“A reader,” the cadet said, walking over to a nearby visitor station and retrieving a palm-sized bloom of crystal. He pointed it at the glowing sphere. In moments, a display projected before them. A narrator’s voice spoke.
“A quiet man in the shadows, a visionary, would turn six youths into ability masters. Dazzling onlookers, they would become unchallenged victors of battle. As the man of shadows became known, all of Alo marveled at his wisdom. He presented his vision for a world not reliant on artificial constructs, but rather a new society focused around the abilities with which Aloans were bestowed. He would be commissioned by the council to harness the abilities of the five warriors to create a new Alo. When he finished, the ‘Pillars of Creation’ had been established. They represented mastery of the mind, the body, the world, the cosmos, and the spirit. This system led to the defining of skill classes, training methods, and societal roles. The council helped to formally organize the resources needed to leverage this new way of thinking. And thus, Creval Obenar became the father of modern Aloan society.”
“So, these other statues, they are the six warriors?” Mencari asked.
“Yes.”
Glancing around he saw other holographic displays, and asked, “What’s over there?”
“A display discussing the more unique abilities seen over time.”
Mencari headed over to the display, then motioned for the cadet to use the reader.
“While transmutation of physical matter was first theorized by Creval Obenar, it would be his pupil, Detre Nolendr, who would both manifest and master the ability. Originally used as a defensive measure by creating physical barriers in battle, today it is used by the Expansion Guild to create the structures in which we live and work.”
Mencari recalled the strange crystal structures of High Dome as the presentation continued.
“Fragmentation of time, a refinement from ‘The Cosmos’ listing of hyper-time or partial-time, was introduced and mastered by Ento Dolen. When used as a countermeasure, the ability aged and dissipated energy attacks or matured projectiles to dust before reaching him. When used as an offensive advantage, Dolen could ‘time-slide’ around or behind his opponent, taking them by surprise. Today this technique is used in medical practice such as acceleration and burnout of tumor growth or expediting regeneration of tissues. Agriculture has also benefited from these techniques, allowing rapid growth of plants.”
“Does everything stem from the coliseum here?” Mencari said.
The narrator continued. “Phasing, or Plane Shifting, was mastered by Guotn Renbul as the only effective counter to Ento Dolen.”
With a smile, Mencari said, “Well, that answers that.”
“Guotn Renbul used it to remove himself from our physical space, allowing him to be independent of time effects. His mastery of this technique allowed him to transfer objects to and from his dimensional plain during combat. The turbulent early history of Alo demonstrated the value of this ability. During the civil war, Renbul transmuted entire cities onto another dimensional plain, protecting them from otherwise imminent destruction. Skill experts took his ingenuity, in combination with Ento Dolen’s, to create a phase shield. Though never used in Aloan battle, a prototype can be seen in the combat craft room.”
“Phase shield … like the one around your world,” Mencari said, also making the association with technology the Nukari used before attacking the Coalition.
“That’s what it’s like—around our world?” the cadet asked. “I’ve seen the smaller example in the combat craft room….”
“Celyi Qot earned legendary status as the first female warrior with her nullification technique. Opponents were left temporarily unable to manifest their abilities after being hit by her energy. Many opponents yielded after being neutralized. However, it was a warrior with weak Aloan abilities that would lead to her defeat. Not relying on her Aloan abilities, Tiero Chew relied on her physical prowess to win in armed combat. Today Qot’s techniques are used to detain those that would use their abilities against the common good.”
Mencari noticed the cadet’s odd expression. “Something wrong?” The narrator’s voice paused, as if also waiting for the cadet’s response.
The cadet looked down and shook his head saying, “Um … no, nothing’s wrong.”
With a gentle chime, the narrator continued. “Ethereal fusion, introduced by Jatk Renga, brought a new approach to offensive strikes. Rather than partial projections, which required a path to an opponent, Renga was able to focus the cosmic power into a single point creating an explosion of energy. His technique held deadly accuracy. Today, power gatherers use the technique to harvest energy used in our homes and places of work.”
