by Lyra Shanti
Nervously, Pei looked around the walls of where he stood. He could barely make out what seemed like a cylindrical room with smooth, stony walls. There was a hint of wetness everywhere and a cool breeze that blew every so often.
“If you’re my friend, why did you trap me and my troops?” asked Pei, trying to locate the voice’s origin.
“I did not trap any of you. The sand machine activates automatically when intruders are near.”
What is a sand machine? thought Pei. Following the soft, gentle voice of the unknown woman, Pei saw a corridor in front of him. Emitting a shiny glow, the corridor illuminated Pei’s eyes. He saw that the walls were now crystalline. “Is this Linthil?” he whispered to himself.
“Yes, it is,” replied the voice. “The Linthil crystals are the light and hope of our people. The crystals will light your way as well.”
Surprised she had heard him, Pei smiled and said, “How is it you can hear me? Are you using radio waves? If so, how can you be doing that in a place like this?”
“All will be explained shortly,” she said in a soothing tone. Pei didn’t want to feel soothed by a possible enemy’s voice, but he couldn’t help it. There was something lovely and calming about her. He hoped she was a real person and not just some computer program’s voice, though he figured the latter scenario was more than likely.
As Pei walked along the corridor, he came to a circular room. “Where am I now?” he asked the soothing voice.
“You’ve entered the decompression room. You will now go through decompression.”
“Wait,” said Pei nervously, “what do you mean?”
Just then, he heard a strange “whoosh” sound and felt wetness by his feet. “Hey!” he yelled into the darkness. “What’s happening?”
The voice did not respond as Pei was quickly becoming engulfed in cold sea water. As it rose to his chest, he began to panic. He didn’t have his underwater breathing apparatus with him, and he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.
In a split decision, Pei took a deep breath and hoped for the best. The water then gushed past his head and swallowed him up. As the entire room filled with water, Pei looked around, praying to find a latch or door somewhere. As he felt the walls of the water-filled room, all he could feel was the smooth coldness of the Linthil.
About to lose the air in his lungs, Pei was surprised by an opening of a door, which had seemed invisible to his eyes. Out of the door swam five figures; their bodies looked almost like Tokani whales to him, yet their faces were like men. As they surrounded him, one of the fish-tailed men put a breathing device over Pei’s mouth. It was slimy and cold, but it provided Pei the air he needed to breathe. Gasping at first, he soon regained his equilibrium.
Who are these people? thought Pei. Could they be the Tirleni?
Confused, but breathing, Pei followed the fish-men into yet another room, which emanated a bright blue light. The light pulsated about ten times, and then stopped. The water was then sucked away in an instant, which left Pei on his knees and sopping wet.
Wet and sitting on the stony floor on his knees, Pei looked at the men in front of him. They stood, bare-chested, with weed-like blue and green pants on. Looking at them, Pei was astonished; their tails had disappeared!
One of the men pointed at Pei’s mouth and motioned for him to remove the breathing device. Pei was glad to do so since the slimy texture felt disgusting. When he removed the device, he was even further disgusted as it wiggled in his hand like a squid. That thing was in my mouth? he thought as he stood to his feet. Pei couldn’t imagine eating seafood ever again.
He was about to ask one of the men who they were and what had happened to their tails, but he was thwarted by a small blade to his back. The men moved Pei forward out of the blue-lit room, and he got the feeling they weren’t in the mood to talk.
They brought him out into a large, coral-covered area where many more of their people were gathered. There was an elevated throne made of Linthil shimmering in the distance. Pei got the feeling these people weren’t ordinary Ohrians; they had their trademark slanted, eyelid-colored eyes and their gills, but there was something very different about them. Not only did Pei see them with tails one minute, and then legs the next, but he also noticed that they were speaking to each other in a strange, garbled language. It sounded to Pei like they were still underwater, talking in muffled, warbled tones.
Fascinated, he didn’t notice his friends at first. It wasn’t until he was led directly to them that he saw Sterek and Fola, as well as Maisy and his entire troop.
