Dissident

by Lisa Beeson

  The memory of the dream gave her chills and filled her with despair. It had felt so different from her normal dreams. But, if High Sage Emmon had said that it meant nothing, why was Rysura taking it so seriously now?

  They reached the end of a long tunnel and climbed down a steep set of cut-rock stairs. The roar of water signaled that they were approaching the hidden entrance. It led out onto a sheer rocky ledge behind the misty veil of the water that flowed from the belly of the lush plateau of the temple grounds.

  Sennah was surprised to realize that they had already traveled so far, without her even being aware. She chided herself for being so distracted. Rysura had taught her since she was a babe that she should always be aware.

  Sennah sensed that no one was near, so she was confident that their clandestine excursion outside the grounds had not been discovered.

  Rysura had secreted Sennah outside of the temple grounds only twice before – once, when she was teaching her about the flora and fauna of Nann, and the second, when she showed her how her people navigated the wilds without detection. It had been exciting and exhilarating to say the least – holding on tight while Rysura ran and maneuvered through the trees in seamless synchronization with the rhythms of the plants’ xjaasai, the creatures undisturbed by their presence. Rysura had been astonished when Sennah was able to perform the ways of the Xanarhii race as well. None of the other races were able to master “swimming through the rhythms,” or Nys’Ktaan as they said in Naraakan. Even the Xanarhii could not master it until after Maturity.

  After they carefully inched their way along the slippery ledge towards the tops of the cloud forest surrounding the plateau, Rysura looked up at the celestial path of the dead moon, Channa, crossing between Nann and the looming planet of Emuria. She motioned for Sennah to climb onto her back. Sennah took this to mean that they must make their way through the cloud forest quicker than Sennah could go on her own. For, although she was adept at Nys’Ktaan, Rysura was bigger and stronger, and could move faster.

  Sennah climbed onto her caretaker’s back. Rysura wrapped and tied her cloak around them in a way that would keep Sennah’s little body securely attached to her. Once she was satisfied that Sennah was properly secured, Rysura attuned her xjaasa with the rhythms of the forest’s frequencies. Instructing Sennah to do the same, she leaped from the rocky ledge into the canopy of the trees – swinging, climbing, and jumping from branch to branch with ease.

  They moved down the outside of the plateau’s edge, out of the shimmery mist of the clouds and deep into the lower forest levels, farther than they had ever gone before. The sights of the plants and creatures they passed as Rysura moved swiftly across the massive fractal branches of the canopy, enchanted Sennah – from the glimpse of the flowered antlers of a climbing aathispa, to the head of a long-necked behemoth Diirganda peeking through the foliage as it ate it’s fill of the purple canopy leaves.

  Sennah was sure that they were approaching the lands of the Naraaka clan, and she had to calm her excitement over the prospect of actually meeting the people of Rysura’s stories.

  Then suddenly, yet soundlessly, Rysura stopped and perched herself in between the convergence of two large branches. She untied her cloak and let Sennah slide down to find her own spot.

  Rysura sniffed the air, then pointed down towards another tree where a mother syviathun was watching over her nest in the large hollow in the trunk. “Look, pakiue,” she whispered. “Do you see?”

  Sennah gave a quick rightward tilt of her head in assent as she watched the scaly-skinned creature scan the forest for potential threats to her nest of eggs. Her blue, black, and red markings were striking against the bark of the tree. Sennah had never seen a syviathun in real life before. The creature was larger, more fearsome, and more majestic than she had expected.

  The mother crawled out of the hollow onto a branch and spread out the thin skin membranes between her front and back legs in a show of strength and intimidation to any creatures who might pose a threat to her offspring. The color patterns of her belly and gliding membranes mirrored the shadows of the canopy, making it hard for prey to see her coming from above. Her movements seemed unusually swift, but it was only because Sennah and Rysura’s rhythms were attuned with that of the trees, whose frequencies were slower than their own. The syviathun began barking out a high-pitched screech that gave Sennah the chills and made her hair stand on end. Finally satisfied that there were no immediate threats to her eggs, the mother syviathun became silent then sinuously slinked away from her nest.

