by Jeremy Dwyer
“You want certainty. This world offers so little certainty,” the explorer said.
“If you share the relevant knowledge, he will pay you for it,” Guillermo said.
Daven looked at Guillermo, surprised, but then he appreciated the suggestion.
“Knowledge has a cost that money cannot cover,” the explorer said.
“What is that cost?” Daven asked.
“A deep search into hidden places,” the explorer said.
“Where are these hidden places?” Daven asked.
The explorer looked at Daven and asked: “Do you drink of the ‘song waters’ – those waters of the Pirovalen Ocean?”
“Yes. That’s what I drink,” Daven said.
“Drink of them now, and I will show you the hidden places,” the explorer said.
“What’s that got to do with anything?” Daven asked.
“I’m going to answer your question – if you’re willing to listen,” the explorer said.
Daven took a vial of the Pirovalen waters from his coat and drank anew from it. He was energized and then waited for the explorer’s answers.
The explorer than drank anew of the waters from his own vial that he drew from his coat. He was energized, but Daven did not know what waters were in that vial.
The explorer then reached into his backpack and pulled out a book and opened it to a page and held it out to Daven.
“This song will bring answers, when you sing it,” the explorer said.
Daven looked at the lyrics and found them exotic and almost dangerous and more than a little frightening.
Guillermo looked over Daven’s shoulder and read the words, and found them to be dangerous, yet, he was not frightened at all by them. Instead, he found them riveting and enticing, almost envying the singers for their power to give music to such interesting lyrics.
“What does this song even mean?” Daven asked.
“Fearlessness. Bold exploration. Reaching beyond your current limits. If you do not reach beyond these limits, you will not find that which you seek. You can accept this, or you can move past the confines in which you find yourself. It is your choice. Yet, you came to me. The desire to learn is already within you – or you would not have come this far. Of course, you could return to Emeth, and live in ignorance in the city filled with so much knowledge. How ironic that would be,” the explorer said.
“It is your choice, of course. Did we come this far to turn back?” Guillermo asked, driven by curiosity.
“Defy the world. Be courageous and accept and overcome the challenges and mysteries that it presents you. That is how you will grow,” the explorer said.
Daven considered this and read the words again. Then he considered the many battles he had seen and how he had survived. He had faced death along with the others in the tempest – yet here he was. Even the murderer in the night spared him.
He began to sing the song from the explorer’s book, giving it a melody of his own design, for none was specified for the written lyrics:
Fascinate me.
Of the wondrous, I want to be ever-learning.
Intrigue me.
For the extraordinary I seek.
Surprise me.
For the unknown, I am ever-yearning.
Imperil me.
Against danger I am not meek.
Confuse me.
In the complicated, I want to be ever-mired.
Deceive me.
By lies I will not be misled.
Overwhelm me.
With the greatest burdens, I want to be ever-tired.
Cut me.
By the sword I will not be bled.
Hide from me.
In the deepest darkness, I want to be forever lost.
Blind me.
No strike will ever close my eyes.
Entrap me.
In the stormy seas, I want to be tempest-tossed.
Destroy me.
No enemy will bring my demise.
Deprive me,
Of all of my wealth, I want to be away.
Ruin me.
No power will ever break my will.
Betray me.
In my hour of need, I want my allies to go astray.
Ignore me.
I will not remain still.
Terrify me.
Upon sights of twisted evil, I want to gaze.
Frighten Me.
No awful sight will make me yield to fear.
Sicken me.
In unrelenting illness, I want to spend my days.
Offend me.
No harsh words will bring me to shed a tear.
While Daven sang, the explorer – who was truly Pandaros – communed with the spirit world and invited one of the spirits to go into Daven, who was singing a song that was an invitation.
The spirit of knowledge entered into Daven and various other spirits filled the area. One of these entered into Guillermo and put him into a trance. Daven also entered into a trance.
The explorer – Pandaros – then spoke to the visiting spirit of knowledge within Daven and asked: “Answer me, spirit of knowledge, that I may know. The luminaries of old – the candles of darkness – where are they to be found? In what places in this world, and in what secret rooms?”
The spirit of knowledge that was visiting Daven then spoke through him and said: “In the land of the poorest – the Solkidian Trail. Go to a village of the north without the shade of trees. It’s the candle’s chilling touch that gives them respite from their many ailments and the heat of the suns. It is kept by their alchemist. When you take it, they will die.”
The spirits stayed to haunt Daven and Guillermo and they both remained in the trance.
~~~
Pandaros hurried away from the area, making his way north to the Port of Aklaravin. From there, he purchased transport north to the Solkidian Trail. After three (3) days of ocean travel, he arrived at the land bridge’s southwestern coast.
He journeyed both on foot and by hiring transport on riverboats, passing through the sparsely forested landscape. After ten (10) days of travel he found a three (3) mile wide desolate area surrounded by a perimeter of trees: a clearing in the forest. There was a small village in the barren wasteland and Pandaros looked to find the alchemist.
When Pandaros arrived at the small wooden building where the alchemist was – which he learned from asking the local villagers – he asked for help.