Mencari felt his face tighten in pleasant surprise at the Aloan people’s ingenuity, and the narrator’s voice began again.
“Our final highlighted ability comes from Creval Obenar’s ‘the mind’ category. Psionics, the ability to read minds, was used by Kero Bental to predict his opponent’s moves and even influence emotions. Today, this technique is used in empathetic fields such as psychology and communications.”
As the documentary ended, Mencari stared across the statues. It seemed even his existing allies could map to these classifications. “Have your people always had these abilities?”
The cadet nodded. “For as long as our history records.”
Mencari said, “I’ve found other places where a few people had abilities like ours, but an entire world is incredible.”
“Do you have an Ability Tree?” the cadet said.
“What do you mean?”
“Here, let me show you.” The cadet led him over to a cylinder of stone, slightly taller than they were. He waved his hand before an amber disc, causing a small holographic sphere to appear above them. It spun like a top as it floated upward. A cascade of smaller spheres spun down, each connected by a web-like beam of light to the level above, decorated with a unique emblem. Soon a structure of spheres loomed above them.
“This is the Ability Tree.”
“A bunch of connected spheres?”
“Not just spheres. Look at the top.” The cadet pointed. “The highest sphere represents the basic Aloan skills…. Moving down the tree are the five pillars.”
“But I see six,” Mencari said.
The cadet’s head bobbed loosely. “I always forget about the sixth: ‘Greater Than’.”
To the confusion in Mencari’s face, the cadet said, “I’ve never really gotten it myself, but when Obenar defined the pillar system, he said there will always be abilities we don’t understand, abilities ‘Greater Than’ us.”
“So what’s in that category?” Mencari asked.
“That’s just it—nothing.”
The cadet turned to another panel, waved his hand before a sensor then took a step back. “Let’s check you out.” A narrow beam emanated from a glyph in the wall and struck Mencari, who instinctively put his arm up to block the beam. “No, it’s okay. You’ll see.”
The individual spheres began to spin at various speeds. Certain ones illuminated while others imploded, disappearing. The fast-shrinking tree lowered itself to eye level with Mencari.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“It’s you—your ability path. Let’s see … whoa!”
“What?” Mencari asked, alarmed.
“Cosmic! You’re a cosmic! Our strongest warriors have always been those!”
Looking up at the tree, some of the spheres had turned various shades of gray. “Why are some like that?” he asked, pointing.
“Latent skills—potential you have, but not developed yet. They use a similar evaluation when you go to evocation school. Helps the trainers understand what you are, and how to manifest your abilities.”
Mencari looked at the structure, trying to make out the emblems on each orb. “Is there any way to record this and take it to your trainers? Perhaps they could help me while I’m here.”
The cadet paused, pondering the option. �
�Maybe … I could talk with D’abar and see if he can convince R’oden, he’s one of our lead trainers, to help you. It’s really more the council’s decision, though. But recording this information is easy. It’s already in this device.”
He pointed to the bloom of crystal in his hands. “Everything we’ve looked at is recorded here. They usually sell these in the gift shops so people can take them home if they want….”
The cadet turned and looked down the hall. “I think we should—”
Mencari moved his hand over the sensor, activating the blue beam on the cadet. Surprised, the boy turned around with a gasp. He sighed as each sphere in the tree restored above them. Rather than illuminating, they lost their golden glow and became a pale blue.
“This always happens,” the cadet said, defeated.
Mencari looked over the spheres and assumed the whole Ability Tree was showing—including ‘Greater Than’.
“It means it doesn’t detect any skills, and therefore can’t categorize me,” the cadet said, disheartened.
“I was just curious.”
“They all say that,” the boy said, and stared with a tortured gaze at the display. He sighed, then added, “We should get moving. D’abar wanted us to go to the rear of the museum.”
