Jaded Dusk

by Scott Wale

***

  Alejade slowly opened her eyes and quickly realized the minimal volume of light was going to make it difficult to see. She was lying on a cold, stone floor in a dank room that contained a single window. She went to push herself up from the ground when a pain shot through her ribs. The memory of being flung from the boat and propelled into the rock returned to her. Her ribs had beared the brunt of the impact with the rock. It wouldn’t surprise her to find any other pains given the intensity of her collision with the river rock.

  Alejade pushed through the pain to get her off the cold floor and on to her feet. The room looked vaguely familiar, but Alejade could not recall where she had seen it before. Maybe it simply reminded her of a place she had visited. It was more likely that this was a temporary hideaway Tradok had known about that was conveniently near the site of the craft’s collision with the barrier. She didn’t hear any other noises, which was curious given that it appeared to be daylight. Even if the rest of the group had fallen silent, surely something outside would be creating some ambient noises. Her eyes adjusted to the dark just enough to make out a hallway that appeared to advance into the darkness. The ray of light that beamed through the window settled on an opposing wall and did nothing to cut through the darkness that existed in the hallway. For all Alejade knew it wasn’t much of a hallway and it simply ended abruptly with a wall, but for this scenario to be true she would have to be imprisoned given the setup of the room she currently occupied.

  The thought of imprisonment evoked a memory deep within Alejade’s head and suddenly she remembered why the room looked so familiar. This was the room that was part of her dream when she had been awoken the night following the destruction of Dimday. Alejade tried to focus her mind in an attempt to conjure up any other part of the dream. Nothing else was there, but maybe some exploration would trigger the lost memories.

  “Hello?” Alejade called out hoping for a response.

  Not even an echo greeted her. The only option was to carry forth down the hallway and see where it led. She limped forward feeling the pain between her ribs with each stride. She reached the edge of darkness where her eyes could no longer pierce through the black shroud. She placed one hand on her ribs as if to caress them back to health. The hand did nothing to physically relieve her pain, but mentally it gave her the strength to push forward. She stuck her other hand out in front of her not wanting to walk face first into a wall.

  The beam of light through the window began to shift and eventually settled on the floor a few paces in front of Alejade. The beam did nothing to light up the rest of the room, but at least Alejade could clearly see the spot that had been illuminated. If nothing else, this meant she could at least take a few steps forward with the expectation that the path in front of her would be barrier free.

  The beam of light held still for a moment and then began creeping along the ornately patterned stone floor. A new object replaced the view of the stone floor as the light slowly moved along. It took a little more revealing before Alejade realized the object sat perpendicular to the floor. As the light revealed more little by little Alejade recognized the object was the foot of a black robe that draped all the way to the floor.

  “Is someone there?” she asked correlating a robe with a living being.

  “Yes”, replied a calm voice.

  “Who is it?” Alejade asked unable to identify the voice from the one word response.

  “You know who I am”, replied the voice. “You’ve known me since you were a child.”

  Alejade was still unable to determine whose voice she was hearing. She was positive it was a voice she had never heard before. It was gender neutral, but still resonated with a tone of tranquility. It lacked any discernable characteristics at all. It was neither too loud nor too quiet. The pitch, resonance and even the fluency of the words could only be described as indistinct.

  “I’m sorry, but you have me at a disadvantage”, Alejade admitted. “I think if I”, Alejade paused.

  Alejade began seeing flashes of images in her head almost as if memories had been unleashed. Alejade was unsure if these were memories from her dream several nights ago, actual images from her past or new thoughts that felt oddly familiar. At first the rapid imagery was overwhelming and began to take its toll by giving Alejade a dizzying sensation. The images gradually slowed down and Alejade was able to focus on each one as it passed through her head. All the images had only one thing in common. They were all images of the voice’s owner.

  “Where am I?” Alejade asked while organizing all the other questions she had long prepared for the owner of the voice.

  “On Faunar, where all my creations live”, the voice responded.

  The historical texts were never very clear on where the presence of the Maker currently existed. The general consensus on the matter was that the Maker did not currently exist on Faunar, but like many other things it had been left for interpretation. The texts discussed the creation of Faunar and the Maker’s presence on Faunar in the early days. After the Maker’s struggle between good and evil the historical texts began to focus on the Maker’s will of bonds between living beings and the role of the life essence. The discussion of the life essence was almost always followed by discussions of the afterlife, which also was sparsely represented in the texts. If the creations were ever to meet the creator, it was never specified when or where.

  “You live among your creations?” Alejade asked craving for answers she had always wondered on the ambiguous topic.

  “Live is a finite concept”, the voice laughed. “I eternally exist in the essence of life.”

  Alejade had always suspected this. The life essence only moved from being to being and really was never lost or destroyed. It did however change forms which led to the next obvious question.

  “Do you also exist in the life essence of evil beings?” Alejade inquired.

  “The essence of life is separate from the mind of a being”, the voice answered. “Good and evil only exist in the mind and can only exert themselves through will. Good and evil are also only a matter of perspective. If all beings were to bond, then they would all follow the same course rendering good and evil meaningless. How have you fared bonding with other creations?”

