Luminaries & Lies

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “Who are you to judge us? She killed millions (1000000)! You know that!” one angry man said.

  “She killed my husband and all four (4) of my sons! She should be torn to pieces, the little witch!” one angry woman said.

  “Everything we worked for has been destroyed – our homes and our businesses! We work ourselves to the bone to rebuild it all! This is not the life we earned!” another angry man said.

  “You talk about judgment, but we’ve already been judged. We’re suffering for what? For what she did? Why do we have to pay? Where’s the judgment on her for killing?” another angry woman said.

  “Life has work, but this is too much! It’s killing us!” another angry man said.

  “Don’t talk about souls and then ignore our tired bodies! You talk like our suffering isn’t real. It is! Don’t you get that?!” another angry woman said.

  “This is a place of truth. And the truth is that she is a murderer. Do you deny that?” another angry man asked, addressing his words to Lady Onora, as did the rest of them.

  Soon, more angry people presented themselves. Bows were drawn and the powers of light were brought out by many who had the powers of the Lujladia Ocean waters within them – they tried to burn the girl. Vultures flew overhead, sent by those who had the powers of the Gradaken Ocean waters and could control animals. Others using the Elanatin Ocean water powers reached out to send their burning hatred toward Taesa, hoping to drive her to kill herself.

  Taesa fell to her knees because of the telepathic and empathic attacks, and her mother knelt down beside her to hold her.

  The two (2) warriors who accompanied them could do nothing to stop it – they only stood guard to prevent the physical attacks that they could see, and used their darkness powers to cancel the powers of light that could burn the girl.

  Lady Onora knew that they were moments away from carrying out the murder they had planned, and she began to sing:

  Find the balance, between anger and joy.

  In proper measure, be merciful and be just.

  When pain and suffering threaten to destroy,

  When all is beyond us, His Mercy and Grace we must trust.

  Find the balance, between the strong and the weak.

  In proper measure, look within or turn to a friend.

  If self-reliance fails us, help we must seek.

  If our strength is not enough, on Him we must depend.

  Find the balance, between knowledge and doubt.

  In proper measure, accept limits or seek more.

  When answers elude us, we must reach out.

  When we trust His Wisdom, of the answer we can be sure.

  Find the balance, between land and sea.

  In proper measure, righteous lives we must live.

  On the dry land, our nations will be free.

  On the oceans, let us use the gifts He did give.

  Find the balance, between night and day.

  In proper measure we must have dark and light.

  After working, we must have our rest.

  After resting, we must work for what He told us was right.

  Find the balance, between body and soul.

  In proper measure, each is part of the whole.

  When we misuse them, we are broken and ill.

  When we trust His Design, we will give Him control.

  The powers that surrounded them began to subside – the power in the song overcame it. The powers over light and mind and creatures were abated, because the powers of the Pirovalen Ocean waters she drank gave the song form and strength beyond what she innately had and the power of faith within Lady Onora made her song many times more powerful than that.

  “Go home and rebuild your lives. Work…and rest. And be sure to do no harm to others, that you are not sternly judged, when there is no one to defend you. Prayer, to the One True God, will bring mercy, for no one is perfect, and all have fallen short of His Plan,” Lady Onora said.

  The crowd murmured, but began to disperse.

  Taesa felt the telepathic and empathic attacks end, and Caroline helped her up.

  Lady Onora then turned to Taesa and said: “The One True God has forgiven you. He has arranged the perfect penance – a sacrifice that pays for all failings. You only need to accept it, and to believe in His Love and his Mercy. However, people, who are unmerciful, do hold grudges. Beware the vengeance of humanity.”

  The two (2) warriors drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean and were energized again. They enveloped Taesa and Caroline the darkness once more, and guided them to a hidden place, saying: “It is time to meet with him, and to tell him what you know.”

  Soon, Taesa and Caroline were in a hidden place, and they stood before an old man who looked to be, perhaps, in his seventies.

  They were not alone, however. In the room were a dark-skinned man whom Taesa remembered as Danek and the Chronicler, Judith, who had her book with her.

  “You have seen many things, child, and the danger around you has grown, as I am sure you know,” the old man said.

  “Who are you, sir?” Taesa asked.

  “I am one who has a great deal of experience and knowledge in this world, and who still desires to gather more,” the old man – Sava Tzefanya – said. However, Taesa did not know his name.

  “Did you bring me here because of the song? The Sail to Me song?” Taesa asked.

  “I brought you here because of the woman named Victoria, with whom you became familiar, as well as the old woman, who is her ancestor,” the old man said.

  “Yes. There was an old woman. Her name was Tanith Orenda – I heard her called that by her servants. Victoria called her ‘many thousands great grandmother’,” Taesa said.

  “That is because she is ancient, child. Still alive at over one hundred ninety two thousand (192000) years, and she is very knowledgeable – and dangerous. You must know that she is evil,” the old man said.

  Taesa was startled to hear that a person could live that long. She knew that a few millennia – maybe five thousand (5000) years – were possible because of the Ursegan Ocean waters. Still, that number was almost mind-boggling.

