42: Sam's Key

Not long after the entire village gave thanks to the men, Teal was able to steal them away from the attention.

"Thank Anul. Their constant gratitude was too overwhelming." Zen sighed with relief when the three of them passed through the south gate.

Lyra and Kiara were waiting for them. The little girl slammed into Zen with her hug.

"Um, what's that for?" He stood, awkward.

The two warriors standing on gate duty stifled their laughs.

Vo patted the girl's head. "Are you and Meena doing okay?"

Kiara pulled away from Zen and hugged her doll. "I miss papa, but I'm fine. I have Teal and you and Zen and Lyra."

He smiled and stood up, casting Zen an awkward glance.

Zen and Lyra shared a sigh, but decided it was best to keep the girl in the dark for the time being.

The five of them placed their face masks on and hoods. Teal made sure Kiara was all set before they set off across the desert for the stone house.

It was naturally a different way back to the place this time: less fleeing for their lives and more returning to a home.

But Sam had left instructions for Teal to take them back to the house to gather their things. Especially the dowry seed he had hidden for Kiara: for the day she would become an adult and want to be promised to someone she loved.

They all kept to their own thoughts as they trekked the sandy canyon plains. Vo carried Kiara until they reached the trap door for the top floor. Teal opened the way into the stone house.

"Sam said that he hid the dowry seed in a spot under Kiara's bed." Teal went off to gather the item with Kiara skipping to follow.

The others ambled downstairs.

Vo recalled his memory with Sam at the table. The world was down one good man.

"There's always going to be the loss of good people for someone else's stupid ambition, isn't there?" He sighed.

"Sam died the way he wanted: protecting his family and people. Can't say a lot of us are granted such honorable deaths." Lyra soberly said as she came up beside him.

Vo nodded. He looked perplexed when he noticed a wax version of the Red Sun's motif stuck on the bottom corner of the far cupboard. He hastily pulled out the small scroll with the seal. It matched.

"Might be what Sam left for you." She was just as curious.

Vo stood before the cupboard's seal and lined it up with the one on the scroll, pressing them together they unlocked the door. He pried it open and found nothing inside except for another sealed scroll.

Lyra groaned over his shoulder. "I forgot to mention that Sam loved his puzzles. Have fun with that one." She patted his back then strolled away.

Vo pulled out the bigger scroll and pocketed the little one. He broke the seal on the big one: unraveling it he saw it was a sketched map with various [X] markings on spots.

"Ah, a treasure map," Zen said over his shoulder. "But it doesn't look very complicated."

"That's because the treasure is to be found." Vo rolled up the scroll and bonked Zen's head with it. "Guess we are going on a treasure hunt."

When everything was gathered and settled. Teal and Kiara said their goodbyes to Vo, Zen and Lyra.

"You're coming back?" Kiara sniffed through her tears.

Lyra patted the girl's head. "I'll see you again."

"Stay safe. I'm sure by now that fake emperor knows you're alive," Teal said to Vo.

She handed him a small paint brush made of rare silver birch wood and silkworm fibers. "This was made by my grandmother to give to our next lord we owe fealty. But there has never been a worthy lord, except you."

"Teal. I..."

"Accept it. By having this brush, you hold the Silver Birch Inheritance. It's not mine to claim as my lifeforce is already bestowed to another being a syn-mole. But my grandmother was the last of the silver birch line, which is why I'm able to command the underground elements."

"Are you sure?"

"It was my grandmother's request. I'm just fulfilling her wishes."

"So what does it do?" Zen said over her shoulder.

"Paint a door and it will open to your chosen destination. It allows portal travel to any place the brush marks on a map."

She explained that the Silver Birches used to communicate through root networks. Over time, it gave them the magic to manipulate space for temporary portals.

"Woah. That's amazing."

"It's now for Vo. The reason my grandmother wanted to give it to a good lord was the hope that one day they'd connect the continent to a time of abundance and peace." Teal smiled. "You've given us hope that it could be a possibility."

Another round of farewells was given before their group split into two parties.

Vo, Zen and Lyra took the way back to the ravine road, following Sam's treasure map.

"So, why are we having Zen hold the map?" Lyra screwed up her face at the thought of the man taking the lead.

"Because I'm smart and clever and..."

"Listing two words of the same meaning. Emptying all your vocabulary out of your brain? I suspect it only has those two words." She smirked.

"And handsome and gorgeous and a beauty beyond imagination..." Zen sarcastically rolled on with his terms to make the warrior woman feel bile in her gut.

Vo heaved a sigh and bonked Zen's head. "The map isn't going to read itself. You said you were good with maps, so be good with the map."

"You said map three times. Do you also lack vocabulary?" Zen rubbed his head better.

"Direction."

"Fine."

Zen studied the map for a brief moment then started walking toward the Dead Man's Clearing direction.

Vo glanced at the darkening sky overhead: evening would soon settle. He suggested they rest at the clearing if it got too dark.

The three continued to stroll the road at leisure.

"It feels odd that it was only a few days ago we were on this road, fleeing."

"Well I feel good that our efforts saved the village." Lyra proudly added.

"Me too," Vo said.

They continued to follow the map's directions.