by Davis Ashura
William noticed her weave and copied her design.
They grinned at each other as Blue Sky Dreamer raced on a southeasterly heading.
William called out an order, and the boat shifted farther to port. They headed east now, directly toward Lilith. All of them breathed with relief when they re-entered Arylyn’s saha’asra.
“You’re getting better,” Serena noted in approval.
“Still lots to learn, though,” William said. “Sailing, learning to fight with Elements, and mastering the sword like Rukh.”
“It’s going to take a few years, isn’t it?” Serena said.
William nodded, and she wondered what their lives would be like then.
“Helm a-port, William,” Serena called. “Let’s beat to the west and get some sea room before we run in to Lilith.”
Selene whooped as the dhow swung around on a tight turn.
March 1989
william quickly bussed the table at Garrett Rafe’s café, where he and Serena had just eaten lunch. The rough-hewn furniture appeared black in the dim lighting, and the tabletop, hurricane lamps, and scattered wall sconces did little to banish the gloom. For whatever reason, Garrett liked to keep his restaurant dark. He claimed it improved the ambiance.
William disagreed. He thought the dimness gave the restaurant a cellar-like atmosphere. Ultimately though, it didn’t matter since the wonderful food made up for any problems in lighting or mood. He grunted in satisfaction when he finished cleaning the table. He gathered the dishes, eased past the other couples still eating their meals, and traced his way to the kitchen, where he delivered the dirty plates and glasses to Serena. She stood in front of a sink full of soapy water, and he deposited the dishes with her before returning to their table to finish sweeping up.
Since money didn’t exist on Arylyn, everything was paid for with work. Those who ran restaurants expected their customers to bus their own tables and clean their own dishes. Such a system wouldn’t have worked in the Far Beyond, but here it did.
On Arylyn, no one griped about doing all the work and getting nothing out of it. William’s work as a journeyman raha’asra was the creation of lorasra while for Serena it was growing crops. No one was lazy enough—or stupid enough—to take advantage of the generosity of their neighbors and friends.
After he finished sweeping, William dumped the trash—nothing more than particles of food—into the compost heap out back. By then Serena had finished the dishes, and William helped her dry them with a quick burst of Air and Fire. A few minutes later they were done.
As a way of extra thanks, Garrett offered each of them a tankard of lemonade. They took their drinks outside, where the café opened out onto the Village Green.
During the past year, William and Serena had lunch or dinner together about once a week. Most times Selene, Lien, or someone else joined them, but today it was just the two of them, their first meal alone together in months. In fact, other than when they trained or sailed Blue Sky Dreamer, they didn’t spend much time together any more. Mostly because William’s days were entirely taken up with work.
For the past year, he’d given every spare moment he had to training with Rukh, Ward, or the other raha’asras. The only way to save Travail and Fiona was to fully commit to his studies. He couldn’t allow any weaknesses or interferences.
As a result, he’d pulled away from Serena. She was too distracting. Whenever she was around, he found himself wondering what they really meant to each other, a question that inevitably sidetracked his training.
As he figured matters, after they rescued Fiona and Travail, maybe then he and Serena could sit down and figure out what they wanted from each other. Assuming she was actually interested in him as anything other than a friend. After all, during the past year Serena’s attitude towards him had also changed, becoming friendly, but definitely more businesslike.
William mentally shrugged. Perhaps it was for the best.
He led Serena to a bench at the edge of the Village Green. It overlooked the bridges and stairs linking Lilith’s many terraces, as well as the soaring rainbows and waterfalls thundering down in a rush of sound and a rising mist. With the sun still high, all of Lilith shimmered in a glory of light and vibrant colors while in the distance, the wide, blue waters of the Pacific merged with sky.
The beauty of Arylyn still left William in awe. In many ways he still couldn’t believe this was his home. “I don’t want to ever get used to this,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone can,” Serena replied.
William took a sip of his drink and sighed in appreciation. He didn’t know what Garrett did to his lemons, but William had never had lemonade so fine in his entire life. It was a perfect drink with which to take in Lilith’s beauty. “What do you think Travail and Fiona will say when they see this place?”
Serena shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“Travail will probably talk about how pretty it is,” William said with a fond chuckle. “How it makes manifest the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
“Why would he quote the Declaration of Independence?”
“Are you joking?” William asked. “Travail loves the Declaration of Independence, and as soon as he gets done quoting it, he’ll probably run off to somewhere isolated.”
Serena laughed. “At least he’ll be free,” she said, “but if he’s like me, he’ll find out that the finest form of freedom is in service to others.”
“Service unto others,” William said, quoting St. Francis’ school motto.
Serena smiled. “I’d forgotten that. And here I was thinking it was something I came up with.”
William smiled with her, but memories of Travail and realization of what was needed stole away his humor. “I’m almost ready to go back,” he said.
Serena frowned. “Are you sure?” she asked. “You’ve only been training for a year and a half.”
“What do you think?” William asked. “You’ve been the one teaching me to fight like a mahavan.”
Serena sighed. “You’re almost there,” she said, sounding reluctant. “Another few months and I don’t see any mahavan easily overcoming you.”