  “Victoria feared her – and did what she said,” Taesa said.

  “What was Victoria commanded to do?” the old man asked.

  “I know she was told to take me to the hidden city,” Taesa said.

  “What hidden city was this, child?” the old man asked.

  “A place they called Thalkalana,” Taesa said.

  Judith was writing all of this down in her book, as she had been summoned to serve as a Chronicler, in confidence, for this event. She had not met the old one before, but she had heard Danek mention him. It was a surprise to her to finally meet the man, but she was more surprised to see Taesa again, along with the girl’s mother. More surprising, still, was the story she was hearing.

  Danek, as well, had been surprised at what he was hearing. Yet, he suspected as much, and believed that Thalkalana was real, to the point of having sent the historian, Anan, as well as having hired the mercenary adventurer, Tomiko.

  “Describe what you saw in this city, child,” the old man said.

  “The city was on an island in the middle of an ocean, and all of it was inside of a giant cavern,” Taesa said.

  “If it was inside of a cavern, then what was the light by which you saw?” the old man asked.

  “I don’t know where the light came from. Another woman was with me – she had darkness powers – and she couldn’t figure it out, either,” Taesa said.

  “Who was this other woman?” the old man asked.

  “Her name was Halina,” Taesa said.

  Sava-Tzefanya considered the light source as a question of great importance, but he realized that the girl – being a singer – was not qualified to discover its answer. He intended to find out by utilizing someone who was capable.

  “Was the light brighter in some places than in others?” the old man asked.

  “No. It seemed to
be the same all over,” Taesa said.

  “Very well. Tell me, then, by this light, what did you see on the island?” the old man asked.

  “There was a fountain, maybe two hundred (200) or three hundred (300) feet tall, with streams of water pouring down. I put my hand through the streams and they went around it, returning to the ground as if my hand wasn’t there,” Taesa said.

  The fountain’s description was enigmatic – and Sava-Tzefanya did not know by what mechanism it might work. Pressing the girl on the matter would not likely yield any answers, he thought, so he moved on.

  “After the fountain, what did you see?” the old man asked.

  “There were gardens, too. One garden had crystals instead of flowers. Some of the crystals were like night, and could make things disappear,” Taesa said.

  Caroline also listened to Taesa’s description, not knowing what to make of it. She did see that her daughter – who was at first intimidated by the old man – seemed to brighten up when she was describing what she saw. It was as if Taesa enjoyed the adventure more than she feared the circumstances she had just been through, or was in now. Caroline only worried that the old man would cast a judgment at some point, after getting the information that he wanted.

  Judith was delighted to discover this lost secret city, and found Taesa’s description, with its scant details, to be tantalizing. She savored all of this and desired to see it for herself. She saw Taesa’s facial expressions reveal the girl’s own enthusiasm. Judith recorded this secondhand account carefully, trying to envision the city for herself.

  Danek wondered if the girl remembered the most crucial detail of all…how to get to the city. That was a mystery that was not yet solved, as far as he knew.

  “Do you remember more of this city?” the old man asked.

  “There were pyramids and towers – hundreds (100) or maybe even thousands (1000) of them – all over the city. One of them went down into the ground. We climbed down a staircase and saw that it had an inscription on the door, but couldn’t figure out what it meant,” Taesa said.

  “Do you remember the inscription?” the old man asked.

  “Only that it mentioned numbers, along with things like ‘cooler fire’, and ‘monarch spire’, ‘burning sands’ and ‘warming lands’, and ‘day and night’,” Taesa said.

  “How did you arrive at this city?” the old man asked.

  “I don’t know. We always traveled in darkness, and I wasn’t able to see through it,” Taesa said.

  Danek’s heart sank – he was immensely disappointed.

  Sava-Tzefanya was annoyed, but not disappointed, as he expected that the city’s location would be kept secret. Anyone who knew would be reluctant to reveal it, so as to keep the potential wealth of knowledge for themselves.

  “What else did Victoria have you do?” the old man asked.

  “She wanted me to meet a prince…Prince Emerond. She thought that I should have a relationship with a man, and that I should have a child. But I’m not ready,” Taesa said.

  “Did she have you meet this prince?” the old man asked.

  “Yes. I met with him…while he was sleeping. I sang a song for him, so that he would remember me in his dreams. This was Victoria’s idea, so that he would come to me later,” Taesa said.

  “Did he come to you?” the old man asked.

  “No. Victoria told me that he would come soon. So she had me write the Sail to Me song to call to him, and she said he was nearby,” Taesa said.

  “What else did she do?” the old man asked.

  “I had bad dreams when I was with her – of a place with darkness where people were going into an even darker place, and there were screams and creatures with horns. She told me that the horns meant strength, and that the dream was nothing to be afraid of,” Taesa said.

  “That was a lie, child. The dream was a warning. Victoria was a servant of demons, like the old woman still is. The dream you had was, in truth, a vision of the evil place of condemned souls,” the old man said.

  “What does that mean?” Taesa asked, suddenly troubled.

