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

by Fatimah Ashaela Moore Ibrahim

Mother Natasha smiled, and shyly bent her head, “Please take these as a token of my love and prayers for you. They are cloaks that I made and have been treated with Alimand leaf juice. They will provide you some protection from the rain.”

  We all hugged Mother Natasha and thanked her for her gift. So far, this trip had been tiring, but meeting so many good-hearted people had been a blessing.

  Moments later, an urgent knock rapped on the door. Mother Natasha looked through the peep hole, and then let Brother Noah in. His face was tense.

  “Peace of the Most High to you all. We must leave quickly, the community is being surrounded for random house searches. The Houdakin found out that you arrived on Boralia. The next two safe houses are in the area they have blocked off to investigate. I'll have to take you through the secret tunnels and to the emergency bunker. There you will be able to safely meet the Guided Council.”

  We hurriedly gathered our things and said our rushed good-byes to Mother Natasha. Brother Noah led us once again into the dark woods. In the distance, we could see lights and heard the voices of the Houdakin guards as they set up their road blocks.

  For the next hour, we made our way through the damp forest, silent, and keeping our senses alert for any alarming sounds or movements. Finally, we arrived at a small bridge that crossed a stream. The clear water trickled over the rocks, peaceful and unaware of the danger that surrounded us. We made our way down the bank on the side of the bridge, and Noah pulled at a cover of thick Hiniya vines which had completely concealed the entrance to the tunnels. Once inside, Noah pulled the vines back into position and locked the door.

  The tunnels were surprisingly clean. I had expected them to be dark and dank, but they were tidy and well lit. The tunnels walls were made of big grey blocks of stone, and one continuous trail of solar-lights was tacked along the ceiling.

  Solar-lights, used heavily in mines and underground areas on Mercia, were strung together by a wire which led to the main solar panel on the outside. This super charged solar panel collected sunlight during the day, and powered the lights at night.

  “These tunnels were built about 250 years ago as a way to protect those who sought safety. There are three tunnels like this in Boralia, and they all lead to a different bunker. Each bunker has enough room to house about 1,000 people,” Noah whispered back to us.

  We shuffled down the tunnel, staying close to each other as the pathway twisted and turned. Finally, we arrived at a big black metal door with no handle. Noah gave three hard knocks, and after a few moments, it swung open.

  We stepped through the door, and it was like entering into a new land. Vegetation was everywhere, and the walls had been carved out to leave spaces of earth exposed so that plants could grow. The room we entered was huge and beautiful, and you could hear the sound of gurgling water faintly somewhere in the distance. Rows of wooden benches were arranged neatly on the floor, and a few of them were occupied with people eating their evening meal.

  Over to the right, we could see a room that looked like the kitchen. You could hear the animated sounds of pots and pans clanging together as the people who had been assigned to cook that day laughed and joked with each other. Off from the main room, there were four exits which led down dark hallways dotted with solar-lights. The mood of the room was light and peaceful. A young woman and man who were seated on the benches stood up as we approached.

  “Peace of the Most High to you, Brothers and Sisters. I am Xiu, and this is Allister. We were notified that you would be arriving. Have you eaten yet?”

  We all replied the greeting, and nodded that we had. Xiu continued, “Great, then we will show you to your rooms.” Xiu and Allister led us through the doorway that stood to our left, and told us that this particular hallway led to the living quarters. “The Sisters quarters are on the right, and the Brothers are on the left. Our accommodations are humble but comfortable. We will let you all rest, and then will come for you in the morning. Regina will be coming by for you Sisters to give you clean towels. There are private washrooms on the far side of the wall. And Brother Nathan will come to give you Brothers your things.”

  We thanked them and started to leave. Aziz came over to me before turning to go. “How are you feeling, Sis? Everything OK?”

  I hugged Aziz and nodded. “Yeah, what about you?” I was exhausted from all of the walking, and couldn't wait to sink into one of the cotton cots, which looked as luxurious as a feather bed.

