The Azurean Trilogy (All Three Books: 1, 2 & 3): Essentia, Burgeor & Manifest

by Fatimah Ashaela Moore Ibrahim

  Everyone was quiet as we waited for Papa to get the signal that it was safe to leave our hiding spot. The night air had turned chilly, but thankfully, the Fiamore bushes provided some protection from the cool wind as it blew across the ocean.

  My thoughts drifted to when we had said our goodbyes to Mama. She always put on such a strong front, probably so that we wouldn't be as afraid. Mama had hugged us hard, saying quick supplications of protection over us before she released us. Her eyes had been filled with love and worry- but a worry that was kept in check by her strong faith. If anything, it was the faith I knew Mama had that gave me strength. I wanted to complete this task because I had been called to do it, and wanted to help my people.

  I looked across the ocean, and a small flashing light caught my eye. Papa must have spotted it too, because he pulled out a tiny light of his own and began to flicker a pattern of lights in response.

  Within minutes, we could just make out the form of a mid-sized vessel as it pulled up on the shore. Papa silently motioned for us to follow him out across the beach to the boat. We huddled together, drawing our dark cloaks closer about us, and made our way down shore. A silent figure on the boat was also wearing a cloak, and motioned for us to hurry. The figure's hood was drawn low so that it cast a shadow across his face.

  The figure neared the edge of the boat until he and the boat were right in front of us, and then I went completely numb. The cloaked figure pulled back his hood to reveal a face that stared at us beneath the unmistakable helmet of a Houdakin guard.

  Chapter 5

  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed. Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.

  The Holy Bible, KJV, The New Testament,

  Luke 22:41-42

  Gasps escaped almost every mouth, and our Kulindas quickly stepped in front of us, ready for an attack.

  Kaisan's bow and arrow were drawn, Sister Josephine had whipped out a pair of lethal looking knives from her cloak, and Father Zouadin had lifted his staff mid air to reveal a menacing silver tip. Papa sidestepped us all with his hands in the air. His sharp, urgent whisper halted our fearful thoughts instantly.

  “Hush now, this is a trusted friend. Lower your weapons now.” Papa stood in front of the Houdakin helmeted man while his penetrating gaze met each of our eyes. The protectors lowered their weapons, but did not take their eyes off of the man.

  Papa spoke quickly, “This is Chord. He is from Houdakin Father and Delorian Mother. He has been a trusted friend since my childhood. He is on our side, and has given his life to our cause. He wears the Houdakin helmet for your protection and safe passage across the ocean. Trust him as you would trust me.”

  Papa's words put us all instantly at ease. He continued, “Our situation is very dangerous, and we must take every precaution. Please forgive me for the extremely short notice. Now, please, load onto the vessel quickly, you must set out at once. Chord will give you more details, and will also show you how to get in touch with me. Peace be upon you, Gifted 5. May The Most High be with, guide and protect you all.”

  We all exchanged hasty goodbyes with Papa. Aziz and I went last, and he hugged us tightly and kissed our foreheads. We had already hugged him when we had given our goodbyes to Mama, but this last time suddenly made everything very real.