“Ward says the same thing,” William said, “and Rukh thinks I’m as good as I’m going to get with a sword.” The idea of going back to Sinskrill left him simultaneously excited and terrified.
“Do you have a plan for how to get off Sinskrill with Travail?” Serena asked.
“I think so,” William said. “Or least I might.”
Serena eyed him in uncertainty. “You know Mr. Zeus won’t let you go until you have that part figured out.”
“I know,” William said.
Serena’s mien became mournful.
“What is it?” William asked.
“Do you ever get the sense that Lilith isn’t real?” she asked. “That it’s too perfect?”
William frowned, not sure what she meant.
“I have this fear that all of this will end up being some kind of broken dream,” Serena said, “that I’ll wake up one day in the Servitor’s Palace.”
William took one of her hands and squeezed it. “If you can feel me doing that, you know it’s real. You can’t feel in dreams.”
“Not in a normal one, but in some you can,” Serena said, slipping her hand free. Her face became serious, and she took a deep breath as if she needed to gather her courage. “I had a dream last night. Isha contacted me.”
William stiffened. Adam Paradiso, the author of much of his and Jake’s suffering. While Serena still had warm feelings toward the man, William hated him. In fact, other than the Servitor, there was no one in all of Sinskrill—maybe the entire world—who he despised more.
William set aside his anger, though. He needed information. “How did he reach you? I thought only those who love one another can share dreams.”
“Isha raised me as a father would a daughter,” Serena answered. “I know you hate him, but I still think of him
that way.”
William scowled, feeling betrayed by Serena’s words. How could she love someone who had hurt him so badly? “What did he tell you?” he asked, trying not to snap at her.
“Isha has touched the Spear,” she answered, “and he says that in three years the anchor line between the Servitor’s Palace and Seminal will open up. That’s when Lord Shet will return to Earth, and Isha is terrified. So is the Servitor. They saw what Shet did to Seminal.”
William’s anger gave way to further confusion. “I thought Shet was chained up.”
“Yes, but ‘was’ is the important qualifier,” Serena said. “He no longer is. He’s free. The chains broke early, and Isha says he has returned life to the remaining titans on Seminal.”
William’s eyes widened in horror. “There’s more than one like him?”
“Seven,” Serena said. “Demigods instead of true gods, but with Shet’s help they’re powerful enough to easily enslave both Seminal and Earth.”
“Just great,” William said. For the past two years he’d focused only on freeing Fiona and Travail. As a result, he’d put Shet on the back burner.
He could no longer do so. None of them could. Shet was coming, and they had to find a way to stop him.
“But we still have three years before the anchor line opens?” William asked.
“As far as I know,” Serena replied. “But what difference does it make? Once it opens and Shet crosses, he’ll destroy us.”
“Then we have to figure out a way to close the anchor line before that happens,” William replied.
Serena held a skeptical air. “No one knows how to do that.”
“Not yet, but ever since Australia, Mr. Zeus has been researching it.” He didn’t bother mentioning that Mr. Zeus’ investigations had found nothing of use.
“But—”
“One problem at a time,” William said. “Shet’s important, but for now let’s focus on getting Fiona and Travail free from Sinskrill. After that we can figure out everything else.”
Serena didn’t respond. Instead, she stared out over Lilith Bay, a wistful smile on her face. “I hope you’re right, but even if you aren’t, this place has been a lovely dream.”
“We’ll make this dream real,” William promised, “but until then, we need to gather our people together and figure out our next step.”
“Anyone home?” William called when he and Serena arrived at Mr. Zeus’ place. With night settling on the island, the lights inside were on, but he couldn’t hear or see anyone moving about.
“Out back,” Jason shouted.
Serena’s eyes darted about in obvious curiosity and nervousness while they made their way through the house. “You know, I’ve only been past Mr. Zeus’ front door five times in the past two years.”
“It’ll be fine,” William said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. “You don’t have to be nervous.”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“Nobody hates you any more.”
“That doesn’t mean they like me.”
“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill,” William told her, although privately he thought she might be right. Jake, Daniel, and Lien liked Serena well enough, even Mr. Zeus did, but for whatever reason, Jason only tolerated her.
They entered the courtyard in the back and discovered the group of people William had asked to meet with them: Mr. Zeus, Afa, Jake, Ms. Sioned, and Jason.
All were gathered around the lit firepit next to the pond. The gurgling of the small waterfall at the back of the garden could be heard above the crackling flames. Several landscape lights highlighted a few shrubs, but otherwise, the only illumination came from the fire, as twisting smoke dispersed into the air.
“Serena,” Mr. Zeus greeted with an inviting smile. “It’s good to see you again. Both of you have a seat.” He pointed to a pair of chairs.
William’s worry eased a bit. “Thanks for meeting with us,” he said, sliding into one of the unoccupied chairs.
“What’s this about?” Afa asked.
“William thought I should tell you something,” Serena said. “Isha—my Isha—dreamed to me last night.”
Silence followed her statement.
“How?” Jake blurted. “I thought you were blocked from dreaming to people.”
