by S. G. Basu
“The only two objects annotated with ‘creation’ and ‘worlds’ are the Bale Labyrinth and the Saucer of Agentoph,” Nafi stated in a small voice. “However, there is no hint on where the Bale Labyrinth is stored in the temple, just the description of its mystical powers. It’s described as a dream catcher as well as a dream weaver. It seems that this contraption, which could be as small as a tiny pebble, has the power to extract dreams from people’s minds, and it builds a virtual world out of it. It has the capacity to sustain that world within its confines, keeping it alive until it is destroyed by the explicit wishes of one who owns the dream.”
“Hmmm . . . never heard of such a thing.” Miir tapped his forehead, lost in thought. “What about the other?”
“The Saucer of Agentoph seems like a humongous mechanism built into the temple. We don’t think it’s possible to move that at all, let alone bring it back with us,” Maia said, trying to remember the little details. “There is a hand-drawn picture that resembles a giant pestle and mortar, and if given a fragment of the essence, it can create a planet.”
“Ah, yes,” Miir chuckled. “It creates the replicas, like the ones you see at—”
“The Gallery of Planets, of course,” Ren exclaimed.
“All that’s wonderful,” Nafi interrupted, “but the fact remains that we don’t have any idea what the relic could be, because it most certainly can’t be these.”
“Do you know what it could be?” Kusha asked Miir as the others looked on with doleful eyes.
“I would not be able to tell you even if I did,” was Miir’s solemn reply. “But I think you will solve it soon. You still have some time on your hands.”
Miir soon left the thoughtful group, who spent some more time at the Snoso detailing their plans. When they finally trooped back to their rooms, the whole building was sound asleep.
***
A week prior to the day of the challenge, Yilosario’s Fourth printed a sheaf of papers for the team. It was a long list of rules—the hundred codes of honorable combat. Maia skimmed through the stack, but with no breakthrough in identifying the relic, she could hardly focus on the dreary regulations. Along with Nafi, she had spent sleepless nights with books and scrolls and data vaults, researching relics. As the preparations for the expedition progressed according to plan, the others tried to put their heads together as well. None of it helped.
The night before the challenge, as Maia scanned yet another set of references, Nafi jumped up from her seat, bobbing with excitement, her emerald eyes sparkling.
“Maia,” she squealed. “Look, I found some more.”
“You found some clues?” Maia edged closer, hoping to see some miraculous discovery about the relic.
“Huh?” Nafi seemed distracted as she pored over the Book of Treasures. “No, not that. This book mentions the R’armimon.”
“Come on, Nafi, forget the R’armimon.” Maia felt a wave of frustration well up inside. Now was not the time to indulge in figuring out some mystery. Every moment counted. “I would rather look for clues to identify the relic.”
“I didn’t go looking for them,” Nafi snapped. “They’re mentioned in this book, in connection with the powers of the Seliban Temple. It says here that the Seliban Temple, mostly due to its enhanced biometric design and its location in the lava field, has been found to augment extrasensory powers. It enhances the powers of Telekinetics, and it boosts the abilities of the Tierremorphes. In a sense, it rivals the Xienotaph System of the ancient R’armimon Empire, the infamous training grounds of the dreaded R’armimon assassins and infiltrators.”
“They had training grounds for assassins and infiltrators? What sort of people are these?” Maia wondered aloud.
“Intriguing and somewhat creepy.” Nafi shut her book and stretched. “I wouldn’t plan on being best friends with them.”
***
The next morning, Maia was taut with anxiety as she walked with the team toward the Dyosican Hangar from where their mission was scheduled to start. Even the simple task of breathing took some effort, and keeping the unending chain of thoughts from crowding and badgering her tired mind was next to impossible. And to top it all off, she felt miserable thinking about her failure to solve the clues to the relic. It was the one task she had been assigned, and instead of leading the team to victory, she would now be responsible for their ruin.
Miir met them at the entrance of the hangar and handed out personal communicators to everyone, looking curiously at their droopy faces.
“Why do all of you look so sad?”
