Beyond The Hero's Chamber

by Ian Newton

  Chapter 19

  Follow the Leader

  Over the next few days, experimentation and creativity taught Kaya, Jacob, and Andrew that anything and everything weren't actually possible. Try as they might, things like traveling into the future or more than about ten hours into the past couldn’t be done. They also couldn’t send anyone other than themselves back in time. They couldn’t travel by disappearing and reappearing outside of the City, but they could use their staff’s to travel anywhere they wished.

  The loop of the staff also had limitations as Jacob discovered trying to fit it around the Lady Marie. Ultimately, none of them could make it much bigger than three people could fit into. But without Father, none of their discoveries would have happened, except by accident.

  It was also during this time of random experimentation they discovered another lost treasure. It happened when Andrew was thinking about past lessons and experiences. Kaya was sitting across from him, and he said, “I would talk less and listen more.”

  She followed the breadcrumb back to its source and looked at Jacob.

  Jacob stared back, not understanding the wisdom of the lesson.

  “What if we didn’t talk at all?” Kaya asked. She looked back at Andrew, and said, “It’s perfect.”

  “What happens if we don’t talk?” Jacob asked, looking a bit confused.

  “All of these people are brilliant beyond description,” Andrew told them. “The Fountain’s taken care of that.”

  “Agreed,” Jacob said, “but how does that help?”

  “The problem with our strategies is we’re the ones creating them,” Andrew observed.

  It took a moment, then Jacob yelled, “Again?! Are you telling me we’re doing it again?!”

  “Once again,” Kaya grumbled with irritation. “Once again, we’re sitting around making plans based on what we think we’re supposed to do.”

  Frustrated for once again missing the obviousness of it all, Jacob stood up. “We’re back at the beginning,” he said, pacing in frustration. “How does this keep happening?”

  “If it didn’t,” Kaya told him, “we’d be busy failing and thinking we were doing it right.”

  “I know,” Jacob agreed, still sounding irritated. “But all the ideas we’ve come up with, all the things we thought would be really great strategies wouldn’t have worked at all.”

  “It’s not that they wouldn’t have worked,” Andrew said. “They’re probably just not the best ideas. They’re limited in ways we can’t even see or understand right now.”

  “We put ourselves in charge,” Kaya said, thinking about the path they had chosen.

  “You’re absolutely right,” Jacob agreed. “We’re not only doing it wrong, we’re acting like we’re the smartest people in the City!”

  “What a horrible yet wonderful discovery,” Andrew mused. “I’m certainly glad we’re at the beginning of our journey instead of the end.”

  “I think it’s quite liberating,” Kaya told them, sounding relieved. “If you really think about it, there are only four things we’re supposed to do around this place.”

  “Navigate the Lady Marie,” Jacob said, holding up a single finger.

  “Welcome people to the City of Light and offer them water from the Fountain of Knowing,” Andrew chimed in.

  “Heal those in need,” Kaya added.

  “And?” Jacob asked, holding up three fingers.

  Kaya looked at Andrew, and he said, “And listen.”

  “I think there’s more to it than just listening,” Jacob said.

  “Why?” Kaya asked.

  “Because they’re going to have to direct us and tell us what they want us to do. They’re going to have to come up with all the answers, all the strategies, and we’re going to have to…listen,” Jacob said with a smirk.

  “I think I’m going to talk less and listen more,” Andrew said, thinking back to the first night he and Kaya spent on the island.

  “Much more,” she added, standing up and offering her hand to Jacob.

  “Is that really all there is to it?” Jacob asked.

  “Flip it,” Andrew told them as he stood up.

  Jacob and Kaya flipped their perspective, and they knew immediately what had just happened.

  “Do you feel that,” Andrew asked, taking both of their hands.

  “I can’t believe it,” Jacob said wistfully. “It all just changed again, didn’t it?”

  “We’ve had all the answers all along,” Andrew said, squeezing their hands. “Now all we have to do is not mess it up, again.”

  During the next weekly meeting Andrew, Jacob, and Kaya announced all their recent discoveries. The citizens were staggered by the information offered and even more taken aback by Andrew’s announcement that Jacob, Kaya, and he would no longer be leading the effort to recruit new citizens.

  “You must lead the way, and we will follow,” Andrew told the citizens, bringing the meeting to a close.