“She is,” Ms. Sioned said. “She can’t send out dreams but she can receive them.” Ms. Sioned smiled at Serena. “Sile says ‘hello,’ by the way. He also offers his gratitude for all your help with the spring plantings.”
“My pleasure,” Serena replied. She feigned careless courage, but William saw the tension in her carriage as she stepped farther into the courtyard. She edged forward with the tight-limbed motion of a cat in a strange alley before sitting next to William.
“Sile also asks you to seriously consider his offer of working with him in partnership next year,” Ms. Sioned said. “Bar thinks you should take it up as well.”
William gazed at the old raha’asra, sensing something about her words. They hadn’t been meant for Serena’s ears alone.
Sure enough, Mr. Zeus wore surprise on his face. “Sile wants to partner with you, and Bar Duba supports his offer?”
Serena nodded.
“I see,” he said. He stared at Jason, who flushed.
“You need to hear what Adam told her,” William said.
Serena explained the message Isha had sent.
“Shet and Seminal,” Mr. Zeus said, making the names sound like a curse.
“They’re real,” Serena insisted.
“I want to believe you,” Mr. Zeus said. “I’ve even investigated how to close an anchor line, but nothing in our histories confirms that Shet still lives. All our records say he was killed by Shokan and Sira.”
“Defeated,” Serena said. “Sinskrill’s histories say Shet left for Seminal of his own accord, but Arylyn’s say he was defeated. They don’t say he was killed.”
Jason grumbled under his breath.
William rolled his eyes, tired of Jason’s ongoing skepticism. “Shet’s real,” he said to Jason, “and we need a better plan than sitting around doing nothing when he arrives to burn Lilith to the ground.”
Jason glared at him.
Mr. Zeus took off his glasses, sighed, and rubbed his eyes. “Your past hinders your present,” he told Serena. “Not enough influential people believe you. Unless you have a way to convince them that you speak the truth, nothing will change.”
“Because nothing needs to change,” Jason muttered.
“Life is change,” Ms. Sioned chided.
“There is a way to make her speak the truth,” Afa said. “It’s something only a raha’asra can create.”
“What’s this?” Mr. Zeus asked Afa. “You’ve never spoken of something like this before.”
“I thought of it when William and Jake showed me how to drain lorasra,” Afa said. “It made me realize that we can adjust a governor so it completely blocks someone from accessing lorasra. They’d essentially be rendered normal. We could then place a braid of truth-telling on them and prevent them from lying.”
“You have a governor like that?” Jason asked.
Afa nodded. “A first attempt, but it works.”
“I’ll wear it,” Serena quickly agreed, although her face had gone pale.
William squeezed her hand in support.
Afa clapped his hands in delight. “Excellent. Let me fetch it.” He rose and prepared to hobble off to his home.
Jake stood. “Tell me where it is and I’ll get it.”
“On my desk. It looks like any other governor.”
“Be back in a bit.” Jake dashed off.
“It’s really silly of you to distrust her so,” Ms. Sioned addressed Jason while they waited.
“Not now, Sioned,” Mr. Zeus said.
“When you find she’s been telling you the truth all along, I expect an improvement in your attitude and behavior toward her.”
Jason squirmed in his chair, but he didn’
t respond.
Minutes later, Jake returned with the governor and passed it to Serena.
“Remember to buckle the straps around your neck,” Afa advised.
As soon as Serena had the governor fitted and connected around her head and neck, she groaned. “I hate this thing. It feels like I’ve got the flu.”
William understood her discomfort. Lorasra divided around her as if she was a boulder in a stream, and she had no access to it.
Afa made a pleased noise. “It works.”
Mr. Zeus grunted. “I’ll place the braid,” he said. He wove quickly and made a flicking motion.
An ivory band shot with Earth-green settled on the crown of Serena’s head, and she gasped.
“Tell us how you learned about Seminal,” Mr. Zeus said.
Serena explained about touching the unprotected Spear and sourcing her lorethasra. She told of how it transported her mind to a place of legend, where elves ruled sylvan realms, dwarves and gnomes battled for control of caves buried in mountains, and—
“Wait,” Jason said. “Dwarves are peaceful. They can’t fight anyone.” He wore a triumphant expression.
“She saw what she saw,” William said. “She can’t lie about it with the braid Mr. Zeus placed on her.”
“It’s true,” Mr. Zeus said.
“Then she’s mistaken,” Jason said. “The Spear gave her false visions and made her believe something that isn’t true.”
“I also saw Shet,” Serena said. “I saw lorasra billow off him like smoke from a forest set ablaze. It’s the same lorasra that flows into Sinskrill and other saha’asras, like the one in Australia. Only a god can create that much lorasra.”
“Two years ago, Shet promised to return to Earth in five years,” William said. “Adam dreamed to her and confirmed that number.”
“Then maybe the Spear gives false images to everyone,” Jason said.
“Why would it?” William asked. “And what harm is there in figuring out a way to stop an apocalypse?”
Jason had no answer. A thoughtful expression replaced his earlier one of certainty.
“I can’t take this any more,” Serena said. Her face had grown pale and sickly. She unbuckled the governor and lifted it off, sighing with relief.