“What’s the point of going through all of this when we don’t even know what we need to retrieve,” Nafi sighed and looked away. “We’ll never be able to win this.”
Maia knew they were all thinking the same.
“Well, you will get to fly an Onclioraptor . . . that is one excellent reason that justifies a happy face,” Miir replied. Surprisingly, there was no trace of malice or mockery in his voice. “And sometimes, thoughts clear up and things start to make sense when you are in the middle of the action. So, do not give up yet.”
During the few weeks preparing for the final challenge, Maia had found Miir to be an engaging and intelligent guide, always inspirational and always supportive. Lately though, his kindness seemed overwhelming. And Maia was sure that she was not the only one who relished the camaraderie while it lasted.
“Besides, you have been too worried with this whole drill. While I would like to see my team win, you should probably also have some fun . . . within reasonable limits of course.”
Dani shook her head with vigor. Ren turned toward Nafi and nudged her arm.
“That’s right, Nafi. We’ll be flying in a real Raptor today. Isn’t that super?” he said.
“Yes, and we get to fly over Xif in it,” Kusha added.
“And hopefully find an ancient hidden temple that lives and breathes,” Maia said. The newfound excitement made her feel a little carefree. Something in the discussion triggered a lost memory of a conversation long past; it swept through her mind but was gone before she could pin it down. She struggled to grasp at the string of thoughts that she knew for sure was valuable.
“Maia?” Dani shook her arm. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” Maia flushed. “I thought I remembered something, but it slipped away.”
“Come on in,” Miir called from the head of the procession.
On this particular occasion, the hangar looked more impressive than on any other day, mostly due to the assortment of spacecraft that dotted its floor. A few groups were already gathered around their respective crafts, looking intimidated and anxious, their faces drawn and eyes restless. Miir strode toward one end of the hangar, while Maia and her teammates following with brisk steps. They passed a spacecraft with four immense curved wings and a shiny silver-white center shaped like a puck, whose transparent top was no doubt the flight deck. On the side of the body was a winged horse engraved in gold.
Pegasus! Maia remembered the tale of a mythical flying horse, a story from the planet they called home long before the Scattering. It was true then, the people on Tansi did share the same roots as the Xifarians. She fell back, studying the puck with the fearsome wings.
“Is this it? Really?” Nafi’s excited shrieks made Maia rush to where the rest of the team had gathered, her worries disappearing into oblivion at the sight ahead. An enormous Raptor loomed over them like a mammoth condor ready to swoop on its prey. It was the color of midnight, its dark wings stretching wide across the floor. The edges of its wings, tail, and nose gleamed with artistic stripes of Xifarian royal colors—dark red and majestic gold.
“Yes, this is my little Shadow,” Miir said, his voice brimming with pride.
“Little?” Ren sounded incredulous. “That’s . . . little?”
“Shadow definitely seems smaller to me now, although I was more in awe of the size when I first started.”
“And when was that?” Kusha asked.
“It h
as been about six years. Shadow was given to me when I was ten,” Miir replied with a casual wave of his hand.
At that comment, everyone stopped gaping at Shadow and turned to stare at its keeper instead.
“Okay,” Miir turned somber. “While all the teams check in, you should take the time to look at the aircraft, inside and out. Go on now.”
He waved a dismissal, an indulgent smile curling at the corners of his mouth. Dani was first to scramble up the stairs that led into the belly of the Raptor, Ren and Nafi followed. Maia and Kusha walked around outside, looking at the big opening at the back of the craft from where their Cylopedes would launch. After that, Kusha decided to take a look inside. Maia walked toward Miir, who stood next to the stairs, studying a thick manual intently.
“May I ask you something?” Maia hesitated.
“Yes.”
“That one,” Maia said, pointing toward the puck-craft. “What is it? I’ve never heard or read of anything like that before.”
“That,” Miir’s voice was reverential, “is called the Ghiamera. It is a rare and expensive craft. It was built extensively before the dawn of our First Passage, one of the first crafts that we used to traverse the surface of the then stationary planet. They were designed to travel at very low altitudes, but had the agility and speed of the best fighter crafts.”