  As the crowd socialized the overwhelming and unlikely content of the meeting, confusion radiated from them like heat from a forge. The multitude of questions forced Kaya to ask Andrew and Jacob to reconsider their decision.

  “Give them time,” Jacob encouraged her. “Give them a chance to be brilliant and give us an opportunity to listen.”

  Andrew nodded in agreement and the three of them exited the marketplace.

  As the citizens began accepting their undefined roles they started devising ways to achieve their goal. To maximize everyone’s participation, they developed a process of deliberation and voting. Kaya, Andrew, and Jacob participated as little as possible, doing their best to remove their opinions from the conversations swirling around them. When they did participate, it quickly became apparent they were just citizens, like everyone else.

  Within weeks of their announcement, Andrew, Kaya and Jacob received detailed written instructions from the spokesperson of the Citizen Recruitment group. The plan to “Save Colesco”, as it was entitled, was an elaborate strategy involving the entire population of the Kingdom and every resource at the citizen’s disposal.

  That evening, Andrew, Jacob, and Kaya marveled at the creative intricacies of the plan. It was far more elaborate than anything the three of them had considered, and it required virtually everyone in the City to pull it off. It even created a strategy within a strategy to account for the effects of time travel on the person who would be jumping through it.

  “This is incredible,” Jacob commented, reflecting on the ingenious planning woven into the strategy to save Colesco. “I think they’ve used everything we told them we could do, and they even improvised this part,” he said pointing to the section involving time travel. “Do you think you can even do this?” he asked Kaya.

  “That’s going to be very strange, but I don’t see why not. As long as they’re prepared to see me like that, it can work.” Kaya pointed at another critical part of the strategy, and said, “Jacob, look at how they have you removing the most influential citizens. It’s really quite brilliant.”

  “Colesco must have four or five times the number of people in our City, but they’ve accounted for that too. They even have a plan to work with the ones who bounce back,” Andrew said, admiring the completeness of it all.

  Jacob was smiling, and he said, “I especially like how they’re going to try to get everyone over here. Not just the ones who can see the Lady Marie.”

  Over the next three days, the City was re-invigorated with its coordinated effort and singular purpose. Andrew, Kaya, and Jacob were utilized in critical areas to transport supplies and equipment to staging areas between the Lady Marie in port and the City. Groups of citizens assembled tents and the best temporary housing facilities they could muster. Food tents and latrines were created where there had been nothing and by the time Jacob set sail in the pre-dawn hours, the
area between the port and the City had been completely transformed.

  Taking to the sky, Jacob sailed the Lady Marie high above the fleet of warships heading toward Colesco.

  “It’s just like we expected,” he thought back to Andrew and Kaya. “The Empire’s armada is only days from Colesco, which means their army must be just as close.”

  Andrew reported the news to the citizens, and it only strengthened their resolve.

  Jacob quickly flew ahead of the fleet hugging the coast and steered the Lady Marie out to sea. His approach to Colesco had been scheduled to achieve maximum effect. And whether he had been asked or told, the point had been made clear on multiple occasions, he shouldn’t be late.

  When he finally directed his ship toward the city, the morning sun was directly behind her. As the golden splendor of the Lady Marie approached the fortified harbor of Colesco, the people below pointed, watching in awe as Jacob silently sailed overhead.

  With the flying ship approaching the massive city wall, soldiers pointed, and sounded their alarm bells until the alert had spread across the entire city.

  Flying just above the rooftops, Jacob passed the center of the city and thought to Andrew and Kaya, “I’m almost at the drop-off area, and I’m getting a lot of attention!”

  “Perfect,” Kaya thought back. “This time, you can come in for a landing. We’re all ready.”

  “You have no idea how disturbing that is to hear,” Jacob replied.

  “You should try it from our point of view,” forty Kaya’s thought back.

  “We’re all set on this end too,” Andrew replied. “Everyone’s excited and ready to go.”

  Just south of the farmlands bordering the Spire Mountains, Jacob brought the Lady Marie in for a landing. Her keel ran through the land as smoothly as it did water, and he leveled her out bringing the deck of the ship just a few feet off the ground. He set out the gangplank and hundreds of miles away, Andrew gave the signal to board.

