Tresimiaset looked down upon her bonded as he ate and fixed his bedroll. In moments, with her help, he was asleep and still she watched him. Inch by inch Malory eased closer to her in his sleep. Soon he was curled against her and using her for a pillow.
She had been keeping an eye on the others and had noticed when they realized the fire walkers might be able to use soul sight on her. She could not help but laugh to herself at the reaction of the fire walkers. She got that reaction every time. What surprised her was the assumption they made after seeing her soul. They believed she was Ariannia. She had to admit this time she had awaken in was full of surprises. Some were good, most were bad. She was not pleased to be mistaken for her goddess.
She watched as the group bedded down for the night. She watched the fire walkers bed down in such a way that they could prop themselves on their elbows and watch her. She did not kid herself that they watched her the planet walker, no they watched her soul. Unfortunately, with everything needing to be done in the days and months ahead she needed them rested so, with a boost of power she sent them to sleep.
With everyone secure around the tower she prepared to study the memories she had gotten. She needed to decide what to do about the watchers soon. But that task could wait. As she settled down to study each memory she knew, from the memories she had gotten from their dragons, she was not going to be pleased with the memories the Lyra contributed to her.
***
Several hours later Tresimiaset was almost furious. The memories these people had were not memories of a life she could support. When the ways of the people had changed, and for what reason she could not even begin to guess. She was thankful for the ice walker Patro, for without his voracious appetite for books she would be woefully short on information. She was going to have to send for the Elite called Bryol.
She had turned her head to stare at the tower often during the night. At a loss to understand why the Lyra were not constantly renewing memories. Without the renewing the tower weakened. And without the renewing, the memories the tower held became older and less useful. Of the twelve memories she now held from the Lyras, none of them had any memory of the need to keep the tower stable. The dragons had not had the memory of renewing memories often either. Oh they contributed big events, but renewal was an ongoing thing, or it should be. They had not learned to renew their memories from the tower, only from the stones created in their lifetime.
She was going to have to add these memories to the tower, along with Malory’s, and once she had Bryol she would copy his memories into the tower also. Some memories would be false memories but she was at a loss how to handle the situation as it stood now. Not this memory tower of course, she had realized in the cave this one would have to be abandoned with the planet. The new memory tower on the new planet would be where all these memories would go.
She was going to have to tap into the memories of the tower and find out when, exactly, the memories had stopped. She would have done that first if she had not had so much to settle with so many people in the meadow around the tower. Having decided on her next approach she wasted no time approaching the tower. She sent the command out to ensure everyone slept through what she was about to do. Moments later, having joined with the tower as only she could she grieved for the past recorded within the memories. How the race had survived was a testament to their strength. Seeing what was wrought in the past she understood better how the people could have come to such a pass. Somehow she was going to have to make certain when next she slept these things did not again happen.
To have lost so many in a plague, it was good that a few watchers had survived else the Lyra of the time would have had no notion of how to go on. Pity the watchers who had survived had been too young to know how the race should have gone on. Having to struggle to figure out how to access the memories, having to try to explain to the young Lyra of the time who had survived. So much information had been lost. No memories of the dragons had been recorded. If the dragons were not lost in the plague of the time, how could they have lost the path also. But the memories did not reflect the history of the dragons past the plague. She had to concede the possibility the dragons had been lost also. At least, the elder dragons had been lost. From what little she could get from the memories of time past, only dragons just from their eggs must have survived the ravages of the time.
The only memories past the plague recorded into the tower were the ceremonies the Lyra and dragons had participated in to bind Lyra to dragon. And some special events, but those were few and far between. The last one had occurred when Malory’s memories of the portal creation were woven into the tower. The watchers and dragons had figured out how to share their memories with each other, but not much beyond sharing the memories of their own lifetimes. They had figured out some things, but not enough for the future of a tower.
Tresimiaset could not change the past, but she could ensure such things never happened again. When the new tower was created she would change it somehow to train the watchers of the future. She was not certain how she would manage to do such a thing, she would find a way.
