Spirits of Falajen

by Ginger Salazar

  Sulica felt her power truly flowing through her for the first time in months. She looked at the other woman and realized with a start that she was Resarian. “Speed and precision,” she said aloud.

  Apparently the woman had realized what Sulica was and fell to her knees. “You traitor!” she screeched, her voice raspy, which made her sound like the harpies of legend. “Betraying your own kind! Spirits curse you!”

  Ekani hurried forward, replacing the shackles. Sulica couldn’t tear her eyes away from the tears pouring down the woman’s face, couldn’t block out the hatred in her voice.

  “You liar!” she had turned her screams on Ekani. “You knew what she is and you set me up!” The woman tore at the chains on her hands until her fingers bled.

  He grabbed the end of the chain and headed back inside the palace. Sulica followed him silently. The Resarian woman had fallen quiet except for the heaving sobs that wracked her body as they moved through the halls. Sulica didn’t wait for Ekani to put the woman back in the room. She kept going down the hall, stopping only to pick up the Secrets book where she’d accidentally left it earlier.

  She returned to the library, sitting at a window and staring out through the multicolored glass. Ekani’s words from her first day in the palace replayed in her mind, “They are housed in the palace for safety.” Her hands shook, and she clenched them tightly, pressing her nails into the flesh of her palm.

  Someone cleared their throat behind her. “Go away, Ekani,” she tried to say, but no sound would come out. Instead, she just kept her eyes riveted to the window.

  “I’m sorry,” the voice said, “that can’t have been easy on you.”

  She finally turned to see Emperor Vimbultinir standing at the table. There was something she was supposed to do at seeing him, but she couldn’t remember, so she continued to sit mutely.

  The Emperor was a tall and powerful-looking man, younger than Sulica had expected him to be. His large, entirely gray eyes showed sadness and compassion. He wasn’t dressed in the full imperial uniform he’d been in the first time they’d met. Apparently that was only for court days. Instead, he was dressed in simple brown trousers and a white open collar shirt. The clockwork insignia of the Kiaran empire shone on his belt buckle.

  Moving closer to her, he spoke again. “Fighting your own is never an easy task.”

  Her head hung at the kindness in his words. “It never bothered me before,” she said, so low he had to strain to hear her. “I was so focused on the end result that it never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong.” Images flashed through her mind of the Lantheun prison, Brisethi’s piercing screams as the scientists stripped her spirit away to nothing. Sulica wrapped her arms around herself to fend off the shivers that threatened to overtake her.

  “Perhaps what you need is a new focus,” he said as though it were the simplest thing in the world. “For three-thousand years the Resarian Dominion has been at war with us, ensuring we never return to our homeland on Sariadne. They continue to practice sorcery and witchcraft against us, melting entire fleets and summoning demons just as their first emperor did at the Dominion’s inception. If we continue to fall before them, no one will be able to stop them when they decide to conquer other nations. It’s time we ally with the rest of Falajen to throw our deadliest war machines against them. You, my dear, are one of their deadliest war machines. Pahl’Kiar will prevail.”

  Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the Kiaran Emperor. He did not look at her, though. Vimbultinir’s eyes were fixed on the window, but he seemed to be seeing much more than the courtyard below. “It is possible that right and wrong are justifications we use for our actions but have no true bearing on the outcomes of our lives. There are many shades of light and dark, Miss Nin. You would do well to remember that.”

  Chapter XI

  Resarian Emperor of Sariadne, Arquistas Nal Enan, was never one to attend Four-Year Expedition Graduation Ceremonies. He had a continent to maintain and uphold which meant that attending a ceremony approximately every six months was out of the question. But this particular division had completed its expedition with a most honorable Captain, deserving of a commendation medal that had only been given out twice before.

  Dominon leader General Riez Satnir, also a man too busy to attend every Expedition Ceremony, had taken the day off to greet the Dominion Officer that willingly halved his life to save another soldier one year ago. Both leaders wore their finest wardrobe and dress uniform. Even Admiral of the Dominion Navy, Sarina Onilak attended this ceremony in her finest uniform dress.

