Luminaries & Lies

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “He planted the seeds of understanding in your mind, so that they would grow for later,” Caroline said.

  “I wanted to change the subject, but he wouldn’t let me. He said that, sometimes, these boring things were really interesting, if you kept at it for a while and looked more closely,” Taesa said.

  “Your father was persistent, even when he was tired…and sick,” Caroline said.

  “He never let up. Not on me. Or on the other kids,” Taesa said.

  “He wanted everyone to know about science and math. He believed that they held the real answers,” Caroline said.

  “They didn’t have the answers he needed,” Taesa said.

  “No. Or there wasn’t enough time to find them. It takes time to figure out how to cure a disease. No one’s ever found a cure for cancer that worked for everyone,” Caroline said.

  “Except the Trerada waters. That’s the only thing that would have saved him in time,” Taesa said.

  “But he drank the Medathero waters. He wanted to understand how to plan the harvest, rotate the crops, layout the irrigation channels, and keep everybody working so they could do their best at growing food, because that’s what everyone needed. Your father didn’t just design and plan, though. He went out into the field and did some of the hard work himself. Planting seeds and watching them grow was what he did – in the field, and in the minds of everyone around him,” Caroline said.

  Taesa just looked at Caroline, and thought back to her father’s kindness, gentleness and generosity.

  “That’s why he spent so much money on sending for books to be brought from Emeth,” Caroline said.

  “I remember that. Ships would show up and there would be so many new books. Sometimes, I’d wake up with one next to me, with a note from him,” Taesa said, nearly in tears.

  “Your father was a smart man. And a kind one. He believed in the power of knowledge more than the power of the waters, but he knew that they worked. He just wanted to know how they worked, and how everyone could best make use of them. That’s why he read so many books, and read them to you and your friends, and had you read them,” Caroline said.

  “I don’t think anyone really knows how the waters work,” Taesa said, trying to lead herself away from tears.

  “He didn’t stop trying to figure them out. He wouldn’t want you to stop trying, either,” Caroline said.

  “Do you believe in the waters? In what they can do? I thought you didn’t trust them,” Taesa asked.

  “I believe in them. I also believe that they’re misused…and misunderstood,” Caroline said.

  “They can heal people. They can show hidden things. They can do more than that,” Taesa said.

  “I know. I was there when you healed those sick children with your song. Don’t you remember?” Caroline asked. She actually remembered that, at the time, she didn’t believe it was the waters that empowered the song to heal the burning sickness. She didn’t believe because she was angry, and didn’t want to believe in anything.

  “I remember him being there,” Taesa said, with a tone of annoyance.

  “I don’t think about Sebastian anymore. All I can think about is you…and your father,” Caroline said.

  “I love you, and I don’t want to grow apart from you, or see you get hurt,” Taesa said.

  “I am a woman, Taesa. You are, now, as well. Sometimes a woman needs to be with a man…to feel complete. That’s all. There’s no one like your father. Trent was…beyond anyone in kindness. No one can replace him. I’m not looking for that. I just want…companionship,” Caroline said.

  “I don’t know if I understand. Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t,” Taesa said.

  “Do you like men?” Caroline asked.

  “A few. I guess. I want to learn, and to understand things. I don’t want to be in a relationship where I’m just the girlfriend who waits around for a kiss, and where I don’t get to explore and to study,” Taesa said.

  “That’s not what a real relationship is! It’s not all romance – I know that. No one ever said you should stop reading or learning. If a boy ever said that, you can tell him to get out of your life, right away!” Caroline said, surprised that her daughter would have such concerns.

  “I don’t just mean reading and learning, I mean exploring the world and seeing what can be done,” Taesa said.

  “Exploring the world is different. It’s so dangerous. Even the Chroniclers have to be careful – they explore, and they see too many terrible things. It makes them sick inside. You remember Judith, don’t you? That woman was in pain. I could see it in her eyes. She was a nervous wreck, too. Don’t end up like her – it’s pathetic,” Caroline said.