As dawn began to lighten the sky she felt she had a reasonable amount of information to begin the race on the correct path. She had to laugh a little to herself about the dog, Bowser. It had been a few planets ago since such a thing had happened. Without her guidance the people had gone about exploring the portal entirely wrong. Between her and Malory they would start the people on the right path.
Haste would have to be made if they were to get everyone moved before the portals she would create closed. Since she did not create the first portal she was uncertain if the time frame began from the creation of the first portal, or if it would begin from when she and Malory embarked upon their journey to open all the portals they would need. From sun meet to sun meet would be all the time they had. To be safe she would assume the sun meet began the day Malory created the portal.
With her infallible memory she began to calculate how long until the next sun meet. The current portal had been opened almost five months past. This planet, with twenty-five hour days, took exactly three hundred and seventy-five days to circle their star. When the planet next rose to meet the sun again in the same spot was just over ten months from now. One revolution around the sun, sun meet to sun meet, for a moment Tresimiaset was filled with despair. How to evacuate her people from around the planet in just ten short months?
Though her people were the Deyarians, the Lyriants were essential to the survival of the race, and always followed her people. Some stupid agreement a lesser god had made with Ariannia to tie the races together. Thanks to Darian the Deyarians were at war with the very people they needed to survive. She could not even begin to imagine how this situation could be fixed. When they came to this planet the Deyarians had enslaved the Lyriants to force them to come. She knew the current leadership would not do that. Other plans would have to be made.
For a moment her attention was diverted as she tried to imagine something entirely different. Why in all the shadows had Darian’s parents named him a name so similar to the name of the race. She was not sure if they had a sense of humor, or a burst of idiocy when naming Darian. She snorted, Darian the Deyarian. Why, the names were almost identical. If you said them fast they were identical. People would name their children the strangest things.
As sun light touched the valley she allowed everyone to awaken. She was unsurprised to see the first people to awaken were the watchers she had felt in the tower. She could feel the flurry of activity taking place in the tower as the watchers took up the frantic search they had been on since the memory stone had been added to the tower two weeks ago. Without the knowledge they needed to really use the tower the watchers were as blind men searching for something they could not see and had no description of. Although she suspected they would eventually come to her for information, they had not exited the tower even when the meadow filled with strangers to the tower.
The watchers apparently trusted the tower’s defens
es to protect the tower. That was not a mistake they would make again after she gave them a new tower. The hidden location of the tower was always the first defense, the lack of people allowed to visit and learn the location was the second defense. But the main defense was the watchers themselves. Apparently they did not know how to use their powers. Since she had no memories from any watchers at all in the tower since the plague until this generation, she wondered if the watchers even knew they had powers. She thought it probable they had no knowledge of the power they wielded.
Apparently the watchers only knew how to add memories and barely understood how to draw memories from the tower. She was going to have to get memories from the watchers next. She had never imagined having to gather memories from watchers. The watch tower was the depositor of all their memories. Every visit to the tower by the watchers should have, well thought Tresimiaset, one more thing to add to the list of things. It could be done as easily after the move as before. More so since afterward they would have time. It was fortunate the watchers and dragons had learned to share with each other, but unnecessary if the tower was maintained correctly. The watchers were not even adding the memory stones they collected to the proper place in the tower.
Maybe it was a good thing the watchers had no idea of their power. Had they known they would have emptied the meadow before she had even left the cave with all of the Lyra bonded dragons. She would have had to gather everyone again. This lack of knowledge had saved her time. Time they apparently were going to need if they were going to save the races.
She watched as next the Lyra woke and looked around. She could sense the confusion from a couple as they tried to place where they were and what had happened. She knew from the memories a couple of them were certainly not morning people. The confusion on their faces was comical. As they woke more fully she could see dawning comprehension of all the faces as each one turned her direction.