“I am a sun-weary traveler. I would be most appreciative of shelter, and you are known as the one who can provide relief. I will gladly pay,” Pandaros said.
“I have little to offer you, other than to stay here out of the suns,” the alchemist said.
“No. I’ve heard that you have a way of making a man cool, and refreshing him, and easing his aches and pains You’re the alchemist, as I’ve been told,” Pandaros said.
“There’s no way but the shade of being indoors,” the alchemist said.
“It’s the ‘dark stone.’ You have it. I hear it brings the cool of night,” Pandaros said.
The alchemist knew that this explorer was aware of the secret and that he would have a hard time denying it.
“You said you’d pay,” the alchemist said.
“Yes. Show it to me, for three (3) platinum coins,” Pandaros said, and he handed over the coins to the alchemist.
As poor as the village was, the alchemist accepted the coins and said: “Come with me.” He was not keen to share this secret with someone who was not local, but economic realities won out.
Pandaros followed the elderly man – who had to be over seventy (70) years old – into a dimly lit room below the building. A small amount of sunlight made its way in so that those in the room would not stumble. There were several other individuals – at least seven (7) – who had been brought here. They were huddled together around a table and all had their hands out, pointing toward something on the table.
“The heat of the suns made many ill while working outside. Here, they
keep cool. Other illnesses are also relieved – many terrible pains from age, injury…and disease. Just touch it and feel the cold. It will soothe the burns and aches,” the alchemist said.
Pandaros walked toward the table where the others were huddled and saw a small, dark object, which was visible by the small amount of light of the suns. The others each had one (1) finger touching the dark object. He reached out to touch the dark object and felt that it was cylindrical and narrow and cold, like the dark onyx candle that he had found before.
Pandaros then picked up the crystal and began to leave.
“That belongs to all of us!” some of the people in the dimly lit room yelled – or they tried to yell, but they were in so much pain that it came out as a low, raspy plea.
“Bring it back. That’s all we have to help us get through our days,” one of the people in the dimly lit room said, also in a low raspy voice.
Pandaros then took the machete out of his belt and spun around with it, striking the throats of everyone in the room before they could act. The spirit had told him that the people would die when he took the darkness candle – he was only hastening the process.
He then lit an ordinary candle that was in the room using a flint and steel that he carried in his backpack. By its light, he saw their corpses. He left the room and killed the alchemist with the machete, as well.
After this, Pandaros fled the village before anyone realized what had happened. He made his way – both on foot and by hiring transport on riverboats – back to the small port where he had first arrived in the Solkidian Trail. He booked passage on another ship and traveled over the oceans back to the Crypt Trail.
After arriving in the small seaport of that land bridge, he made his way through the dense areas of the swamp – taking care not to pass through the area where he had encountered the singer and the old sailor – and he returned to the mausoleum.
Once in the mausoleum, Pandaros took the dark onyx luminary – which had a wick protruding from it – and he lit it using a regular candle on the wall. Then, he placed the dark onyx luminary into the candelabra along with the first, so it now held two (2) luminaries.
Pandaros then called to Abrax, who had been waiting in the mausoleum for further instruction.
“I see you have found and lit another of these ‘luminaries’,” Abrax said.
“Yes. Come outside with me, and tell me what you see,” Pandaros said.
Once outside, Abrax used his ability to sense darkness and light – which was greatly increased beyond the power of the ordinary eye because of the Ikkith Tar Ocean waters that gave him the powers of darkness – and he perceived the change.
“I can sense the darkness, even more than before,” Abrax said.
Pandaros looked into the sky and saw with his unaided eye that the sky was just a little bit darker than before. A tiny-yet-visible sliver of darkness eclipsed each of the suns.
“Now, I can see a slight darkness, as well, with my very eyes,” Pandaros said.
~~~
Across the world, those who drank the waters of the Atrejan Ocean began to take notice. The darkness was ever-so-slightly visible to their unaided eyes, and was highly visible to the water-given sensitivity that they had for the sounds of the stars.
CHAPTER 10: Entangled by a Game of Chance
The Escapade sailed southward across the Ursegan Ocean, heading toward the Scholar’s Path land bridge. Alistair, his crew and his passengers were not again affected by the tempest, because they traveled the seas in paths that did not cross Victoria’s and she was defeated before having the opportunity to threaten them again.
During their journey, Alistair, along with his passengers – consisting of Tomiko and the rest of his adventuring company – took shade in the ship’s largest cabin. The crew of the Escapade – in the employ of Alistair – worked on deck to navigate the ship according to the course that Nina had provided earlier.
Tomiko wondered to himself about how someone such as Alistair came to be the owner of the Escapade.
“This is a well-crafted vessel. How did you come to acquire it?” Tomiko asked, slightly suspicious because of Alistair’s earlier entanglements with dangerous and powerful people. He feared that Alistair may even have dealt in blood money and did not trust him.
“I just made a few careful investments,” Alistair said, coyly.
“A vessel such as this would have cost a great deal. You must have managed your money wisely – with considerable precision,” Tomiko said.
