anny b. howard
CASTLE CITY MANIFEST

If ignorance is bliss, give 'em hell.
_ccm vog 04

local settlement date 35,992

The lie is old. A million times told.

King Namor Zujahrah

20 sun temple _ havatara


Havatara was the holy capital of south central Barbancor. No one on the schooners had ever seen it. The grandeur of Sun Temple approached that of Castle City. The city spanned out of sight in all directions. A fleet of 400 ships was being prepared for an attack on Castle City. The schooners had sailed into the harbour at night and had gone undetected. The sails were rolled up and in the gentle waves there was not much of them to see. With the morning sun, the sun temple started to fill with light. Its grandeur was stunning. That it was the house of a God was obvious.

That 35 schooners against such a city was also obviously a mistake.

"We are too few."

With the morning light, the schooners had become visible and were detected. Ships were loading soldiers that started rowing with long ores.

"We don't have enough wind to loose them."

"Then there is no choice to be made."

"Exactly. Let's say it is a dream and wake up back on our floating island."

Namor smiled.

Barbaralba made some communications with the signal fags and started the count. Their voices were not heard by the soldiers who were rowing in a load beat. But they did hear the striking of metal thunder on wood and stone, thunder of canons, the screams of burning soldier under the wrath of fire bombs.

The canon and fire bomb attack was repeated until the sky became very bright. The light of the temple was being directed at the schooners.

Barbaralba continued the count, ordering her ship to aim canons into the light.

The light grew more focused and brilliant until it focused burning hot points on seven ships.

"Barbaralba, it's burning the masts, we must try to escape."

Most of the ships of Sun Temple burnt in the harbor. It was a mad chaos and no ships were getting away from the burning docks. The only immediate danger for the schooners was the focused sun. If any of the schooners hoped to escape, they had to drop sail and do it fast. Seven schooners were burning out of control.

The order to drop sails and leave was not given. It was obvious.

"Namor. We are going to lose this beautiful boat. We will keep firing as long as we have something to fire."

The seven burning schooners kept firing. Then there were fourteen ships sending all their ammunition toward the sun temple. Then another seven schooners sent their ammunition at the temple. While the 21 schooners burnt, fourteen schooners caught enough wind to be out of reach of the temple weapon.

"They aren't going to like us, Barbaralba."

Barbaralba smiled.

"Some of us will die today, Drave King. You, however, have a Fisher Queen with you. We will swim."

"Back to our island."

Barbaralba smiled. She liked it that Namor was so fresh in the face of adversity.

"That direction. Then we'll let the waves carry us down shore. Till we lose the city or it gets dark. We won't be seen once we are out among the waves."

Namor looked up to see the flaming mast. Most of the crew had already left the burning schooner. There was no choice.

They jumped.

Namor knew Barbaralba had a better chance without him. It was not his choice. She would tell him what to do or show him until they were back on land. He would be in her domain and could thank the gods that he was with the queen of the fish.

"How are you doing, Drave King."

"If I wasn't looking at you, this could be the time when I wonder if I should have left the castle."

"There is no if. Lean your head back and swim gently. Look to the sky. I'll lead you. Just keep moving slowly and watching the sky. Think of nothing and become part of the waves."

"I love you."

Barbaralba kissed him and dragged him out to sea. She watched her schooner be consumed by fire and sink into the ocean. The other schooners were still being chased by burning light but they were far enough away, moving enough to make it no longer possible to focus on one spot of wood.

One last schooner caught a little fire. Barbaralba was sure she saw it go out shortly after.

Barbaralba's army attempted escape in their rowboats. They were set fire to one after the other until every soul before sun temple was in the water. Fighting to stay away from burning wreckage and boiling water.

Barbaralba could see them fighting the light. She could hear their last screams. Namor had his ears below the surface and heard only the screaming in his own head. With the pressure of the water beating a slow rumble of numbness.

