by K Schultz
Aibhera sped up, dashed around the corner and climbed the ladder quickly and quietly. A flurry of little noises on the street below rewarded her caution. She was not imagining things. Aibhera waited, every muscle tense, as she peered over the parapet of the flat roof, to catch sight of her stalker. A figure, in a hooded cloak hurried past the ladder, trying to spot Aibhera again. The identity of her pursuer remained a mystery since she could not see his face before he rounded a corner and disappeared. She waited, and then slid down the ladder, into the shadows of the street.
Aibhera was more cautious now. Her ears strained to pick out unusual sounds from the background noises of the night. She heard only the crickets, and the whirring wings of the occasional moth. As she neared her own house, she caught sight of the hooded figure again. It crept around the side of the residence where her bedroom lay. Aibhera crouched low and worked her way along in total silence. She rounded the corner in time to see her pursuer climb into her bedroom window. The moon was a bright disk low in the sky and it outlined the person attempting to climb through the window opening.
The hood caught on the top of the window frame. Aibhera’s stealth and patience rewarded her with a view of her mysterious stalker’s profile. She sprinted forward and grasped the shadowy figure’s cloak, preventing him from climbing through the window. “Stop! Kyonna!” she whispered as loud as she dared. “What are you doing?”
Kyonna jumped with fright and smacked her head on the window frame. Ky whimpered in pain but did not scream.
“God, Aibby why did you do that? That hurt.” Ky rubbed her head vigorously where she banged it on the lintel.
“Serves you right. Why were you following me?”
“I wanted to understand why my honorable sister sneaked out, when she should be sleeping.”
“Well, what did you discover, nosy brat?”
“Let me go. Let’s get inside before we get caught.”
“Oh — sorry.”
“I’m way better at this,” Kyonna bragged.
Once they were both inside and seated on their beds Aibhera said, “Alright, Ky, why were you following me?”
“I wanted to know what was happening. You never sneak out at night. I do, but you — never. That was strange, but instead of meeting a boy, you went to old Eideron’s house. Too weird. When Simea showed up, I knew you were up to something big, after that huge fracas with the Synod. So what is the secret? What is going on?”
“I can’t tell you that Ky. I want to, God knows I want to, but Eideron swore us to silence.”
“Never mind,” she said. “You don’t have to tell me.”
Ky stretched out on her bed and turned her face to the wall, resentment clear in her posture.
“Don’t be like that, Ky, I can’t tell you.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” she repeated, with an icy edge to her voice.
Ky’s tone set off alarms inside Aibhera. She understood her sister. It was unusual for Kyonna to drop something once she grasped it. They always shared everything with each other. Aibby and Ky were sisters and intimate friends but this secret came between them and it threatened to break the connection they shared. Aibby wanted to grab Kyonna’s shoulder, and turn Ky to face her. She wanted to tell Kyonna everything. It was tempting, but she resisted.
It was difficult enough to slip away with no farewells. Ky’s unwelcome interference made it much more difficult. Keeping this secret from her sister was the hardest thing she had done, but far worse could be required of her before long.
Aibhera was about to leave Abalon forever. Aibhera would never see Ky again and Ky wouldn’t know where Aibhera had gone. Aibby stretched out on her bed, as moisture etched hot trails from the corners of her eyes. She wept silent, bitter tears, and surrendered the outcome to The Creator.
Chapter 37
An early riser might have noticed three silhouettes against the brightening sky at the lip of the crater. Aibhera looked, into the caldera, her home. It looked small from up this high on the rim, A network of canals and fields lay below her like a game board. The orchards and vineyards in neat rows, faded off into the distance. Grain fields and gardens, at varying stages of maturity, some yellow nearing harvest, others covered in the bright green of new growth formed a patchwork pattern on the valley floor.
There were no trees, other than fruit trees and those few remaining in parks. Most of the caldera had held lush forests, when the Sokai first arrived. In the last thousand years, the Sokai converted the forest to farmland, out of necessity. The trees’ absence meant that wooden objects became treasures among her people. The central lake glistened in the distance, but beyond that, everything was blue and hazy, in the moist morning air. It took three days to cross the crater on foot so they could not see the caldera’s opposite rim.
Windriders like her sister Ky, made a round trip in less than a day and carried packages and light freight from one side of the settlement to the other. The thermals around the edges of the crater lifted the gliders high into the sky and across the valley with a speed impossible on foot or by tram. Leoned and his friends invented the trams, light baskets that ran on heavy cables suspended above the valley floor. It took a full day to cross it by tram, but it was faster and easier than walking.
The Sokai needed agricultural land to support the population of the valley so their engineers replaced the old road systems with trams a decade ago. Wind powered the trams carried agricultural produce, work crews, and passengers. Wind turbines also powered the irrigation pumps, the elevators and everything except systems requiring heat. Pipes and ducts collected heat from the river of lava that still ran below the surface of the caldera. Aibhera and Simea knew little about the systems that provided the Sokai with levels of comfort unavailable to their refugee ancestors.
Eideron and his young companions, tried to capture as much as they could in their memories, until Eideron broke the silence.
