Architecture & Adversity

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “Of course,” Governor Lux said, gesturing to the guards, ten (10) of whom drank the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean. “Follow her directions to place the components,” Governor Lux said.

  “Your work is to stand the pillars at these key points around the island,” Fantine said as she held up the document that Governor Lux had originally sent to her through the courier. The document included a map of Yihartec Island on which Fantine recorded her own indications of where to place the constructor pillars.

  The Chronicler Silvius looked at the document and recorded it into his own book.

  The Chronicler, Ovid, had already seen and recorded the document, since he been in the company of Fantine when she received it.

  “Before we go, I need the sapphires,” Fantine said. She drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from her vial and was energized.

  Governor Lux handed over each of the eight (8) sapphires, in turn, and Fantine altered them. Each of these took fifteen (15) minutes, which was much faster than before.

  “You’re moving more quickly than before. How so?” Governor Lux asked, intrigued at the increased efficiency.

  “I recognized certain patterns and symmetries in the design, so I was able to utilize them to streamline the structure. That simplified the configuration of the constructor, and that accelerated the necessary alterations to the control crystals,” Fantine said.

  “That may be the most valuable investment yet in improving this machine of yours,” Governor Lux said.

  “We’re ready to go now,” Fantine said. She then boarded the Sandstone Cutter, followed by the ten (10) assigned Nabavodel-water-drinking guards, Niven and the Chroniclers Ovid and Silvius.

  Governor Lux and his other guards waited on the shore.

  Once she was on board, Fantine said: “Captain, we’ll need to elevate the ship to ninety (90) feet of altitude to lower the eight (8) pillars into place and for me to place the control crystals at their tips.”

  Captain Arata converted the Sandstone Cutter to its airship configuration and elevated it to ninety (90) feet of altitude. He then steered the ship around Yihartec Island, stopping at the eight (8) key points. At each stop, the guards drank the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from their vials and were energized. They applied their amplified strength to place the ninety (90) foot tall constructor pillars at the indicated points on the island below, lowering them into place with strong ropes. Fantine situated one (1) sapphire atop each of the pillars as they were placed on the island. Both Ovid and Silvius recorded everything they could see into their books. Neither of them could observe the low-level structural changes that Fantine had made to the sapphires, but they could see her high-level activities clearly enough.

  The Sandstone Cutter returned to its starting point within two (2) hours, returning to sea level and restoring the masts and wings to their upright position. Captain Arata anchored the ship and everyone went ashore.

  “Are we ready?” Governor Lux asked.

  “Yes,” Fantine said.

  Fantine then took a different crystal she carried with her and made a quick, tiny alteration to it, so that it emitted light that was previously stored within its internal structure. The beam of light met with the altered sapphire atop the first pillar, which then turned a bright blue. That sapphire then emitted light beams of light toward the other sapphires atop the other seven (7) pillars, forming beams of light along all twenty (20) possible geometric diagonals among the eight (8) pillars. The beams of light began to rotate and the circular flow of energy drew up the mists of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean around the island. These mists began to swirl, congeal and form a square structure four (4) miles on each side and eighty-two (82) feet at its highest point. The entire structure was a luminous blue. The sapphires atop the eight (8) pillars then turned dark, signifying the end of the constructor’s operation, which lasted three (3) minutes.

  Both Ovid and Silvius recorded what they saw into their books while Niven held up a lightkeeper crystal and positioned it so that the light of the many suns would burn an image of the structure into the crystal.

  “Let’s go inside,” Fantine said, passing through a wide entrance in the eastern wall of the city. Everyone followed her, including Governor Lux, all of his guards, Niven, the Chroniclers Ovid and Silvius, the courier and even Captain Arata.

  Even Governor Lux was stunned when he saw the array of luminous blue crystal buildings that were a veritable city, more detailed and complete by far than what had been sketched out in his office by his architect. He already held Fantine’s abilities and her constructor in high esteem with the work she had done on the aqueduct. With this display of excellence, however, he decided that he needed her, personally, to become an asset of the bank.