“If it was so popular, why haven’t we seen illustrations of it anywhere?” Maia asked.
“It was banned, and the entire fleet was terminated after one of these crashed. It was a particularly foul incident—a whole settlement perished,” Miir explained. “The records were expunged to prevent anyone from building more of them. Those crafts, although exceptional flying machines, were prone to imbalance of rotary stabilators. Their fuel systems were not very reliable either, which resulted in staggering disasters in the event of a crash.”
“So, why is this one allowed to fly?”
“It has been modified to correct all those problems. This one, the handiwork of Master Miizuken himself, is specially equipped to handle very high altitudes as well.”
Miizuken was the aeronautics whiz who had designed most of the groundbreaking crafts that transformed the Xifarian Space Fleet, Maia remembered. He was also Miir’s grandfather, which explained his deferential tone when he spoke of the Ghiamera.
“It’s a significant competition for us, then?” Maia asked.
“Yes, it is,” Miir said simply.
Maia heard the gang clambering down the stairs behind her. They were gushing over the fantastic interior of the craft when Master Demissie’s voice boomed across the hangar.
“The final challenge will begin very shortly. The participants will please come to the entrance for the briefing.”
Karhann and his teammates were gathered around Master Demissie, who stood at the door of the hangar with a scowling Master Kehorkjin by his side. By the time Maia and her friends made their way to the masters, Core 3, as well as Core 17, had also found their spots.
“You know the contest rules better than I do, so I will skip that discussion,” Master Demissie spoke once all the teams had assembled. “I want to remind you of the Code of Honor—please adhere to that. There will be one winning team. The one team to return to this hangar with the relic before nightfall will take all the honors.
“All your equipment and accessories have been loaded into your spacecraft. You will depart for the surface through Aperture 26 in Quadrant 8. After all of you reach the Field of Two Six, Master Kehorkjin will flag off the race to the Seliban Temple. Good luck. Be honorable and brave.”
As soon as he stopped speaking, the crowd dispersed like swift colonies of ants, trooping back to their respective crafts in resolute clusters. Maia paused briefly before climbing into Shadow with her companions, needing a moment to take it all in. The promise of a thrilling journey that lay ahead of them and the commanding assortment of crafts around her both excited and concerned her.
She skidded to a stop as soon as she stepped inside Shadow, captivated by the array of equipment. An Onclioraptor was imposing enough in the books they studied and the mock panel they struggled with, but in reality, it was simply awe-inspiring. Was it any wonder that Sophie was persuaded into switching sides? It was hard to not be enticed by the plenty around Xif; it was just too easy to fall for the thrills.
Fists curling with determination, Maia braced herself. She would not be waylaid; her allegiance lay with Tansi. With a quick twirl of her pigtails, and a few fast steps, she got into position. Her team was already strapped into their designated seats. Ren was in the co-pilot’s seat alongside Miir, while Dani settled into the navigator’s desk. Maia placed herself next to Nafi, toward the rear hold of the craft where the Cylopedes hung suspended from the ceiling. Kusha ran some quick tests on the personal communicators and strapped himself into a seat beside Nafi’s.
Soon the outward doors of the hangar opened, and when their turn was announced, a pair of podgy tug-bots that had attached themselves to the Raptor’s wheels steered Shadow out. The tug-bots left once Shadow was placed outside on the grounds, and within moments Shadow came to life. The engines roared and a rumble at once majestic and menacing spread through the cabin. A shudder, a swish and Maia realized that Shadow had lifted off. It hovered for a few moments and then took off into the skies above the XDA. It was so unexpected, Maia mused, that a machine so immense and powerful could take to the air with such gentleness. They cruised over the iridescent sea of buildings toward Aperture 26, a sparkling string of competing crafts stretched in front and behind them. The Aperture swallowed one craft at a time. Shadow emerged from the brief darkness within the tunnel only to be engulfed by a fog of haze that covered the Field of Two Six. As soon as Shadow lined up in the southernmost corner of the murky field, the team flocked to the flight deck.