“Sterek! Fola! What happened to you?” asked Pei, excited. “How did you get down here with the rest of us?”
Sterek shook his head and said, “Pei… you probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Let’s just say my ship, you know, the one that’s supposed to be undetectable… well, they detected it, and next thing I knew, we were sucked down into this underwater city. They say we’re going to speak to their leader now that you’re here. Apparently, they’ve been waiting for you, which is a little creepy.”
“Yes, it is,” replied Pei. “But even creepier is the way they speak. How did you even understand them?”
“I didn’t,” replied Sterek. “It’s hard to explain, but they told me… telepathically.”
“Wow,” said Pei, not knowing how to respond.
Fola laughed and added, “It’s good to see you made it, Pei. We were worried you got taken down by the Ohrian Army.”
“Who me?” said Pei, smirking. “Never.”
With that, he gave Maisy a hug, and then patted his fellow soldiers on their backs. He was extremely pleased to see them alive.
Just then, the men with the coral looking knives and green seaweed pants bent down to someone who was walking into the large room. As they, and the rest of the people in the room, knelt down one by one, Pei supposed he should do the same, out of respect for their leader. As he knelt, so did his troop, followed by Sterek, and Fola, though it made her uncomfortable to show respect for a stranger.
As he saw the outline of their leader walking through the crowd, Pei was filled with curiosity. Their leader was a woman, and she was absolutely stunning. With long, loosely curled, light-green hair and turquoise eyes, she caught the light of the Linthil in the room and reflected it back with her eyes. Dressed in a long, shimmering silver dress, she seemed to glide into the room. Making her way past her people, she walked to Pei and smiled.
She didn’t say a word, but Pei got the distinct feeling she told him to rise to his feet, and so he did. Almost unable to look into her sparkling eyes, Pei forced himself to look at her face. She truly was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen!
She smiled at him knowingly, and for a moment, he thought she had heard his thoughts.
“I can indeed hear your thoughts,” she mentally spoke to him. “That is how I was able to speak with you in the decompression room.”
Pei shook his head, confused. He looked around at Sterek and Fola, wondering if they heard it too.
“Pei,” said the green-haired beauty, again without actually speaking, “you have journeyed far to arrive at this moment. I know you do not believe in destiny, but believe me when I say that you have been guided here. It was always your fate to meet… Her.”
“Excuse me,” said Pei awkwardly, “are you speaking to me?”
The green-haired woman smiled, and then nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said, aloud this time, and it wasn’t garbled like the others either. “I have not spoken the universal language in such a long time. Let me introduce myself. My name is Kiyana, and I am the shaman of the Tirleni. I was born to guide them, and now you, to The Deep.”
“The Deep?” repeated Pei. “Do you know about The Dome? It is supposedly located somewhere inside the depth of the Tirlenian ocean. Can you help us find it?”
Kiyana nodded, then sat on her throne-chair. Pei found it very interesting that a shaman, who was usually just a spiritual guide, was treated by her p
eople more like a queen with godly power. It reminded him of his own people’s regard for the Bodanya, at least when The Dei had ruled. These days, Ayn preferred his kingdom to treat him merely as their king, though most still saw him as a God-like being. Pei waffled on how he viewed his beloved brother-in-soul. Some days, Pei saw Ayn as his little brother. On other days, Pei remembered the power Ayn could wield, and he only saw The Bodanya. The whole thing confused him, though he still loved Ayn, no matter what.
This woman, however, boggled Pei’s mind even more. She had a quality that was ethereal and almost more otherworldly than Ayn’s aura. It made Pei’s attraction for her even harder for him to ignore.
Luckily, Kiyana didn’t seem to mind him staring at her. She smiled serenely at Pei, and then at Fola and Sterek, and all of his troop. “Yes,” she said, “I can help you find the place you seek. But I warn you, my friends, its location is very deep within Osha’s womb and not easily found. Even our greatest warriors have had trouble reaching what you call The Dome.”