“I purchased some agricultural assets, and sold them at a profit,” Alistair said.
Tomiko’s eyes met with those of his hired telepath, Yared, who understood what was required of him.
Yared drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from his vial and was energized. He read Alistair’s thoughts again and realized that the old man had forged some documents in a bank to enable him to pay for land, and then he sold it to the ultra-wealthy diamond-dealer, Sebastian. However, Yared was looking for danger, and didn’t concern himself with theft, unless he or his cohorts were the targets. Alistair seemed to have his mind partly on winning the affection of Nina, and partly on taking the flute back from the cave – if it was still there – and being paid to return it again. Yared saw that Alistair was more guilty than innocent, and was not to be trusted with money, or with much else. Yet, he could not find any violent intent in the old man.
Yared looked to Tomiko and his eyes said it all – Tomiko then realized that they were dealing with a thief.
“Agricultural investments carry risks – crop failure, fluctuating prices. Diamond mining is a more lucrative industry,” Tomiko said, attempting to catch Alistair in a lie or lead him to reveal something.
“I tend to have good fortune. Risky ventures often work in my favor. I stay ahead of the game,” Alistair said.
“It’s all a game to you?” Tomiko asked.
“Life is a game, isn’t it? Winning is worth it. And that’s good for you, too, since I had the chance to be there at the right time, with this fine ship,” Alistair said.
“You had good timing. I can’t argue with that,” Nina said, smiling, almost promising with her eyes what she had no intention of giving. Alistair noticed and smiled back.
“With your good fortune, you should be a gambler,” Tomiko said.
“At times, I’ve played some games of chance and they were worth my while. Perhaps a game of cards is in order here,” Alistair said.
“Count me in,” Nina said. She enjoyed the psychological aspects of card games – they were a way for her to learn how people dealt with risk-taking, winning and losing, and to learn if they cheated.
“No sense in missing out,” Tristan said. He was well versed in combinatorics, which made him more adept at considering the complex geometries of crystal formations. It was the Kazofen Ocean waters that he drank which actually enabled the bending of the diamonds and other stones, but the mathematical training made him more creative in his work. This training carried over into other aspects of life, including games of luck and strategy.
“You in? Or are you still spooked by cards?” Nina asked Carter.
“No. It’s not like that. Simple games of chance don’t bother me – it’s the fortune teller’s cards that are dangerous – they call out to the evil spirits,” Carter said.
“We won’t be betting our souls or anything, now, will we, old man?” Nina asked Alistair, smiling, almost hoping for a foolish answer she could mock.
“I’m fine with it if it’s just played as a social game,” Carter said.
“We’ll be betting money, of course. No fun without that,” Nina said.
“I’ll wager two (2) of my ten (10) percent share, if each of you will do the same,” Alistair said.
“Fair enough,” Yared said.
“Oh, daring! You’re giving up a fortune. Don’t break yourself,” Nina said, sarcastically.
“Why don’t you join us?” Tomiko asked Stephan, ignoring Nina’s commenta
ry.
“Got to keep my fingers nimble with the strings. Card games give me cramps,” Stephan said, and he gently ran his fingers across the strings of his lyre.
“Now, make sure to play softly. Don’t you hurt yourself, Carter,” Nina said, mocking him.
Alistair produced an unopened deck of cards from his pocket. To have a fresh deck was not surprising, given that card games were very popular and commonly played, and were used to keep sailors and passengers from becoming distracted by the monotony of their work and making dangerous errors out of boredom.
“How convenient! You’re well-equipped, and at all the right times,” Nina said to Alistair, with innuendo that she absolutely did not sincerely intend, yet she purposely expressed.
“I’ll cut the cards,” Tomiko said.
“I’ll shuffle and deal,” Yared said.
The six (6) of them – Alistair, Tomiko, Yared, Tristan, Nina and Carter – sat around a large table.
“Miner,” Tomiko said, referring to the most popular card game for ages, played throughout the world, and generally for a wager. Other games were more skill and less luck, but Miner was a balanced combination of both. It had many variations.
Tomiko cut the cards into seven (7) sections.
Yared then took the piles and rearranged them and put them in a different order. Then, he shuffled and dealt out seven (7) piles of three (3) facedown cards each – these were the “mines” whose cards gave the point values in the game.
Next, Yared dealt out one (1) face-up card on top of each of the “mines” – these were the costs of extracting cards from the “mines.” The numbers on those cost cards were: twelve (12), five (5), three (3), eight (8), fifteen (15), nine (9) and two (2).
Then, Yared dealt out nine (9) cards to each of the players, including to himself.
Caemgen watched over all of this and recorded the details of all that he saw and heard, including the cards that he saw dealt. As a Chronicler of the Oath, he was free to walk around and look at everyone’s hands, which he did. He was also free to peek at the facedown cards, if he could do so without revealing them to the players and thus interfering with the game. However, that peeking usually wasn’t necessary with this particular game – those cards would soon be revealed and he would merely record them at the moment of disclosure.