Dani raised a respectful finger toward the horizon.
Beyond the pall of smoke and haze that made visibility practically nonexistent, a menacing red glow stretched across the distant sky in a long and continuous arc.
“Welcome to the Draegen fields,” Miir said, gazing resolutely at the bleeding skies.
Maia stared, her eyes frozen on the view beyond the window. The pounding of her heart had reached a crescendo.
38: Into the Darkness
Along with the ominous sight came an air of gloom, swiftly spreading its heavy presence around the fight deck. The blazing red edge of the sky was a dreaded reminder of the perils that lay ahead. Master Kehorkjin’s voice crackling on the communicator brought Maia’s attention back to their present bearings.
“Take the next few moments to prepare yourselves for the journey. We will begin shortly.”
Maia retrieved Bellator from the holding alcove at the back of the craft. At the pilot’s station, Miir updated the Raptor’s flight path to follow the route through Faith’s End. The first part of the flight was to be driven by autopilot; Miir planned to take over once they neared the canyon.
“We shall wait a bit. We do not want anyone to follow us to Faith’s End,” Miir said as they waited for the master’s signal.
“You are now cleared for takeoff,” Master Kehorkjin’s voice sounded momentarily. At once, crafts around them began to rise and move northward.
Maia did not have a clear view from the backseat, but the Field of Two Six seemed empty when Shadow lifted off and headed westward in the direction of the canyon. About the same time as Shadow entered the narrow valley leading up to the canyon, they came upon a cluster of crafts with a silvery Onclioraptor in the lead, making a beeline for the entrance.
“Guess we’re not the only ones who thought of coming this way,” Nafi grumbled.
Maia felt Shadow pick up speed. A tiny long-nosed craft that was at the tail end of the procession roared immediately. Although miniscule compared to Shadow, it was not about to give up its lead without a fight. But it was no match for Shadow’s swiftness—the Raptor soon zoomed ahead. A round-nosed Dochquar-ship was next and it tried a differe
nt trick, inserting itself in front of Shadow each time the Raptor tried to pull ahead or veer away.
“What a pest,” Ren commented loudly, as the Dochquar-ship cut Shadow off abruptly making Miir swerve to avoid a collision.
“We’re losing time in this back and forth,” Nafi hissed next to Maia. “Shouldn’t have waited that long to take off. We simply gave away our lead.”
Maia fidgeted. Nafi was right, this was not looking good, but Maia knew they could not let their frustration show. She leaned over to whisper a word of advice to Nafi but only a gasp came out of her mouth—a sudden weightlessness made her heart skip a few beats.
We’re falling. Shadow is losing altitude. Too fast.
Maia felt the fear well up at the pit of her stomach and the sweat seep out of her skin. Her heart pounded in wild frenzy.
We’re going to crash. I’ll never get to see Dada again.
Maia was about to close her eyes and brace for impact when she looked at Miir.
He is far too calm, too collected. This is no loss of control. He’s letting Shadow fall on purpose.
Miir’s plan became apparent in the next moment. The Dochquar-ship took a while to locate the swiftly falling Raptor, and in that time Shadow picked up speed and gained on his rival from below. Nafi screamed, Ren jumped up and down, and happy shouts filled the flight deck as soon as Shadow had left the annoying Dochquar-ship behind.
The mouth of Faith’s End was visible now, but the fight for the lead was not over yet. The silver-gray Raptor in the front sped up as soon as Shadow drew close. The two behemoths rushed forward, side by side, and for a while it seemed like neither would give in. The gap between the ranges that flanked the two sides was growing narrower and time to pass the Raptor was quickly slipping away.
“Come on, come on, come on,” Nafi muttered.
Maia shot a cautionary glance at Nafi, but the younger girl barely noticed.
The other Raptor edged past Shadow.
“Oh, come on, Shadow,” Nafi yelled.
Everyone whirled around to look at Nafi, shocked. Maia steadied herself, expecting a rebuke from Miir.