Mencari looked around in wonder while they made their way forward. “I wish I had more time to study this place. I’d learn so much.”
“I’m scanning displays as we pass. You can review them later.”
Before he could respond, a moving projection drew his attention. He didn’t stop, but he swore it looked like the boy, and it gave a name along with it.
“Was that you back there?” he asked.
The cadet sighed heavily. “Yes. I hate that thing. Just for once I’d like to be famous like our greatest warriors, and not known planet-wide as the freak that doesn’t have any abilities.”
The boy’s sudden hostility caught Mencari by surprise. Though, being the only one without abilities on a world of superpowered beings couldn’t be easy.
“And it said Speru. Is that your name, or a class?”
“Speru is my name— Here,” the boy said as they turned into a darkened corridor. Using the rod, the door opened into an even darker passage, this one illuminated by a gentle glow from energy pulsing through clear conduits along the walls. A sloshing sound drew Mencari’s gaze to translucent pipes closer to the ground. Water appeared to flow through them in fits and spurts.
“People channel that too?” he asked.
“In groups yes,” Speru replied, continuing on. “It’s how all our buildings receive power and water.”
Mencari spotted something etched into the walls. Investigating it further, there was no mistaking the letter “D” with a broken “t” in the middle, and the small planet-like circles around it. “This is it! Except,” he studied it further, “this circle at the top looks like something fits into it. Give me the crystal.”
After a quick handoff, Mencari clicked the crystal in place.
The wall next to it dissolved as when water was poured over sugar. The stench of stale air wafted at them.
“How long ago was he through here?” Mencari asked, his nose tingling from the acrid smell.
“I can’t imagine it’s been anytime recent, he’s been so busy,” Speru said, then paused. “But he doesn’t like if other people know where he’s at. So, I have no idea.”
Mencari peered inside and saw only darkness beyond the opening. Speru reached into his pocket and pulled out an egg-shaped crystal. His gentle squeeze caused it to radiate a soft light. “This should help—with the dark anyway, not the smell.”
The gem reminded Mencari of the diamonds Seigie used for light. “Did you charge that?” he asked, following behind Speru.
“No, it’s an illuminator. I can’t create them, much less power them.”
“There’s a guild for that?” Mencari said, mostly joking.
“Yeah, there is.”
Stepping through the opening, they entered what looked like a natural fissure in the rock. Continuing, the walls became smooth and turned a charred color. Heavy cobwebs stretched above them.
They approached a rundown wooden structure, splintered and broken, that appeared to have once blocked the way forward. Chunks of wood were strewn about the floor. Sections of frame still hung fused into the rocky walls.
“This is odd,” Speru said, face contorted.
“Someone didn’t want others coming through here, but someone else didn’t care,” Mencari said, curious. Cobwebs hung like curtains on the other side. “Either those spiders work quickly, or no one’s been this way in a while,” he added.
He picked up a length of wood from the debris. “Not a big fan of spider webs,” he said, cringing, then used it to slice his way through.
They had gone a few meters deeper when Speru yelled, “On my back! On my back! Something big!”
Mencari spun to see a fist-sized spider on the boy’s back. He batted it away with the web-coated wood. “You’ll live,” he said, stifling a laugh.
“Well,” Speru said, embarrassed. “It felt bigger.”
They continued until both felt a placid stream of air.
“How deep are we in?” Speru asked.
“Look at how the rock changes,” Mencari said, wiping away the web to expose the rock. “There’s sections of this shiny black rock with white patches.” He recalled the volcanic crater he’d seen during his approach to High Dome. “There was an eruption. This must be a combination of obsidian, and other igneous rock types.”
“A light?” Speru said. Through the webbing ahead was a glow. “That’s not sunlight.”
Mencari felt a sudden pressure on his back, before being slammed to the floor.
“Rhysus!” Speru’s cry echoed down the corridor.
He couldn’t reply. Something heavy pinned him facedown, with loud clicking noises emanating just behind his head. He tried pushing up, but heard an angry hiss followed by a sharp pain on his arms that made him cry out.