  Aziz tugged on my elbow and drew me to the side. He spoke without moving his lips. “It seems we are able to communicate telepathically as part of our gift. Remember that night on the boat?”

  I nodded, trying not to be too obvious. We had barely gotten a moment alone to talk about it. And for some reason, it didn't always work. It seemed to be another thing we needed to practice in order to perfect.

  “OK” Aziz continued, “Let's keep it to ourselves.....for now anyways. Also, Sis, have you been able to get in touch with Mama or Papa? I've been trying to contact them, but have gotten no answer through the Seeker. Have you tried?”

  I furrowed my brow. I had tried to get through, but hadn't gotten anything either. I had just attributed it to me being so tired with all of the traveling. “What do you think is going on?” I said, trying to keep the worry out of my question.

  “I don't know yet, but keep your eyes and ears open. I asked Chord about it, and he said that the person you are trying to contact can block the signal. I think they could be blocking it because something might be wrong. Don't get worried yet, but let's be cautious OK?”

  I nodded my head. “OK. Sounds good.” I bit my lip and tried to calm my stomach. I didn't like the feeling of being worried about Mama and Papa.

  Aziz nodded back, and was quiet for a moment. When I glanced over at him, he was looking at me with his head tilted to the side, and a smirk on his face. “What?” I said out loud. “Do I have something stuck in my teeth?”

  “No,” Aziz laughed. “I just had an interesting talk with Kaisan tonight. Well, not really a talk. He was just asking a lot of questions about you. Something going on that I should know about?”

  I felt a blush start on my cheeks and glanced down at my tunic, brushing away an imaginary piece of lint. “Oh, yeah? What kinds of questions?” I tried to sound nonchalant.

  “Interesting ones, that's all. Kaisan is a cool dude, but nobody is going to be getting too close to my kid sister, is all I'm saying,” Aziz said, nudging my shoulder.

  I shot him a half smirk, half grimace and nudged him back. That was my big brother. He had always been like this, so very protective of me.