  Captain Etyne Vorsen had not been informed that all three of Sariadne’s distinguished leaders would be at the ceremony as he confidently called the commands to his division. He about-faced to the crowd of family members and his direct chain of command. He proudly stood alongside his three senior enlisted non-commissioned officers; Master Chief Denil, Sergeant First Class Tevor, and Chief Pyraz. Each of them were sharply dressed in their full formal black uniforms, trimmed in scarlet cording and gold insignia. His decorative rapier hung at his side while his flintlock pistol rested in its holster.

  “Attention to the to the Dominion Creed!” Captain Vorsen shouted.

  The spirit of our land resides in us

  through the breath of dragons.

  Our fire from the sky scarred the nations.

  From the scars of Sariadne, the Dominion was born.

  I will defend her from her enemy.

  I will die before I commit treason.

  I represent the antecedents

  who have passed their spirits unto us,

  And I will use such spirits to honor our nation,

  never against my brethren.

  The words left her mouth like a sacred hymn as Livian pridefully repeated them with her fellow soldiers. The four years in the expedition went by quicker than she thought it would. Her last tedious year spent on the DSV Reliant had her contemplating commissioning with the Navy instead of the Army. There was so much more to do, dozens of distractions a day on a ship to keep her mind from wandering on what might have been.

  “It takes an enormous amount of courage and mystic power to make the decision to save another spirit by sacrificing your own,” General Satnir announced to the gathered crowd. “We train only our most gifted spirits of men and women to do just that in the dire times of need. They are not told that it is their duty to perform Soul Reclamation upon anyone, only that they have the power to do so. And so it is with great honor, on this ninth day of Tretiem, Forty-Three-Twenty-Nine, that I present to Captain Etyne Vorsen, the Medal of Courage, for his spiritual sacrifice,” he concluded.

  Etyne couldn’t figure out why his eyes became watery but was too nervous to care otherwise. He never knew how to act when being recognized, especially with the second highest award that can be given to anyone. He remained at attention as General Satnir pinned the precious gold and white ribbon with a golden eight-pointed star surrounding an engraved ruby heart. He shook the other man’s hand and they both saluted one another.

  “I have met many fine soldiers and sailors in my six hundred years on Falajen; but I have met only one spirit who halved his corporeal life for another. Captain Etyne Vorsen; I hereby commend you with the Medal of Virtue, for bringing back from the nearly dead, another fine officer,” Emperor Arquistas stated, placing the black and blue medal around Etyne’s neck where the silhouette of a dragon molded from obsidian hung below.

  Etyne was losing his composure at learning he was receiving the highest commendation from the emperor himself. As far as he was concerned, still having his best friend alive was the only reward he needed. The thought that she could have just as easily been dead when he found her haunted his mind and soul as he let the quiet tears fall from his eyes at the Emperor’s embrace.

  Cheers from the crowd broke out as the division was finally released for liberty. Admiral Tirinnis Sen Asel was quick to approach Captain Vorsen. He embraced the man who saved his daughter’s life tight
ly, letting Etyne continue to lose his poise to grieve for what might have been, and for how his life will quickly come to an end. Naiana had no words either as she kissed Etyne on the cheek as if he were her own son. When Drienna Vorsen finally approached, sobbing at the sight of her brave boy, the Sen Asels offered their gratitude for the noble young son she had raised, and their sympathy for his sacrifice.

  -:- -:- -:-

  Livian Reej sat alone at her elegant table, waiting for her savory steak dinner. She watched as the rest of her division greeted their parents and siblings, telling tales of their time in expedition training and introducing them to their commanders. She remembered her days as a serving girl to the Dominion military personnel during their graduation, dreaming of being one of them. Now that she finally did graduate, it wasn’t nearly as amazing as she once hoped it would be. She had no one to be proud of her accomplishments, no one to impress. Her self-satisfaction dwindled knowing that the four-year expedition was only the beginning.