He kept looking at the sky until he fell away into a trance. He knew only his movement and Barbaralba's touch. He saw the sun cross the sky. He saw Barbaralba shading his head with her hair and smiling at him when he managed to focus. He saw that the sky turned red before it turned black. And he woke up to know that he had been sleeping. Thirst was shrinking his skull so that his brain was being pressed out of his ears.

Long before the sun came up again, the local fishing boats dotted the ocean away from city center.

Namor and Barbaralba were sighted by one. The fishers stopped and hauled the tired bodies out of the water.

Barbaralba grabbed a fish and cut it open, cleaned it and cut the skin from the meat and the meat from the bone. She put a small piece in her mouth, sat Namor up and put a piece in his mouth.

Three fishers watched pleased to see the skill in which Barbaralba cleaned a fish. One handed over a jug of water to Barbaralba. After drinking, Namor could sit and focus a little bit on the world around him. He knew he and Barbaralba where on a fish boat. He could taste the fish. See the fishers. Feel the movement of the boat. He tried a smile with his dried out face.

"I am King Namor from Castle City."

"I am Barbaralba, from outside Castle City."

"I am Merald, a fisherman for the holy dictators."

"I am Narnok, fisherman and carpenter, for the sacred tyrants."

"I am Sanskis, rebel and fisher."

Namor could see that their luck had turn for the better. He was not quite certain he understood. He knew no one was swinging a weapon. He was very happy to see that.

"I am very happy to be on your boat. I think I can handle a few minutes protocol before I pass out."

Namor smiled and chewed on a bit more fish.

The fishers had heard of the attack on the sun temple by the skinny boats with weapons of thunder and fire. The stories handed down by their ancestors had promised them that one day someone would come and take down the temple and free them from the priests that had stole God.

"God has called out to you."

"God. I don't know. I could believe it was the fish but perhaps we are saying the same thing from opposite sides."

"God has been imprisoned in the temple of glass by the priest of great lies. And you have come to release God and give God back to the people of Barbancor."

Namor did not know what to say. He was a little confused about who the priests were and what he had to do with God if God was a monstrous fantasy. It was all a bit too much before he had some time to rest and understand where he was.

"It has been written that you will come."

"Eventually someone comes. It's the way of nature."

Namor was too tired to go on focusing on the voices of the Barbancorian fishermen and fisher woman. He watched as Barbaralba explained where they were from and the discovery that they had lost their history and the attacks from Barbancor on Castle City Island and Adrone. The discovery of old very advanced technology and the pressing need to become aware of the planet, the life on it and the mismanagement of the people who fought and enslaved each other on it.

They were very interested to know all but they saw that Namor had faded away to a sleep trance and Barbaralba was blubbering with her puffed up dry lips.

"You should rest. If you are seen by Priest Patrol, you will likely die or something worse. So you and King Namor go in there and sleep. We must catch fish or we will surely be controlled by priest patrol."

Sanskis helped Barbaralba help Namor onto a mat in the front hull of the boat and they filled him with water, Barbaralba ate some more fish and drank some water and lay down and slept beside Namor.

______ . . ______


Namor opened his eyes and saw the face of a canine. He heard the turning of a page. Closed his eyes and opened them again. The canine was still looking at him. It was not the same face he had seen that had attempted to bite off his face. It was not nearly as wide and it was not moving to bite him.

Barbaralba was breathing beside him, her leg over Namor's stomach. Wrapped through his legs.

"Let her hear your voice and she'll lay back down."

The canine barked half a bark.

"Why does it not bite."

"She is your protector. Let her smell and lick your hand."

Namor followed the instructions given him then rolled over to look at Barbaralba. He understood that not only was he alive, he was in good company.

"Where are we."

"In the loft of Narnok and Sanskis' dwelling. They have taken us in as their guests."

"What are you reading."

"The only book that one can be safely caught with in this country."

Barbaralba showed Namor the cover of God's Holy Word.

"Ah, yes. The God story. Are you by the rivers of blood or the rivers of milk and honey."

"Incarceration and revenge."

"We need to find a better way to make books of words."

