Chapter 147: The Miracle Garden

"If anybody comes by, let them know I'm taking a walk in the gardens. Understood." Xerev instructed the guard standing next to the door of his chambers, whose only indication that she had heard Xerev was an imperceptible nod.

Xerev was dressed in a black velvet coat, with silver embroidery around the edges, as well as a ruffled white shirt underneath. He wore trousers of the same material, but he still wore his usual heavy duty boots. 

"Alright, you. Let's take a walk." Xereve didn't even look directly at Exuga, instead looking at the air above the diminutive man's head. He didn't want to give off the slightest hint that he considered Exuga anything but dirt, as someone of his status should.

The pair walked in the directions of the gardens, traversing the tunnels hewn from the dull gray rock. While they walked, Exuga piped up.

"Master Xerev, I've finally got it, after all this waiting, I can-" Exuga rubbed his hands together, still hunched over with pain, but was cut off by Xerev.

"Yes, I'm so grateful that you found the name of that woman I happened to glance at while roaming the Second Quadrant, but please, withhold her name, I wouldn't want anyone else snatching her away." Xerev gave Exuga a sickly sweet smile, the smile stopping at his eyes, which gave him a cold, steely glare.

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Master Xerev. I have her name written down here, would you like it now?" Exuga bowed and simpered, seething internally. Of course, he knew that Xerev didn't want him to talk about his findings out in the open, but he wanted to gauge just how valuable the information was to Xerev, and it seemed very valuable indeed. Previously, Xerev had just brushed off any time that Exuga had 'accidentally' leaked some information that Xerev had requested. Perhaps he would find some others who would be interested in this information. 

The light from the glowing tubes grew brighter and brighter, and the corridor grew wider and wider, and before long they emerged in to an enormous dome shaped structure.

Here, the ceiling was so densely packed with the light tubes that one could not even look directly at the ceiling, especially someone like Exuga, who had spent most of his life in the dark of the Fourth Quadrant.

Exuga's mind, which had been swarming with pilots and plans, and had been a hurricane of cunning, ideas for betrayal and sinister thoughts, suddenly quietened down. All he could was take in the magnificent sight before him.

This, this was far beyond anything he had ever seen, tears trickled down his yes as he took in the astonishing beauty of the gardens. The Caverntown that he had marvelled at so often was nothing compared to this, this place, it was reminiscent of the stories he had been told as a child, of a place filled with lush vegetation, and clear springs of water.

Xerev and Exuga walked along one of the clear streams that bubbled down the gentle slop that led to the center of the dome.

Exuga looked around, once again a wide eyed, innocent child, filled with amazement, as he took in the fragrant purple flowers that were heavy on the boughs of the trees they walked under.

Just this one tree would have been enough to amaze Exuga, but this row of trees was only one of many, and the tears continued down Exuga's face as they meandered between the rows, some trees laden with fruit, others with flowers, and other with leaves of every color.

In the spaces between the trees were smaller plants, bushes and ferns, and around the paving stones that they walked on were dense mosses. 

Every inch of this cavern was absolutely teeming with life.

Exuga heard a soft whistling noise from above, and snapped his head upwards, a strange machine was propelling itself through the sky, he watched, confused as it flapped its wings, there was no rotor or propeller, what an inefficient design.

Then it hit him, that was a living creature!

"That's a bird Exuga, I'm sure even you have heard some stories about them." Xerev said quietly, he had been watching Exuga all the while, smiling as the man's face changed from a mask hiding layers upon layers of deception to that of an innocent child.

"I see, Master Xerev. Thank you for showing me this, I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to be able to see such a marvelous sight." Exuga bowed low to Xerev.

"No matter Exuga,. You have done me a great service, and you have been so loyal to me, how could I not reward you." Xerev responded as Exuga rose from his bow, and saw the hint of guilt flash across Exuga's face. At any other time, Exuga would not have betrayed himself so, but he was so taken aback by the gardens, that he gave way.

By now, they had reached the center of the dome, and the plants grew closer and closer together, until the path of paved stone they had been walking on was only wide enough for one person to walk through, Exuga walking ahead. 

The center of the dome shaped cavern was a vast pool, still and clear, from where Exuga stood, he could clearly see the pale white fish swimming through the water. He had heard talk of fish before, but never in his life had he even imagined that he would see one so easily. 

"Before I pass out from amazement, Master Xerev, I believe that this is yours." Exuga paused, and reached into one of his many pockets to find the cylinder he had brought.

"Thank you, Exuga, this shall be a boon for our people." Xerev smiled warmly at Exuga, as he took the cylinder and tucked it into his velvet coat.

"So, Exuga, tell me, what do you think of these fish?" Xerev asked as they continued strolling toward the pool in the center, placing a hand on Exuga's shoulder in a friendly fashion.