Evercloud walked and sat down next to Annie, pushing his feet out into the dry sand. She didn’t even turn to look at him, just continued to watch the waves and the horizon.
“I’m sorry, Annie,” said Evercloud. “I haven’t been much of a hero.”
“Who said you were a hero?” asked Annie.
The words stung Evercloud, though he knew Annie hadn’t meant them in insult. He quickly realized why the words stung. He had wanted to be a hero; he still wanted to be a hero.
“I want to be,” he said simply and truthfully.
Annie turned to look at Evercloud. He couldn’t tell if her eyes betrayed contempt or indifference.
“It didn’t turn out the way you wanted it, did it?”
“No,” said Evercloud and turned back to the sea.
“Are you going to give up?”
Evercloud shook his head slowly. “No.”
“Good,” said Annie.
“But I don’t know what to do,” he admitted.
“Yes you do,” said Annie. “Did you forget that I was there when she told you what you are? When she told us you and Densa are the unlikely pair? It’s a prophecy Evercloud, it tells you exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
“I’m afraid Annie.”
“That’s okay… But that doesn’t mean that you can just stop.”
“Densa,” said Evercloud shaking his head. “I hate him.”
“I don’t think you would make an unlikely pair if you didn’t,” Annie pointed out.
Evercloud gave a bitter laugh and shook his head again. He stared at the black-haired woman and smiled. She winked at him and smiled back. Silently, the two travelers stared at the ocean and watched the sun begin to steal its light from the sky. Evercloud stood and gathered some dried driftwood together and made a fire for he and Annie. The two continued to sit in silence as the black of night arrived, then Annie yawned.
“I miss Riverpaw,” she said. “He made the most perfect pillow.”
“He did, didn’t he?” replied Evercloud. “Annie, do you think you could try to see where Riverpaw, Ben and Tomas are? I probably shouldn’t, but I worry.”
Annie nodded and smiled solemnly, but before she could begin her meditation, a large thud shook the beach. Evercloud jumped to his feet and his clenched fists ignited in flame.
“If you had done that earlier, I wouldn’t have passed over you the first time,” said a voice from the blackness. Evercloud immediately recognized the voice and his heart grew warm. His beaming smile greeted the bear as the fire began to illuminate Riverpaw’s features, and once it did, all smiles melted away. The fur around Riverpaw’s eyes was dark and damp and his face was slackened in sadness. “Evercloud, what happened to the mountain?”
Tears welled in Evercloud’s eyes and he moved forward to embrace his cousin. They cried together and Annie sobbed as she sat by the fire.
“I’m sorry, we couldn’t stop him.”
The bear sat down by the fire and stared at the flames.
“Tell me,” he said softly. “I want to know everything you know.”
So Evercloud and Annie began the painful story of all that had transpired since Riverpaw had left their company. Riverpaw’s face twisted in agony as he heard the tragic tale and there were times where he had to bury his face, ashamed of his tears. Evercloud’s voice cracked repeatedly during the telling and he wondered if this wasn’t the hardest thing he had ever had to do. Many times, Annie took the telling over when Evercloud could no longer speak, and when the story was finally done, there was long silence.
The fire crackled and the sea lapped the sand softly. The flames entranced the three travelers. Evercloud spoke, though he feared the answer his question would bring.
“Tomas and Ben didn’t make it, did they?”
Riverpaw looked up from the fire and sighed. Then he began his own story of what had transpired while the groups had been parted. Annie and Evercloud were amazed to hear the tale, and the fact that Riverpaw now had the Evermight brought one bright moment to an otherwise devastating night.
“So Tomas is alive, then?” asked Annie.
“I have to believe so,” said Riverpaw. “But I don’t know where he is.”
Evercloud looked to Annie and she nodded.
“I’ll work on locating Tomas. The two of you should get some sleep. I can always sleep as we travel.”
Evercloud and Riverpaw nodded in agreement.
“I suppose it’s up to us now,” said Riverpaw as he rolled onto his side for comfort. “We are the keepers of the gifts of the Skyfather. We are the Wind.”
Evercloud nodded reluctantly and laid his head down upon the sand. The Wind, he thought. The Everflame, the Eversense, the Evermight… and him.
• • •
Silently, high above the beach, upon a rocky bluff, Densa sat alone in the black of night. He looked down at the fire in the distance and watched like a gargoyle upon a castle wall.
They will sleep soon. I will try again in the morning.
Densa leaned back against a large rock and closed his eyes. Memories assaulted him when he closed his eyes, but not in the way that they used to. It was not the haunting screams and violence, or the terrifying images of death. He was only assaulted with images of her. He saw her laughing and happy, he saw her hair in the sunlight, he saw her eyes as they fell, smiling upon him.
I will try again in the morning, my love. I promise.
The image of Iolana dancing was the one that made him the happiest, because he knew that was when she was at her happiest. It was so long ago, when he ruled a kingdom for her. He would always have galas for her to come to, so she could dance. He loved to watch her dance. The memories were all Densa had now and he struggled to hold onto them, like a leaf to a tree in the late-autumn air.