  Aziz and I hugged again and then retreated to our rooms. My over tired body sank gratefully onto the cotton cot. The rest of the Sisters were already asleep. My eyes closed drowsily. I dreamed of Mama and Papa and hoped we would be able to contact them soon.

  ~~~

  The next day, while we waited to hear when the Guided Council would arrive, we were split up along with the rest of the bunker inhabitants to complete chores.

  Josephine, Teo and Chord were put on laundry duty. Hantaywee, Kaisan and I were put on kitchen duty. Joelle sand Aziz were set up to sweep the eating area and the sleeping quarters. Father Zouadin was assigned to water the plants, if he felt up to it.

  Throughout the day, I saw my friends performing their chores. The window from the kitchen allowed me to see out into the huge room which served as the dining hall. It was situated in the middle of the bunker, and so you had to pass by it to reach all of the areas.

  I saw Teo carrying bags of linens across the dining room floor alongside Allister, who was showing him the ropes. Joelle had made friends with Xiu, who was only 15 years old, and they chatted away as they swept the dining hall clean. Hantaywee, who had been assigned to kitchen duty like me, had been asked to help prepare the night's dinner, and sat at the huge kitchen table cutting vegetables and potatoes. The head cook had a daughter of about 5 years old, and the little girl had taken an instant liking to
Hantaywee. Whether she was at the cooler, the sink or the kitchen table, the youngster was glued to her side. Hantaywee didn't seem to mind at all though, and in fact appeared to be enjoying her company very much.

  Performing the chores along with our new found friends had eased our tension. But the mission was never far from our thoughts. We couldn't meet with the Guided Council soon enough.

  Dinnertime came, and we gathered at one of the benches with our bowls of steaming noodles, vegetables and chicken. Dried herbs, which had come back to life instantly after touching the hot liquid, swirled invitingly on top of the deliciously seasoned broth.

  After gulping down a few spoonfuls of the soup, Aziz looked around the table and whispered, “Have you guys all heard about the Arms of Justice?”

  Everyone nodded. The Arms of Justice were a very secret underground military group who were rumored to investigate and confront members of the Houdakin that they found doing various wrong acts. It was said that many of its members were the family of tribes-people who had been captured, imprisoned, or executed without just cause. Their reputation amongst the tribes-people was mixed. Some feared them, and didn't want anything to do with them. And still others were glad that at least someone had the guts and the will to investigate things like kidnaps and toxic dumping. I was on the fence. The presence of the Houdakin and the way that they treated us made some type of defense group necessary. But I had always wished violence didn't have to play a role. I hoped that our mission might change things and bring some peace to the situation.

  Joelle spoke up “Yes, everyone is talking about them. I hope the don't interfere with what we're doing.” Everyone around the table nodded in agreement.

  Teo finished chewing a mouthful of noodles, “Maybe we need to meet up with them? To try and get on the same page?” Hantaywee pursed her lips and adjusted her ponytail. “I'm sure if we put the word out, we can get a meeting with them. Chord, what do you think?”

  Before Chord could answer, the lights in the entire bunker dimmed, and urgent red lights silently flashed their warning. Chord stood up at the same time as a tall African man made a beeline over to our table. “Come with me.” he whispered, and we all immediately followed him down the hallway to collect our bags.

  Everyone else was moving quickly too, taking the west entrance which lead deeper into the bunker. The African man lead us down a parallel hallway. Halfway down, the tall man turned to the right and stuck a key into a hidden doorway. He closed it silently behind him.

  “Houdakin patrols have been spotted near the South Entrance. They are searching all of the homes in this area, as well as the forests. Noah will meet you here shortly. He will take you through the Eastern tunnels and back to the ships so that we can get you safely off of Boralia."

  Everyone's shocked expression matched my own. “But we haven't met with the Guided Council yet!” The words were laced with panic, and slipped out before I could stop them. That meeting had been the one thing that anchored us to our mission. If members of the Council had been sent a message from the Most High to deliver to us that would help us, we needed it. We couldn't leave without it.

  The African man shrugged apologetically, turned, and exited the room.

  “Don't worry,” Chord said, looking at our bewildered faces. “We'll ask Noah about it.

  Moments later, Noah entered a door on the opposite side of the small room. His cloak was dripping with beads of rain. He removed his hood and smiled tensely at us all. “We will need to leave now. It has become far too dangerous for you to stay here.” He turned to lead us out of the door, but we stopped him.

  “What about the Guided Council?” Aziz asked, a little bit of worry in his voice. “Wasn't that the reason we came to Boralia?”

  Noah turned back to us and met our questioning stares with a kind smile.

  “My dear friends, do not worry. Now, let us make haste. I will explain everything on the boat. Now hurry, and let's go!”

  Chapter 8

  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

  The Holy Bible KJV, The New Testament,

  Matthew 6:24

  We all remained silent and shocked as we followed Noah through the soggy forest. At first, we could hear the shouts and voices of the Houdakin guards as they searched the grounds, but their voices began to fade the more we walked.

