Sharmuziks: Beyond the Great Glad

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Tim Brick. Sharmuziks: Beyond the Great Glad

Part 1. Introducing the City

Part 2. A Strange Find

Part 3. Outbound!

Part 4. What Happened Next

Part 5. Wind, Fire and Water

Part 6. He Who Lives in the Tree

Part 7. Unexpected Meeting

Part 8. The Call for Help

Part 9. Tulun: On the Surface and Underground

Part 10. Entery Without Exit

Part 11. The Island of Two Moons

Part 12. Robbery at the Tulun Museum

Part 13. Varus Laran

Part 14. The Dark Castle

Part 15. Tulun Day

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That evening, like every other evening, Nolton made himself a cup of tea with a side of strawberry jam, sat down in his favourite armchair and picked the book that was on the table next to him. But after glancing at it, he remembered that he had already read it the evening before. The Sharmuzik got up and walked to a shelf. He placed the book there, and began looking for another one, one that he had not yet read. Having checked all the shelves, several boxes, the cabinet and even under his bed, the Sharmuzik could not find a single new book for his evening read. Returning to the living room, he saw the cup of tea he had brewed for himself with steam rising from it. Scratching his head, he walked up to the window, pondering where he would be able to find a new book before the tea completely cooled down. On the other bank, beyond the river, which divided the city into two parts, one could see from Nolton’s house the building housing the library. Nolton noticed that the lights were still on in its windows and it immediately dawned on him. He ran out into the street, throwing on his coat and scarf in haste. He dashed across the bridge and, once outside the library, he pulled its rather large and heavy door. As he walked into the building, Nolton immediately headed towards the nearest shelf and started to look for a new book. Thus, the city library had by far more books than one could find at home. But Nolton liked certain types of books, about adventures and expeditions. Moving through several shelves, he came to the one in the furthermost corner. Finally, the Sharmuzik found what he had come for. The whole shelf had adventure books. Nolton decided not to waste time and picked the one closest to him. He was about to go back home but he suddenly stopped. His attention was drawn to a notebook that was just behind the book he had picked. Taking out the notebook, Nolton examined it up close. The notebook was bound in brown leather and closed with a silver buckle that had the initials KF inscribed. On its first page, the Sharmuzik saw a neatly hand-written epigraph: “My diary, or chronicles of a faraway journey”. Flipping to the next page, Nolton saw the map of the Great Glade tucked inside the notebook. The Sharmuzik unfolded it fully. He was genuinely taken aback by the image he saw on the map. This turned an ordinary evening into the beginning of a new story. Leaving the book for which he had left his tea, the Sharmuzik quickly put the map back inside the notebook and ran back to his house with it in his hand.

Once at home, Nolton sat down at his desk right away and directed his lamp so that it fully illuminated the map. This was a map larger than any the Sharmuzik had seen before. Its paper had yellowed of old age. The mysterious things that were depicted on it gave rise to many interesting questions. Certain inscriptions that could have at least provided some answers could not be made out. As if it was not enough that the map was in poor shape, a large portion of it was torn out. The only thing that could be made out was several houses with an inscription above them: Shmur. A dotted line ran from the city’s name to a completely different city. To better examine the inscription, Nolton took out a special device, similar to a stick with magnifying glasses of different sizes attached to it. This allowed him to make out the almost illegible inscription above the city: T u l u n.

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“Stop! What if we push them in the wrong direction?” Nolton stopped his friend, who immediately stepped aside.

Professor Wisen, after wiping his glasses, re-read the passage.

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