. Take heart. Letters demanding your release are, well, not in truth pouring into Toledo, but..." He spread his hands in a gesture that Gonji found no comfort in. "You know, Gonji, you are a most unusual goy-gentile, that is. If it werent for your strange heathen ways, Id compare you to-to Moses himself, in your fas.h.i.+on. Even Moses was raised by heathens."

"Never mind that. Just do what you can to get me out of here, dozo. Now that youve bought my swords, I cant talk them into permitting me to commit seppuku to escape this dishonor."

"Still bound for a martyrs death?"

Gonji sighed. "The prospect is strangely compelling. But you-and others-have given me more lively thoughts to consider now. Theres evil about, Neriah-san. Palpable evil that is committed to destroying me. I would know why."

Neriah nodded in a.s.sent. "It abounds, but so does good. The Evil One revels in this religious strife."

"Hai, but what do I have to do with it? Thats what I want to know."

"Be comforted," the merchant urged. "I must leave this place before I am suffocated. Shall I convey the word to your friends?"

"Word?"

Neriah angled a smile of impish privity at him. "s.h.i.+-kaze-Deathwind. The word that tells them you will lead them in the fight against the evil that threatens to devour Europe."

Gonji bowed. "The word is given, then. s.h.i.+-kaze."

Jacob bobbed his head in satisfaction and turned to go.

"Oh, Neriah-san-what of Simon Sardonis? Has anyone seen or heard from him?"

The merchant grimaced and shuddered. "No one," he whispered. "Forget that tormented soul. He must seek his own redemption."

Gonji was alone again. His mind raced backward and forward, sifting through the experiences of his life, attempting to make sense of them, weighing them against the new and electrifying information of the past day. He only dimly heard Valentinas taunting of Neriah, as he departed, and the old mans torrent of rebuffs and scathing criticisms of the deplorable dungeons.