  “This is your best work and best time yet. An entire city in three (3) minutes – after all that teardown and setup of the pillars, of course,” Captain Arata said.

  “We may be able to eliminate a great deal of that. Fantine and I will have to discuss the matter, so she can focus on actual design and construction rather these logistics of transportation and shipment. That’s not where her time should be spent,” Governor Lux said.

  The Chroniclers Ovid and Silvius each drank anew of the water of the Ursegan Ocean from their respective vials, becoming energized. They were thus able to patiently observe things around them, no matter how briefly they glanced at those things or how rapidly events around them occurred. Both of them recorded the details of the buildings within the constructed city walls into their books, although they could only see the obvious details visible to the unaided eye, because they could not peer into the low-level structure. They marveled at this city’s visible structure more than they did at the aqueduct in Baradaxa, which was simple in comparison. Each of them entered some of the buildings to note their dimensions and details. Silvius remained close to Fantine and Niven while Ovid moved away from them to explore on his own.

  Niven held up additional lightkeeper crystals under the light of the many suns to capture the details of the structures. He wanted to impress Fantine with his attention to detail – she was a perfectionist in all that she did, and he wanted to measure up to her standards, no matter the cost. She was worth it. He loved her now more than ever.

  After a day of exploration of the city, Fantine, Niven, Ovid, Silvius and Governor Lux all met at the eastern edge of Yihartec Island.

  “I will need three (3) copies of those lightkeeper crystals imprinted with the city’s image,” Governor Lux said, looking to Niven, who held the crystals in his hands.

  “I need my own copy,” Fantine said.

  “Under the authority of the Oath, I too, request a copy of the lightkeeper crystals with the city’s image,” Silvius said.

  One copy of the lightkeeper crystals would be enough to take back to Emeth, so Ovid chose not to request another.

  “Those aren’t free, Chronicler. This man sells high quality crystals, and they command a price above the market average. They are his livelihood, so your demands would be interference,” Governor Lux said. Although this was true, he said it to test the authority of the Chronicler’s Oath. Because the Chroniclers regularly recorded bank transactions which he would prefer they did not, he wanted to find a way to deflect their attention.

  “I will pay for the extra copy for the Chronicler,” Fantine said.

  “How generous! Yet, there is no need for you to concern yourself with their matters,” Governor Lux said.

  “Given more accurate records, other architects can learn from these techniques, and solve technical problems that I didn’t foresee,” Fantine said.

  “No need to be so humble. You are the greatest architectural mind in recent history,” Governor Lux said.

  “I still don’t know everything. I strive to, but I’m not perfect,” Fantine said.

  CHAPTER 18: Games of Chance and Depravity

  After arriving in the City of Emeth and submitting her book to the Verifiers of the Oath, the Chronicler Gise
lla saw fit to embark on her next journey. She refilled several vials with the waters of the Ursegan Ocean at the city’s fountains and then found transport on board a ship heading toward the continent of Waderav. The corruption and poverty there were overwhelming, so spending time was usually rewarded with many noteworthy observations, albeit unpleasant ones. While she preferred to chronicle the affluent – among whom she frequently sought personal relationships and an entertaining life – she realized that the duties of a Chronicler were service to capture the truth, so she could not put her own desires at odds with that mission. Of course, if personal satisfaction coincided with her responsibilities, so much the better; yet, it couldn’t always be so.

  The ship Gisella traveled on headed southeast across the Ursegan Ocean until reaching the western coast of the Bazavadoran Isthmus land bridge. There, the ship was converted to its airship configuration, with its masts and sails pivoting toward the sides to become sailwings. It ascended to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude and traveled over the land bridge, returning to sea level in the Nabavodel Ocean. From there, it sailed southeast towards northwestern Waderav, coming into port at Oxatrissa. As she walked down the ship’s boarding ramp, she watched the various traders on the docks loading crates of goods onto other ships. She approached some of the traders and inspected the outside of their crates, looking to see the markings. On some crates she found no legible markings and opened them for herself, writing what she saw into her book. What she found among the crate contents was mostly wheat, corn, barley and various sorts of gemstones and metallic substances. When one of the traders saw her snooping, he became angry and yelled: “Stay out of that! That’s my business, not yours.”

