Architecture & Adversity

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Captain Duvall opened the door leading into the throne room and found King Hamza Bazavador alert and awake on his throne. Ochieng stood beside the guard captain.

  “Your Majesty, your stargazer, Ochieng, is here with a message for you. It is a report of danger and destruction, in a distant location,” Captain Duvall said.

  “Approach the throne, Ochieng, and bring me your message,” King Hamza Bazavador said in his powerful voice. It was full of authority and concern now.

  “I thank you, Your Majesty, for hearing me today. I have overheard a message of the Redfire Sentinels. They tell of the destruction of a city on Yihartec Island. The city had been constructed by the architect, Fantine. It was suddenly torn apart, and hundreds of ships around it were also destroyed in the explosion,” Ochieng said after approaching the throne.

  “That is a power of destruction that concerns me greatly, Ochieng. I suspect that it may be an act of evil; however, it would still be tragic and concerning if it was only an accident. Return to your watch and continue observing. Learn what you can of this,” King Hamza Bazavador said. He had strong suspicions that it was an act of evil, but no intention of explaining them to anyone just yet.

  Ochieng was escorted by Captain Duvall out of the throne room. He then returned to his post in the guard room in the same tower. There, he drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He continued listening to the sounds of the stars, and attempting to hear of any messages passed through the red suns.

  ~~~

  Judith and Romana led the eighty-one (81) children and adolescents into the city center of the Port of Reliance. There, they saw Lady Onora, who was readily speaking to people who were willing to hear what she had to say. Onora was asking them their needs and praying with them.

  Romana approached Onora but another person – a young man in his twenties – was ahead of her.

  The young man said to Onora: “I see you’re praying for people. I need you to pray for thousands of people, including my father.”

  “What is your name? Who was your father?” Lady Onora asked, startled at the request and the young man’s nervous tone of voice.

  “My name is Lewin. My father was Edmund. He was a Counselor for the central bank. He lived in the new crystal city on Yihartec Island in the Kazofen Ocean. Now, they’re all dead. The city was destroyed, along with hundreds of ships in the waters around it,” the young man said.

  Romana and Judith both heard this and stepped forward, burning with curiosity.

  “Where did you hear this from?” Judith asked.

  “I heard this from some cargo captains. They heard it from the Redfire Sentinels,” the young man, Lewin, said.

  “What else do you know of this event?” Romana asked.

  “The city was constructed by Fantine, for the central bank. People are starting to blame her, thinking that her cities are unstable, and the constructor is flawed. Some of them don’t trust her anymore,” Lewin said.

  “It only takes a single mistake – assuming that it was Fantine’s mistake, of course,” Romana said, stopping herself before judging the woman’s quality of work.

  “Take my hand, Lewin,” Onora said.

  Lewin joined hands with Onora, and Romana and Judith joined in.

  “I pray to Thee, Dear Merciful and Loving God, to protect the souls of those who have died, to forgive their sins in the name of Your Son who died in atonement for all transgressions and to bring them home to You. I pray for your continued protection over this city, as well, that it should stand firm against all dangers, within and without,” Lady Onora said.

  The oldest boy among the youths, Terach, asked: “Is it even safe here? Is this city built by that same woman – that Fantine he mentioned?”

  The eldest girl among them, Devora, asked: “Can we go somewhere else?”

  “You are safe here. Trust in the One True God, and you will continue to be safe here. He protects His faithful children,” Lady Onora said.

  ~~~

  Ximenez and Niven stood in Fantine’s workshop and watched as she drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from her vial.

  Fantine was energized and began working on manipulating a small sapphire, molding it into a different form that would allow her to construct a different sort of city when the necessary solar energy passed through it.

  Ximenez looked over some of the sketches Fantine had made but did not understand them. “What is it you have planned?” he asked.

  “I’m considering a city design that will be more flexible – with buildings that can relocate and change shape even after they’re constructed,” Fantine said.

  “That would make it difficult to map out, wouldn’t it?” Niven asked.

  “That is true. The point of this is that I want structures that can be repurposed. It’s an idea I’ve had for some time, but the constructor makes it possible. The constructor itself might not be flexible enough, however. I need to make some changes. Let’s go to Captain Arata and have him bring part of it back here,” Fantine said.

  Niven and Ximenez followed Fantine as she headed out of her workshop toward the docks. When they went out onto the pier, they saw Captain Arata standing there and talking to other captains.

  Hearing only a few words of the conversation was enough to startle Fantine. Niven and Ximenez were also interested.

  “The Redfire Sentinels witnessed it and reported it to other ships to stay away from Yihartec Island. They know about it in Emeth, too. There was a Chronicler standing right there when the city was destroyed,” another captain said.

  “What happened to the city? What is going on?” Fantine asked.

  “No one seems to know. But different reports agree that the city you constructed on Yihartec Island was suddenly destroyed. Hundreds of ships around it were also torn apart in the explosion,” Captain Arata said.

  “There are even rumors that there’s a flaw in the constructor – that all the cities it builds will fall apart like that, or worse,” the other captain said.