  Within fifteen minutes two thousand citizens from the City of Light flooded into the upper-most section of Colesco. When the last one in line came jogging across the gangplank, he looked at Jacob, and said, “All right, that’s it. We’ll see you in the harbor,” and he ran off on his mission.

  Jacob pulled back the gangplank and slowly made his way back across the city, just above the rooftops. He waved to all those who could see him and invited them to meet him at the harbor. When he arrived in the harbor, he docked the Lady Marie in a large open slip, set out the gangplank, looked at his staff, and said, “Show me the chairman of the Senate.”

  A white-haired gentleman dressed in bedclothes appeared in the hoop of his staff and Jacob dropped it over his head.

  Andrew slowly circled above Colesco, and it wasn’t long before he was called down to help move a house full of elderly people. With the aid of his staff, he quickly relocated everyone in the house to the south entrance of the City where citizens, already in position, anxiously awaited their first delivery.

  Jacob appeared in the house of the Colesco Senate chairman and introduced himself. He also met the man’s wife. Within seconds, he had put them through the loop of his staff and sent them to the east entrance of the City.

  The chairman and his wife were welcomed by a small group of eager citizens and within minutes, they were joined by every other person with political or military significance.

  With Andrew and Jacob assisting from above, the citizens from the City of Light gathered and led as many people as possible toward the port, and the awaiting Lady Marie. In their wake, they left confusion, minor turmoil, and a general feeling of excitement as they promised to return. In their first pass, the citizens gathered almost twice their number, bringing about four thousand people from Colesco onto and through the gateway of the Lady Marie.

  Within hours, the forty Kaya’s had welcomed everyone who could enter the City, and the Lady Marie had been repositioned in its original drop-off location.

  “Here they come again, plus all the new recruits,” Andrew thought to Jacob as he signaled for everyone to board.

  In just under an hour, five thousand five hundred citizens exploded from the Lady Marie into Colesco. Each driven by the single purpose of rescuing anyone and everyone willing to take a leap of faith.

  Andrew and Jacob continued offering support throughout the day while the Kayas kept busy welcoming all the new citizens. When the sun started fading behind the mountains, Jacob and Andrew brought all the former political and military leaders back to Colesco.

  “All right everyone,” Jacob said to the group. “You’re the clean-up crew. You know what to do. The Lady Marie is still docked in port, good luck.”

  The “clean-up crew” worked its way across the city giving their new powers of perspective a thorough workout as they searched for any remaining holdouts.

  With night approaching, the “clean-up crew” stepped aboard the Lady Marie, leaving less than fifty people behind. Out of the ten thousand four hundred and seven people rescued, less than five hundred were either unable or unwilling to enter the City of Light. These humbled, restless souls occupied the makeshift living area between the City and the port. Their presence had been anticipated, and they were not alone.

  Each of them was now supported by a patient, nonjudgmental Caretaker, born and raised in the village. As a team, they would face the night together and work to overcome the challenges ahead.

  Within the City, a meeting was about to begin, and all the citizens gathered in the marketplace, coming together for the first time. Waiting for their cue, Andrew, Kaya and Jacob stood in their usual places, but not by choice.

  “I hope they prove us wrong,” Kaya thought, taking her copy of the agenda and her speech from the pocket of her robe. The title of page one was written in large bold letters, it read, “Save Colesco Agenda, Close of Day One” below that it read, “Moderator and Speaker: Kaya Elbe.” The agenda itself was three pages long, and her speech was fifteen pages long. As she stared at the stack in her hand, Andrew thought to her, “It’s their agenda, it’s their speech, and it’s their City. Everything about to happen is up to them.”

  “None of this is going to work,” Jacob thought, “Just do it and get this over with.”

  “This is crazy,” Kaya thought back. “We’re going to be here all night. All these people are never going to agree to these agenda items.”

  “Let’s just get this over with,” Jacob repeated.

  “Here we go,” she said, flipping her perspective. Following the agenda, she greeted everyone and introduced herself, Andrew and Jacob.

  Her forty-five-minute speech was an intricate weave of information. It detailed virtually all the information that would not and could not be provided by the water of the Fountain. In a word, it was overwhelming.

  When she was finally done with her lecture, Kaya moved into the matters of today and tomorrow. With the agenda in hand, she told the remarkably patient assembly there would be a vote after she read each of the six proposed courses of action. The only question she would pose before the vote was, “Are there any opposed?”

