The Embroidered Serpent (The Crystalline Source Book 1)

by M. Woodruff

  “There is a place that shows all too clearly the reality of my words. That place is called the Isle of Choice. A man has been set to guard the physical essence of our very choices we have the freedom to make. His name is Josiah Bright, and I think it’s time you meet him and see for yourself where the real battle that rages between the Tiph’arah and the Katak’amai lies.”

  Nels found he was reluctantly intrigued. Part of him wanted to go back to The Kingdom, to his old life in Parker’s Town and forget about all this Light and Dark stuff. But, he knew he couldn’t. He had tasted firsthand, now, the power of the Tiph’arah through traveling and seen it manifest all around him. His old world would seem stark and bleak. Even though he would have the power to change it, the Darkness would always be nipping at his heels to go back to Black’s Hand, and being in such close proximity he wasn’t sure he would be able to resist.

  No, he had to move forward, and if that meant traveling to another world, so be it. Maybe this visit, once and for all, would cement him firmly in the grasp of the Light and open up his understanding so that he might always be able to dispel the Dark.

  Taking a deep breath, he asked Grayson, “How do I get to the Isle of Choice, then? Are you coming with me? Is Casandra?”

  “No one will accompany you, Nels; you will travel alone. I cannot leave and Casandra is not even aware of its existence.”

  “I see, but how will I be able to travel there—if that’s what you intend—when I haven’t been there before?”

  “I will show you Josiah’s Awakening statue and you can see for yourself.”

  Without another thought, Nels found himself back in the Hall of Awakening sitting on a red tufted bench.

  “Come,” Grayson said, standing up.

  They ascended the stairs to the upper balcony, the sheer curtains were fluttering and the light from outside remained fixed, as it had been on his previous visit.

  “Here it is,” she said, pointing to two obsidian and pearl flower statues, their vines intertwined, sharing the same white pedestal. One of the flowers was shaped as a blazing sun, the other as a cool night crescent moon.

  “May I?” Nels asked already stretching his hands out, not waiting for Grayson’s nod of approval. He felt drawn to the statue; it seemed to pull him closer, filling up his entire gaze until all he could see was the detail of the black obsidian highlighted by the ethereal smoothness of the pearls.

  He saw a handsome young man, as strong and dark as the black rocks he stood upon overlooking a clear blue sea. The young man stepped down into the white and black sands—that somehow refused to blur to gray, despite their intermingling—each grain keeping its color distinct even though their numbers were uncountable.

  Josiah reached down to pick up a small bundle of multi-colored wires that had been left ashore by the receding tide. He sat down on the rocks studying his find, staring at the sea, then at the barren landscape behind him. With a slight smile he began weaving the wire into a small flower. He took the completed flower back to the spot where he had first found the bundle and placed it deep in the sand as if it had grown there on its own. With a bow to the vast sea, Josiah then turned and headed back to climb amongst the harsh rocks.

  The scene faded to black then Nels saw Josiah walking back down to the shoreline and stop, staring at the multitude of wire flowers that had sprouted up overnight. The young man ran down to their midst, falling to his knees he touched each one with a gentle reverence then stood up bowing once again to crystal-clear waters before removing one flower with a nod and a smile on his face.

  Nels saw Josiah hand the wire flower to a lovely young lady standing on the rocky outcrop. Her long white-blond hair blowing in the breeze against milky-soft skin, as her light-blue eyes lit up with joy and love. Taking the flower, she nodded with a shy smile then threw her arms around Josiah as they embraced for a kiss.

  Nels jerked his hands back from the statue, feeling as if he had just intruded upon a private moment. He turned to look quizzically at Grayson and hoped he wasn’t blushing.

  She smiled in such a way he knew if his face hadn’t been red before, it was now. “That was Josiah’s Awakening and Aimil’s acceptance to be his wife. Quite remarkable to have two such profound moments happen all at once. But, Josiah is an exceptional young man; he would have to be to have such a responsibility. The Tiph’arah chose well in him.”