  “It was a warning not to serve her, lest you be condemned,” the old man said.

  “You’re telling me that I have a soul? I thought that was a superstition,” Taesa said.

  “No. I am telling you that you are a soul, and that you are in great danger while in her presence,” the old man said.

  “Did you bring us here to preach a religion? My daughter has been through enough and been lied to enough! She doesn’t need this talk of souls and condemnation! When people die, they die,” Caroline said, angry at the old man.

  “You know so little, despite having seen so much in recent days. You were witness to the wager with the spirit fleet, were you not? Tormented souls are quite real, and the eyes are often allowed to gaze upon them, and the ears allowed to hear their words,” the old man said.

  “A sound can have an echo, and a stone tossed into a pond has ripples. But both of them come to an end, like ghosts. There is no eternal soul. That’s just a myth for those afraid of death,” Caroline said.

  “One day, you will learn, as your life here will not be eternal. Yet, it must be preserved for a time, and protected from the vengeful. I brought you both here to discover what you know, and plan to repay you by sending you to a safer place,” the old man said.

  CHAPTER 18: Guardians of the Voice of Seduction

  “What safer place? Even Emeth is filled with hatred and murderers now,” Caroline asked.

  “The Wandering of Shadows, where light meets dark, is the place where those wishing not to be found can go to be lost. There, you will find safety for a time, until the world is ready to let go of anger,” the old man said.

  “That could be a while, after what we just saw,” Caroline said.

  “I will hire a guard that you may be protected, and will send Judith to server as a Chronicler with you, so that I may know of your condition,” the old man said.

  “How many of us shall be sent?” one of the warriors asked.

  “Darkness enough is in the Wandering of Shadows that she will not have need of the cloak that you provide. Her guard must have the power of light, by the water of the Lujladia Ocean,” Sava-Tzefanya then said.

  Judith did not know what to make of this latest assignment, as it sounded less interesting than going to find the city of Thalkalana. She had never heard of it before, but it was all that she wanted to think about now. Exploration of the world was utterly fascinating – it’s why she became a Chronicler, and why she made the difficult tradeoff of not having an intimate relationship with any man. Judith was very much a woman, but she was an explorer and Chronicler of the Oath, first. This was true even when she was lonely. The thought of visiting the lost city of Thalkalana – a mythical lost city, no less – was truly tantalizing. Being away from that was truly nerve-wracking, and she was waiting and hoping for an opportunity to go. Judith thought of Taesa’s song Wanderer, and realized how that song, in some ways, captured how she felt about life, although her outlook was much more positive. She wanted to know many things, and there were crossroads in her life where she heard conflicting voices within herself: one saying she should stop and form a lasting relationship and settle down; another saying that she should boldly go forward and explore as much as possible.

  “What of this Prince Emerond? Will he not be blamed for the death, if it is discovered that he was the object of the girl’s song?” Danek asked.

  “Indeed, he is to travel with you, and be under protection as well. He has remained in the city for a time, and will be called to go with the girl,” the old man said.

  “Who will be hired to protect us?” Caroline asked.

  “See to it that a competent guard is employed, such that they can be safe, and not be forever lost. Some lose themselves in the Wandering of Shadows, as the place hides many dangers. Take them all, now,” the old man said to the warriors who had brought Taesa and Caroline, as well as Danek and Judith to thi
s room. The warriors were, of course, Hidden Paladins.

  Sava-Tzefanya handed over to them a small chest from a shelf in the room and opened it slightly to reveal many platinum coins. The shelf had a great many books, maps, scrolls, vials, globes and other items on it. The chest had been kept in between these other items.

  Then, the old man said: “This chest contains payment enough for the guard. The prince needs no payment, for the Jenaldej Empire provides what he needs, when he needs it, by their own laws of resource allocation.”

  The Hidden Paladins took the chest of coins, then extended their cloak of darkness over Danek and Judith, Caroline and Taesa, and escorted them through the darkness from the hidden place where Sava-Tzefanya was to Danek’s quarters in the Library of Tedorik.

  “Wait here until we arrange a ship and hire a guard. We will take you to them when ready,” one of the Hidden Paladins said.

  “Do not venture forth without us – it is still unsafe,” the other Hidden Paladin said.

  ~~~

  Emerond and Romana were traveling through the city of Emeth, discussing her continued scholarship in the city. They wandered down a narrow walkway between some smaller buildings that housed many of the local workshops – alchemists who purified the waters, clothiers, inns for the many guests in Emeth who could not find room in the Scholar’s Hall, and ship repair craft workers, who were just as good as those in Javanda, only because they had actually been trained in Javanda.

  “I think that you should stay, perhaps half of a year. As much as we need you, it would be best to continue your studies. Nathan and the other resource coordinators will be more than capable of deciding how to allocate materials and labor for the reconstruction effort,” Emerond said.

  “I do understand the modeling equations, and can give help where needed. Also, some farms will have been destroyed. Many families will have lost their arable land and will be left poor, so I can help them start over. The Gradaken waters will let me cultivate new land for them, and accelerate and improve their yield,” Romana said.