"I think this is just a regular headache. I haven't had any of the weird flashes for a few days now."
Rommus lowered his eyebrows. "What do you mean? What kind of flashes?"
"I have been having these headaches recently, and they are usually followed by strange visions. I see objects floating in the air, or places where I have never been. I hear words that are unfamiliar, and before Vohl taught me Old Medoran, I was seeing words flash before me. I could understand the words somehow, but they were still not making any sense to me."
"Rommus leaned forward in his chair."And now that you can read the old dialect, the meaning is clear?"
"No, not exactly. I can understand all of the words now, but they are very random and they still don't make any sense."
"And the objects? What objects are you seeing?"
"Jewels, armor, weapons—lots of things. There are some trinkets or amulets. Sometimes I see where an item is hidden instead of the item itself. One time I saw the statue that crushed Uritus, but the tattered robes of Inshae were on it. I don't know what it all means."
Rommus pulled his chair closed and rested his elbows on the table. "Song, I think it is time that we have a little discussion. How well do you know your history?"
"Not very well, I'm afraid. History has never been a subject I cared about. I have always looked to the future instead of the past."
"Well, there was once a man who saw all of the items you are seeing in your vision. He dedicated his life to it—among other things. But he saw these things with his own eyes, and not in dreams or daydreams. He collected them or recorded their locations for future reference. If he had not done so, I would not have the armor of Arius now. The sword of Arius would never have been found either. The world today would be completely different.
"But there are greater things this man did. He started the Silver Mages. He was one of the founding fathers of Medora. He was the third Emperor, back when an Emperor was not made a leader just because his father before him was the Emperor. He and others built this nation into what it is today—or rather, what it was before the recent generations began dismantling it. He was one of the first men to truly understand freedom, and bring it to the world."
Song scratched his head. "So what's that got to do with me? Why would I see his items in my visions?"
"I think you know the answer to that already, Song. I know it seems crazy, but it's true. Vohl has already told you about the star of Tachion."
"I don't understand where you are going with this, Rommus."
Rommus let out an exasperated breath. "Who was the third Emperor of Medora?"
Song shook his head. "How in the world should I know? I told you I don't study history."
Rommus looked over to one of the guards. "You. Who was the third Emperor of Medora?"
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't know."
"How about you?" Rommus asked the other guard.
"Erratus Ridoria, sir."
Song stared at the man and then at the table. For a long time he sat silently, resting his head in his hand as he came to grip with what he was being told. It was understandable that he refused to believe it, but far stranger things had happened all around him. It would eventually sink in that he, Erratus Ridoria, would go back in time to become the third Emperor of Medora.
"It can't be," Song said quietly.
"It's the truth, Song. I believe you are somehow having memories of things you have not yet seen. In a way, you're remembering the future."
"That's insane. If I know anything at all, I know that cause comes before effect; not the other way around. I can't remember something that hasn't happened yet."
"Maybe not, Song, but in reality, those things have happened already. Your future takes place in our past. You go back in time and discover the artifacts of the gods long before I am even born. You are the original author of The Book of Eternal Wisdom."
Song's mouth hung open as he thought. "I admit I have considered this possibility. Vohl's hints guided me to that conclusion, but I rejected it because it's so preposterous."
"It does indeed sound preposterous, Song," Vohl said. "But it is the truth as far as we can tell. None of us are able to use the star of Tachion again, since the god of time threatened us with banishment from this world if we attempted it again. But you somehow have the ability to slip passed even the most alert guards undetected. You told me how Inshae was surprised to see you when you saw Uritus speaking with him. You have a rare ability to avoid the eyes of man as well as the gods.
"I think it should be advised that you not let the star of Tachion or the book out of your sight from this point onward. Keep the jewel in your pocket and keep the book in your pack. These items are far too valuable to fall into hands other than your own"
Rommus interrupted before Song could respond. "Song, have your visions shown you anything about beasts with sort of purple skin? They are twins, sometimes known as the hounds of Maeris. I believe they are the ones that stole my sword."
"No, I don't remember anything like that. I have seen the sword in my visions a few times, but it is always floating. There's never anyone touching any of the objects."
"What about the myth?" Rommus asked. "You were familiar with the Song of the Valley poem at the end of The Book of Eternal Wisdom. Do you know the old story about the twin brothers who were turned into beasts by Maeris?"
Song shook his head. "No, I have never heard of anything like that before."
Rommus pushed away from the table. "That figures, I guess. Another dead end."
Song lit up with an idea. "Wait a minute, if the star of Tachion really does let me travel through time, and Tachion can't see me do it, then why don't I just go back in time far enough to grab your sword before those monsters do?"
Vohl shook his head. "It is far more complicated than that, Song. You see, no human can alter history. No matter what path you try to steer towards, history will right itself. You can change how you end up in a certain place, but you cannot change where you end up. This is probably why the majority of The Book of Eternal Wisdom is simply cataloging where important items are to be found. If you had collected them all throughout history, that would surely cause great disruptions throughout time—which apparently is not possible. But the book itself is protected by some sort of magic, and no matter what small changes are made though time travel, the text remains exactly the same, relative to the original observer. That original observer is you."