  “She’s lived a long time, and she has to go wherever things happen, whether she wants to or not, even if it’s bad. Especially if it’s bad. I want to go where it’s interesting and fun, and I can see things no one has ever seen,” Taesa said.

  “Weren’t you just through that? It turned out horrible, didn’t it? That woman used you to hurt others – to kill them,” Caroline said.

  “Yes. Victoria was horrible. At first, she acted like a friend. She rescued me from that fire creature,” Taesa said.

  “She did?” Caroline asked, stunned.

  “I was on that island,” Taesa began saying.

  “I know. Onora and I went looking for you. But why were you on that island?” Caroline asked, interrupting her.

  “I was helping Daven answer some questions, and I had some of my own. We visited the woman who lived in the mansion – Madeline. She was horrible!” Taesa said.

  “This story gets worse?!” Caroline asked.

  “She had the powers of light – and used them to make illusions. She turned into a hideous hag and sent poisonous animals against us. We saw through it and escaped. When we got outside, the whole forest on the island was impenetrable. I think it was just more illusions, but I got separated from the others,” Taesa said.

  “What others? Who were they?” Caroline asked.

  “Captain Pradrock and Claudia. She was some sort of trained fighter. There was Torin, the blind boy. He couldn’t see the illusions, so he was able to walk out of the house by memory, which really helped us. There was Akylas and Akantha. They’re brother and sister and they work for the captain,” Taesa said.

  “What happened when you got separated?” Caroline asked.

  “I fell and then I woke up a while later. The forest wasn’t as thick, so I think that some of the trees really were illusions that Madeline made. But I ran into something solid that I couldn’t see. Something big. I used a song – Reveal to Me – that I put together from some ideas that I found in Emeth. Then, all these towers appeared out of the darkness. Some were blue, some were yellow and some were red, and they were hundreds of feet tall. Then, the fire creature came – he called himself Prince Kirdothet,” Taesa said.

  “This is what you found on your exploration?! And you still want to explore?! Why?! Doesn’t this strike you as dangerous?! It’s like you’re looking for a disaster?!” Caroline asked, utterly surprised and shocked by all this.

  “What I learned along the way was fascinating. I’m not afraid. I just don’t want to be unaware. The world is dangerous, but not knowing about it doesn’t make it less dangerous,” Taesa said.

  “Not getting involved in these things would be better for you. Why do you have to be the one who is in danger?” Caroline asked.

  “It’s not always dangerous,” Taesa said.

  “Maybe not, but when it is, it’s extremely dangerous. That’s more than enough. But there’s more, isn’t there?” Caroline asked.

  “The fire creature demanded that I sing for him, and threatened to burn the island if I didn’t. Then, he started to send fire everywhere. Halina rescued me, in the darkness, and brought me to another island, where Victoria was,” Taesa said.

  Caroline thought back and remembered how the creature demanded Taesa.

  “He was looking for you! I saw him an
d I heard his demands! I had no idea why, but now it begins to make sense. But who’s Halina?” Caroline asked.

  “She works for Victoria. She took me to the island, and I stayed with them, in their temple, where it was safe from the fire creature,” Taesa said.

  “Was it really safe there? Did more of these insane adventures happen?” Caroline asked.

  “Victoria wanted me to meet a man – a prince. And I did,” Taesa said.

  “You met a prince. Who was he? How did he treat you? Is he the reason that you’re not interested?” Caroline asked.

  “Prince Emerond. I sang to him…while he was dreaming. So that he’d remember me. But I don’t know if I should have done that. It was Victoria’s idea. She had me and Halina go to visit him,” Taesa said.

  “You sang to him while he was dreaming? How is that meeting a prince? Didn’t you get to talk to him? To know his personality?” Caroline asked, finding this to be strange and not at all what she believed that her daughter needed.

