Luminaries & Lies

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “You’re just looking for trouble, aren’t you?” Rayner asked.

  “What you call trouble, I call mystery. The solution may be worth enduring many difficulties,” Guillermo said.

  “If you can pay, I’ll take you. Three (3) platinum coins,” Rayner said.

  Daven reached into his coat and produced six (6) coins and handed them to Rayner.

  Rayner looked at him and asked: “Not that I’m complaining, but what’s the extra for?”

  “You said you wanted to come with me,” Daven said after turning to face Guillermo.

  “Your generosity is most appreciated. However, there is no need for that,” Guillermo said. The old captain took three (3) platinum coins from a pocket in his own coat and handed them to Rayner. Rayner accepted these and handed the overpayment back to Daven.

  “So, when do you want to leave?” Rayner asked.

  “There’s no need to wait. I’m ready now,” Daven said.

  “Which ship is yours?” Guillermo asked.

  “The Sun Lynx. It’s a thirty-four (34) foot ship, with two (2) sets of twenty-two (22) foot high pivoting double masts. Just bought it four (4) days ago,” Rayner said.

  Rayner drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean and he was energized. He attuned himself to the sounds of the stars – specifically the red and blue suns, which were relatively strong, as opposed to the yellow suns, which had been weaker as of late. He could hear their positions and movements, and used them to navigate the seas reliably. A strange sound was being emitted from them – and they were not as bright as they should have been. It was a slight reduction in their intensity, but he was highly attuned, and noticed these things. Rayner had to concentrate a bit more to get a clear reading from the suns to plot his course, but he was successful.

  The three (3) of them boarded the Sun Lynx and set sail northeast over the Medathero Ocean. They sailed at sea-level for a day and a half until they reached the southwestern region of the continent of Baradaxa. The ship arrived at the Port of Aklaravin, which was a smaller sea port than the Port of Kemalorin, having less than half of the commerce of that more famous port. Yet, it had substantial commercial activity and rarely did a day go by without profit for the merchants who passed through or lived there.

  “How long will you be? I can wait if it isn’t too long. Or I can come back,” Rayner asked.

  Daven thought about this and said: “Wait for me for three (3) days. If I’m not back, leave and come back ten (10) days after that, and I’ll pay you another three (3) coins.”

  Rayner considered the offer and said: “Pay me one (1) of them now, and we have a deal.”

  Daven handed over one (1) platinum coin to Rayner and then left the Sun Lynx and went ashore. Guillermo followed him as they walked through the port town.

  “What do you plan to do if you learn that your parents are no longer alive?” Guillermo asked, as they were walking along.

  “Move on in life. That might be the worst news – but the easiest to understand,” Daven said.

  “If you learn that they are alive, that would be the best, of course. Yet, what if the mystery remains?” Guillermo asked.

  “That would keep my hope alive. But I’d be no better off than I am now – still in the dark,” Daven said.

  “Is there a reason someone would want to kill them?” Guillermo asked.

  “They were wealthy. I guess a heartless thief might have wanted their fortune. That’s what I’m afraid of,” Daven said.

  “Anyone could meet that fate, even a person with no money at all, if a robber chooses to strike. Yet, did they have any adversaries who might have planned their undoing?” Guillermo asked.

  “None that I knew of. They were actually generous – they donated a lot of money to support artists: musicians, painters, sculptors and glassworkers, and anyone who created anything of interest to them,” Daven said.

  “The world has many fine works of art, each of which has its own fascinating story. Did they collect any of the art that they supported?” Guillermo asked.

  “Some of it. They also collected art by more affluent artists. They bought sculptures and paintings, even metal work,” Daven said.

  “Metalwork of platinum or gold would be valuable. If that is what they had, a thief may have been willing to kill for it. If the sculptures were of diamond, that, also, might have been tempting,” Guillermo said. His interest in this mystery was growing, realizing that there might have been a strong motive for any number of people to murder the musician’s parents for their assets.

  “How did they earn their money? Might that have brought them into conflict with someone – a business rival, perhaps?” Guillermo asked.

  “They invested in land and sold the rights to the minerals. They were very good at selecting the right land,” Daven said.

  The conversation came to a pause as Daven walked into one of the saloons in the port town that was frequented by travelers and listened to the chatter. Guillermo sat with him and watched the singer, all the while eavesdropping on the chatter around him, hoping for another good tale.

  “Do you expect to find answers here?” Guillermo asked, after about an hour of listening to rumors and chatter. Some of them were interesting – there was word of a power struggle in Haza’Kedro’Maral Island, where some woman from up north claimed to own the island, and records in Emeth supported her claims. Others talked about a hint of darkness in the suns. Still more talked about the girl named Taesa – and how they wanted to kill her for all the people she lured into the storm. Some suggested doing worse things than killing her – torture seemed more fitting.

  “I thought so. Now, all that I’m finding is more trouble. I shouldn’t have come here,” Daven said. He was deeply disturbed by what he heard about Taesa.

  “There are many unpleasant things – with unknown causes – in this world. Yet, you should not regret hearing them, however terrible. If it is fear or sadness, you cannot escape it by running away. The terrible truths will remain,” Guillermo said.

