Chapter Sixteen

    As they journeyed along the road they stopped at every village, sometimes climbing high into the mountains and visiting villages that were little more than caves cut in the mountains, themselves.
    2  Several days from the city they began to pass thousands of workers, some traveling into the mountains with oxen, carrying large stone blocks, others working with chisels and hammers cutting tunnels and great rooms in the sides of the mountains! There wasn't a person in The Land of Spirit that did not know what was happening here.
    3  For five years the project had been talked about, and funds gathered for it.  For another five years the work had been underway.
    4  Three great dams were being built in the mountains, pumping stations and tunnels were being dug through the solid rock.
    5  Soon, water would be flowing from the dams to The City of The Old Fox.  No longer would the ox carts of water have to be driven up from the rivers to supply the people's needs.  There would be more than enough water for the city, and, for crops, besides!
    6  Huge steps were being cut in the mountains filled with earth and prepared for crops.  Even the roofs of the city and its defense walls were being prepared with soil.
    7  Soon the city would be producing more food than it needed, linen and cotton, that they would be making a profit and in a few years pay back the loans they had received from all the other cities. The Great Project had been one man's dream.  Now it was benefiting the whole land!
    8  As they marched along, one thing he noticed disturbed The Voice.  There were so many foreign workers...Frns, Trns, even Mukans.  With so many of his people needing work, he could not understand why they would import so many foreigners.
    9  As they neared the city the road seemed to grow nearly empty, and those coming behind seemed to be holding back. 
    10  They were in sight of the city gates when they heard shouts and saw two columns of fighting people march out the gate and take up positions on either side of the road.
    11  A few minutes later, musicians followed them, took up positions, and began to play.
    12  As The Voice passed the Warlocks at the head of the ranks, the Warlocks drew their swords and put them across their chests.  "Stand straight!" they cried.  The fighting people obeyed.
    13  At the same moment the musicians began to play The Speaker's Song, and standard bearers appeared, the first bearing The Symbol of The Lords, the rest, the city's symbol, then followed the clans of the city.
    14  Behind the standard bearers came a group of Speakers, Warlocks, and citizens.
    15  When The Voice was near, one of The Speakers came forward.  "Voice of The Lords," he cried, "I am Gray Boar, Speaker of the city.  This is Swift Goat, my city Warlock,  Sweet Blossom Serpent, our Temple Speaker, and Smiling Boar, her assistant.  And this is the engineer of the great project that will soon change the face of this land, and make our city the equal of any."
    16  "If all goes well," announced the engineer proudly, "we will surpass many!"
    17  The Voice noticed when the man spoke, he tended to glance away.  he avoided looking him in the eye. "I have seen the work," The Voice commented, "and am amazed; tunnels that run for miles yet drop only a few inches so the water will flow toward the city, huge pipes to carry the water between the mountains. Surely, it is a marvelous feat!
    18  I did not get to see the dams, but I understand, too that they are a marvel to see, greater than any city's walls!"
    19  "A great banquet has been prepared in your honor," announced Gray Boar.  "The city welcomes you!  Come!  Join us!  My house is your house."
    20  The Voice entered the city and was amazed how bright it was. He knew that great mirrors were mounted on the sides of the mountains, and a system of mirrors brought the light they gathered to the city and distributed it to every street and home.  His people's ingenuity fascinated him. As long as the sun shone, they did not have to use their lamps.
    21  To cut down on chimneys, many houses used one, and they were all located so that the draft from their fires drew air through the whole city. They had learned many of these things from The Giants, but they had improved on most of it.

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