Ailith
In reply to Ailith (msg # 6):
The gate is guarded by one of the families that serve as warriors for Cool Shades. But they see your veil and the finger bone in your hand, bow to you, and open the gate without a word.
As you pass them, you hear one of them whisper, "Welcome home."
It is fairly easy to find the path Kadeen informed you of. It's almost right in front of you when you step through the gate. It starts on the other side of a large community square faced by several family homes. As you pass through, the people in the square, most of whom seem to be newly arrived themselves, look at your veil, bow, and whisper the same thing as the gatekeeper did after you pass.
"Welcome home."
"Welcome home."
The path winds forward and soon you see the yellow fountain.
It's a curious thing. The stones are stacked in a circle around a central, shallow well. The tops of the stones are a bright yellow color which appears to be natural. The stones seem to be a dull brown on the outside, but if sanded down, they have an inner core of almost gold like yellow.
You've never seen stones like that.
In the center of the well is a large stone stacked with another stone of pure yellow on top of it. The fountain is dry. Whatever water source used to fill it seems to have dried up. But the yellow color is almost illuminating.
The steps start soon after the fountain. They rise up a slope, cresting right up against the mountain. As you start up the steps, you can see an odd reddish-purple pattern at the top of the steps. What it is isn't very apparent from here.
As you climb, the reddish purple begins to form itself into a flower. The flower dissolves as you come up the steps. As you come over the last step, it becomes something else.
Some ancestor cut a door into the mountain. A heavy stone door that has been inlaid with reds and purple tiles. The tiles are what formed the pattern. What's so unique is how the image those tiles made changed. From below it was just colors. Then it was the flower.
Now it appears to be a sunrise. Or, since this is a tomb, a sunset. The craftsmanship is outstanding. There is no way the visual effect could have been accidental. Someone figured out how to lay each tile so the viewer would be presented a different picture as they progressed the steps.
The door is slightly ajar. You push on it. It swings easily, despite it's weight.
Inside is a mausoleum. A short set of steps leads down to the vault, and there are several niches cut into the walls. One of the niches has a lit candle in front of it. In the sputtering candlelight, you can see the intricate carvings around the arch that frames the niche. Most seem to replicate Eyo vines or flowing water. At the top of the arch is a single, simple flower. A three petaled ghish flower. You've seen ghish flowers before. They are usually deep yellow, flecked with orange or reds.
Inside the niche is the skeletal remains of one of the ancestors. It's hand is outstetched, as if waiting to receive something.
You would assume that's your objective: to place the finger bone into that hand.
But there's a problem. An old woman is kneeling in front of the niche, head bowed in prayer. Her hands work a small string of beads. She must be intoning a register of the names of her ancestors. The elderly will do that. As they feel death approaching, they will call on the ancestors by name, thanking each one for watching over their life and asking them to watch over their families after they're gone.
The old woman seems to sense you. She stops with her beads and turns her head, looking at you.
She has a weathered face. She must have traveled through many, many seasons. Her skin is almost leathry, her eyes the color of pale crystal. They say if one lives past a certain age, the color of your eyes will fade away. This woman seems to be proof of that.
A large grin splits her face. It's almost brighter than the candle. She waves her hand, beckoning you closer.
"Come, come. Who are you? Tell me your name and what you hope to achieve!"