  Alejade began to ponder the question when she was suddenly distracted by her own observation. The beam of light that had pierced the hallway’s darkness was creeping upwards on the robe. By Alejade’s estimation it was roughly aligned with where a biped’s knees would be positioned. Alejade had no idea what form the Maker existed in, but if the moving light followed its trend then the Maker’s face would soon be revealed. She forced herself to return her attention to the question at hand.

  “I’ve done my best to treat all creations with respect and equality”, Alejade began. “I believe your will that all living things bond has motivated me to push through my natural reticence and engage all other life forms in some form of communication. The strongest bond I’ve created is with a being that most would classify as non-sentient. This relationship never would have occurred if I wasn’t attempting to carry out your will.”

  “Sentience is also a matter of perspective”, explained the voice. “What you have accomplished with Jandra is something few beings will ever experience. Treasure what you have formed and pass on what you have learned.”

  The beam of light had worked its way up to the upper torso by Alejade’s estimation. She had been unable to discern any shape as the light had crawled up the robe. There was also no guarantee that the face wouldn’t be masked or sheathed. The only thing Alejade knew for sure is that the light drew closer to the voice’s point of emanation.

  Alejade began to wonder what the Maker meant by the last statement. Was she supposed to pass on what she learned in the form of historical texts? Alejade had never thought to ask whether her creature empathy skill was learned or part of her biological code. Arkiva had only recognized the skill and helped Alejade hone it. The origin had remained a mystery the whole time.

&nb
sp; “Do I possess a gift that allows me to communicate with your creations or is this something anyone can learn to do?” Alejade asked deciding to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

  “You are gifted, Alejade”, the voice answered. “This should not be wasted. Others will have difficulty comprehending, but you should share your experience with all who are willing to listen. Over time your words will reach the ears of the open minded and set their lives on the course that all beings should follow. Bonding should be the objective of all and your testimony can influence others to follow the same noble path.”

  The Maker had read Alejade’s mind. There was no longer doubt in her mind about how to best use her skill. The Maker had approved of her life up to this point and given her clear instructions on how to carry forth. Rarely in life did things make complete sense, and clarity almost always lacked around the matters that felt they should have the most importance.

  The beam of light would soon be upon the position of the chin. Alejade felt it would be inappropriate to stand and stare awaiting the revelation. One more question would prolong the conversation to the point that the Maker would be revealed while simultaneously providing an answer. Alejade had no intent of asking an insincere question as most of the thoughts presently spinning through her head had been forming over her entire life.

  “What can I do to reach those that I love even when they appear resistant to your primary objective?” Alejade asked.

  The robed figure stood in silence for a moment as the light began to expose a section of bunched up black robe alluding to the base of a hood. Alejade waited in anticipation for both a response and the ultimate unveiling.

  “It’s me, Fenrit”, a voice came from another direction.

  “What?” Alejade asked as the whole chamber began to dissolve into haziness.

  Alejade fell to her knees overpowered by a sense of delirium. She looked up barely able to make out the black robed figure that was now being lost in translation as the beam of light began to expand and overtake the entire chamber. She reached up her arm hoping to touch the Maker and stay in its presence.

  ***

  “Alejade? Can you hear me?” Fenrit called again.

  Fenrit stood over her body attempting every method he knew to return her consciousness. Nevit and Tradok stood nearby watching helplessly as the Loupiq tried to revive his sister. Nevit, Tradok and Fenrit had removed Alejade from the mud, wiped off her face and returned her to the ground laying face up. She was in a position to return to this world, but now it was up to her.

  Alejade began to blink showing the first signs of consciousness since they removed her from the muddy river banks. Her chest began to faintly move up and down as her body struggled to take its first breaths on its own since the collision with the rock. Fenrit had tried chest compressions, but he was unsure if he had achieved any positive results.

  “Alejade! Say something or give me some sort of sign”, Fenrit pleaded. “I know you’re fighting to come back. We still need you. I still need you.”

  Alejade coughed as her respiratory system kicked back to life. Her eyes were glazed over, but she kept them open. At first her green eyes stared lifelessly up towards the sky. Fenrit bounced around above her unable to keep still with all the anxiety pulsating through his body. Alejade’s pupils eventually locked on to Fenrit’s face and began to follow him as he moved back and forth.

  “You’re back”, Fenrit observed.

  “What happened?” Alejade asked.

  The memory of slamming into the river rock and then entering the chamber with the Maker flashed through Alejade’s head. The memories were clear, but she was unable to distinguish between what had been real and what had been an illusion created by her mind. For this reason she would have to withhold her experience until she was back with a more open minded audience such as Arkiva or Virra.

  “You fell into the river and Jandra helped us find you”, Fenrit explained. “We began to worry when you were unresponsive. I have no doubts that your heroic efforts are what kept the craft intact and what probably kept the rest of us from ending up in the river. I still have to scold you for pulling off something so insane though.”

  “You’re lucky that raptor was around to help us save you”, Tradok commented.

  “No mountain seraphs necessary”, Nevit mused.

  XIV.