  “I…uh…now I can travel there, I guess?” Nels suddenly felt like a bumbling, awkward youth again. Seeing Josiah’s sweet proposal to Aimil brought up emotions in him long past. He had never had any such experience with a young lady—asking for her hand in marriage—and now he felt that lack keenly. He didn’t think it was jealously, just a sense of loss at what would never be. Even if he did marry now, it wouldn’t be with the same passion as that of two fresh-faced youths just beginning their lives together.

  Grayson suddenly snapped her fingers. “Don’t start getting sentimental with me,” she said with a withering smile. “Yes, you can travel there. Josiah will be expecting you.”

  “How—“

  “You know I have ways to communicate when need be,” Grayson interrupted, coldly.

  Nels started to wonder what her problem was. She obviously knew the scene of Josiah’s Awakening, but she hadn’t just had to watch it. So why did she seem as off balance as he felt? And, for some reason, furious about it.

  “So, when do I leave?”

  “Now.”

  “Uh…How exactly should I—“

  “Put your hands on the statue and close your eyes.”

  Nels did as told, and immediately felt a push—or was it a kick?—as he stepped onto the black and white sands of the Isle of Choice.

  9

  Nels was standing in the exact spot he had just seen playing before his eyes. Surrounding him on the beach were numerous wire flowers that had neither succumbed to rust nor erosion from the oceanic tides. The water before him was perfectly calm, except for gentle ripplings along its glassy surface.

  He stared out into the vastness of the sea, feeling the weight of the black rock behind him counterpointing the freedom of the open expanse before him. He wondered what lay beyond the horizon—if anything did.

  It was almost as if he could see…something, bobbing up and down on the very point where the sky met the sea. A movement of undulation…going in and out of the water, but surely it was too far away to be real.

  The intensity of his stare increased as if whatever it was, was trying to pull his eyesight forward—to make him see.

  And then, see he did. Just the slight flicker of a pearly-white scale glistening under the sunlight. It lasted for only a fraction of a second, but he knew…without a shadow of doubt—the embroidered serpent was out there. Just as it had been everywhere else. Even a tranquil vista, such as this, wasn’t immune from its venomous grasp. Nels shuddered as a feeling, not of fear, but of sadness washed over him. Was there nowhere truly sacred? No world where its yellow-diamond eyes could not pierce?

  “Nels Hunter?” a voice suddenly called from behind him.

  He turned to see Josiah Bright standing on a large black boulder silhouetted against the setting sun.

  “Aye,” Nels said, shading his eyes with his arm.

  The man jumped down from the rock with the grace of a panther that belied his large size. As the man came closer, Nels felt the increase of his presence, which had nothing to do with proximity; his height coupled with a body that was nothing but solid muscle diminished Nels to a ghost of a shadow.

  Nels swallowed uncomfortably; the vision of Josiah’s Awakening certainly hadn’t shown the young man in this light.

  Overwhelmed, he almost took a step back, when suddenly the fierceness of Josiah’s presence fled, as the young man smiled, extending a hand.

  “I’m Josiah Bright. Grayson said you’d be here and she was right as always. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  Nels shook the young man’s hand, eagerly, warmed by his all-encompassing smile
. Even his dark eyes seemed to welcome him as a life-long friend.

  “Thank you. I’m glad to be here. Grayson said it was important I come,” Nels said at a loss for words as he took in the young man’s garb—it looked to be composed entirely of wire strands. His hands, he now noticed, were wrapped in delicate wires encircling each finger and crisscrossing over the tendons up to his wrists. He had numerous thick, wide wire bands all worked in gold over his biceps, leaving room for his moon-and-sun flower engraving to sparkle vividly against his smooth skin. His sleeveless wire shirt and pants were also intricate wire threads of gold, white, and a royal blue wedded into a design that bespoke of such sleek elegance that Nels had the sudden urge to kneel.

  Catching Nels’ awed gaze, Josiah looked down at his attire and burst into good-natured laughter.