“Well, shall we continue, or do you both have second thoughts? This is our last chance to turn back.”
The three companions turned toward the desolate wilderness that stretched to the far horizon. The lush greenery of Abalon formed a fragile island of green surrounded by an endless black desert. Eideron and his young companions stared in shock, across an ocean of black sand and debris, spreading outward from the crater’s edge. Crossing that expanse was an arduous trek for those Sokai who survived the first journey to Abalon. For many it was a death march and their bones littered the barren wilderness marking the path like signposts.
Sokai children heard the tales since birth. Only nine hundred lived through the ordeal. The march through barren, lands that surrounded Abalon had claimed thousands of lives. Their forebears brought all the supplies and technology they could carry with them, to make Abalon a place fit to live.
If The Wasteland was not kind to the Sokai It was equally harsh on their equipment. It destroyed most of the machines they brought with them. The refugees abandoned equipment along the way when there were no longer enough hands to carry it. Stories and songs contained several versions of that march, woven into the fabric of their culture. Once they settled in Abalon, no one left the valley. Eideron, Aibhera and Simea were the first Sokai to abandon its security in almost a thousand years.
Sokai songs and literature told the story. The epic ballads “The Time of Sorrows,” and “The March of the Five Thousand,” began with tales of attacks by deformed creatures that prowled the edges of The Wasteland. It told how the remaining Sokai beat off those creatures, before they straggled into the heat, of the volcanic rubble field. Thirst and hunger took a continuous toll of their numbers, until less than one thousand Sokai reached Abalon. The songs and legends, struck fear in their hearts, as they looked into the wasteland ahead. Eideron and his companions were making that journey in reverse, and leave their haven forever.
The numbers of Sokai had increased since those days. Over thirty generations of Sokai lived out their lives in the caldera. When they died, their bodies con
tributed to the fertility of the land. Their bones rested in the communal tombs beneath the cliff walls. Over a million Sokai dwelt in a fertile zone just over sixty miles across and roughly circular in shape. Aibhera and Simea were leaving their heritage behind hoping they survived to write a new history for their people, outside that protected oasis.
Eideron would not have blamed his two young companions for turning back once they saw what lay ahead. If they stayed, they might live long and uneventful lives. Eideron was old. He had less to lose than they did, but the sight of the endless desert before them, had him rethinking his commitment too.
Eideron wished that they had the technology the original five thousand had available to them.
Sokai culture and technology grew in several areas but atrophied in others. Eideron regretted the loss of land transportation. There was no way to bring the ancient land speeders over the caldera rim and down the cliff wall intact, and no reason for their use in Abalon. The refugees had cannibalized them for parts so only memories of them remained as recorded in the Annals of Abalon. For their return trip across The Wasteland, Eideron and his friends must walk.
Simea broke Eideron’s reverie when he answered the question.
“No Master Eideron, but we just wanted to look. To remember.”
“I told you not to call me Master.”
“But you are our Master, our teacher, no matter what the Synod said,” Aibhera argued. “You are all we have left of our homes, and our heritage.” She began to cry.
“I am sorry. I regret that neither of you could say proper goodbyes to your families, but we needed to leave before they miss us. The Synod will pursue us if they realize what we have done.”
“I don’t understand why we couldn’t have taken three of the smaller gliders,” Simea said.
“I cannot fly one,” Eideron confessed. “Besides the Council would suspect we took them when the gliders vanished. Himish will keep them guessing where we have gone. The missing gliders would be harder for him to explain away. Himish is a resourceful dissembler. He says misdirection is the most important prerequisite of a good Councilor. You should have heard — oh never mind. That’s a story for another time. Shall we descend?”
They picked their way westward, down the slope of the ancient volcano; across basalt flows and obsidian outcrops. There was little soil, no organic material, and only gravel and fine sand between the crevices of the rocks. By the time they reached the base of the cone to flat terrain, the noonday sun struck them like a hammer. The slight wind brought no relief and occasional gusts blew fine dust into their eyes.
“We had best ration our water, since we have no way of knowing when we will find more,” Eideron cautioned.
The two youngsters nodded, their throats too dry to argue. Their thoughts were on the homes they left and the families they abandoned. They trudged through the day’s heat, speaking little, suffering in silence, their skins flaking in the dry air. The air rippled and shimmered above the black rock. Sunlight reflecting off the bleak landscape burned their eyes as they stumbled across the ancient lava field. The lava crust had broken and cracked providing uncertain footing. In many places, it collapsed in circular craters. Dust filtered into the cracks and crevices of the rock and scraggly vegetation managed a precarious foothold there.
Eideron maintained a steady monolog, driven to teach his two young companions everything possible, before his life ran out. Eideron wanted to initiate them into the secrets of the Synod as soon as possible, but that required concentration. Uneven footing out on the lava field made that level of concentration impossible, so instead he taught them history. Eideron kept a good pace without complaining and hid his frailty from Aibhera and Simea.