  I pulled the rain-proof cloak Mother Natasha had made tightly around me. The air had grown ice cold as the sky began to darken. I trudged along, my spirits as damp as the leaves under my feet. How am I supposed to do this without the tools I need? The Houdakin won't hesitate to kill us. We need the Guided Council.

  My head throbbed. I was tired, wet, and cold, and I certainly did not look forward to sleeping on the hard boat floor again.

  I slowed down a little to fall in stride beside Aziz, about to ask him what he thought of everything, when Noah stopped cold.

  We froze as well, and it was then that I saw them. Silent figures emerged from the thick tree cover, and surrounded us. There were about 30 of them, and everyone was covered from head to toe in black. The only opening was a thin rectangle around their eyes that allowed them to see. They carried guns that looked like the Obsilectric weapons we had been told about. They looked like Houdakin guards, maybe some special force. I made a silent prayer, Lord, please help. I know you didn't bring us this far to forsake us.

  “Halt.” A voice growled. One figure stepped forward and raised his gun for added emphasis. “Follow us.” was the next order. We all looked to Chord and our Kulindas who were standing ready to attack. When we didn't move immediately, the voice spoke again. “Chord, we know who you are and who you have with you. We outnumber you. Be smart, come without a fight, and you have my word-you will not be harmed.”

  Chord looked to us and then back to the figures. They all stood, motionless, weapons poised, like cobras, tightly coiled and ready to strike. We didn't have much choice. Our skills weren't nearly developed enough to fight this many. Chord motioned for us to follow.

  The figures surrounded us and led us along a winding path through the forest. We went on like this for about a half an hour, until my feet began to ache.

  Finally, we came to a big tree, and two of the figures peeled back a network of stray branches to reveal a door covered by the forest floor. Half of the Ninja-like figures slipped down the hole in minutes, and then the lead figure motioned for us to do the same. We entered the hole and made our way down a short wooden ladder that stood at the entrance of what looked like a network of tunnels. These tunnels looked ominous, and unlike the bunker tunnels, were dark and dank.

  We arrived at a massive metal door that looked worn and showed signs of rust around the hinges. A thin metal plaque placed at eye level illuminated and scanned the leaders face. The door swished open, creaking in protest. Once inside, and our eyes adjusted to the dim interior, we took in the space. It was one big room, its walls made of rock and stone, the dirt floor swept clean.

  There was a surprising amount of electronics in the room. To one side, crates upon crates of various Obsilectric weapons were piled on top of each other. On the other side of the room, a network of computers hung from the walls, their cables spidering across the tables. The figures removed their hoods to reveal a mixture of men and women from all different cultures.

  Others were also in the room, either manning the computers or inspecting the weapons. Some wore earpieces which were connected to small microphones that hovered seemingly mid air near their mouths. Everyone was dressed completely in black.

  The leader came forward and motioned for us to take a seat in one of the chairs at the center of the room. At the front of the area sat a huge chalkboard which was covered with pictures and worn maps with red circles and lines criss-crossing every which way over it. I took a closer look at the pictures, and almost all of them featured a member of the Houdakin tribe, with t
heir blazing copper hair. Each surveillance photo had a card next to it with the person's name and other information. Whoever these people were, they meant business.

  The leader spoke, “Welcome to the Arms of Justice. I am Janto Eliswear, and I am the commanding officer here. We have been aware of the Prophecy, and were informed of your whereabouts.” We all looked at each other and shifted in our seats. How were they so well informed? How many people knew who we were?

  Janto spoke, “No need to worry, only myself and one other know who you are. I make it my business to know everything. I wanted to speak to you about the war. We would like for you all to join us in our efforts to restore balance on this planet.”

  Words flew out of my mouth before I had a chance to think about them.

  “Peace? Well, from what I hear, your organization is not about peace. Our mission is to approach them in terms of peace. That is what the Prophecy speaks of. If they reject that and attack us, then we will defend ourselves. But we just can't go in there with war on our lips and in our hearts. That's not the way. Once they are given the chance to make the right choice, then we will be able to plan our next action.” my heartbeat was increasing in intensity. I didn't appreciate Janto trying to force things to go the way he wanted.

  Janto snorted disdainfully. “Give the Houdakin a choice? Haven't they been given the choice to make the right decision for the last 350 years since we arrived on this planet? In fact, if it was left up to them, we wouldn't even be here. Aren't they the ones hoarding Aoki when our people are dying like flies? Aren't they the ones forcing us to buy Obsidian II and keeping us from using green energy to run our homes? Aren't they the ones who are dumping their toxic wastes into our water supplies and soil and air? Don't they force your brothers and fathers to work in the mines to get their precious Obsidian II, with no regard for giving them breathing masks so that the deposits don't destroy their lungs?”

  Janto looked at us incredulously and continued, “Are you blind? Don't you see that they are forcing us into a path that will lead just where Planet Earth ended up? If we don't learn from the mistakes of our past, what was the point of the Most High giving us a second chance?”