  Chief Pyraz broke away from the clutter of graduates and their families to join Livian at her table. “After dinner I can take you to the administration office and have you enroll into officer training. Is that still what you want to do?”

  Livian nodded wordlessly. She was never one to make friends easily, and even worse at keeping them. She obviously couldn’t consider the chief her friend, but she was still thankful for her presence, short as it was. Unfortunately, the sympathy that Korteni was attempting to give her was more annoying than it was helpful. She remained quiet in hopes the chief would take the hint.

  When Korteni left the table to join her other commanders, Livian returned to picking at the appetizers and observing everyone else. The servers finally presented their meals; the only thing she had waited all evening for. She scarfed down the succulent culinary masterpiece then paused when she heard a familiar score from the symphony. She glanced over at the composer and froze. He was wearing the same white suit he had worn when the the Dominion Triad was their audience ten years ago.

  Livian contemplated whether to wait for him to conclude the symphony and approach him, or to pretend she didn’t see him and carry on with her life. She reluctantly surrendered to her soul and placed her head into her hands to wait for him.

  The symphony concluded as the members began putting away their instruments. Livian’s heart pounded when she made her way toward him. What do I even say to him? She thought to herself.

  Elion turned to face her when he felt her presence. Both were speechless, but Elion was the only one to smile.

  Livian’s eyes fell on the metal collar around his neck. She knew it was the device that law enforcement used on Resarian criminals to suppress their mystics for as long as the collar was worn. Only three Resarians on all of Sariadne held the key to the collar; the Chief of Police, the Prelate of the Citadel, and the General of the Dominion.

  “Um,” Livian started, “you’re on parole already?”

  Elion brought his fingertips to his collar and nodded. “I have seventy years left to serve, but they allow me two evenings a week to continue composing.”

  Livian crossed her arms. “Did you train a woman named Sulica?”

  Elion shrugged. “I trained a blonde woman but did not get her name. Her associate had paid for my services to help her.”

  “What did you think you needed with extra money? Our rent was paid for by the Dominion, they paid us a comfortable amount to live. Why did you do it?” Livian could ask a dozen more questions but the police officers nearby to take Elion back were encroaching on them.

  Elion shrugged. “I no longer desired to be an acolyte, Liv. It’s hard work spending a majority of your life meditating to the spirits to be able to train others, you know this. Isn’t that why you didn’t want to become one yourself?”

  Livian was astonished at his indolent ideas. “Most jobs are going to take a lot of our time. You have no idea what I just did for the past four years - four years of no privacy, constant watch, dangerous obstacles, combat training, injuries - this list goes on! And you are whining about being an acolyte? You’re pathetic. And I’m glad you were caught. Enjoy your next seventy years of not working.” She quickly stormed off to allow the officers to take him back.

  Though her eyes burned and her heart ached for what she once had with him, she finally had answers, such as they were. And with that, maybe a chance at a conclusion, for both of them.

  Livian surveyed the administrative room of the citadel, idly chatting with the officer in charge of enrolling the graduates into officer training, re-enlistments, or lifetime reserves. She was fortunate to learn that the officer training would start in one month instead of having to wait six months for the next division to graduate so as to meet the minimum requirement of sixteen officer trainees.

  “Navy officer or Army?” The lieutenant junior grade at the desk asked when filling out the paperwork for her.

  “Army,” she stated, no longer feeling the need of distracting, tedious ship life the Navy would have provided her.

  “Do you need quarters now or after your month of leave?”

  She didn’t want to tell him that she didn’t have any other place to go. “Now, please.” The belongings she’d acquired during her service to the acolytes had been put in storage near the barracks during her training.

  The navy officer opened a second log book to issue her the appropriate room. He handed her a key and wrote down the room number for her. Then he gave her the remaining papers stating her official orders with the time and place for her first day of officer training.

