The Guardians

We came to two great statues on the shore. Isabella seemed angered at the sight of them, and the Heretic barely gave them a glance, as if he had seen many before. They are strange statues… possessing four arms, and cleft down the middle. Yet such a size they are! It must have taken many men to carve such figures, and the work of the craftsmen is fine indeed, for it is hard to see seams where the blocks of the statue were stacked, or even chiselmarks in the stone, if they used such tools. How they managed the spears the figures hold, I do not know, but such skill is impressive. We searched the shore for a time – Isabella did seem to find what she sought, though I know not what that might be. Although the men were about to make camp, she told us we would march back that night and not sleep in the shadow of these “idols”. I thought I heard the Heretic chuckle at that, but it might have been my imagining. I long to strangle the man with his own chains. R. Velazquez