What was that old song she loved? How did it go?
At once, it came back to him and he smiled.
Oh, there once was a girl, who enchanted my world,
And her eyes were as bright as the sea.
If I could’ve, I swear, I’d have married her there,
But her waves, they weren’t crashing on me.
Oh Delilah, Delilah, what can I do?
I’m lost in the ocean, alone.
And I pray for the waves, that one of these days,
Will deliver me onto your shore.
Densa was falling asleep now, falling deep as the memory of the song kept her close to him.
As soon as you left, I’d have followed you west,
It’s what I wanted; please know it’s true.
But for love and salvation, for curses, for hatred,
There are still some things that I must do.
Oh Delilah, Delilah, what can I do?
I’m lost in the ocean, undone.
But I’ll wait for those waves, every hour, every day,
As the darkness waits for the sun.
As the darkness waits for the sun.
As the darkness… waits…
Chapter 9: The Hand of a God
Hours passed as the dust swept over the crater. If Annie, Evercloud and Densa had waited at the crater through those hours, if they had done all that they could to work together, they would have soon heard and felt the clomping and clinking of one thousand pairs of metal legs as they pounded the forest floor. Before long, they would have seen the silhouette of an army through the haze, coming forth in perfect synchronization and descending the crater’s rocky ridge. And at the front of this march, they would have seen two men of metal carrying their captain and commander, the cripple, Callderwallder. If they had waited, things may have been different.
At the basin of the crater, Callderwallder scanned the fog with his milky and bulging eye. Where are you? he thought with a feeling of uncertainty. Have I come too late?
It had been a difficult thing for Callderwallder to leave Nefas with his army of men. His sister had forbid it. The metal army was the only thing stopping the citizens of Nefas from flying in
to revolt. The recent actions taken by Queen Faedra had drawn a proverbial line in the sand. The citizens no longer adored her, despite her beauty, and she no longer needed to feign friendliness. She was a woman full of disdain. The kingdom and its citizens were hers, and they had better recognize that distinction, or else.
However, in the end, the queen could not argue against the wishes of the Holy. She had not become so incredibly drunk on her own power that she would defy his will. So, in the dark of night and under the blanket of a storm, Callderwallder commanded his army away from the Kingdom of Nefas. His royal sister held up in her tower, hoping her kingdom never knew that she was at their mercy.
Where are you? thought Callderwallder.
“Here,” came the electric call. “Did you ever doubt me?”
“Never, my Holy,” replied Callderwallder as his metal men set him upon the rubble and he bowed his back further than his past injuries already had.
The light of the Tyrant seemed to burn the dusty air, creating a clear hollow all around him. Ripples of electricity surged over his form, like muscle and sinew stretching and flexing over the frame of bone. Was it an irony that Callderwallder’s god would be such a grotesquerie? Callderwallder could only wonder where such a form was created, and how. The Tyrant’s appendages were long in relation to his torso, like the legs of a frog, extended in mid jump. His skull, if it could be called that, was large, seemingly too large to be carried normally. But despite the Tyrant’s defiance of proper proportion, he moved like a cat, like a dancer. His motion was fluid, beautiful and dangerous. Yet the thing that always kept Callderwallder’s eyes wide with awe was the light, the bright and terrible light that danced over the Tyrant’s form. White and light-red, crackling electricity coursed over his dark and terrible form. To look at the Tyrant was to look upon a contradiction. He inspired fear and courage, he was beautiful and revolting, his visage begged of you to come closer and warned you to run for your life.
“I have done as you asked, my Holy. I have brought you my army.”
“My army, Callderwallder.”
“Of course,” said the little man, as he cowed beneath the Tyrant.
The Great Tyrant looked down upon the poor creature before him and smiled.
“You have been faithful, Callderwallder, my most faithful, indeed. For this, I wish to reward you.” Callderwallder stretched his head up with the hint of a smile. “I will reveal to you why I have summoned you here with my army. I will allow you to hear of my plan, Callderwallder. I will allow you to be given a place.”
“Thank you, oh Holy. Thank you.”
“Look into the sky, Callderwallder, look into the sky as far as you can and know that you cannot see far enough. Out there, beyond the stars you see in the dead of night, further than your mind can imagine, was another world. A world I extinguished like a weak flame. I did not do this in anger, or in vain. I did this act with mercy. My action was a gift.
“The world needs god, Callderwallder. The world needs someone to save it from itself. This world is fortunate that I am here to give it a purpose. Do you know what that purpose is Callderwallder? It is but the greatest purpose that any world can have, it is the very same purpose for which you have been chosen. It is service. What is the good of a tree unto itself? It can only be of value when its leaves provide shade for the deer. It can only be of value when its branches provide a home for the squirrel. It can only be of value when its wood is cut and trimmed and used for the devices of men. It is the order of things.