Sterek took a step forward and said, “If I may, Lady Kiyana, I have built a ship that can travel deeper into the dark of the ocean than any have previously. I believe I will be able to find it, if you help point us in the right direction.”
Kiyana turned to him with a slightly worried brow. Her sympathetic turquoise eyes captivated Pei as she shook her head slowly and said, “I’m sorry, General Sterek, but I’m afraid your ship, despite its impressive capabilities, is made with plasma. Osha will not allow such a ship to enter her domain, nor will she allow any weapons or technology which uses plasma. The Great Osha is clear on this matter. No, you will have to let us take you there, if She approves your voyage, that is. I will speak to Her in my dreams tonight, and I will ask Her if she will allow us to show you the way. In the meantime, you may stay here as our guests and partake in our food, shelter, and safety.”
Sterek nodded and bowed, accepting her words out of respect. He looked at his sister who was grimacing, confused and annoyed. Sterek put his hand on her arm and nodded to her, assuring her that everything was under control. Fola sighed and shrugged.
Pei too was a bit confused, but he was also entranced. He had no idea how she knew his and Sterek’s names, but she seemed to know almost everything, and he found her fascinating. Pushing past his attraction, he asked, “Lady Kiyana, may I ask who this Osha is? I haven’t heard of her before.”
Kiyana turned to Pei and smiled. “Osha is the great Goddess of the sea. She is as old as time itself, and She is our beginning and end. Osha decides our fate, and She is calling for us to return to her. I am certain She wanted you to come here, General. I have no doubt that She will allow you to enter her womb. She has called to you since you were born. Can you feel Her?”
Pei had no words. He was too stunned by Kiyana’s beauty and the mesmerizing way she spoke. He hadn’t felt so lost about a woman since he first met Ona and foolishly fell for her before finding out the truth of their relation. With Reese, he had let himself fall, but only after fighting it as hard as he could, as if he’d always known she’d only end up breaking his heart. It still stung about Reese, but he finally felt ready to move on.
Not knowing how to reply, he simply nodded and half-bowed. Feeling a little stupid, Pei shook himself away from Kiyana. He then turned to Maisy and whispered, “We will stay here with the Tirleni until they either show us to The Dome, or we find a way in ourselves.”
“Yes, General,” Maisy replied, smirking at him, “though it doesn’t seem like we have any other choice.”
“True,” said Pei. “Just follow my lead.”
She nodded and relayed the message to the others. Sterek and Fola had a hard time following anyone’s lead, but they stayed behind the others for the time being.
Kiyana ordered her soldiers to treat Pei and his friends with respect, and then she officially announced them to the rest of the gathered Tirleni as their guests. She then walked over to Pei and extended her hand. Pei felt nervously obliged to take it. She smiled and softly asked, “Will you join me for dinner, General?”
To that, Pei could only say, “Yes,” as everyone in their party was led to a large dining hall. Lit up by the multilayered Linthil crystals on the walls, there were rows of long, crystalline tables with flowery designs on the tops and sides. The chairs looked to be made of pearl, but when they sat down on them, it felt as soft as a pillow.
As Pei sat next to Kiyana, he heard her voice in his mind say, “I am sorry for the shocking way you found us. I truly did not want to scare you.”
Pei half-smiled and said, “Well, it was a bit frightening. However, I think you speaking to me in my head might be a little bit scarier, to be honest.”
“Oh!” she blurted, breaking into a bashful smile. “I’m so sorry. I’m still not used to speaking aloud.”
Pei felt tickled by how she suddenly seemed like a youthful, nervous girl. He wondered how old this shaman-queen actually was, though he dared not ask for fear of rudeness.
“It’s alright, I find it fascinating that you can speak telepathically,” he said as Tirleni servers began giving the hundred or more people in their tribe plates of fruits and vegetables. Pei was starving and hoped fish would also be on the menu. “Do you always eat together like this?” asked Pei as he drank the wine they served in coral goblets.