“Hey!” the boy yelled, trying to distract what Mencari assumed was a large spider.
With his head pinned to the ground, Mencari saw Speru flip the light sphere into the air. As it descended, he pulled a crystal hilt from his side, raising it up and connecting it to the sphere. A crackle of static burst from the hilt then blazed into blades of fiery light. The entire corridor lit as the cadet charged forward.
Unexpected pressure jammed Mencari to the floor as a beastly black spider lunged toward the boy. It leaped to attack, but was sliced cleanly in half, midair.
Pushing to his feet, he heard Speru ask, “Are you okay?”
After checking the pain in his arm, he noticed the fabric was okay, but still felt the scuff along his skin. Indentations showed some type of claw had clamped down on him.
“Yeah, I think I’m okay,” he said. “Thanks.”
Speru kicked the squirming chunks of carcass. “Ugly thing.”
“What’s that weapon?” Mencari said.
“Firelight sabre,” he said plainly, gripping the hilt and extinguishing the blade. The light crystal began to radiate soft light as it fell off the hilt into the cadet’s other hand. “D’abar said it’s an ancient weapon,” he added, tucking the hilt back into his belt. “People don’t really need them these days, having abilities and everything.”
“So he just gave it to you?” Mencari said, puzzled.
“No, actually, R’oden gave it to me. D’abar commissioned him to help me develop some battle techniques. He’s what’s called an invoker here: a trainer.”
“You seem pretty skilled with it.”
Speru gave a shy smile. “When you don’t have to worry about the burden of training Aloan skills, you have plenty of time for other stuff. I’m the most skilled firelight fighter on all of Alo. And, the only one.” Looking down the corridor, he motioned. “Let’s keep going.”
A cavernous expanse opened before them. A dance of blue and green light radiated a
ll around, cast from pulsing panels of colored crystal embedded in the walls. Shadowy figures, but certainly humanoid, stood silently ahead.
“Hello?” Mencari said cautiously.
The figures didn’t move, or respond.
This is a world of D’mar, I’m not taking chances.
He began to radiate golden light, which pushed back the darkness. The shadowy figures were simply ancient robes hung on posts.
“Why didn’t we do that before?” Speru asked.
That was a good question. In fact, it made Mencari feel foolish. “I guess I didn’t think about it since you had the illuminator crystal.”
A large crystal version of the D’mar emblem was embedded in the fractured-stone floor tiles, much like the one in the command center of Osuto’s asteroid base.
“This is the right place,” Mencari said. “Now where would the long table with the crystals be?”
“Maybe over there?” Speru pointed to an opening behind the robes.
As they approached, illumination revealed a cavernous expanse. Panels scattered across the far walls flickered then displayed breathtaking images. But they weren’t just images, Mencari noticed in the seconds before the picture faded into a new one, there was subtle movement. It was more of an experience captured than a single instant. A beautiful, alien land was revealed before them.
“They look like windows,” Speru said, mesmerized. “I feel like I could climb right through.”
One image showed a view from high upon a hilltop. A breeze rolled down tall, green grasses. In the distance, stunning crystal spires jutted from a massive glacier-like structure.
Another image showed a young humanoid man with silvery skin overlooking a sprawling forest from atop a bluff. Ancient trees breached the sky, as far as Mencari’s eye could see.
A third image showed a shimmering blue lake under a twinkling-dusk sky. Three majestic waterfalls appeared to travel upward into silvery spheres, which floated meters above the water.
“Is this your world?” Mencari said.
The cadet studied the images, then shook his head. “I … I don’t think so. At least nothing that’s around anymore.” When the images began to repeat, the pair turned their attention to the far wall. There, shelves were covered with crystal shards and hardened puddles of crystal. “Broken story crystals,” Speru said. “I’ll bet that’s what these are. But so many?”
D'mok Revival: The Nukari Invasion Anthology Page 67