Again Rommus interrupted Song before he could speak. "What about a 'soul under the mountain'? Do you know anything about the guardian of the void?"
Song stared at Rommus for a moment with a tiny flicker of fear behind his eyes. "Yes. I think I do."
Chapter 36
Alana nodded to the guards when they acknowledged her. She turned down the corridor they guarded, and proceeded down the long granite hallway towards the heavy wooden door at the end. Another guard at the door saluted her and unlocked the door with a key. Guards saluting her with a fist over the heart was becoming more and more common, but it was something that never ceased to surprise her. At first she tried to salute back to them like she saw Rommus and Vohl do, but it made her feel so silly. She was always slightly embarrassed by it, and she couldn't help but smile, so she stopped saluting back in order to retain some respect for the gesture and not appear as if she was insulting the soldiers. Still, it made her feel good inside that these big, tough Medorans thought enough of her to salute her.
"Shall I escort you the rest of the way?" the guard asked.
"I'll be fine, thank you. You can stay here."
She walked down the silent granite hallway and came to a row of prison cells on the right side. Shafts of sunlight fell through high windows and lit the powdery dust hovering in the air. The smell of food hovered in the air as well, and it reminded her that she hadn't eaten for several hours. She had just been too busy to stop.
In the first cell was the Dirujen that was captured. She was always struck by how similar a
ll of the immortals looked. This one, Mekkal, looked as if he could be Vohl's twin. He was dressed in almost identical clothing, and his hair and face were nearly as indistinguishable as well. The only real difference she could see was in the eyes. Mekkal's eyes were slightly narrower and less kind. To her, he looked like Vohl in a bad mood or shooting an angry glare. Their voices were certainly different enough. They both had a gentle, melodic quality, but Mekkal's voice was deeper and slightly raspier.
Alana folded her arms. "I have more questions for you. Will you work with me this time?"
"I have no reason to help you, Vindyri. You may ask your questions, but I would expect them to fall to the floor before they reach my ears if I were you."
"I'm not here to ask about your war strategies again. I want you to tell me a story."
Mekkal laughed. "A story?"
"Yes, a story you may have heard when you were much younger. Do you know anything about the hounds of Maeris?"
"I have vague memories of them, yes. So what? It is a child's tale."
"Well can you tell me anything about it? Do you remember the story?"
"Not very much of it. Besides, I can see through your trickery. You ask me to tell you stories in an attempt to make me lower my guard and trust you. I have been alive for thousands of years, little girl, and I am wise to such efforts."
"It's not trickery. If you don't tell me what you know, it won't matter to me in the slightest."
"Also an old trick, little girl. You are wasting your time. I can sit in this cell and outlast the stone walls around me. There is no need for me to assist you."
"Okay Mekkal. You sit here and outlast this granite. I'll have the Medorans stop sending food and water too since you don't need it."
Mekkal stared at her for a long while, but she avoided his gaze, knowing how dangerous it was to look him directly in the eyes. She had enough experience with Vohl to know the limits of the power the Dirujen had, and so Tannis allowed her to interrogate the prisoner without fear of her being overcome by his magic.
"Wine," he said.
"What was that?"
"Wine. Have them bring me wine and I will tell you what I remember about the story."
Alana nodded. "I can do that. Tell me what you know."
"I do not remember much about the story, but I do remember people talking about it many centuries ago. The beasts were once a single man, and were transformed by Maeris when their powers were elevated. The story called them immortals, but in a way they are not. They were blessed by Maeris with exceedingly long life, but that blessing was also their curse. It warped them into hideous creatures that appeared more animal than man.
"They see the world through some magical device. I believe it was a jewel or some sort of orb. Anyone could use this device and see anything happening anywhere in the world, but for the twins they both had to use it at the same time. This is because in essence, they only possess half of a soul. For the item to function, they both need to touch it at the same time.
"There was something about their weapons as well. I cannot recall exactly what it was but their weapons were connected in some way. It was similar to their magical orb in that their weapons functioned differently separately rather than together, but my memory fails me on that part of the tale.
"I believe their names are Gorin and Gewin, but I do not recall the name that they had when they were a single man. I remember that they were said to be very dangerous, and stronger than many men combined. Their skin was an odd color. I believe it was blue or purple. That is all I remember."
"And you're sure that it's supposed to be only a story. The creatures are not real?"
"As far as I know, it was a story crafted to inspire fear and respect for the god of destruction. It was some kind of fable to demonstrate the diametrically opposing ideas of blessings and curses occurring at the same time, even within the same human being. It was meant to show that we are all vulnerable to the will of the gods, but in their curses we may find blessings, and vice versa."
"I see. And have you ever seen these monsters yourself?"
"Of course not. Now, have the Medorans bring me wine. I have told you all I know."