“Yes,” she replied, “we are a tight, united family. We have had to remain quite close together ever since Minister Vax declared us his enemy. He deems us unclean, though I know not why. We have tried to fight back, but Osha's children are not hers any longer. They are now controlled by Vax and attack without mercy. Osha will not forgive him for his crimes, however, so we must stay in hiding… until Her reckoning is upon us.”
Pei nodded, though he was utterly clueless as to what Kiyana was talking about. He didn’t want to fall for a religious woman, though she completely captivated him, even despite his reservations. There was a time when she would have been his ideal woman: spiritually strong, graceful and seemingly pure. Now, however, he had dramatically changed and wasn’t even sure if he believed in his own Gods, let alone a Tirleni one called Osha.
“So,” said Pei as he nibbled cautiously on a piece of yellow, semi-sweet fruit, “your people have tried to fight Vax’s army, but without success?”
“Yes,” she sadly replied, “we used to live on the beach, but because of Her children, we cannot remain there. We’ve had to stay under the sand.”
“Her children?” asked Pei. “Who are Her children?”
Kiyana sighed and slowly reached for her goblet of wine. Pei noticed she seemed to be looking ahead without watching her hand, like most would when about to drink from a cup. She seemed to be having difficulty finding the goblet. When she almost knocked the drink over, Pei reached for her hand and helped guide her to the goblet.
“Thank you,” she said shyly, lifting her drink to her lips. Just then, it dawned on Pei that Kiyana was blind. He had no idea how she could walk and seem so in control, but her beautiful turquoise eyes never truly focused on anything, and he felt a fool for not having realized it sooner.
“Her children…” she spoke softly, “are the ones I believe you have called drones, though they are nothing of the sort. They are living, breathing creatures with great hearts and minds. They came from Osha, but they have been physically altered by Vax’s unfeeling scientists and are now creatures of malice. They no longer think for themselves. They are twisted inside, and I fear for their souls.”
Pei was shocked. “Those big octopus-looking, vortex creating things are sentient and alive?” he asked, quite disgusted.
“Yes,” she replied sadly, “though they cannot think for themselves at present. We have been trying to find a way to break Vax’s control over them, but we… I… have not been able to understand the clues Osha tells me in my dreams.”
Pei sensed a deep sadness in the shaman-queen, and it drew him to her even more. No, he told himself, I must keep my mind on the mission. I can�
�t afford to fall in love.
“Don’t worry, Lady Kiyana” he said with a firm, but gentle voice, “we will help you, not only to fight those monsters, but to end the crimes Vax is committing against your people and those taken to The Dome.”
Kiyana smiled and nodded. “I believe you, General,” she softly replied, hazily looking at him. “Even though you are a stranger to me, I feel as though I’ve always known you. I do not know exactly what will be, but Osha showed me your face in a dream, and I am happy you are here.”
Pei tried not to feel the warmth of her words filling his heart, but it was no use; he was in love, perhaps more than he had ever been before.
--
The wolf’s eyes were bright yellow and seemed to jump off the page of the delicate scroll-book. The picture painted of him was terrifying with his sharp claws and fangs as he stood upright, yet crouching in a menacing stance. But there was something beautiful about him in Ayn’s mind, and ever since his recurring dream, he couldn’t get the wolf out of his head.
Ayn couldn’t believe he had never read about the wolf God before. His name was Otho and he was a very old God from ancient Deiusian myth. Long before the story of Adin, and even before the musical love Goddess, Iravini, the wolf God, Otho, protected the gates of the afterlife and brought those he deemed worthy to the God of judgment: Matana, who was the twin sister and lover of the sun God, Siri. She later became lovers with Otho, but their intricate story was difficult for Ayn to piece together. He had been taught the old language of his planet, but he was a bit rusty, and his eyes were beginning to blur.
As Ayn tried his best to read the mostly forgotten native Deiusian language, he was entranced by the myth of the afterlife, which was originally called The Un. At first, it seemed strange to him that the term The Dei priests had given to the whole of the galaxy was originally used to mean the afterlife where everyone would be judged. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how similar the two ideas really were. He hoped he wasn’t reading it wrong, but he was pretty sure he had the correct symbols.