  “It was to make him want me later, and come to meet me. That was what Victoria thought was best. Even her great grandmother said that men appreciate a woman more when they have to struggle to get to her, and win her affection. She said it would take time, and I didn’t want it to happen too quickly. But I didn’t know if it would ever work,” Taesa said.

  “Her great grandmother was there? Who was this woman?” Caroline asked, now simply accepting that the tale was strange, so she wanted to know more.

  “She told Victoria what to do. Victoria was a little bit afraid of her, because she was so smart, and tough,” Taesa said.

  “Is this everything that happened before you went to that island to sing during the storm?” Caroline asked.

  “No. For a while, I had some bad dreams, about a dark and terrible place, but Victoria told me that it was nothing to be afraid of,” Taesa said.

  “Don’t fear your dreams. That’s true enough. You’re father always thought you should try to learn from them, but not be afraid,” Caroline said.

  “Then, she sent me to study at an old city – some ruins – for a while,” Taesa said.

  Caroline suddenly perked up and asked: “What old city? What do you mean by ‘ruins’?”

  “There were towers, a giant fountain, a garden with crystals. The whole city was in the middle of an ocean, inside of a cave. And I have no idea what lit up the cave,” Taesa said.

  “What was this place called? Did she tell you the name of it?” Caroline asked.

  “Thalkalana, I think it was called,” Taesa said.

  “Are you sure?” Caroline asked.

  “Yes. Why?” Taesa asked.

  “Your father mentioned that name. He said that he thought it was real, but everyone said it was a myth. He believed it was in the middle of a lost ocean, and the ocean was different from all of the others. He read some old books and found hints about it. He said the city was ancient beyond anything known on land – over two million (2000000) years old,” Caroline said, now becoming even more interested than upset.

  “Why did he believe it when everyone thought it was a myth?” Taesa asked.

  “Because he read very carefully, and didn’t believe that myths were anything less than real stories, with some of their details lost,” Caroline said.

  “Well, it is real, because I saw it. He was right about that,” Taesa said.

  “How did you get there?” Caroline asked.

  “I don’t know. We traveled in the darkness – I couldn’t see the way that we went,” Taesa said.

  Suddenly, something in the darkness revealed itself in front of Caroline and Taesa: two (2) men dressed in fine armor and wielding curved blades appeared out of a receding darkness.

  The mother and daughter were startled, but they had seen the use of darkness powers before. It was just a question of who these warriors were.

  “Taesa. Caroline. We were sent to bring you to Emeth. Safely,” the first warrior said.

  “You are in danger here. We are not the only ones who know that this is your home,” the second warrior said.

  “What danger? Who?” Caroline asked.

  “The world is filled with pain and anger. There is a vendetta against you, for the song that you sang, during the tempest, which led many to sail into the storm,” the first warrior said.

  “Many millions (1000000) died, and others wish to avenge them. They will be here soon, and you will not be spared, nor will your death be quick or merciful,” the second warrior said.

  “Come with us. If you don’t, we will not force you. But you will soon wish that you heeded our warning,” the first warrior said.

  “We are not your enemies. If we so willed it, you would be dead,” the second warrior said, holding up the curved blade momentarily.

  “The One True God has mercy on his children, but his children do not have mercy on each other,” the first warrior said.

  “Who is this God of yours? The same God who refused to heal my husband of his cancer?” Caroline asked, indignant.

  “Death comes to all, by different means at unknown times. Even we are mortal. It is not your time, it would seem, as we have been sent to protect you, both,” the second warrior said.

  “Why Emeth? How can we be safe there?” Taesa asked.

  “Someone very wise has questions for you to answer, and wants to be sure that the knowledge you have is not lost,” the first warrior said.

  Caroline turned to her daughter and said: “You wanted to explore – to have an adventure. I think you just got your wish.”

  “Alright. We’ll go,” Taesa said.