  “Why is she leaving her eggs,” Sennah whispered.

  “She must feed,” Rysura answered. “Her eggs will hatch soon and she must have enough energy to feed and watch over her babies.”

  Sennah counted six eggs in the nest. Each one was a deep dark purple and as shiny as a jewel, embossed by a web of hexagons that gave it strength and stability. She desperately wished to touch one, but she knew better. According to Rysura, many have met their death for disturbing a syviathun nest.

  A moment later, Rysura sniffed the air again, then placed a calming hand on Sennah’s shoulder while motioning for her to stay silent. She pointed out three kasiiks skulking swiftly through the shadows from the lowest depths of the forest, towards the unprotected nest. Their dark, thickly muscled bodies and sharp talons made only the barest of sounds as they climbed up the maze of thick branches. Though Sennah feared the stealthy creatures greatly, she forced herself to stay calm and keep her pulse steady. Part of Nys’Ktaan was keeping calm and not disturbing the rhythms of the xjaasai around them. Breaking the synchronization would risk them being discovered by the creatures. Having Rysura by her side, a proven warrior of her people, helped to calm her.

  Two of the kasiiks kept to the darker shadows, while one climbed its way up to the syviathun’s eggs. Sennah continued to force herself to breathe steadily as she watched the kasiik devour one of the eggs and take a couple more to hold in the large pouches of its cheeks. Just as the kasiik began to move away from the nest, a blurred streak glided down from the higher branches and struck right into the kasiik’s side, knocking it away from the nest and down to the branches below. As she watched the creatures viciously combat each other, Sennah realized that the streak had been the mother syviathun. One of the other kasiiks joined into the fray, while the third one made an attempt at the nest.

  The mother fought valiantly against her foes, slashing and tearing with her knife-like teeth and claws, while they did the same to her. Sennah had never seen such savagery before. She had to turn away from the gore before she became sick.

  Rysura firmly took a hold of Sennah’s head and turned it back towards the rapidly fighting creatures. Sennah struggled against Rysura’s grip, but when she realized that she was no match for Rysura’s strength, she shut her eyes tightly against the violence. Listening to the rending flesh and the screeches of the injured creatures, and smelling the blood and carnage was bad enough, she didn’t want to see any more for she knew that it would haunt her dreams.

  “No, pakiue. You must watch. You must see and accept the violence,” Rysura whispered harshly in Sennah’s ear.

  “No, Rya. I do not want to,” Sennah’s voice quavered as she whispered back. “I can’t. It is too horrible.”

  “Open your eyes, Sennah. I demand it.”

  Sennah knew that she must obey, because if she did not heed her caretaker’s command there would be harsh consequences later. She opened her tearful eyes as she controlled her breathing, and witnessed the mother syviathun savagely fling one of the kasiiks off the branch to fall to its death far below, then the second. The third kasiik was trying to escape with more eggs, and though she was already gravely injured herself, the mother was able to take a bite out of the kasiik before it severed her head from her neck with a vicious swipe of his talons. With the mother syviathun finally defeated, the kasiik skulked away back into the shadows with its’ bounty, leaving a bloody trail behind it.

  The beautiful, majest
ic mother was slain – her lifeblood mixing with the blood of her foes.

  With the skirmish over, Rysura released her hold on Sennah’s head and leaned back against the thick branch of the tree, keeping one knee bent, ready to push off at any sign of danger from the surrounding jungle. Though aware of everything around them, Rysura’s keen, reflective eyes were only on her charge, studying her reaction.

  Sennah hung her head and the tears that had been welling in her eyes fell to ground bellow. “Why, jahtiue?” she whispered with a dispirited sigh. “Why did you make me watch such a thing?”