  Gisella replied, saying: “Under the authority of the Chronicle’s Oath, I will inspect these crates and record their contents as I see fit.” She continued opening crates and recording their contents into her book.

  “No you won’t! That’s private! I’ll rip your eyes out and tear your arms off!” the trader said and then he reached out to push her away violently. Just as he put a hand on her sleeve, that trader found himself thrown to the ground by an unseen force. The Guardian Angel Ondothel watched over Gisella, as she was an oath keeping Chronicler and was therefore not to be harmed.

  Another trader – a debonair man in his fifties, dressed a good bit better than the others – saw this and spoke to the trader lying on the ground, saying: “You need to have a little more respect – both for women and for the Oath. She has all rights to look at whatever she pleases. You should know that by now, being a man who travels.” That man then turned to Gisella and said: “I must apologize for this man’s ill manners and thoughtlessness. The rights of the Chroniclers are well known and indisputable. My name is Ewan. I am captain of the Enriching Sojourner. Whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

  “I am Gisella, Chronicler of six thousand eight hundred sixty-one (6861) years,” Gisella said.

  “I could not be more delighted. Please, anything you would like to see – my cargo, my ship – I will be more than happy to share with you,” Ewan said.

  Gisella found the man charming, if a bit unbelievable and overdramatic. “Why thank you, Captain Ewan. Perhaps I will,” she said.

  Gisella then looked at the trader lying on the ground – he was a burly man who might have been as young as twenty (20) or as old as fifty (50), given all the scars he had – and sketched a description of him into her book. She then continued looking into various crates and recording their contents into her book until it became monotonous.

  The trader lying on the ground got up and waited as Gisella continued her inspection of crates, all the while glaring at her; yet, he knew he had been bested by some unseen power. After a few minutes of these observations, Gisella felt that it was time to move on. As she went to leave the port town, Captain Ewan said: “Gisella, wherever you are going, I would be more than happy to escort you. My crew will look after my ship while I attend to your every need and curiosity.”

  Gisella considered this and said: “I would be delighted, Captain.” They headed into the port town together, and Gisella listened as the man boasted of his adventures, transporting people to and fro, and of being shipwrecked on more than one occasion, securing his own rescue. She looked at his neck and saw a gold chain from which hung a vial marked with the classical symbols of number and logic, denoting that it contained the waters of the Medathero Ocean. The man was clever and not too weathered for his years at sea: the absence of scars suggested good luck or good judgment.

  “I am traveling as far as I need and want, to see what is to be seen in Waderav. This is a poor region. Yet, it’s not without its interesting events,” Gisella said.