  At this, the two (2) warriors drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean that they kept in their vials and they were energized with the powers of darkness. They created an aura of darkness around themselves and then extended it to cover Taesa and Caroline.

  The warriors gently took the hands of the women and escorted them from the building.

  It was just in time, fortunately, as a small group of very angry people came in with short swords, axes and torches and they began to destroy the building. The books were torn to shreds and the building was burned. The light from this was so bright that it reached into the darkness, and Taesa and Caroline both looked back to see their home burn. Taesa cried when she thought of the memories of her father that accompanied those books. Caroline began to tear up, as well.

  One of the warriors said: “Your past is alive in you. Solemn prayer to the One True God will keep your souls secure, and, for a while, your bodies as well. Be at peace.”

  Taesa and Caroline were walked quickly, through the darkness, to the nearby sea port and taken onto a ship, which sailed north across the Pirovalen Ocean and soon arrived in Emeth.

  CHAPTER 17: Vendetta against the Voice of Seduction

  When Caroline and Taesa arrived in Emeth, they were still under the protection of the warriors and their cloak of darkness. Yet, the cloak of darkness was breached, as a great light was shone upon them.

  Several people – possessing the power of light by drinking the waters of the Lujladia Ocean – projected that light such that they could be seen, even under the cloak of darkness provided by the warriors.

  “It’s the girl with the voice of seduction and death!” one of the people in the crowd screamed.

  “Kill her! Cut her throat!” another one of the people in the crowd screamed, and then another.

  The warriors held up their curved blades, deftly blocking arrows and stones that were hurled at Taesa.

  Taesa and Caroline were in terror.

  “This is a place of truth! I thought we were safe here!” Caroline screamed.

  “The truth is that she sang the song, and it called millions (1000000) into the storm to die!” another person screamed.

  “The truth is that her voice brings death! End her!” yet another person screamed.

  The danger was not over, and another person, from the crowd, used the powers gained from drinking the waters of the Gradaken
Ocean and thereby took control of poisonous snakes and threw them toward Taesa.

  The two (2) warriors swung their blades and sliced the vipers before they could bite the girl.

  Another person in the crowd – a fifty-four (54) year old man named Keegan, who drank the Elanatin Ocean waters – used telepathy on Taesa, so as to discover what secrets she might be hiding. Keegan learned of the name of the prince – Prince Emerond – to whom Taesa was singing the Sail to Me song, so as to draw him closer. Keegan then left the crowd and went in pursuit of Emerond. Keegan had lost his two (2) sons on a ship that was crashed in the tempest, and he believed that there had to be a larger reason – a grand and evil plot that was working at a level that he could not see. He wanted to discover who the mastermind was, and the ultimate purpose, and Taesa’s mind did not reveal it all to him. Keegan believed that Emerond was a corrupt official, partly or totally responsible for the tragedy, and should be made to answer for the deaths of his sons and so many others. The story of Victoria and the Ahitan Empire was not convincing to him.

  Yet, another angry person in the crowd also used the powers of the Elanatin Ocean to gain telepathic powers. This one called out to Taesa’s mind with the thought: “Surrender yourself. Your guilt is unforgivable. You must give yourself over to be executed, as you deserve, demonic seductress.”

  Taesa began to walk forward, under the control of the telepathic message.

  “No! This must end! Judge not, or judgment will fall upon you. How you measure others, so too will you be measured. The punishment you give will be matched by the punishment you receive. The body and its concerns last for a short while, but the soul and its concerns are eternal,” a woman called out.

  They all looked and saw an older woman in her fifties. Taesa and Caroline looked and recognized her as well – Lady Onora Elettra.

  Onora recently drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean and was energized. She walked directly up to Taesa, and stood between her and the onslaught of dozens – or, perhaps, hundreds – of angry people clamoring for the death of Taesa.

  One of the warriors held his hand out and put it on Taesa’s shoulder, pulling her back gently, but firmly.