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As ignorant and unaware as the general population of soldiers was, Jagang surrounded himself with competent men. His personal guards, as big and powerful as they were, were hardly idiots. Those overseeing the construction of the ramp were likewise intelligent men.
The men supervising the project knew what they were doing and were confident enough to contradict Jagang when he suggested something that wouldn’t work. Jagang had initially wanted to make the base of the ramp narrower so that they could build height more quickly. While respectful, they were not afraid to tell him that it wouldn’t work, and why. He had listened carefully and, when satisfied that they were right, let them proceed with their plans even though those plans had been contrary to his initial desire. When Jagang thought he was right, though, he was as determined as a bull to have his way.
Numerous lines of men, each twelve or fifteen men deep, stretched back away from the colossal ramp. Some of the men passed baskets filled with dirt and rock, and some passed back empty baskets. Other men wheeled carts carrying rock. Mules pulled trains of wagons hauling larger rock. The project was massive almost beyond belief, but with so many men constantly adding to it, the ramp grew steadily.
Kahlan followed as the emperor hurried through the site, the messenger constantly pointing the way among the confusion of activity. The lines of men parted as the royal procession marched through, then melted back together.
As they made their way past throngs of workers, Kahlan finally saw the pits where men in astounding numbers dug material for the ramp. There seemed to be countless numbers of vast pits in the ground, each with one sloping end where men were carrying material out as others brought empty baskets, carts, and wagons back down in to be loaded. The array of pits stretched as far as she could see into the gray drizzle.
Jagang and his party made their way along the wide tracks between the pits arranged in a grid across the plain. Those pathways between were wide enough to accommodate wagons going in opposite directions.
“Down here, Excellency. This is the place.”
Jagang paused, peering down the long, sloping ramp into the pit. It appeared to be the only excavation that was deserted. He looked around at the other pits nearby.
“Clear this one, here, as well,” he said, gesturing at the next pit lying in the direction of the plateau. “And don’t start any new digging beyond in the same direction.”
Some of the supervisors who had gathered hurried to carry out his instructions.
“Let’s go,” Jagang said. “I want to see if this is really something or not.”
“I’m sure you will find it as I described, Excellency.”
Jagang ignored the angular messenger as he started down the sloping track into the pit. Kahlan stayed close. A glance back revealed Sister Ulicia not a dozen steps behind. The Sister, without a hood on her cloak and with her wet hair plastered to her head, did not look at all pleased to be out in the rain. Kahlan turned back to watch her footing on the slick, muddy slope.
The bottom of the pit was an uneven mess where thousands of men had toiled at digging and loading. Since some of the ground was softer and easier to dig, those places were deeper. In other spots, where it was more rocky and harder to dig, there were mounds nearly twice Kahlan’s height that had yet to be reduced.
Following the messenger through the disorder, Jagang descended into one of the deeper areas. Kahlan followed them down into the muck, her guards staying close around her. She wanted to stay close to Jagang in case he became distracted by what ever was in the pit. If she got a chance, no matter the risk, she would try to kill him.
The messenger squatted down as they came to a halt. “This is it, Excellency.”
He slapped his hand on something just peeking up from the ground. Kahlan frowned, looking along with everyone else at the smooth expanse that had been exposed.
The messenger had been right, it definitely did not look natural. She could see what looked like joints. It did look like a structure buried deep in the ground.
“Clean it off,” Jagang said to some of the foremen from the project who had come down into the pit.
Apparently, as per standing orders, when the structure had been discovered all work was abandoned and the workers pulled out until Jagang could personally inspect the find. The form was slightly rounded, as if they had uncovered the very top portion of a massive, long, rounded shape.
As men worked with shovels and brooms, Jagang directing where they dug, it quickly became apparent that the messenger had been accurate in his report: it did look like the exterior of a barrel-vaulted ceiling.
As the men cleaned it off, Kahlan could see that the structure was made of large stones cut to precise
shapes to make up the curve of the arch. It reminded her of nothing so much as a buried building, except that there was no roof, just the exposed outer structure of an interior vaulted ceiling.
Kahlan could not imagine what such a thing could be doing buried all the way out here on the Azrith Plain. There was no telling how many hundreds or even thousands of years what ever was inside had been entombed.
When enough of the dirt and debris had been cleared off, Jagang crouched down and ran his hand over the wet stone. His fingers traced a few of the joints. They were so tight that not even a thin knife blade would have slipped between them.
“Get some tools down here—pry bars and such,” he said. “I want this opened. I want to know what’s down inside it.”
“At once, Excellency,” one of the construction bosses said.
“Use your assistants instead of the laborers.” Jagang stood, sweeping an arm around at the general area. “I want this whole place cordoned off. I don’t want any of the regular soldiers anywhere near here. I will have some of my guards stationed here to watch the site at all times. This area is to be as restricted as my own tents.”
Kahlan knew that if any of the soldiers were to get into a tomb—or what ever ancient thing it was that they’d found—they would loot everything of value. The plundered rings he wore said that Jagang knew the same thing.
Kahlan glanced up when she noticed some of Jagang’s guards rushing down the slope into the pit. They pushed their way through the construction foremen and other guards to get in near the emperor.
“We got her,” one of the breathless men reported.
Jagang smiled a slow, wicked grin. “Where is she?”
The man pointed. “Just up there, Excellency.”
Jagang glanced briefly at Kahlan. She didn’t know what he was up to, but the look he gave her ran a chill up her spine.
“Bring her down here, now,” Jagang told the man.