  “If anyone is opposed,” she droned on, “they will raise their hand and shout “I am opposed.” Please leave your hand raised while I used my perspective to better understand your position.

  If possible,” she continued explaining, “I will present to the assembly the reasoning behind the opposition, then there will be time for debate and a final vote. Any item voted on twice without unanimous approval will not be approved and may or may not be reconsidered at a later time.

  If no one is opposed to the agenda item, I will consider it approved, and everyone’s full support will be expected.”

  Glancing up from her agenda, she announced, “I will now begin reading the proposed items. I will read them one at a time, then call for an opposition vote.”

  Jacob sig
hed, questioning the wisdom of their decision for the thousandth time.

  “Proposal one,” she read stiffly, “Citizens wanting to collect any personal belongings from the city of Colesco may begin doing so at first light tomorrow via the Lady Marie. If your items are not something you wish to carry throughout the day, you are asked to return to the City and place them in the dwelling you have selected.”

  She paused at the word “Pause” written below proposal one. “Are there any opposed?”

  The agenda said, “Hold for thirty seconds,” and she did.

  “A scavenger hunt?! Really?” Jacob scoffed to Kaya and Andrew.

  At thirty-one seconds, having heard no objection, she announced, “The item is approved.”

  The citizens applauded their decision and quieted in anticipation.

  “Proposal two. All ship owners with vessels capable of open-ocean travel will assemble a crew and return to Colesco to retrieve their ships. These ships will be made ready to leave by sundown. They will leave port tomorrow night and will be sailed back to the City of Light where they may be of future use. Jacob will provide logistics support throughout the day, and accompany you all on your journey home.”

  She paused. “Are there any opposed?”

  “One of them has to know this is unnecessary,” Andrew thought to Jacob. With time running out, Andrew complained, “Seriously? Not one of them thinks this is a bad idea?”

  Jacob smirked, knowing at least one person would oppose the idea.

  When the inevitable failed to arrive, Kaya announced, “The item is approved.”

  The applause started up again, and Andrew glanced at Jacob.

  Jacob thought back, “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.”

  Kaya pinched the back of her hand, and whispered, “I wish I had an elephant.”

  When the elephant didn’t arrive, she took a deep breath and moved down the list. “Proposal three,” she announced, quieting the citizens. “All citizens will return to Colesco to collect items made of gold or silver, or any items containing gemstones. You will only collect what rightfully belongs to you. We are not interested in the personal property of others. Additionally, Andrew will return to the treasury of Colesco and remove ninety-five percent of all the city holdings. You will bring your items back to the City where they will be combined with the items transported from the treasury. In this way Pridarius will not increase his wealth and the people outside the Kingdom will not need to protect or defend such a vast hoard of useless metal and rocks.

  To be clear, this collection of items will be a public resource available to all citizens without restriction, just as any other resource within our City. If proposal one has been approved these efforts will be combined.”

  She paused and asked for opposition.

  After thirty-one seconds of silence, she declared the item approved, the citizens cheered, and she moved on to proposal number four.

  “Any person outside the City who either “bounced back” or was too reluctant to attempt entry will be offered the opportunity to permanently return to Colesco by way of the Lady Marie. Passage will be provided tomorrow at sunset or immediately after everyone has finished their tasks within the city, whichever comes first. Those choosing to remain outside our City of Light will be encouraged to return to Colesco around noon where they may gather any needed belongings. All belongings must be the property of the person gathering them, items must be small enough to be carried without assistance, and they must fit into the gateway of the Lady Marie. We will advocate for the retrieval of items such as clothing and blankets, but the choice is theirs to make. The quantity of belongings and the number of trips to and from Colesco will be unrestricted for approximately three hours.”

  She paused, and Andrew thought to her and Jacob, “I’m opposed! I’m opposed!! This is a horrible idea! Someone has to agree with me!”

  “Are there any opposed?” Kaya asked.

  The long seconds ticked by and Jacob thought to them, “We’re going to have a front yard full of old furniture and framed pictures! I want to object. Andrew, we have to obj…”

  “If either of you so much as raise a finger I will slip my staff over your head and send you to the moon!” Kaya snapped.