  “Remember, watch over each other. All of you. We will meet again soon.” Chord and Papa embraced and gave each other the greeting like long lost brothers. Aziz and I stepped onto the boat, and Chord pulled the anchor. Our vessel began to drift away, and Papa remained on the beach as long as he dared before retreating into the bushes. I bit my lip and blinked back tears, praying that it would not be the last time I saw my parents or beloved homeland.

  ~~~

  The gentle rocking of the vessel and the faint sound of water lapping against the boat pulled me out of my sleep. The night had been so draining, that after gulping down the warm Yama stew that Chord had made for us, we had each dropped thankfully onto the soft rectangular pallets and blankets which had been spread upon the floor for us. The bottom of the boat was one huge area separated by two walls, each of which had a single door. One end was to house the Sisters, and the other end the Brothers. The middle of the boat served as a makeshift kitchen/eating area, and had a small chimney stove, and a wooden bench that seated us all comfortably.

  After eating, Sister Josephine, Joelle, Hantaywee and I had entered our section, and pulled our pallets closer together for added warmth and comfort. Brothers Zouadin, Aziz, Teo, Kaisan and Chord had all exited to the other side, and had fallen asleep just as quickly as we had.

  In the morning, the savory smell of eggs seasoned with onipers drifted its way through the boat.

  In the Sister's room, we awoke one by one, greeting each other with a hug. The bottom deck became filled with the faint sounds of morning preparations as each took their turn in the adjoining washrooms.

  Brother Chord was busy at the stove, stirring eggs until they became fluffy and solid. We emerged from our rooms, exchanged greetings, and filled our plates with eggs and chunks of soft Tulca bread. For a few moments, we all hungrily ate in a comfortable silence.

  Chord was the first to speak. “Peace of the Most High be upon you all. It is nice to finally meet you,” he started. “I do apologize for the unsettling first impressions. I should have removed my helmet earlier.”

  Father Zouadin spoke with a twinkle in his eye, “A little excitement is good for the heart. It keeps the body and mind ready for anything.”

  Chord smiled and nodded his head. “Yes, I suppose so, Father. I do hope you all know that you can trust me. It is true that my father was a Houdakin guard. He was posted on Deloria, and met my mother there. They secretly married, which you know is strictly forbidden.”

  “My father was a high ranking officer, and they thought that maybe their union could help to bring about some sort of peace. So, they set sail for Sector 1, and tried to go before Emperor Borche. It didn't go well. They took my Mother into custody. My Father escaped with me and had me shipped back to Deloria while he tried to rescue my Mother. But he was caught, and.....they were both tortured and put to death.”

  “That's horrible, Brother. My sympathies are with you,” Sister Josephine said while shaking her head. We all nodded and spoke our agreement.

  “Thank you for that Brothers and Sisters.” He said, and continued with his story, “My uncle, who made the trip with them, is the one who smuggled me back to Deloria. He and my Aunt raised me as their own child. I met your Father in 1st School,” he motioned to Aziz and I, “and ever since then, we've been as close as brothers. Eventually, after seeing the hardships of my people on Deloria, I made a vow that I would not only avenge my parents death, but also help my tribe. I will make sure that my parent's death was not in vain. Two innocent lives were taken unjustly. A third will follow to make that wrong right.”

  There was an uncomfortable silence. “So you mean to kill the Emperor?” Aziz asked, eyebrows raised. Chord nodded. “That's exactly what I mean. He took both of my parents away from me. It is something that can never be undone.”

  We all fell silent as the weight of his words sunk in. The Houdakin had wounded him deeply, and a scar that deep didn't heal overnight. But I knew that this could start a war. If any kind of peace were possible, that is what we wanted. Father Zouadin spoke again, “They dealt you a harsh wound. You can repay what you were dealt, or you can choose to forgive. Is not forgiveness an option for you, Brother?”

  Chord looked Father Zouadin directly in the eye. “With respect, dear Father, it is not.” The look in Chord's eye told us that he had made up his mind long ago.

  Father Zouadin just nodded and said, “Hmmm, I see, ….I see.” And resumed eating his eggs.

  Joelle then had a question. “Father Fadi told us that you would give us more details about what we are supposed to encounter on Sector 3?” she asked, remembering
Papa's last words to us. I followed after her with another question.

  “And Papa also said that you would tell us how we could contact him? Will we be able to do that here?” I glanced around the room. I hadn't seen any communication devices anywhere on the boat.

  An excited smile spread across Chord's face as he chomped his last bit of bread and rubbed his hands together. “Yes, you will learn this in your first lesson today. And I will also teach you your first defensive moves as well. They are the same as the moves the rest of the tribes will be learning. Finish up your breakfasts, and we will begin.”