  “My clothes! Yes, they are something, aren’t they?” He leaned in close, looking around as if to make sure no one was listening. “Don’t tell anyone, but my mother makes them for me,” he whispered, bursting into laughter again.

  “They…I’ve never seen anything like them. How can you move? Don’t all those wires…ah…pinch?” Nels asked, squirming a little on the inside.

  “No. They’re as comfortable as the light of day. There’s cloth underneath all the wiring. And the wires themselves are extremely flexible. In fact, I would feel naked without them. Can’t say I’d even wear regular clothes anymore—wouldn’t be right, somehow.” Josiah shrugged. “Come on, let me take you up to the house. My family’s expecting you. We don’t get many visitors here these days, so they’ll be glad to see a new face.”

  Nels followed Josiah up the low rocky cliffs to see a house built on the side of another large cliff, sheltered from the wind. The structure, he was not surprised to see, was made of large segments of twisted copper, gold, and silver wire. The segments were as large as tree trunks and melded together in interlocking symmetry. As he got closer, he could see there were even windows fitted in perfectly amongst the twisting wires, along with skylights on the arching roof.

  Without thinking, Nels asked, “Did your mother make that, too?” pointing at the dwelling.

  Josiah only laughed, and slapped him on the back. “No—my wife did.”

  They entered into a great two-story room still showcasing the outside wirework. The natural overhead light cast a glow on the ornate furnishings—a mix of intricately woven wire with luxurious fabrics in rich hues. Bright rugs highlighted against the obsidian floor. Two women were sitting opposite one another on purple velvet cushions embedded in high-backed burgundy wire chairs.

  Nels immediately recognized Josiah’s wife, Aimil, with her long, flowing hair. She was wearing a simple shirt and trousers in a shimmery pale blue. The other lady had to be Josiah’s mother. Her skin was the same dark, rich ebony as her son’s and she had that same regal fierceness in her appearance.

  She stood as soon as she saw them approach; her deep red robe was worked with darker red wires that blazed in the light. The hat she wore sat upon her head as a crown—tufts of shiny red fabric woven with wires and beads. But even if she had been wearing rags, nothing could outshine the bearing of her personage—she had the solidity of iron, the grace of a swan, and a wisdom in her eyes that said she had seen much and refused to bow down to anything she did not choose to.

  “Mother, may I present to you Nels Hunter,” Josiah said, as the tall woman inclined her head slightly at Nels, but made no move forward.

  “Nels, this is my mother, Josephine.”

  Nels took an awkward step forward, not sure how he was supposed to greet this matriarch. She gave him an amused smile as he took her hand and kissed its dark skin, but offered no words.

  “And this is my wife, Aimil,” Javin said putting his arm around the pale, willowy woman.

  “It’s a pleasure, Nels,” Aimil said, extending her hand.

  Nels shook it warmly, feeling more at home because of her ingratiating smile. “The pleasure is all mine to be able to gaze upon such a lovely lady.”

  Aimil burst into a giggling laughter, looking up at a winking Josiah, while Nels thought he heard the matriarch give a snort from behind his shoulder.

  “Would you like some refreshments, Nels?” Aimil asked. “I have tea made and some delicious crab dip that Josiah whipped up.”

  Nels had a brief thought of cold yellow fizziness in a glass, and almost asked for it, before deciding tea would be fine, even though he couldn’t stand the stuff. He would just have to hope it was as weak as water.

  “Yes, that would be perfect. Thank you.”

  Aimil left to prepare the snack as they all seated themselves around a short table decorated with gilded seashells. Not really sure how to begin, especially under Josephine’s steady gaze, Nels turned to Josiah’s warm face, which somewhat stilled his nerves, and asked, “Did…ah, Grayson tell you what she wanted me to see or learn here? She said it was very important that I come to learn more about the…ah, battle that rages behind the scenes.” Nels felt ridiculous once he heard the words out loud.