  -:- -:- -:-

  Etyne strolled through the halls of the Citadel the following morning in search of Major Paush. He knocked on the open door of his superior’s office before announcing his presence.

  “Vorsen, have a seat,” the major ordered. He shuffled through papers on his desk until he found the ones he was looking for. He handed a small stack depicting orders to the half-Kiaran man.

  “I’m going to a ship, Sir?” Etyne was confused by his ship detachment orders meant for navy officers.

  “Your successful mission from the Lantheun Empire has earned your early promotion. You’re needed on the DSV Rogue for advanced special forces training. Report to Rear Admiral Taussek after your month of leave,” Paush explained.

  “Aye, Sir,” Etyne replied, feeling bittersweet about his new orders. Advanced special forces training on behalf of the Dominion Navy wasn’t a duty that people chose. You were sought out and recommended by your superiors to the generals and admirals to endure the harsh training the officers were put through. The legends surrounding the mysterious ship came back to Etyne. The soldiers and sailors on the DSV Rogue were a resilient marine task force trained to undergo impossible missions in foreign lands. The orders were either accepted and the officer succeed, or denied and the selectee pushed into the lifelong reserves. Etyne folded his formidable orders and placed them in a pocket, unsure if he should thank the spirits or curse them.

  “Congratulations on your promotion, Major,” Paush shook his hand and saluted him. He then handed Etyne a small wooden box containing two collar devices to place on two of his uniforms. They displayed the gold rank insignia of major for the army.

  Before returning to his empty apartment downtown, he stopped by his mother’s small, stone and wood house for a surprise visit. With no one but herself and her son, Drienna spent Etyne’s childhood working long hours to be able to afford their tiny home and the necessities. With Etyne on his own and doing quite well for himself, she no longer had to work as hard. But she still denied Etyne’s offer to set her up in a more luxurious place.

  “Spirits bless you, Etyne,” Drienna embraced her son at her door.

  “Hey mami,” he hugged her tightly. He stepped back to look at her now that it was daylight and his eyes were empty of tears. Though four more years had passed, she still had seven centuries left of youthful beauty.

  “How long are you in town?” she asked, wiping mother
ly tears of joy from her cheeks for a second time.

  “Only a month,” he replied.

  “You’re getting bigger each time you come home.” She patted his muscular shoulders. “I know you’re hungry, do you want me to cook your favorite meal?”

  “I would love it.” Etyne could never turn down her offer of homemade flatbread stuffed with spiced meat and vegetables, layered with cheese and hot sauces. It was a recipe she learned from his father, whom he still had never met.

  Now that he had a month to himself, and more than enough money to cover the cost, he asked her, “Mami, do you think you can take me to visit my father?” He put a bag of frakshins on the table.

  She pried herself away from her cooking to look up at her son, ignoring the money. “Baby, are you sure you want to risk visiting Pahl’Kiar?”

  He nodded. “I have a way with sneaking into places I shouldn’t be in. I could hide you, too, if you don’t want to risk deception as a non-Resarian.”

  Drienna considered his words. She began bustling around the small kitchen again. “On second thought, I’ll send a message out to him and have him meet us in Pakayan Islands, instead. Would you rather we traveled there?”

  Etyne grinned and nodded. “Yes, mami, anywhere is fine.”

  “When do we leave?” she asked excitedly, finishing the final touches of their lunch.

  “I’ll find us a ship as soon as we’re done eating,” he told her, grinning almost childlike at her when she placed his meal before him at the table.

  Etyne and Drienna walked along the pier some time later, checking the schedules of departures from Res’Baveth to the Pakayan Islands. He thanked the spirits when one of the transport ships was scheduled to leave in three days. He reserved two seats for them and paid the ship’s accountant half of the fare as a deposit.

  They stopped at the mail house to have Drienna’s letter sent to the secret address that diverted his letters to Etyne’s father in Pahl’Kiar. With spirits’ fortune on their side, the letter would arrive to him before they landed in Pakaya.