  “It’s worse than I thought,” Daven said.

  “It almost always will be, unless your thoughts become terrible. Then, the sickness will have taken you. To hear the tales of the world’s troubles is to carry a burden; yet, they must be heard, and retold,” Guillermo said.

  “That’s what drives the Chroniclers to illness. That’s why so many of them eventually give it up,” Daven said.

  “After centuries – or even millennia – it may be too much, especially to see things up close. Yet, you are not ancient. Are your burdens as great and unending as theirs? They are more traveled than you, no doubt, and privileged to know many secrets,” Guillermo said.

  “I know. Sometimes I have to remind them of that, so that they don’t give up,” Daven said.

  “Perhaps it’s time to take your own advice. Listen and learn what you can, and then continue on your search for answers,” Guillermo said.

  Soon, another man came in, who was obviously extremely drunk and had to be helped by other patrons of the saloon.

  “You’re the drunkest drunk I’ve ever seen – you need to eat,” the barkeep said to him.

  The man only looked up and began to speak and then blood poured out of his mouth, and he fell to the ground.

  Guillermo and Daven immediately stood up and walked over to the man, but were careful not to touch him.

  “It could be crix’ – I’ve seen that before. Don’t touch him,” Daven said, referring to crixalethicis – the always-fatal disease that kills quickly after two (2) or more waters are present in one (1) body.

  The man vomited more blood and gasped for air. He opened his mouth and the other patrons around could see that the man’s tongue had been cut off, and that he had just barely made his way alive to the saloon.

  “What? Who did this to you?” the barkeep – a portly, gray-bearded man in his fifties asked, clearly disturbed and surprised – asked. He wasn’t even thinking when he asked this, because it was obvious that
the blood-vomiting man with no tongue could not speak to answer.

  The blood-vomiting man with no tongue took his finger and dipped it in his own blood already on the floor and then he began writing out a message in it – the blood writing was of an arrow pointing south, and a picture of a square and a symbol that looked like a tombstone. Then, he passed out from a loss of blood.

  Someone had sent for a physician who came to help the man, but Daven and Guillermo didn’t wait to find out what was next. They both left the saloon, instinctively knowing that what just happened was important.

  “The arrow pointed south. The tombstone could be the sign of a graveyard. South of here is the Crypt Trail – there are a great many graves in that place,” Guillermo said.

  “That guy almost looks like he woke up from the dead, but he may join them again, real soon,” Daven said.

  “Someone abused him in a terrible way – if they only wanted him dead, cutting his throat would have been quicker and more certain. This was torture,” Guillermo said.

  “I wonder if this has anything to do with the missing persons that were reported in this area. But they didn’t escape,” Daven said.

  “It’s as good a connection as we have. They may have escaped, only in a different direction. South of the Crypt Trail is Volaraden,” Guillermo said.

  “That’s a desert. Why go there?” Daven said.

  “A man in such a condition would go as far from the tormentor as he could, in any direction,” Guillermo said.

  “Then there’s a killer south of here,” Daven said.

  “Perhaps, unless the killer has moved on. I saw the writing in blood. There was more – a square shape – like a building,” Guillermo said. He was disgusted by this – but utterly fascinated. Fear did not enter into him – he was filled with an urge to discover what was ahead.

  “You think that was a building? The guy was struggling – it could have been anything,” Daven said.

  “Graveyards also have mausoleums – many of them have architectures that are square or nearly so,” Guillermo said.

  “If we go down there – without some kind of reinforcements – we may join the missing,” Daven said.

  “True. There could be danger. Fear will hold you back from your quest,” Guillermo said.

  “If the killer gets us first, we may not live to find the answers,” Daven said.

  “We can hire for strength,” Guillermo said.

  “Alright,” Daven said. He had seen the worst of war at sea and confronted it. He wasn’t going to let fear stop him from finding the truth about his family – but he wasn’t going to walk into danger needlessly unprepared, either.

  CHAPTER 9: Venture into the Land of Death and Darkness

  Daven and Guillermo went back into the saloon.

  Daven said to the barkeep: “We want to find out what happened to that man.”

  “You and everybody else,” the barkeep said, not sure what to make of this.

  “A few strong men could help,” Daven said.

  “You might need a small army,” the barkeep said.

  Two (2) burly men approached Daven and said: “You said you want strong?” in a way designed to intimidate.

  “Yes. And I’m willing to pay for it,” Daven said.

  The two (2) burly men smiled and said: “How much?”

  Daven considered this and said: “One (1) platinum coin each, up front. One (1) each when we get to where we’re going. And two (2) more each when we get back.”

  The (2) burly men looked at each other and said: “Alright.” At this, they held out their hands and Daven paid them each the first part of the promised amount.

  “We’re ready,” the two (2) burly men said.

  “Let’s go now,” Daven said.

  “The journey may be lengthy. We should purchase supplies,” Guillermo said.

  At this, Daven, Guillermo and the two (2) burly men headed out of the saloon and began walking south along a road – a road that was designed for carriages as well as travelers on foot – and left the town. On their way out, they stopped in a general store at the edge of the port town and purchased three (3) tents, for the cost of a single silver coin.