  Josiah smiled. “Oh, it will be apparent soon enough. There’s not much to learn except for what you will see with your own eyes. We don’t really understand it—not thoroughly—but the meaning is clear. Don’t worry, Nels, you’ll see for yourself, and you can draw your own conclusions. But first, we’ll have a snack, and you can meet my sisters, as well,” Josiah said as Aimil came in carrying a tray of tea and two dark-skinned women followed bearing a bowl of crab dip and several ceramic plates.

  “Nels, meet my sisters Julia and Julilla,” Josiah said.

  The sisters both turned to look at him appraisingly, one—he wasn’t sure which—handed him a plate then took it back, glopping a large spoonful of dip in the center then throwing on a handful of toasted bread pieces—half of which dropped in his lap.

  “Uh, thank you…?” Nels asked, smiling politely while putting the bread back on his plate.

  “That’s Julilla—the one with no manners,” Josephine said with a disapproving tone.

  Julilla sniffed then left the room, her black and electric-blue wired robes seeming to sparkle with unreleased energy.

  “I’m Julia,” said the pretty woman with long, dark hair as she handed him a cup of tea. “Pay Julilla no mind. She’s always like that. Thinks she’s too good for the likes of us.”

  The two sisters obviously weren’t twins, even though they were of an age; where Julilla’s face had a bluntness that added force to her movements, Julia’s had a delicate look with a mischievous glint to her eyes. She settled down next to her mother, her bright green robes and headpiece seeming to dance in the streaming sunlight, as she sipped her tea and began partaking of the small meal in silence.

  Soon, everyone was following suit. No one was talking, everyone was busy putting bread laden with crab dip into his or her mouth. Nels even saw Josephine with cheeks bulging at one point, and Aimil quickly wiping crumbs away from her chin. He, too, wolfed down the food with a vengeance—it was almost awe-inspiring in its spicy flavors. Layered on the toasted, flat pieces of buttery bread he finished up the last of the dip with a slight feeling of sadness, even though he knew his stomach could tolerate no more. He had even been able to actually drink rather than barely sip the tea—not that it was good, but he could at least swallow it without grimacing afterwards.

  The women stood up immediately without a word and began clearing away the cleaned plates, leaving the two men the leisure to be able to find a little more comfort after such a small, but filling meal.

  “Well, we might as well get to it,” Josiah said, breaking the silence. “I don’t know how long you’ll be wanting to stay, but know that you are welcome for as long as you like. We have plenty of room, though not much happens on this Isle, and I daresay not much happens in the town proper on the other that would be of interest to you, I’m sure.”

  “There’s another Isle?” Nels asked, standing up. His pants suddenly felt too tight around the waist—time to try and re
adjust the pressure.

  “Yes, not far. You can reach it by small boat. In fact, you could swim to it if you had a mind to.” Josiah stood as well, stretching his long muscular arms skyward. “That’s where the town of Justice is situated. Come on, I’ll show you.”

  They walked out into the daylight, though it was not much brighter outside than it had been indoors. Climbing a well-worn obsidian path, Nels asked Josiah, “Do you and your family live here all by yourselves, then?”

  “We do. This isle is special, you might say. Others are welcome, but most tend to avoid it…now. And we very seldom have need to go into Justice, now that the Tiph’arah has been awakened in us all.” Josiah peered at Nels with a look that said he was trying to gauge Nels’ reaction to the mention of the gift. Obviously, Josiah was aware that he had it, or he wouldn’t have been able to travel to the Isle to begin with, but maybe he was trying to understand the level of his knowledge by using the term Tiph’arah. He thought about showing Josiah his engraving to let him know that he was a Ph’arah too, but somehow that seemed wrong. Like giving someone you just met too much personal information.

  Nels nodded then said, “Did you actually cook the crab dip? Or did you use the Power?”

  “Hah!” Josiah broke into a huge grin. “You got me there! I can’t cook to save my life, but I do know what I like.”

  They made it to a large outcrop of craggy rocks overlooking a small shore. There, not far at all, was the black cliff face of the other isle bathed in gray fog, even though the sun was still shining brightly. Nels could still see through the haze, a few squat metal buildings towards the edge of the cliff. He could even make out the tops of a few trees farther inland.