  ~~~

  Chord had instructed each of us to take a place on the floor after the wooden bench had been pushed to the far corner of the room. He told us that our minds held much more power than we knew, and that we would be able to contact anyone we wanted through something called Seeking.

  We had each been instructed to interlace our fingers while keeping them straight, and to connect the tips of our thumbs together. We were then to concentrate on the person we were trying to reach. An image of them was supposed to appear right above the tips of our fingers.

  “Here, I'll give you a demonstration.” Chord interlaced his fingers and closed his eyes. And sure enough, a hazy 3D image of my Papa materialized.

  “This will not be everyone's strong suit,” he warned, “Some of you will be able to do it better than others. And, it won't work if you are nervous or afraid. You must master your emotions and focus.”

  We spent about an hour, each individually trying to get an image to appear. Father Zouadin and Aziz had each gotten images to materialize pretty quickly, and had exchanged macho winks at each other. Chord walked around giving helpful hints and monitoring our progress.

  Everyone had gotten at least a small glow to form, except for Teo. Aziz had given him a few slaps on the back saying “Just keep on trying, buddy.” to Teo's frustration, and our amusement. As usual, they teased each other at every opportunity.

  I was able to get an image to appear, but it was very hazy and it wavered in it's clarity. So, Aziz and I used the Seeker he was able to form to contact Mama and Papa while the others in our group also contacted their loved ones.

  “Peace upon you, blessed children. How are you doing?” Papa had asked anxiously. His voice had been laced with concern, and I could imagine Mama gripping his hand tightly as she sat beside him. Mama had jumped right in, “And have you been eating well? Is everything OK on the boat? How far away are you from Boralia?”

  Aziz and I had spoken with them for a few moments, giving them a quick update on our position and reassuring them that we were eating well and were in good spirits. Although Aziz's Seeker was pretty clear, he was only able to maintain it for about a minute, so we kept our conversation short and promised to contact them again the next day.

  Later, Chord taught us our first defensive move, which was called a Pulse. “The entire tribe will be learning this move as well as how to Deflect. To access any gift, you must first Engage. It's like switching your gift “on”. You can Engage by saying 'In the Name of God/Allah/The Creator.' Since you all come from different spiritual practices, you can say this in whatever language you choose. Once you Engage, the pupils of your eyes should begin to glow.”

  I nodded. For Aziz and I, since our spiritual practice was Islam, we would say “Bismillah” which was Arabic for saying “In the Name of Allah.” We might be saying it in different languages, but it would all mean the same thing.

  He then demonstrated the Pulse, and sent an electric blue and white beam out of his palm which burned an impressive fist-sized smoking hole in a wooden practice board.

  “To subdue anyone who attacks you, you should at least be producing Pulses this large. It will not kill your attacker, but will neutralize them while giving you enough time to either tie them up and/or get away.”

  When we finally got the hang of it, it was Teo's turn to poke fun at Aziz. Teo's Pulse was pretty strong, and burned holes about an inch around in the wooden practice pallets Chord had given us.

  When Aziz tried, his Pulse shot out in a thin, feeble line, and even had the nerve to make a tiny 'buzz' sound like some small midget bee. It was so hilarious, we had to struggle to keep ourselves from losing it and laughing out loud.

  Aziz's frustrated face as he repeatedly shot his weak Pulse out at the practice board only made it worse. The board was littered with tiny little burn dots, and so Teo had slapped him on the back, repeatedly saying, “That's right buddy, keep it going. Practice makes perfect.”

  Chord also taught us how to block or Deflect a shot from any type of weapon. We practiced well into the night, and overall, we didn't do too bad. It took a tremendous amount of focus and concentration to access the mental muscle required to get the Seeking, Pulse, and the Deflect to work, but once you were able to locate the muscle, you instinctively knew that practice would make it stronger.

  By the end of the day, we were all exhausted, but so excited to have learned something so spectacular. We each took time before dinner to pray and meditate. Afterward, we went above deck to look at the sky before turning in for bed.