  “There are certainly things to be seen here, both delightful and troubling. It is often best to trade in the ports, and then be on my way, rather than becoming entangled in the politics of the continent’s interior, which is mostly farming and crystal bending, under the so-called noble lords, who are mostly robber barons,” Captain Ewan said.

  ~~~

  Baron Thurston sat upon his throne in his castle in central western Waderav. The castle was similar in design to that of most other barons, surrounded by a swamp and connected to dry land by a narrow iron bridge for security. Thurston was a twenty-nine (29) year old despot who had not the least bit of respect for women: they were servants in every way to him, and he traded in them as he would with livestock, or even worse. He looked upon the twenty (20) women in front of him, who were as young as nineteen (19) and as old as fifty-two (52), and chained together at the ankles, with their hands bound behind their backs.

  A man dressed in colorful clothing wore a jester’s cap and stood next to the baron’s throne. “What shall today’s game be, my lord?” the jester asked.

  “Show me something new, Hamblin. I am bored,” Baron Thurston said.

  Hamblin began to juggle a set of colorful balls in the air and Baron Thurston immediately said: “Stop! This is of no interest to me. Play a game with the cards – my favorite game.”

  Hamblin then pulled a deck of cards out of the folds of his clothing and shuffled it nervously. He drew a card and said: “The Five (5) of Diadems, my lord.”

  “Now, what could that mean, Hamblin?” Baron Thurston asked.

  “Five (5) of these fine young ladies could become your baronesses, my lord?” Hamblin asked, hoping the joke would be taken seriously.

  “Nonsense, Hamblin! Pure nonsense! You see, I don’t have an actual diadem to give to any of them, much less five (5) of them. I won’t be taking any of them as baroness. We need to think of something else,” Baron Thurston said.

  “We could draw another card, my lord,” Hamblin said.

  “I have a better idea! So much better! Remember that a diadem goes on a head, and a head gets a diadem. So, since the Five (5) of Diadems card was drawn, and we don’t have any actual diadems, that means we’re short by five (5),” Baron Thurston said.

  Hamblin took off his jester’s cap and said: “Perhaps I could find them for you, my lord. I’ll ride into nearby territories, search nearby forests, and even board the ships in the ports to find five (5) diadems to bring to five (5) of these fine young ladies.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Hamblin. All we need to do is to bring things into balance – and we do like balance around here. Since we don’t have enough diadems, we just have to get rid of the extra heads,” Baron Thurston said.

  The women who stood before Baron Thurston’s throne became nervous. “Please, my lord, let us find a way to serve you. We don’t need diadems – we only need to do what is pleasing to you,” the eldest among the women said.

  Baron Thurston stood up from his throne, drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from the gold cup that sat on the arm of the throne and was energized. He then picked up a sword at the side of his throne and touched its blade, which changed shape like clay in his hands. He molded the blade into a curved shape and stepped toward the women, cutting the heads
off of five (5) of them as the other fifteen (15) screamed, and they scuttled toward the wall of the throne room furthest away from the baron, moving awkwardly because of the chains between their legs and the bindings on their hands. There, they huddled and cried, saying: “Please! Baron! No!”

  The five (5) severed heads landed on a table next to the throne, having been propelled by the curvature of the blade and the direction of the swing.

  “Hamblin, please draw the next card,” Baron Thurston said.

  “Yes, my lord,” Hamblin said merrily. He pretended merriment only to save his own life – he knew that Baron Thurston was a monster, and looked for the opportunity to escape, hopefully rescuing these women along with himself.

  Hamblin then drew another card and said: “The Eleven (11) of Tombstones, my lord.” This was ominous and it made him nervous. The baron could find any excuse to kill anyone, and this card was not helping.

  “Five (5) are dead already – that’s five (5) corpses. Still, there are six (6) tombstones without a corpse. That’s not balanced at all, is it Hamblin?” Baron Thurston asked. He then took his sword and decapitated six (6) more of the women, while the remaining nine (9) screamed in terror.

  “Hamblin, please draw another card,” Baron Thurston said.

  “Might I suggest a different game, my lord?” Hamblin asked.

  “Yes. A new game. Excellent idea, Hamblin. The new game is…Draw two (2) cards instead,” Baron Thurston said.

  Hamblin regretted opening his mouth, but complied to save his own neck. He drew two (2) additional cards and said: “The Seven (7) of Hourglasses and the Fifteen (15) of Daggers, my lord,”

  “Oh, dreadful. With fifteen (15) daggers and only nine (9) of these women, we can’t play the game, Hamblin. How disappointing. What shall we do? I’ll tell you what we shall do. Guards! Send out for more beautiful women. I must continue this game. It is so delightful!” Baron Thurston said.

  The baron’s guards in the adjoining room heard this and their captain – a slender man with a graying mustache – entered the throne room and asked: “My lord, do you wish to have more beautiful young women brought here?”