Looking down she saw Malory was still sleeping. She knew from his memories he was a morning person so he should have been one of the first to awaken. She could make a guess as to why he had not. This past night’s sleep was probably the first one he had felt safe in his memory. If no one disturbed him it was likely he would sleep many more hours before awakening. Though she was loath to disturb his sleep he was needed. He would have many such nights, in fact every night for the rest of his considerably extended life would be filled with security. With a gentle nudge she soon had him awake.
“Eat little one, we have much work to do.” With a thought Tresimiaset sent the same basic instructions to the Lyra. As they all made preparations to break their fast she turned her attention once more to the watchers in the tower. She felt they did not have the knowledge to find what they sought. She would have to call them forth from the tower to listen as she told the leaders how little time they had and what would have to be done. A moment of thought and all the watchers heard her mental command to come forth as soon as they broke their fast. And she demanded they take the time to break their fast first.
She knew the leaders would be pleased to find, with Malory’s help, she could open as many portals, in as many locations as the race would need to move. The leaders would not be pleased to find the race had barely ten months to leave the planet or they would be left behind when the portals closed. Always before the race had time to prepare, to gather, to store, before the first portal was opened.
At least she could reassure them of one thing. Her magic meant any portal she opened would always open to a planet they could inhabit. They would not have to worry if they could survive, she could assure them of that. Unfortunately, she could not assure them the planet would be free from danger. Often other creatures lived where they would travel. On this planet the Versioameni had been thriving when she had opened a portal to the planet. Since the Versioameni belonged to Ariannia’s brother, he had created the race, moving to the planet was not a problem. Some agreement between Ariannia and her brother had been worked out before Ariannia had guided the opening of the first portal.
Tresimiaset did not know who owned the next planet. Well, owned was a rather strong word. Someone had created it, she just did not know which god or goddess it had been. She also did not know what dangerous creatures or plants might be on the planet. Nor did she know if the denizens of the new planet would be welcoming or hostile. She only knew Ariannia had created her to open safe planets and safe was a relative term.
Soon the Lyra, Malory, and the watchers were finished with their repast and gathered around her to find out what information she had. Malory, linked and bonded to her, felt safe and secure everything would work out for the best. The watchers and the Lyra on the other hand, were worried and afraid for the uncertain future.
Chapter 12
Darian, impulsive as was his nature was the first to speak, what he had to say startled everyone in the meadow. “We are yours to command.”
Even Tresimiaset was surprised to hear those words from Darian, at least, without the qualifier. She knew they believed her to be Ariannia, the Shadow Goddess. She also knew from listening in to the conversations last night that Darian had determined everyone would follow her directions. Unless they did not like the directions was Darian’s qualifier. They were certainly not going to like her directions so being hers to command was going to last just until she directed them on what they were to do first.
“That is nice to know. Untrue as you will soon believe it to be. Unfortunately for you, whether you like what I have to say or not you will have to follow the plan if you want the race to survive. I have good news and I have bad news. First off I would appreciate it if you would rid yourself of the notion I am Ariannia. I am no more Ariannia than any of you. I was created by Ariannia, just as all of you were, except, you are descendants of her original creations, I am an original. I am the only one in existence and there can never be another one like me. Ariannia still directs your paths, still gets involved in your lives but not as she once did. She still watches out for you, else I would not be awake and ready to lead you to the next world. But, I am not Ariannia.”
Tresimiaset saw the doubt and dismay on the faces around her but no other assurance could she make without letting secrets be revealed too soon. Secrets that were not hers to reveal. Everyone was trying to speak at the same time so she thought it would be better, and the meeting would be shorter, if she shut everyone up for the time being. A thought and the deed was done. Frustration was the most common expression on everyone’s face as they realized all communication had, again, been taken away.
“We will be here for days if you interrupt me each time I say something you do not like. The first thing you need to know is Malory is my bonded rider. After today everything you need to discuss with me can go through him, unless it it an emergency.” Tresimiaset stared at Darian, “And if anyone has a problem with that you might as well get over it now. Malory will need your help to help me open the portals.” She turned her attention away from Darian to note the pleased surprise on the faces of the Lyra.