  “What do you want us to do when we find the guy who did this?” one of the burly men asked.

  “Stop him from doing it again – and ask him some questions,” Daven said.

  “What questions?” the second burly man asked.

  “Why didn’t they just kill him and steal what he had? Cutting out a tongue is torture. There’s always a reason,” Guillermo said.

  “And who else did they torture?” Daven asked.

  “And where are the remains?” Guillermo asked.

  “We’re here to break this animal! Detective work is your job,” the first burly man said.

  “You hold him real tight and we’ll ask him the questions. If he answers, I’ll pay you double,” Daven said.

  “He’ll answer,” the first burly man said.

  “I think that means you don’t want to kill him right away,” the second burly man said.

  After a half a day of travel, they crossed over the southern border of Baradaxa and reached the swampy terrain that was prevalent in the Crypt Trail land bridge.

  They sought out a patch of dry land, and, before nightfall, they pitched their tents and slept.

  In the morning, Daven and Guillermo awoke to the sounds of horrific screams and then looked to see what it was. They looked into the other two (2) tents and saw that both of the burly men had their hands cut off and their throats slashed and their eyes gouged out.

  Yet, Daven and Guillermo were both untouched, and had no explanation for it.

  “Why were we spared? Luck?” Daven asked.

  “No. Perhaps someone found those men threatening, but found us worth keeping alive – for now,” Guillermo said.

  They saw no sign of who had done this, but they did see a man approaching in the distance – moving at a careful pace and not showing any signs that he was aware of their troubles.

  The man carried a walking stick in one hand and a machete in the other, with which he chopped through the reeds of the swamp. He had high boots and wore a backpack from which several scrolls – possibly maps – protruded.

  “He’s an explorer, traveling the swamp. He may know his way through here, and be able to direct us to the grave and to the mausoleum,” Guillermo said.

  “If we don’t get more reinforcements, we’re going to find the grave without asking any explorer,” Daven said.

  The explorer – a man in his forties – soon approached Daven and Guillermo and said: “Greetings, fellow travelers. You appear distressed. Perhaps I could refresh your drinks, or point you on your way.”

  “Our travelling companions were killed this morning – look,” Daven said and pointed to the tents where the bodies were.

  “That is, indeed, terrible. These swamps are quite dangerous – they are filled with all manner of bandits who would kill a traveler for what little money they might have. You must be careful, and count yourself fortunate that you are still alive. Yet, do not let it trouble your soul. You must not allow your inner peace be taken by the war around you,” the explorer said.

  “This doesn’t bother you at all, does it?” Daven said, stunned at the explorer’s nonchalance.

  “No. There’s nothing I can do. Neither fear nor grief will preserve me or restore the dead to life. Those emotions only deprive the living of what joy they have. Do not die by your emotions,” the explorer said.

  “That is the coldest disregard for the dead that I have ever heard,” Daven said, disgusted.

  “As strange as it seems, he may be right. You seek answers about whether your parents are still alive, not to grieve or to fear, but to know. Knowledge will bring you peace,” Guillermo said to Daven.

  Then, Guillermo turned to the explorer and said: “Perhaps, you will share with us some useful knowledge.”

  “Perhaps I can. If you wish to find the dead
, search the graveyards. If you wish to find the living, search everywhere else. Is this not clear to you?” the explorer asked.

  “Everywhere else is a big world,” Daven said.

  “For whom are you searching?” the explorer asked.

  “My parents. They disappeared a year ago. I couldn’t find any proof that they had died,” Daven said.

  “How did you find them before?” the explorer asked.

  “They traveled a lot. From time to time, they would come to visit me, in Emeth,” Daven said.

  “You lived in Emeth. A scholar, then?” the explorer asked.

  “Yes. Of music,” Daven said.

  “What sort of music?” the explorer asked.

  “Uplifting. Emotional renewal songs. Celebratory music,” Daven said.

  “Use the music on yourself then. Listen to your own songs, and let them bring you inner peace,” the explorer said.

  “It doesn’t quite work that way. The music is there to help others, and to lift their spirits,” Daven said.

  “Music that lifts spirits – how fascinating. I’m sure that there are many spirits in the graveyards all around us who would be delighted to hear your music,” the explorer said.

  “I mean the emotional state,” Daven said.

  “Music that helps spirits would be helping others, would it not?” the explorer asked.

  “If my parents died – or they were killed – I’m not trying to talk to their ghosts! I can’t do that! I just want to know the answer for sure,” Daven said.

  “You need answers. Yet, could you accept the answers if you receive them?” the explorer asked.

  “Yes,” Daven said.

  “Then your parents are dead. Be assured of that. Move on,” the explorer said and began walking away.

  Daven looked on, disturbed, and wondering if this explorer had just confessed in a roundabout way to murdering them.

  “How would you know?” Daven asked.

  “What does it matter? Accept it,” the explorer turned around and said.

  “I need to know if that is true. No one in Emeth seems to know. How do you know – what secrets do you have?” Daven asked.