The Second Carpenter

VI

VI_I_Garden_of_Machines

Seven years had passed since his last visit. He was once again entering the heart of Henariot — now for the main reason. It was the sleeping time of this people, and it was raining. Many wolves were roaming through the city that would not have seen him anyway. He passed through the Scarlet and, hitting the bottom of his question-mark-shaped scepter on the level, he ascended along the waterfall to the Electromancer's Tower. The opening was a portcullis, two meters high and two meters wide, behind which a short area led to the door that opened to the inside of the structure.

He unlatched the portcullis. He did not need to touch it to do so, for the gate would probably utilize the electricity stored in it — extra-charged in that rain and thunder — against his hands, which would not really harm him, but he saw no reason to leave a sign of trespassing. As he entered the area behind the gate, he looked back at the outside and relatched the portcullis. The scenery conveyed the same sensation as always, and that reminded him of the past. The area between the portcullis and the door was at most four meters long, confined in the black bricks on four sides. Standing there and looking out, specially while it rained, generated a sublime sense of safety.

He entered the tower. The door opened to a cylinder-shaped hall, filled with mechanical devices charged with electricity. There was a stairway that led to the next floor of the hall — the same hall, for the next floor had a great circle opening at the middle, and beyond the opening, there was a glassed dome as ceiling that held the thunder receiver. It was glowing, extra-glowing in that rain and thunder. the transcendent nourisher, on both floors of the same hall, lay a disproportionate number of devices of alien forms in an order — if it could be called order — no mortal mind could comprehend. Some were discernible: various large as well as small telescopes in different directions; sound magnifying machines; pipes that shone, extra-shining in you-know-what; clock, watches and hourglasses, each with a unique size, system, and unit. The glassed dome on top, beneath the receiver, gave the thought the same manner of sublime safety, except in greater degree. It overlooked the world and all its horrors from a safe zone. On the side of the top floor which was on the level of the edge of the dome, a door opened in the glass to a circular terrace. On the terrace, a great concave plate of iron was installed that held another form of receiver, facing the sky, unconcerned with the light.

He sat on a chair that had not been there and waited. He hit his stick on the floor and then, there was a chariot of gold, filled with flowers of no species, under a diamond umbrella. The radiance of his luxurious golden cloak was spectacular in the darkness of Henariot. His golden hair was split from the middle to the sides and reached his waist, and his beard was knotted at chest level. His left eye, equipped with a complex golden device in the shape of a micro telescope, was now overlooking the vampiric isle from the realm of the clouds, beside everything else it beheld.

As expected, the howling of her wolf arrived sooner than herself and announced her entrance. The door to the dome opened and, dressed in a white nightgown, a clueless, drowsy Galah'aasu emerged along with her wolf. As soon as she noticed the chariot and the man with the stick, she started. "Raznaxard!"

"Greetings to you, my love," said Raznaxard with a kind voice.

She charged toward his arms and stormed his lips.

"I am sorry for my excessive delay, my dear."

"Seven years is a short while for a vampire. I am a six-hundred-and-seventy-two-year-old youngling; yet, I will not deny that I have missed you."

"Happy birthday, Galah'aasu!"

The stick was hit again, and the body of a strong male human appeared in the chariot. Galah'aasu screamed of excitement. "Is that an actual human?"