Alana unfolded her arms and nodded, suggesting that she would hold up her end of the bargain. She had no intention of withholding the wine from Mekkal, but she had no idea if the Medorans would allow him to have it. But in the end, it didn't matter. He had told her everything he knew about the supposedly fictional beasts, and it was a lot more information than they had already. As far as she was concerned, Mekkal had served his purpose, and he could sit in his cell alone until the granite walls finally fell away to dust.
"What about me?" came a voice from the next cell over. "Can I have wine too? I can tell you any story you want."
Alana walked over to Zeke's cell. "Probably not. But as soon as the war is over you will be free to return to Vindyrion. You have done your part to help us and they are just keeping you here for safety reasons."
"Help us? You're a Vindyri, not one of them. Why are you helping the Medorans?"
"Why did you help the Medorans? You gave them information about your battle plan."
"I was forced to help them. They killed my fellow soldiers and I was taken prisoner. I didn't have any choice. Since you're on the other side of these bars, I assume you do."
"Yes, I have chosen to fight alongside the Medorans. It's true. These are good people. They're not the monsters we were told they were when we were young."
"It doesn't matter. You should be ashamed for your betrayal. You should have stayed loyal to your country at all cost."
"Is that right? And at what point in a country's evolution is it acceptable to rise up and disagree with the direction of the nation? Do we just accept whatever our King decrees as infallible law?"
"Yes, my fellow Vindyri. It's just like the immortal just said about the fable you asked about. We must admit that we ruled by our superiors. Those superiors can be gods or men, but they rule us all the same. If we are loyal followers, we will be rewarded. If we are not, we will be punished."
"Then why did you help the Medorans?"
"Because I feared for my life. Besides, when I was captured, the Medorans became my superiors. I told the truth when I told them I didn't agree with the Vindyri invading Medora, however my devotion to my nation is not affected by my feelings on specific matters. In the end, I am a proud Vindyri, and nothing will ever change what I feel in my heart."
Alana reached out and laid a hand on one of the bars."You would be surprised. It was not all that long ago that I was kept in a Medoran cell. I came to this land with the intent to kill, and I almost accomplished it. I tried to murder the General of the Medoran army, but fortunately I failed. I stabbed him in his gut and ran away, assuming that he would die. If you think about it, I am just as guilty of murder even though I failed. My intent was to kill, and I believed I had done so.
"But these Medorans understood. Some were angry at me, but I was forgiven. I had a reason for what I tried to do, and they accepted it and tried to understand it. They could have killed me at any time, but they have accepted me into their circle and I truly feel that I am one of them. I am not treated as an outsider at all. This is my family."
Zeke laughed. "They are manipulating you. They use you to inch closer to their goals. At least I can see that they are using me."
"You can believe that if you want, Zeke. But do you think that Medorans captured in Vindyrion are treated with the same respect that you have been treated with? Are they offered real, hardy meals like you have here? Are they promised that they will be released in a reasonable amount of time?"
"They'll never release me. I will be in here until I die."
"Zeke, mark my words; I promise you that the day after the war is over, I will come here and release you myself. I will be here at dawn, with keys in my hand. Now answer my question; do the Vindyri treat their prisoners with the same respect you have seen here?"
"Whatever the Ki
ng decides to be proper treatment is proper treatment."
Alana huffed. "I'm not asking you if you think it's acceptable. I am asking if you think the Vindyri are as fair as the Medorans."
"It's all irrelevant. We are all prisoners serving our superiors; inside of a cell or not. Our duty to our respective nations is all that matters. Anything other than that is just luck or fate, and we have no control over that."
"True, we can't choose what fate sends our way; but we can choose how to deal with it. We are forged in that fire, and it makes us who we are. Our nation of origin plays a part, but the banner we live under does not define us. If it did, we would be a collective group, and not individuals."
"Those are lofty words for someone who has betrayed her country."
"There comes a time, Zeke, when we must call our nationalism into question. When our leaders force us onto a course that is opposite of where our moral compass points, we can't stand by and allow it to happen. The corrupt will of a few should not dictate our direction."
Zeke laughed again as he leaned against a wall. "That is silly. All nations have rulers. Their will is our law. You imply that the will of the people should override the will of their rulers."
"That's right. The people are no less important than their Kings or Emperors."
"But don't you see what you're saying?" Zeke asked. "You admit that the people are a collective group. Their importance as individuals means nothing. It is only their ruler who can matter. He alone can ensure that all people are treated equally, and have a fair chance for equality."
"Zeke, your idea of equality is flawed. Medorans believe in equality too, but they do not define it as equal outcomes for all people. Here in Medora, all people are granted the same opportunities, and they are free to act on those opportunities, or sit and do nothing. Their success is theirs alone, but so is any failure they experience. The equality you speak of is just the King forcibly taking more from productive people in order to redistribute it to less productive people. Just how much can King Weryn take before everyone gives up? How will children survive when there are no people willing to make bread or clothing? What incentive will there be for anyone when all Vindyri are granted perfectly equal misery?"
Soul Under the Mountain (Legend of Reason Series) Page 22