  Jacob glanced playfully at Andrew as their scolding continued.

  “I’ve had a very long day of time traveling. I’m tired, this whole thing is insane, but we gave up whatever control we thought we had, and this is how it works now. If you don’t like it, move to Colesco!”

  Kaya missed Andrew smirking at Jacob, who was biting his lip, trying not to laugh. Her frustration mirrored their own, but her motherly scolding brought just enough comical absurdity into the moment, neither of them could control their reactions.

  “The item is approved,” Kaya said mechanically.

  She was grinding her teeth as she thought about how unnecessary these proposals were. The unanimity of the City felt like a conspiracy against common sense. None of this was critical to their mission, none of this would have been done if they were doing things her way. How had she ever agreed to this?

  “Proposal five,” she read over the ongoing applause. “The outer gates of Colesco will be unlocked and left open. If approved, this task will be conducted by the former Captain of the Colesco Defense Brigade and a support team of his choosing. Additionally, this team will instruct any and all interested residents of Colesco how to close and secure the defensive barriers. With this effort, the choice and the ability to either open or close the city will be left to those who occupy it.”

  “Perfect,” Andrew thought to Kaya and Jacob, “we’re just giving it to Pridarius!”

  “Are there any opposed?”

  “I am opposed,” came a small voice in the middle of the crowd. There was a hand raised, but it was too far away to tell who it was. Kaya shifted her perspective and attempted to discern the reason for this woman’s opposition.

  It didn’t take long for Kaya to re-address to the crowd, “The opposition feels it would be more appropriate to have the people of Colesco actually unlock and relock the outer gates, not the captain and his men. In this way they will perform the task and have a better chance of repeating it, should they wish to.”

  “Debate amongst yourselves,” Kaya instructed. “You have five minutes.”

  Andrew and Jacob continued their horseplay, irritating Kaya beyond words.

  After five minutes she let her perspective surf through the crowd until she was ready to offer a re-proposal.

  “Please allow me to restate proposal five by combining the needs of the opposed with the conclusion of the majority debating the issue.” She waited for silence.

  “It is proposed that the remaining residents of Colesco be shown how to lock and unlock the outer defensive gates of the city. Their instructor will be the former Captain of the Defense Brigade and a team of his choosing. The residents will then demonstrate their knowledge and ability by performing the task of locking and unlocking the gates. At the end of the lesson, the residents will unlock the gates. If they choose to lock them again, the choice is theirs to make. However, should the residents be unwilling to learn or unable to perform the tasks, the gates will be unlocked by the captain and his team and left open.”

  “This is the second and final vote. Are there any opposed?”

  “Do not give him the city!” Andrew and Jacob silently objected.

  Thirty-one seconds later and proposal five was approved.

  “Almost done,” she thought to herself, “Let’s finish strong.”

  The City was quiet as Kaya announced, “Proposal six. Those choosing to remain in Colesco will be informed that the Lady Marie will return to their port under the light of the next full moon. When she arrives, she will be docked in port. After she is docked, Captain Andrew will fly about the city announcing her arrival. An
yone wishing to board may do so at will.

  Any wishing to board, but without the ability to see her, will be assisted by Andrew only if his services are requested.”

  She paused methodically, and asked, “Are there any opposed?”

  “You’ll be just like a character out of a children’s story. Won’t that be exciting for you?” Kaya thought sarcastically to Andrew.

  “Thirty-one,” she counted in her head and announced the approval of the sixth and final agenda item.

  The citizens began dancing and singing in celebration of their shared purpose and vision. In thirty minutes a banquet was set up inside the marketplace. Food and drink were abundant, musical performances were given in multiple areas, and the dancing and celebration continued well into the night.

  Outside the City, an identical banquet was set up for all those who had not entered the City. These people, accompanied by their Caretakers, celebrated and danced to the music of their own band until they were exhausted and satisfied.

  Long after the dancing was done, Kaya, Andrew, and Jacob sat together on the edge of the south Fountain.

  “I wish I had more wisdom,” Andrew said, dipping the tips of his fingers into the water.

  “All I know, is I know nothing,” Jacob said, looking up at the stars.

  “Ignorant. That’s how I feel right now. Like an ignorant child. After everything we’ve been through, I can’t believe it’s come to this,” she grumbled.