With a quick nod of her head she continued, “Yes, I did say portals. I can open as many portals as I need to open, in as many locations as I need to open them. And I will need to open a great many. That is part of the bad news. From the time I open the first portal until it closes is one sun meet to one sun meet. All the portals are linked to the first portal and when it closes, they all close. So from the day the first portal opened, we have three-hundred and seventy-five days to get everyone off this planet.”
Every eye in the meadow turned to Malory in that instant. No one knew the exact day the first portal was created but Malory. Without the ability to talk all they could do was stare. A worried whisper reached Tresimiaset just then, “But I don’t know what day the portal opened.”
When Malory’s voice drifted out across the meadow everyone tried to talk but found they still had no voice to speak. Darian’s face showed his fury. Tresimiaset had other things to worry about though.
When she spoke agai
n it was only in the mind of her bonded. You do not have to know, I know from your memories. If you search your memories you will know what I know of the event. Then you will know what day and, you can mark it on the calendars of your people. They will need to know the exact day, for I spoke true. When next the sun meets the sky in the same place as that day, the portal will close. When I am done speaking to everyone you need to study the memories you now have and learn. You will need to know what we have to do to save the people. For now listen and you will learn what to search for in the memories you have now.
“He knows, he just did not realize he knew. When we are done here planning will still have to take place. But for now I need you to listen as I tell you what I can do, what I will do, and what you will need to do, all of you. Get comfortable, this will take awhile. When I am done, then and only then will you be allowed to ask questions.”
Looking around at everyone in the meadow Tresimiaset waited as they got comfortable. Or, she thought to herself, as comfortable as they were likely to get in this situation.
“I almost do not know where to begin. You, as a people, have lost so many memories of not only who you are, but what you can do, what you should do, what I do.” Everyone could feel the frustration in the voice of the dragon speaking in their minds. “I am Tresimiaset. I am the Planet Walker. I open the portals to take the race from one planet to another. I am not often needed, but when I am called from my slumber it is because the survival of your race depends on you moving on to another planet. Any planet my portals can open a path to will always be one survivable to the race. I can open only one portal, to this new world, by myself. All the other portals have to be opened with an anchor. In this case Malory, my bonded rider, is my anchor to this world when I cross the portal. I will cross the portal created, I may can fit into that building, and into that room, if I can not, the building and room will have to come down. I have to cross the open portal in order to anchor it on the other side. Once anchored all portals created by me, using an anchor on this side, will open to that planet. If not anchored, any portal opened by me would just lead to other planets. We do not want that. In fact, I am forbidden to do that by Ariannia herself. So if you see something you don’t like on this new planet, tough. You will need to decide where each portal will be created, you will need to have someone step Malory to the place to anchor the portal, I will open a portal and we will move on to the next place. I will be on the other planet each time this is done, I will be able to speak to Malory, but I will not come back across while creating the portals unless it is urgent. You see, you will know the best places to place portals on this world, but I will have to explore the other world wing stroke by wing stroke to find where to bring the portals out. You may scatter as many portals here as you feel you need to. If you have one family somewhere, give them a portal. But understand this, you will not have as many portals on the other side as you have here. I can link portals to one anchored portal on the other side to bring many out into one place. These are things to plan for but remember, we have a time frame that can not be ignored. Portals will need to be opened where the Lyriants live, I do not care about your wars, you need them and you will bring all who will come. Now I am sure you have questions,and I will answer your questions, but my suggestion is for the watchers to retire to their tower and discuss this while the Lyra return to where they camped and discuss the questions they want to ask. I will not have everyone talking over each other, so pick a spokesperson.” As she finished this last statement she stared at the Lyra before adding, “Not Darian, pick someone else, I would prefer Patro.” With that statement she returned the power of speech to everyone in the meadow and gave them what could only be termed as a boost to send them each away from her.
Evacuation Page 7