By nightfall, they were footsore, tired and coated in a fine layer of dark colored dust, looking like three man-shaped lumps of earth, moving along the desert floor. They stopped for the night in a circular depression large enough for them and their gear. The air became noticeably colder and though the rocks retained some heat, they too cooled rapidly after sunset. Simea found enough brush to build a small fire.
Eideron stopped them before they prepared the meal. “We have things I must teach before we go farther. We will eat after the lesson. Think of the meal as a reward for your efforts.”
Both Simea and Aibhera groaned but didn’t argue. Eideron said it was important, so they took him at his word, assuming it must be vital to their survival and their mission.
Chapter 38
As the firelight set their shadows dancing across the rocks behind them, Eideron began the lesson in spite of his exhaustion.
“We are tired, but you must learn about The Quickening, and sooner is better than later. The concept of Quickening is an important part of the Synod’s secret knowledge. We teach only those students of the highest moral character about Quickenings.”
“Is that why every young person is tested Master?” asked Aibhera.”
“Yes. Testing shows a candidate’s potential, but during their time of service we gage the apprentices’ moral capacities. Although you both scored high in every area it remained to be seen whether your morals and ethics were satisfactory. The Synod never tells the recruits their test scores. Since we no longer obey the Synod, its rules no longer bind us. Your scores were the highest in our recorded history. I tell you this to give you confidence, not to inflate your egos,” he said, looking stern.
“Since you lack support, you will need confidence and daring for the tasks ahead. I hope this helps. Once the Synod establishes an individuals’ potential, the second phase of training begins.”
“What is the second phase?” Aibhera asked.
“The Apprenticeship is the second phase where we guide the moral and ethical development of gifted students. The Quickening poses hazards to the user and those around them. If its users have not mastered their egos, power can twist and corrupt those who wield it. Simea, you worked for me for two years and it was already time to teach you about Quickenings. In your case Aibhera, we bypass that second phase and skip straight to teaching the Quickenings. I take a calculated risk in teaching you this.”
“Through the Quickening, He pours an extra measure of His power into an individual for a short time. When The Creator quickens us, we become conduits, agents of His will in Aarda.”
“Aibby and I understand,” said Simea, matching his mentor’s somber mood. “This is a special circumstance.”
“The Quickening is the term we use to describe how The Creator endues us with special power when needed. The Sokai believe that everything alive in Aarda exists, because The Creator brought it into being. His sustaining power also holds creation together and keeps it from dissolving into chaos.”
“Each species has special ways to receive and direct this power. Individuals within a species may display greater or lesser capabilities in any gifting. You showed the highest levels of potential ability and you already have a high level of integrity and moral development. Perhaps you can tap abilities our people lost millennia ago. That is my fervent hope.”
“I suspect your impressive abilities manifested at this time, because The Creator is preparing to intervene in history and you have a role in His plan. He has created you with a purpose and a destiny.”
“In recent times, Quickenings ceased among our people, because we didn't serve the other species. The Creator responds to need, and petitions. He does not respond to selfish and idle requests. The Faithful One does not display his power to flaunt it; He empowers people to do His will. In my opinion, we experience few Quickenings, because we are unwilling to obey Him.”
“What might we expect, Master?”
“That is an excellent question, Aibhera. The dreams you experienced are prophetic Quickenings. Prophecy is the ability to see things happening, either in the future, or across incredible distances. Sometimes prophecy is foreknowledge, knowing things in advance, at other times, the ability to discern between truth and illusion.”
“Are there other abi
lities available to us?”
“Yes, Simea, the possibilities are limitless, since The Creator’s power is immeasurable. For example, we have legends of Sokai who protected people with shining walls, attacked enemies with javelins of light, or traveled incredible distances in the blink of an eye.”
“If Sokai can travel that way, why are we stumbling through this desert, and why did so many perish traveling to Abalon, Master?” asked Simea, perplexed.
“Both, are excellent questions. The Sokai have lost knowledge over the centuries, but let me begin by explaining what we still know.”
“Aarda is the portion of the universe we experience, the Aether is another part, and both are only fragments of creation. Both the Aethera and The Nethera can move at will between Aarda and their world, which exists at a different energy level than Aarda. Does this make sense to you?”
“Yes, my stepfather, Leoned, is an engineer. Leoned talks about energy states,” said Aibhera. “He told me liquid water and steam are different states of water. But he says it takes energy to change water into steam.”
“Leoned has provided a perfect analogy. The natural state of water in Aarda is liquid. When we heat water it gains energy becoming steam, or it loses energy becoming ice, which is waters’ solid form. The natural state of humankind is what we experience now. The natural state of the Aethera and the Nethera is the Aetherial form. To interact with them, either we must gain energy to reach their level, or they must lose energy, to reach ours.”
“How can we gain energy and rise to the Aetheric level?” asked Simea.
“Without The Creator’s power we cannot. He must pour energy into us, just as we must heat water to turn it into steam. Be aware we risk destruction of our physical bodies when we stay at that higher level. Sokai bodies cannot survive indefinitely on the Aetherial plane. Think of it this way. If you had a piece of sewing thread and a piece of rope and you tried to lift a rock with each of them, which one would break?”
