For Part 1, see Beetle Wings
I woke sputtering as water splashed over my face. My initial confusion was quickly replaced by an overwhelming thirst, and I reached for the pail of water which was now being offered by the dark form in front of me. I gulped down as much water as I could take in, only to find that my stomach could not hold it down. After a few attempts at quenching my thirst which simply resulted in much water wasted, I forced myself to take smaller and more moderate sips from the pail.
In the meantime, the dark form had returned from the gloom with what appeared to be apples. What canyon gully the form had found them in I did not know, but I was thankful and, following my experience with the water, took the smallest of bites of the tart things. After weeks of minimal water and food, the meager spread of water and apple slices felt like a rich man’s feast. And surrounded as I was by treasures of ancient kings, I could almost believe myself at court.
With my huger somewhat satiated for now, my attention turned to the being that had saved me. I could make out little beyond a dark form that shuffled and snorted in the darkness just beyond the meager violet light of the beetle wings. My curiosity activated, I searched for my discarded lamp to pull back the gloom. As I lit the lamp I was quite surprised to find that the face of my savior was none other than a desiccated, partially decomposed donkey. What magic animated the beast I did not know, but it soon became clear as I searched the tomb that the mummified beast had been buried in a donkey shaped sarcophagus not far from the beetle wing battle dress that had driven my reckless search. In my apparent madness, I had disturbed the creature’s burial place and awoken it from its slumber.
While it was initially unnerving to share the tomb with the zombified beast, it soon became a valued companion. It seemed to have a keen sense of when I was hungry or thirsty and would fetch water or food from the outside canyon. It was also a willing pair of legs and a strong back to haul my finds out of the tomb. If the creature had been this reliable in life as it was in death, it was no wonder Cor Zon had wished to be buried with the beast so that she could be served in death as she had been in life. Although the beetle wings had been the treasure that called me into the tomb. It was the donkey that carried me out. It soon became no question which was the greater treasure.