  “Because it was something you needed to see. You must be aware of and accept the necessary violence of life. For what we just witnessed,” she said, pointing down at the carnage below. “That is what makes up Life. The syviathun must care for and protect its’ children, and the kasiik needs to eat to live and feed its own children. Life is not always pleasant, pakiue. Life is pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow, satiation and hunger. It can be beautiful,” she said gesturing to the beauty of the forest around them. “And it can be raw and ugly.” She gestured down to the ruined corpse of the syviathun. “You can’t truly know one without the other. All of it, the love, the danger, the beauty, the violence… that is what Life is.” She pushed away from the branch to crouch in front of Sennah so they could be eye to eye. “Look at me, Sen,” she gently insisted.

  Sennah raised her eyes to meet Rysura’s, they were serious, but not unkind.

  “The Sages and your parents wish to shelter you from the dangers and ugliness of life. I understand their motives, but this would be a great disservice to you. Keeping you ignorant of such things will only cripple you in times of strife. You need to be prepared for all that life has in store for you, or it will break and destroy your beautiful spirit.”

  Sennah saw the truth in Rysura’s eyes, as her caretaker paused to wipe the tears from her charge’s face with the corner of her cloak.

  “Yes, what happened between those creatures was terrible and sad, but there was no malice or evil in what we just witnessed, only natural instinct. There is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ life where everyone lives and loves and nothing sad or horrible ever happens. There is only the balanced rhythms of the Great Song that flow and influence the cycles of life. You must know the difference between necessary violence and the malicious intent of those who go against the rhythms of the Great Song. The discord you sometimes feel is the clashing currents of those fighting against the balance.

  “There is much unrest in Anu, pakiue. There are many with malicious intent ready to trample the weak and innocent to get what they desire. The more we look away and deny the ugliness, the more it will grow, until one day it will sneak up on our turned backs, catching us unprepared, and destroy everything we love and cherish.

  “You must learn the difference between a warrior and a murderer, pakiue. For there may come a time when you will be called to use necessary violence. That…” she said emphatically, “…is why I was chosen to watch after you, and not another. I was chosen to make you strong. I was chosen to raise you to be a warrior. To stand and to fight for what is right, according to the rhythms of the Great Song.”

  “But, Rya…I don’t want to harm anyone.”

  “I know this, Sen.” Rysura placed her hand over Sennah’s heart. “And we will continue to nourish that want. But you must be prepared to do so if necessary, or the act will tear you apart.” She looked deep into Sennah’s eyes, while desperation filled her own. “You cannot be found lacking. We need you to be whole, Sennah. We need you to be wise and strong.

  “Do you understand the lesson I am teaching you?”

  Thinking it over, Sennah’s heart still hurt for the creatures, but she felt as though she understood now. High Sage Emmon dismissed her dream, because he wanted to deny the ugliness of life, and did not want to think of any harm coming to her. He wanted to keep her safe and sheltered, and he felt confident that the temple could do that for her. So why disrupt things? Rysura disagreed and thought that shielding Sennah would be a mistake. She brought Sennah out here to teach her that life is more than the peace and safety of the temple. That there would be strife and hardships, and she must be prepared for that, however unpleasant it might be.

  “Yes, jahtiue. I understand.”

  “Good,” Rysura said with loving pride in her eyes, and she brought the small girl into her embrace.

  Sennah wrapped herself around her beloved caretaker. The lesson had been harsh, but she understood the necessity of it, and she didn’t love Rysura any less.

  After they drew apart, Sennah looked down at the ravaged nest and almost gasped at the sight of a lone undamaged egg. Its’ xjaasa still held a small spark of life. “Look, Rya,” she said pointing down at the lone survivor. “The kasiiks missed one.”

  Rysura looked to the spot where she pointed and nodded. “It will not last long without its mother.”

  Sennah’s heart ached. There must be something that could be done. She couldn’t willingly turn her back on the helpless creature. “Please, Rya. We must help it live.”

  “What does the Great Song tell you?” she asked in a guarded tone.

  Sennah took a deep breath to clear her thoughts so she could be still and listen. Abandoning the rhythms of the trees so she could be attuned with the rhythms of the Great Song, she focused on the egg. She felt its xjaasa pulse with the spark of life, and there was no discord, only acceptance. After reverting back to the rhythm of the trees, she turned to Rysura with a smile. “It is the right thing to do, Rya. I feel it is so.”