“But where does the order end, you ask? The order ends with god. God ensures that the order is kept, for when things are left to their own devices, they will become evil and they will forget what it is that they are meant for. I ensure that nothing can forget that it is meant for service. I keep the order of the world…
“When a world becomes ordered correctly, it is then in a perfect state of service. That was where I had brought this world beyond the stars and it is where I intend to bring this world, to a state of perfect service. This other world, this red world, was given a gift. I gave this red world the gift of eternal service. No longer were they burdened by decision or the possibility of deviating from the order of things. No longer would they ever have to worry about a thing… because I made them a part of me.”
Callderwallder’s milky eye widened to the point where it seemed it would fall from its socket. “A part of you,” he breathed.
“I made my way to the heart of that world, and when I found it, I absorbed it. I allowed it to become part of me… forever. It is exactly what you and this army will help me to do for this world. You will be with me for eternity, Callderwallder. Within me, you will live forever. No needs, no pains… it will be a paradise.”
“Thank you, thank you, oh Holy. You are a most gracious master.” Callderwallder bowed his head as he praised the electric being.
“You may return to Nefas now. I will use this army to reach the heart of the Earth, and then we can become one. I will come to you before the end, Callderwallder, so that you know it is time to enter paradise.”
Callderwallder looked up at the Great Tyrant with watery eyes and a bright smile, but suddenly, something flickered across his brow. Callderwallder’s head twitched and a realization broke over him.
“She will kill me,” he uttered absently.
“What do you speak of?” asked the Tyrant.
“M-My sister,” stuttered Callderwallder. “It will take me many days to return to Nefas, without the aid of these metal men. When I return without the army, my sister will surely kill me in her rage. This army is the only thing that stands against the citizens of Nefas rising in revolt against her.”
“You may take three of the metal men,” granted the Tyrant.
“That will not be enough to protect her.”
“I’m sure you will think of something, Callderwallder. Paradise hangs in the balance.”
“Yes, my Holy.”
With that, Callderwallder took three of the metal men, commanding them to lift his frail body off of the ground and carry him out of the crater. As the men carried Callderwallder back to Nefas, he began to hear the loud sounds of metal on rock, a thousand metal fists pummeling the ground. It was an orchestra of terrible noise that made the small man shudder and wince. It was the sound of the hand of a god, tearing his way into the heart of the Earth.
BEN THE GIANT
Chapter 10: Perspective
“I’ll thank you for being more reasonable than that… than your friend,” said Count Allahnder as he stood in the doorway of the room Ben had been assigned. “I hope you find the room we have provided for you to your liking. My son will be by shortly to take care of your meals and to explain the rules you will be expected to follow while you are here at the Palace of Gen D’hisi. My time is demanded elsewhere. Good day to you, Ephanlarean.”
The door closed as the Count exited the room and Ben noticed the three locks that clicked behind him. The room Ben had been given was quite nice, but it was not lost on him that he was a prisoner in the Palace of Gen D’hisi and not a guest. He had no idea where in the palace he had been taken and there were no windows in his room. The room was decorated finely, with lemon-yellow walls, and some of the most ornate furnishings that Ben had ever seen, though finding comfort in this room would not come easy. Ben did not feel welcome in Felaqua.
I’ll take this instead of torture, he thought and gave a dark chortle.
Ben laid himself upon the bed in the corner of the room and stared at the ceiling. He had no real fear of the Felaquans at this point. It had been very obvious that though he was a prisoner, he would be treated well enough. Count Allahnder had a healthy fear of Riverpaw, and a wound in his shoulder to remember the bear by. Ben’s stomach grumbled and interrupted his thoughts. I hope Allahnder’s son comes soon.
As if Ben’s thoughts could control the world, a knock came at the door, fast and hard. Ben slid off of the padded mattress and onto the marble floor. He walked across the large
room, toward the door as it opened, and immediately fell back. He stumbled over a small, brown chair and fell hard to the floor, his eyes wide with fear. Standing in the door with a tray of food, was the man with the long, black hair. Ben tried to say something, but was only able to stutter as the man who had tortured him stood, glaring down at him.
The man did not wait for Ben to speak, but walked to a gold-painted table sitting in a corner of the room and placed the plate of food down upon the table.
“My name is Tiberius Allahnder II. I understand you may be shocked to see me, but I assure you, you will not come to any harm under my watch.” The man looked down at Ben and sniffed. “I should say, no further harm.”
Ben scrabbled up into the chair he had tumbled over and managed a question.
“Why you?”
“It is my charge to oversee all prisoners, and though we will be on quite different terms this time around, you are still a prisoner. I will bring your meals to you, teach you what will be expected of you when you will be permitted to move around the palace, and while you are here, we will teach each other of the goings on of our respective lands. I am sorry for what I have done to you, Ephanlarean, but you will understand that it was my duty.”
“My name is Ben Floyd,” uttered the man who was losing his fear and gaining in anger. “I wish to have someone else see to me while I am here.”
“You’re not the only one uncomfortable with this arrangement, Mr. Floyd. Don’t think I didn’t try to change my father’s mind.”
With that, the man with the long, black hair left the room and locked the door behind him. Ben walked over to the tray of food and flung it at the door, in anger and disgust. He could feel his body ache where he had been tortured, even though Selva had repaired his wounds. How dare they? he seethed.
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