Namor sniffed around on Barbaralba's stomach until he found a place between her breast where he planted his head and breathed in her smell.

"The Rebels are very happy about the attack on The Sun Temple. We have many friends here."

Namor let the events run through his mind. They had destroyed most of their 400 ships and the harbor front. He did not imagine they did much to the sun temple. But they had made a serious impression with their short attack.

"How long have we been here."

"Three days."

Barbaralba told Namor what she knew he would want to know. She told him that more than 30 thousand of the highest of the high priests lived in Sun Temple. Around the sun temple, up the river and on the hills were more than 19 million citizen under priest patrol. Out side the temple there were more than 100,000 high priest, great priest and priest patrols.

Before the attack on Bavina and Sun Temple, there were less than a 100,000 rebels. Since the story that the King and Queen had finally come, there was a growing tendency in the millions.

"That sounds as terrifying as them wanting to kill us."

"Well, Drave King, I prefer they love us. Now that I'm here."

"The priests will want to hang us from their wall. Make our demise a grand event."

"They will have to be fast. The first crack is already in the temple and unrest is sweeping over the land like a wave over the ocean."

The highest priests were oblivious of rebel beliefs or activities. Their concern was for law and chaos. As long as the prisons where full of law breakers and the priest patrol kept the masses out of the temple with some violent displays of authority, the highest priests could enjoy their quiet life of luxury.

To celebrate their last victory over the forces of the evil empire, the highest priests granted seven holy days of celebration. A feast of worship, gluttony, paused priest patrol and fighting games.

There was prize money for all winners from every fight. Winners went on to fight winners. There was no restriction to age or sex. It was the easiest way to make money and attracted many who had absolutely no strength or talent for fighting. The final day's fight was at the gates of sun temple. The winner was awarded a palace suite in sun temple among the highest priests.

"I've entered. Sanskis said no one ever died in the celebration fights and it is the sport most loved by all."

Namor was looking at a poster in the market. A drawing of an old man kicking a young girl in the face. The old man had a big smile. It encouraged young and old to take part in the fight festival. Allow inner most desires to be set free. Barbaralba looked at the ground until the patrol priests walked by. Ignoring both her and Namor.

"Where have we landed."

"This is Havatara, Namor. Money is their sacrament. Whenever the highest priests want to set the city into a frenzy, they have these fights and give out piles of money. Sanskis says they simply print it out and the priests patrol have front row seats and hand out money to winners."

Namor looked at Barbaralba trying to understand.

"We need money to get out of here. And I really want to fight. Sanskis says it is usually quite a bit of fun and the whole city is focused around the fights seven days long. And the stuff themselves on pig meat and get drunk on brew. Most of the fighters are so drunk they don't know what they are doing."

"Something about us is not quite right."

"Relax, we'll have some fun."

Barbaralba kept a hood over her head to help keep her eyes hidden from the priests. Women were never look at by a priest. Women must look down so that the priest did not run the danger of catching a glance from one. The prisons were full of women who had caused a priest to have desires a priest was not permitted to have.

The rules were very different than Castle City fights. There were no weapons. Ripping out eyes and tearing flesh were against the rules. There was no biting or scratching permitted. Bare feet and bare hands.

Each fight lasted until one fighter did not get up from the floor.

The first one million, forty-eight thousand, five hundred seventy six fighters were registered to fight. Eat, drink and fight tents were set up all around Havatara.

Barbaralba had thirteen days to prepare for the fights. There were others who prepared but few of them had seen the kind of fights Barbaralba had seen. There were soldiers in Havatara but many of them were dead or recovering from burns.

"Namor. Don't look so worried. You have to show me your confidence."

"I have confidence in you, Barbaralba. I fear for us in general. I think we ask to little from ourselves. We should be gods and we act like bugs with not enough to eat."

"From here there is no where but up."

Namor laughed and looked around at the other fighters.

Barbaralba's name was called. Barbaralba kissed Namor, threw off her robe and took the stage. The priests wanted to see her blood. She could feel their hate. Hate for women, it was written, so was it. She ignored them and focused on her opponent.