  “The Sages will not like it. Syviathuns are wild and dangerous creatures,” she warned.

  “I will raise it to be respectful and loyal,” Sennah said with the unshakeable certainty of a child.

  “If anyone could do it, it would be you,” Rysura said with an indulgent smirk. “Are you sure that you want this responsibility?”

  Sennah remained resolute. “It is the right thing to do.”

  Rysura slowly tilted her head in reluctant assent. “Then we will save the egg and raise the creature in secret…but only until it can fend for itself.”

  Sennah embraced Rysura with unbridled joy…

  The memory faded and Ari found herself slowly coming back to consciousness.

  Her eyes blinked open to see Mother Am’s sweet, wrinkled face smiling benevolently down at her. “Not yet, child,” she said, her voice soothing and calm. “You need more rest so you can heal and remember. We will keep your body strong, but you must work on your mind.” She placed an earthenware mug to Ari’s lips. “Drink this. It will help keep you asleep until the time is right.”

  Ari took a couple of slow sips of the steaming brew. It was sweet with an earthy aftertaste. It was strange, but not terrible. Almost immediately, her limbs became heavy and her thoughts fuzzy as a thick drowsiness began to overtake her. However, something crept at the back of her mind, scraping against her consciousness, keeping her from a peaceful sleep.

  Mother Am placed a gentle hand on Ari’s head. “Be still. Quiet your mind and let the tea do its work.” She began lightly stroking Ari’s hair and the motion was so pleasant and calming that Ari almost gave in.

  “Wait…” she managed to protest, fighting to keep herself awake – her thoughts slowly coalescing into coherency through sheer determination. “I can’t sleep anymore… I need to get back… things I need to do… there are people … that need me. I can’t turn…my back…”

  “Hush,” Mother Am soothed. “We need you well and whole. You need to relearn the truths you have forgotten.” She leaned down to whisper in Ari’s ear, “Trust in the strengths of those you have chosen. Have faith in your people and rest.”

  Ari could not fight the effects of the tea any longer.

  Have faith in my chosen… she thought as she slid peacefully back into sleep.

  Chapter 4

  9:41pm

  Alvaro jolted awake.

  That voice… Ari’s voice…


  He quickly sat up on the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  It felt as if he had just sat down, but he must have fallen asleep while he was trying to catch up on the news. It was now playing the tail end of a PSA about being sure to wash your hands and stay away from large groups to help protect against transmitting the Red Death virus. The news must have cycled all the way through, because the same story he had been watching before was beginning again. It was about the mysterious circumstances surrounding death of the Louisiana Senator who was in that strange vision Ari had invoked at the end of his Red Death premonition, and thirty or so others who had died at a sketchy private club in the middle of the swamp.

  The authorities were still unsure about the cause of the sudden deaths. They had ruled out the virus since none of the bodies were infected. Right now the running theories were either a gas leak or a bad reaction to the strange new drug they had found all over the place. It had the same emblem of the Mad Hatter that he had seen in his vision – the same strange drug that had messed Val up so much that she left Scion’s Keep to get more.

  Alvaro knew that it all had something to do with Ari, Adam, and Jean-Baptist, but he just couldn’t figure out how. The adults were being tight-lipped about the whole thing.

  Two bright beams pierced through the gauzy curtains in the farmhouse living room. He looked towards the windows and noticed Noah’s big silhouette already out on the front porch. No one could get past the Paradise Glades security grid without him allowing it – especially with all the modifications Joshua, Myles, and Kael had put into it.

  It had to be Ruby St Claire arriving. She had been expected earlier, but he figured that there must’ve been some traffic or something.

  An ardent conversation between Hugo, Cass, Jamie, Lanette, and Joshua seemed to be traveling from the kitchen – where everyone had congregated after a long day’s work – towards the living room. Alvaro tried to get Hugo’s attention to tell him he had heard Ari’s voice, but the man didn’t hear him in the commotion of everyone going out to see the newcomer.