The group continued their journey downwards, soon hearing voices again. This time they managed to listen in without immediately being spotted. Four hunters and their human prey. Razaq was not going to allow that to continue. One brief firefight later, they were collecting the hunters' carbines, pistols and tabulas - with the exception of one carbine, now in the hands of their would-be target. He provided them with directions before running away.
Down a ladder, and into the Third Sphere, which they rapidly learned was in the hands of Queen Elmeda. Her guards, dressed all in red, asked if they had any goods to trade, as that was a requirement for entering her domain. Conveniently they had a bunch of pistols and carbines going spare. Tahir, Khalil and Sayah, as the members of the group least likely to say something inappropriate in front of an authority figure, went in.
Not everyone down here was human. Rat-like Skavara children asked Khalil for treats. He offered some slightly squashed baklava, which was accepted enthusiastically. The Queen herself was accompanied by both wolfish Nekatra guards, and a huge snake - almost certainly a construct. Tahir did the talking, offering the weapons as a gift. He explained why they were there. The search, for both Noor and the Emissary.
The Queen mentioned that they were not the only newcomers to the Third Sphere. Others had been there, transporting people, and taking them beyond the Labyrinth. They would need a guide, if they intended to pass that way themselves. She could provide one, for a price. The price was removing a Skavara merchant by the name of Awl, who had started a rival market that was costing the Queen's own market a lot of profit.
They decided they would have to talk this over with the others. Doing so alone was going to be difficult though, as they had been joined by Frax, one of the Queen's Nekatra guards. Of course this was also an opportunity to find out more about the Queen. They learned that she had powerful family back on Kua. The Queen's subjects were not allowed to harm each other. The Skavara was not a subject though, and was increasingly gathering support.
Arriving at the Skavara's market, it was clearly very different to the Queen's. Much better stocked, and with significantly more food. No wonder it was growing in popularity. Nobody much liked the idea of taking Queen Elmeda's offer at this point - but of course they still needed to get through the Labyrinth somehow.
Awl was soon located, and agreed to talk in exchange for a gift of technology. Conveniently they had a bunch of tabulas going spare. Awl knew the way through the Labyrinth. Since the alternative was that we would have to kill him for the Queen, he wasn't too hard to persuade. A deal was made though, to take him up to Ozone Plaza afterwards. Awl's people caused a distraction to get Frax out of the way, and the group set out for the Labyrinth.
This was not a well maintained path. Rickety bridges caused a nervous moment for Razaq, who almost fell, prompting Sayah to get out her hyper rope to get herself, Arin and Khalil across in relative safety. Then there was a choice to be made. Three paths lay ahead. The safe path, slow but secure. The cemetary path, faster, but not without its dangers. Or the fastest route, that would take them close to the Beast.
For Tahir, there was only one choice. The fast path, and never mind the danger. And for once, Sayah backed him up. Noor was in danger, and if that meant risking the fast path, then so be it.
At Awl's suggestion, they crept along in silence. If they could avoid attracting the Beast's attention, they had a better chance of getting past it safely. But after a while they heard a voice, singing a song about doors. What did it mean? They soon found the singer, who approached them and asked them if they were beings of darkness or light. Beings of light, of course. The group explained once more about their search for Noor and the Emissary.
The strange man knew the Emissary. He had spoken to him. He was a friend, but not as good at poetry. He had passed through this way, accompanied by eight guards, who were holding his mouth, whatever that meant. The strange man remembered one of the Emissary's poems.
When the unworthy speak without tongues
When sister betrays sister
When the light of peace nourishes the servants of darkness
When brother kills brother
Sayah immediately remembered the words from Ramas's data chip. When he had asked Noor to explain herself, she had spoken words that seemed to echo the Emissary's poem.
"There will come a time when the darkness in invited in, when people speak without mouths, when sister betrays sister. Only they who live in the darkness will see the light."
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