  Grimtav had grown impatient with the waiting. There had still not been a full report about what happened with the cymutts patrolling the fringes of the echo woods and the scouts that were sent to the area to investigate only found the inert bodies of the three cymutt scouts who had been lost in the skirmish. So far there appeared to be evidence that survivors existed from the destruction of Dimday. The last images captured by the scouts and transmitted back to Prominence were those of a few Loupiq. Grimtav had guessed by their attire and weapons they were part of the premaliers and it was possible they had been dispatched when Dimday met its demise. Survivors were to be expected, but why Loupiq would be in such close proximity to the Echo Woods when their duties customarily took them across the Jade Plains was a mystery.

  The surprise ambush on the scouting cymutts had delayed the implementation of the controller’s upgrade that would extend its range. The thought that something was brewing in the Echo Woods had crept into Grimtav’s head and now infected his thoughts with the most pessimistic of scenarios. The controller had received its upgrade and now the cymutts would need to move swiftly into the Echo Woods, capturing Aman and putting Grimtav at ease.

  “I don’t want promises, I want an update”, Grimtav demanded of Zephyr.

  “I can’t guarantee the range unless I test it”, Zephyr argued. “The cymutts who had done a follow up on the perimeter of the Echo Woods are just north of Shadowport and they would be perfect candidates for this test. I see we still have a connection with them after putting the upgrade in place. We actually didn’t lose connection with any units from the upgrade”, Zephyr finished patting himself on the back.

  “No, this needs to be all or nothing”, Grimtav said ignoring Zephyr’s self-satisfying compliment. “Something is happening in the Echo Woods and sending cymutts in will only cause alarm and alert our enemies of our new capabilities. I’ll send one of the operatives from Shadowport into the woods to investigate. We can figure out what’s going on and keep the element of surprise. For now, amass the cymutts near the former site of Dimday. We’ll march the cymutts into Aman and once the residents witness the powerful force of the cymutts they’ll either decide to resist and be eliminated or surrender to my leadership.”

  “What about you?” Zephyr asked. “Do you just want the cymutts to simply occupy the city until your arrival?”

  “Occupying the city will work until I can personally return to my home”, Grimtav answered. “Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see Jalpa’s face as he loses control of his city, but to set foot in a liberated Aman will have to be satisfaction enough. I only hope many of the Ipta refuse to resist to the temporary cymutt occupation. Their reward will be the pleasure of living under a true leader.”

  Speaking the thoughts aloud that he had held inside his head for the longest time worried Grimtav. A change in leadership was not something the Ipta would take lightly as they were not fickle beings. Jalpa had spent the majority of his life as their leader and there was a natural progression for a replacement when Jalpa became too old to satisfactorily perform his duties. Grimtav had the advantage of being an Ipta himself, but he had been removed from Aman for too long that he would likely be viewed as out of touch.

  “What will become of Prominence when you reclaim Aman?” Zephyr asked breaking Grimtav’s line of thought.

  “Once I establish control of Aman and its residents the cymutts will no longer be necessary”, Grimtav answered. “You’ll dismantle the controller and the cymutts will lie in their final resting place. I won’t need mechanical beasts to rule my people with terror; however, I don’t need the power of the cymutt force falling
into the hands of another. Only you and your predecessor have the knowledge to reconstruct this device, which leaves Faunar relatively safe from seeing its horror ever again.”

  Grimtav would conceal the remainder of his plan, which was to eliminate Zephyr from the equation. Dealing with one being would be a lot easier than two and Tradok didn’t seem to pose much of a threat. The Sauronoid had always seemed more interested in advancing the technology rather than utilizing it for personal gain. If Tradok were to cross paths with Grimtav, then he would definitely take advantage of the situation, but letting Tradok roam Faunar seemed extremely low risk.

  Zephyr on the other hand had to be unquestionably disposed. Grimtav was not completely sure that Zephyr could reconstruct a controller, but the Denebalg had learned too much. Grimtav had caught Zephyr on many nights absorbing the technical specifications of his predecessor. It appeared Zephyr was incapable of advancing to new levels himself, but he was more than capable of reverse engineering the work of others and even making minor improvements himself. The construction and inner workings of the cymutt were definitely fully comprehended by Zephyr, but Grimtav wasn’t completely sure of the depth of Zephyr’s understanding of the controller.

  “Surely this is too great of a position to just abandon”, Zephyr suggested. “The wise decision would be to keep the cymutts as insurance.”

  “Beings don’t tolerate rule by terror for long”, Grimtav explained. “The cymutts are already a symbol of intimidation and to use them as a tool any longer than I have to sacrifices the possibility of building trust with my people. The goal is not to oppress the Ipta, but lead them to greatness where they belong.”

  “And if they don’t accept you?” Zephyr inquired.

  “I expect them to be hesitant at first, but when I make concessions, such as sending away the cymutt army, I’ll eventually regain their trust”, Grimtav explained. “The Ipta crave a strong leader not a coward who hides deep in the Echo Woods. We can expand our kingdom out into the Jade Plains. I had no grudge with the Loupiq and Chafel; they were just in the way. The unintended benefit of their population reduction is that the Jade Plains is wide open for the taking.”