  “There’s no reason to believe anything like that! Those cities are well designed and constructed,” Fantine said. She was furious – absolutely furious. She had no intention of passively standing by while her work was destroyed without explanation and her abilities were discredited.

  “Then why was it destroyed? Thousands of people died,” the other captain asked.

  “That doesn’t make it her fault. You don’t know what happened – just that it did happen,” Captain Arata said.

  “I’m going to take a closer look at the situation. I want to see for myself what occurred on Yihartec Island,” Fantine said.

  “I’ll take you whenever you’re ready,” Captain Arata said.

  “I’m ready,” Fantine said.

  “Under the authority of the Chronicler’s Oath, I will be coming with you,” Ximenez said.

  “So am I…just to capture images of what happened,” Niven said.

  “Yes. You do that,” Fantine said. All she could think about was how to prove that her work was sound – she could not accept that she was responsible for a tragedy. Too many careful plans were made and tested before she configured the constructor.

  “Also, I’ve hired some guards to work on board the ship, because of what happened before. I’m going to need to raise the rates I charge you to pay for them, though,” Captain Arata said.

  “Just write up a list of your expenses and I will cover them, Captain,” Fantine said.

  “Thank you,” Captain Arata said. He then led the way as Fantine, Niven and the Chronicler Ximenez boarded the Sandstone Cutter. Arata then drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He listened to the sounds of the stars to learn their positions and paths. He thereby charted a course heading to Yihartec Island and set sail.

  ~~~

  When Claudia arrived in the glitzy, bright blue crystal city known as the Port of Illumination, she drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean
from her vial and was energized. She listened carefully, probing the thoughts of the people in the bustling city around her. She arrived with a cynical disposition – which was her only disposition – expecting to find some indication of dishonest financial intentions, even if she didn’t know what that would look like in terms of numbers and percentages.

  Members of many different professional occupations – banking, insurance, alchemy, herbal medicine, architecture, mercenary, navigation, child care, crystal bending, cargo transport, personal escorts and companions – were coming through here, by the hundreds, just at this one dock. A dozen more ships soon arrived, bringing thousands more.

  Claudia was diligent, but feeling overwhelmed, as she labored to find any sign of ill-intent or financial fraud. What she found was the ordinary whims and wishes of people looking for greater financial success, but nothing particularly interesting, and nothing that incriminated the central bank itself.

  ~~~

  Kassia and Daley arrived in the newly constructed crystal city around Haza’Kedro’Maral Island – a city known as the Port of Illumination – after secretly traveling aboard a transport ship sailing east from the Port of Reliance across the Pirovalen Ocean. Daley provided the cover of darkness – by the powers of the Ikkith Tar Ocean waters he drank – which both saved them the costs of travel and, more importantly, helped them to avoid notice.

  When they entered the city, Kassia and Daley worked to understand its layout. The glimmering blue buildings more than justified the city’s name, and the city was bustling with activity. They watched as dozens of additional ships arrived and thousands of people came into the city. They seemed to be setting up shop and taking up residence in the various buildings, and their chatter was easily overheard, revealing the many different lines of work in which they were involved: banking, cargo transport, crystal bending, insurance pricing, insurance sales, investment brokering, alchemy, navigation, light benders, sell-swords, herbalists, physicians, architects, scribes, a Chronicler named Alonso and another Chronicler named Caemgen.

  Kassia was listening carefully, and came to understand that the central bank had full ownership of this city, and governed it directly from Haza’Kedro’Maral Island in the center of this ring-shaped metropolis. Furthermore, the central bank governor had dispatched couriers inviting people from various continents, land bridges and islands to come work, live and invest here, all at favorable rates when compared to other cities, constructed or otherwise.

  Still under the cover of darkness, Daley led her down a side street, away from the crowd as best he could. He whispered to her, asking: “Why did we come here? What did you expect to find?”

  “The central bank tracks financial transactions the world over. They have a presence everywhere – including Revod, in the Jenaldej Empire, even though they have their own internal banking system. We were heading to that island, in the center of all this, to get access to those records, to see where she might be, buying or selling. That’s our best chance to find her. Remember – she wants power, she always wanted power, and she always moves toward where the influential people are.” Kassia said in a whisper.

  “Someone is moving towards us,” Daley said in a whisper.

  “We’re under darkness,” Kassia said in a whisper.

  ~~~

  Claudia sensed deceptive – though not necessarily malicious – thoughts and realized that there were people hiding in the darkness nearby. She approached the area, heading down a narrow side street of the city, even though her eyes could not see into the darkness. She vaguely noticed that someone was behind her. She could not telepathically probe the person, and a quick glance revealed the reason: a Chronicler of the Oath was there, and their minds could not be read for some reason.

  She moved forward, unconcerned by the Chronicler following her, because she intended to get a clearer telepathic reading by reducing the distance. The darkness itself was no obstacle to telepathy, so she probed the thoughts of the hidden people and learned that there was a woman named Kassia and a man named Daley, who cloaked them both.

  Claudia probed their thoughts deeper and was astonished, finding something far beyond any financial concerns. She said nothing, and intended to learn more, even though it was unrelated to her stated mission, because no danger could be ignored. She continued to wait.