It was a man twice her weight. Barbaralba could see he believed he had already won his first fight against a mere woman.

Barbaralba heard the voices of Narnok and Sanskis cutting through the crowd of already intoxicated spectators. She knew Namor would be watching her every move. To see if he could put it into a dance. Looking for something higher than stupid fighting beasts.

Barbaralba let the man approach her and insult her with words and meanings beyond Barbaralba's understanding of language. She understood his confusion. He did not understand that he was a sea monster washed up on shore, still gulping for water in the thin air. He had already had a few brews.

He was going to try to knock Barbaralba's head off in one punch. He pulled his fist back as far as his arm would take it failing to notice that his opponent had not had a brew and was as fast as a wild beast. She sprang into him, bringing her knee into his groin and driving her palm under his chin to push herself under his swing. His swing took him off balance and Barbaralba used the opportunity to jump on his outstretched leg and snap his knee.

His fury came out in words. He gulped between every few words for water and found only moist air. Moist from all the bodies crowded in the tent. Straining to see the fight.

Words that would normally land a citizen in prison were screamed freely. The women in the tent jumped to their feet and cheer above the men.

Namor was amused by the absurdity of it. Patrol Priests and common citizens cursing up a symphony. Thriving on everything that was normally forbidden.

"Your God is a lie. Your laws are a farce."

No one heard Namor but Namor was certain in that moment that the highest of the high priests knew that. It was too obvious to miss. The masses had not stopped to think about it. But it was clear that the book had been written with intention to be a brain drain virus. Namor could feel his rage and envied Barbaralba's freedom to pound on ignorant slaves. Even if it was the exact wrong place to pound.

After Barbaralba's opponent had thrashed around long enough to be done with gulping, cursing and lumbering about trying to hit her, she jumped up and swung her fists like she was swinging a sword. Blood burst from the creature's head, spraying four of the front row priests who got to see the stunned face of the exhausted fighter falling almost on top of them.

The fat drunk man was not dead. His body just shut down to minimum.

He was carried out.

"Respect."

"Thank you, Sanskis. He beat himself."

Barbaralba had time to wait for her next fight. The eight winners would be paired off and those fights would start after the others fought their first fight and the priests blessed themselves and were served lunch.

"I don't want to watch the others fight. I never know what I am doing until I'm doing it. It is pointless to think about who might be next to stand and insult me."

Sanskis and Narnok stayed to watch the fights. Barbaralba put on her robe and walked the streets with Namor. It was the middle of the morning and the streets were close to empty except for a few spectators leaving one tent to go to another tent.

Barbaralba and Namor worked their way down to the waterfront and took in some relatively fresh air. There seemed to be less of it in Havatara.

"I like how they join their wood with wood. I haven't seen one bit of metal anywhere. Their houses also have a simple beauty in their details."

"Drave King."

Namor looked up to smile at the fighting fish queen.

"Barbaralba."

"I can see the crack."

Namor looked at the Sun Temple. The damage was visible but hardly noticeable.

"These people have followed an obvious lie."

"Maybe there is nothing else that leads. Maybe that's why the people are happy we came. Even if they don't know who we are or where we are. They don't even know us when they see us. They simply hope something is happening."

"They are looking for something grand. A salvation from the sky. It is a desperate situation we are in. Fighting among ourselves believing the craziest stories to be true."

Barbaralba took Namor's hands and put them on her shoulders.

"Drave King, rub my shoulders. I have three more fights today and must stay relaxed. You must stay relaxed and not judge the mad creatures too harshly, we will come out of our silly dream. It will be entertaining for us to remember when we were mad creatures fighting amongst ourselves as if we had no control over our consciousness. It will be remembered as the frantic eruption into consciousness by the beast on their way to become the gods. Let us have some fun, regardless of the what the world does around us."

"I hope you are right."

Namor did as he was told. And allowed himself the enjoyment of watching Barbaralba put down one opponent after the other.
chapter 21