  “Come to what?” asked a man from the other side of the Fountain.

  Thinking they were alone, the voice surprised them, and Andrew said, “Why don’t you come and join us? Our conversations are rarely private.”

  Geoffrey walked around the Fountain until he stood in front of the three heroes of the City, and said, “Good evening Kaya, Andrew, Jacob,” acknowledging each of them as he said their names.

  “Good evening,” they each returned in kind.

  “Please call me Geoff and I’m sorry for intruding on your conversation,” he said, suddenly looking surprised. “Did you know you’re glowing?” he asked, walking around and inspecting them from every angle.

  “It’s my personality,” Jacob teased. “What brings you out so late Geoff?”

  “I couldn’t sleep,” he said, admiring the glow they each cast on the ground, “so I came out here. The Fountain is as beautiful a place as I could ever imagine and it seems to ease my mind.” He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the serenity.

  “You’re from Colesco aren’t you?” Andrew asked.

  “I am,” he said opening his eyes, “it’s been quite a day.”

  “I’m sure it has,” Kaya said, meeting his eyes. “We certainly don’t want to burden you with our concerns Geoff. The part of our conversation you heard probably wasn’t our best moment.”

  “I understand. Honestly, I didn’t know the three of you were over here, or I would have introduced myself sooner. I was just surprised to hear anyone in the City of Light feeling ignorant or frustrated.”

  “I know we met earlier today,” Jacob acknowledged, “But I can’t remember what you use to do in Colesco?”

  “I was the vice-chairman of the Senate,” Geoff said, sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of them.

  “That sounds important,” Andrew commented.

  “And difficult,” Jacob offered.

  Geoff looked up at them with a smile, and said, “It use to feel that way.” He ran his hands over his soft robes, and said, “Everything was different yesterday.”

  “That’s just about where we were in our conversation when you came in,” Kaya told him. “What was happening in your part of the world before yesterday? What does the vice-chairman of the Colesco Senate worry about?”

  “War,” he said, looking down. “Such a childish thing really, but before yesterday it was everything.”

  “I don’t get it,” Jacob said. “Your city walls are ten feet thick. How could Pridarius possibly pose a threat? Why would you unlock the city and give it to him?”

  “I wondered why it upset you when Kaya called for opposition,” he contemplated aloud.

  “What do you mean?” Jacob asked. “I didn’t object, I don’t think I said anything the whole time we were up there.”

  “That’s strange,” Geoff said, lying back to look at the stars. “I didn’t think you were in on it, but a lot of people did.”

  “In on what?” Andrew and Kaya asked simultaneously.

  “Well that would explain the frustration,” Geoff said to the stars. He paused, and eventually sat back up. “Every fourteenth word after City?” he asked, looking at each of them.

  “Every what?” Kaya asked.

  Looking back up at the stars, he asked, “So I’m the messenger?” He sighed and looking back at Kaya, Andrew, and Jacob, he said, “So I’m the messenger.”

  The heroes looked at each other, trying to figure out what Geoff was talking about when Geoff finally said, “Your speech, do you still have it?”

  Kaya took her staff, and said, “My bed,” then she reached into the hoop and grabbed the stack of papers off her bed.”

  “That’s fun to watch,” Geoff said with a grin. “Start after the word City and count out fourteen words. Do it for the whole thing,” he said, laying back again.

  “The sun,” Kaya said to her staff making sunlight poured out of it.

  Jacob and Andrew shuffled next to her, staring at the paper.

  Kaya said the words one at a time as she riffled across the lines of her speech, counting as she went, “use …perspective …on …the …heroes …do …not …agree …if …they ….agree …do …not …follow …them …citizens …must …lead …heroes …must …follow.”

  “A plan within a plan,” Jacob said admiringly. “It’s what we asked them to do, but much more clever.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” Andrew said, thinking about where everyone’s perspective was during the reading of the speech and the agenda items.

  “If you thought it was a bad idea,” Geoff said, leaving the idea unfinished.

  “Then it must be a good idea,” Kaya observed.

  “How else would it have been a unanimous vote?” Andrew asked rhetorically.

  Kaya said something to her staff, and the light went out. She took Andrew’s hand as she pictured herself in a wooden cart rolling down a steep hill. One of the wheels had just popped off, and the whole thing was listing badly to one side.