Sheba: Solomon's Lost City Pt. 02

"The Chwezi may God strike them down eat of the flesh of men and are truly depraved. Those they take in battle who are alive they kill in various evil ways causing as much pain as they can, sometimes they eat their captives alive keeping them conscious as they watch their bodies being sliced away one steak at a time. No my friend pray God that your friends did not live to be taken by those monsters."

As he said this Hawk's mind whirled with unanswered questions. He knew that even though these men were his friends now they could easily take him as their prisoner. So even though he fell asleep and remained with these men he decided when the time was right he would search for his friends but for now he would learn more about those who lived here.

Also though they never said where they came from Hawk believed that these men were from Sheba itself and he hungered to see the goal of their journey. That had been what had driven the young injured man forward for the last day. As Hawk stepped over the crest of the ridge his body tingled and mist seemed to settle and then disappear over his eyes. He stumbled a little before a stabilising arm held him.

Looking down to the west he made out a lush fertile valley. Running through it was a river shining blue and white as it meandered through marble and green banks in the westering sun.

Yet it was not the beauty of the valley or the various buildings that were in the valley but the city that seemed to climb the mountain in the east. From the top of the mountain he saw a slight trace of smoke indicating that the city stood at the bottom of a volcano. The city rose over the terraces carved from the living rock of the mountain. Rock that shone white and throbbed with veins of gold, copper and quartz and appeared blinding in the sun.

Hawk made out cyclopean walls and gates that enclosed the city and appeared as though they could never have been made by men. Over everything towered the pyramid that squatted against the mountain.

Yet it was unlike any Egyptian pyramid he had ever seen. Unlike the smooth covering of stones set in its front stairs climbed towards a balcony three-quarters of the way up the structure and opened onto a pillared dias that was shadowed at its rear but had a throne at the front. The setting sun touched the apex of the pyramid and the peak exploded into gold flame that made Hawk turn from the city.

Beside him the men breathed out one word.

"Sheba"

To be continued...