  ~~~

  Under the cover of darkness, Daley and Kassia moved away. At first, they walked. Then, they walked briskly, crossing the streets of the city. They looked for a ship, and soon found one. They boarded it secretly to cross the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean to the diametrically opposite inside edge of the ring-shaped city, on the eastern side.

  ~~~

  Claudia fell back a bit but continued to follow them. She paid a silver coin for transport on another ship traveling in parallel across the same interior waters.

  The Chronicler behind her approached and said: “I am Alonso, Chronicler of three thousand four hundred eighty (3480) years. Under the authority of the Oath, I will travel with you.”

  “Whatever you want, just don’t do anything to bring attention to me. That would definitely be interfering,” Claudia said.

  ~~~

  Aura cradled Arik in her arms while she looked into the windows of the various shops on the streets of the city – which she heard was called the ‘Port of Illumination’ – and hoped to determine just where the real value in this city was to be found. She suspected that the power would be found in the center, where the mayor or administrative officials were usually located. They would pull the financial strings that controlled the city’s wealth, so she would work to pull their strings. Along the way, however, she paid some attention to the activities around her. She continued to drink the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from her vial and become energized anew. By maintaining this power, she was able to hear the conversations near and far, picking up more details, even of the whispers, of the closer ones. There was little of interest, but she did come to understand that the city surrounded a region of water, at the center of which was the Haza’Kedro’Maral Island, which was home to the central bank.

  She walked toward the center of the city and soon found the inside edge of the ring-shaped city, surrounding a large body of water. Since she had sailed the Pirovalen Ocean to arrive here, she hoped that was the same water, and not an artificial lake of some other water, or Dead Waters. Yet, she was no alchemist. There was another way to tell – by humming a tune and seeing if the surface water would carry it – but that risked drawing attention. She still had water in her vial, so it was no matter.

  Aura didn’t have any way of detecting the presence of the person standing next to her until it was too late. Suddenly, she and Arik were pulled into a side street, and then into a room in a small crystal building.

  Out of the darkness, a man and a woman appeared. Aura looked at the woman and burst into tears.

  “I thought you were dead! Kassia! I thought you were dead!” Aura said through sobs. She clung tight to Arik the entire time.

  “No, Aura. I’m still here. I had to make everyone think I was gone for a while. I had some things to take care of, and there are people who want me dead,” the woman – Kassia – said.

  “Who wants you dead?” Aura asked.

  “The central bank. I know too much about their fraud, and worse things they’ve done,” Kassia said.

  “Is that why you came to this city? Because the central bank owns it?” Aura asked.

  “Yes, but that’s not the main reason. Where’s Rivka?” Kassia asked.

  “She’s dead. I’m sorry. She’s dead,” Aura said.

  “Like Lyssa?” Kassia asked.

  “What do you mean?” Aura asked.

  “I know some of what you’ve done, too. You and Rivka were jealous of Lyssa’s lovers, so you both killed her,” Kassia said.

  “She mocked us! My anger got the better of me! I’m sorry. I regret it. I want Lyssa back,” Aura said through more tears. She bitterly regretted what she had
done to Lyssa and to Rivka.

  “Did you also get angry at Rivka? Did you murder her, too?” Kassia asked.

  “Yes. I’m sorry. I want her back,” Aura said.

  “Why? Why Rivka? You were her closest friend…or so I thought,” Kassia asked.

  “We were friends. The king loved her, but rejected me. The king took her as his lover, but refused to fulfill me. She betrayed me,” Aura said.

  “Envy, lust and anger are among the deadliest sins – you’re guilty of all of them,” Kassia said.

  “I came here to rebuild my life. If not for me, then for him. This is Arik,” Aura said, holding up her son.

  “Are you going to teach him your ways? Are you going to lead him to the same destruction you’re heading for? Do you know the kind of punishment that awaits you after this life?” Kassia asked.

  “I’m going to raise him the best that I can. That’s the best I can do,” Aura said.

  “He deserves better than you,” Kassia said.

  “He’s my son! Are you going to try to take him from me? Is that why you’re here?” Aura asked, suddenly afraid as well as sorrowful.

  “No. I’m not here to hurt anybody. I’m not here to cause pain or sorrow. Certainly not to a small child. Not even to you. You’ve caused enough pain and torn enough families apart with your sins,” Kassia said.

  “You keep saying that! I know! I know! I’m sorry!” Aura said.

  “Rivka is still dead. Lyssa is still dead. Saying you’re ‘sorry’ doesn’t bring them back,” Kassia said.

  “What do you want me to do? He needs me. He needs a family. Even if you hate me, even if you want to kill me, he still needs me,” Aura asked.

  “I love you, Aura. You’re my sister. You’re a vicious and dangerous woman, but you’re still my sister. I want to bring you home, but I can’t do it by myself,” Kassia said.

  “Is that why you brought him?” Aura asked, looking toward the man who stood beside Kassia.

  “Daley helps me go where I need without the central bank knowing about it. We have to do things by night, so it helps if we can decide when ‘night’ is,” Kassia said.