THE FORGOTTEN CITY
Singapore International School, Brian Wong, Fiction: Group 2
S
and, sand and more sand was all that Ermak could see in all directions as he heaved
himself onto a sand dune, panting heavily. He lay down, gazing at the scorching rays
from the blazing sun, and his mind drifted.
“Ermak, complete the journey, and make our ancestors proud!” Ermak was next to
his brother, and his crying mother. He remembered how he had vowed silently, swearing that he
would return.
“I love you, mother, and you my lost father. I will return with our treasure, I swear, in the
name of Aha,” were Ermak’s last words before he left.
His father had been long gone. He had embarked on a journey to reclaim the family’s most
prized possession, a beautiful dragon pearl. The Chinese had stolen the pearl, and while being
pursued by Ermak’s furious ancestors, had hidden it in the Gobi desert, somewhere that was lost
in history. Every man of the family would honour the tradition, and would embark on a quest to
find the pearl. Never had anyone come back from the quest alive.
An oasis is the key, he’d been told. The Chinese must have hidden it near an oasis, where there
would have been water. Ermak could understand that, but he had had his doubts. There were only
a few oases in the giant wasteland, and if his ancestors had been searching for centuries, why had
they not found the pearl yet? So Ermak had decided to try something different from all the others.
Instead of heading east like all his other ancestors, where the oases were supposed to be, he had
headed west, away from the oases, away from where he was told to go, and in his family’s point of
view, away from the pearl.
Ermak got up, stretched and planted his boots onto the sand. He went on and on, drifting
aimlessly over the never ending sand. He hummed the tune of Altai Kai, an old song his mother
had taught him when he was young. He cursed his impossible mission, and wished he were still at
home, snuggled up near the fireplace while his mother told him stories of his father.
Suddenly, something caught Ermak’s eye. It was a man! For the first time during his time in
the desert, he felt a surge of excitement. Could the man possibly take him to the pearl? He crept
silently behind him, hoping it would lead him to where Ermak wanted to go. But his excitement
was short lived, for at that exact moment the man whirled around. Ermak did not know what
to do, so he shouted, “ Who are you? ” But Ermak could not finish his sentence before the man
delivered a vigorous blow right into Ermak’s stomach, and Ermak collapsed to the ground.
Draping the now unconscious Ermak over his shoulders like a rucksack, the man took him and
walked away...
When Ermak woke, he was bound to a chair, staring in the face of a man wearing a strange
helmet and had jewels all over his body. The leader, Ermak thought. Noticing that Ermak was
conscious, the leader started to talk.
“My name is Ughazr, the mighty ruler of Khara-hot, the only city left in the Gobi.” the leader
declared proudly. Ermak suddenly noticed something. The dragon pearl was on the leader’s
helmet! As realization dawned upon him, thoughts raced through Ermak’s mind, which merged
together, slowly, gradually, forming a plan.
Ughazr began talking again. “Khara-hot does not allow trespassers. “ He declared. “By