  We were about to ask Chord more details on how to hone our skills, but the look on his face made us freeze in place. He was staring out across the ocean at three small yellow lights that slowly grew in size, letting us know that it was an approaching vessel.

  “It's a Houdakin patrol ship,” he said, not taking his eyes off of the approaching lights. “All of you, stay where you are and don't move.”

  Chord slowly powered down all of the lights on the boat, and the thick, dark night swallowed us. The sky and moons were thankfully overcast with clouds, so the outlines of the boat were not that evident. We all stood like statues, silently waiting, horrified as the yellow lights grew and intensified. I didn't dare move as the patrol ship loomed closer, but almost yelped when a bright spotlight shot out from the ship and began to sweep across the ocean's surface.

  “What should we do?” Someone's voice whispered urgently, panicked. The patrol ship was nearly upon us now. Chord hissed back, “Quiet, now! Don't move a muscle!”

  We all remained frozen as the searchlight continued to scan the water. I watched, horrified as it moved meticulously to the right, back to the left, and then settled smack dab on our boat.

  Chapter 6

  "And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is). And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship). Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practice it) yourselves, and yet ye study the Scripture: Will ye not understand? Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and prayer; It is indeed hard, except to those who bring a lowly spirit,- Who bear in mind the certainty that they are to meet their Lord, and that they are to return to Him.”

  The Holy Qur'an,

  Surah 2, Ayah 42-46

  “Stay still!” Chord commanded through clenched teeth, and we didn't dare move a muscle. The searchlight was bright and glaring as it focused on our boat. Our immediate instinct was to scramble, but the urgency in Chord's voice kept us rooted in our spots.

  A long horizontal laser beam shot out from the Houdakin ship and slowly searched the general area around our vessel.

  It whirred and whizzed as it scanned, like some giant hungry Cicada sniffing to find a late night meal.

  Aziz and I, who were not that far apart, glanced at one another. My eyes darted over to Chord who was staring intently over at the patrol ship. Had he betrayed us? Was this all some kind of ruse to destroy us before we even began our mission?

  I looked back over to Aziz, tightening my jaw and willing my breath to slow down. Aziz's pupils were dilated, and his nostrils flared in and out. “Be still, Sis. I trust Chord. The Most High gave me a dream. Everything will be OK.” Aziz's voice spoke as if he were standing right beside me, yet his lips hadn't moved, and my eyes widened in surprise. His widened as well as he realized
that I heard what he was thinking.

  After a few more agonizing moments, the laser beam shrunk and vanished with a metallic hiss. The patrol ship continued on its way, its searchlight returning to painstakingly scouring every inch of the deep black waters for anything out of place. We didn't move until it had sailed a good distance away, and Chord began to speak.

  “Good job, everyone. Let's go below deck now.”

  Everyone immediately filed below, and assembled at the bench. Our muscles ached in protest from being forced to remain still for so long.

  “What just happened up there? They were right in front of us, laser beam and everything, and it was as if they couldn't see us,” Aziz said while circling his shoulders to release the tension that had built up.

  “It's because they didn't,” Chord said matter-of-factly. “I had a chance to raise the Cloak on our ship. This vessel is made of a mixture of refined Obsidian II and Steel. It then undergoes a process where the very molecules can shift so that whatever you are trying to hide remains unseen. The technology is still very new, and can only last for a few minutes. The green laser you saw is what the Houdakin call their Vigil. It is able to detect motion, even through the Cloak. If one of you had moved an inch, they would have picked it up and we would have been caught.

  Hantaywee shook her head, “That was absolutely nerve wracking. They were so close. If they had caught us...” her voice trailed off. I knew that she was shaken. We all were.

  “Thank the Most High that they didn't,” Joelle said. “It's a good thing we have that Cloak. It saved our lives.”

  Chord nodded. “I'm not sure if we will be able to use it again before we reach shore. It takes a great amount of Obsidian II to make it work. I am able to gain a certain amount by posing as a Houdakin guard, but I can't request too much at a time, as it might draw suspicion.”