Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Polyxene then glided across the crystal fortress floor toward the second quartz dome. She observed the violet glow within and decided it was time to act defensively. She placed her diamond-covered hands on the base of the dome and altered its low-level structure, releasing a small measure of the energy of the violet stellar core within. The solar energy permeated the fortress floor, and then the walls of the fortress, radiating throughout the mountain itself. She felt the entire mountain begin to shift its position in response to her actions.

  “Those who thought they found me will now have to look elsewhere. At my command, even mountains move,” Polyxene said.

  ~~~

  Outside Polyxene’s unseen mountain fortress in the middle of the Kazofen Ocean, tidal waves rose and raged violently as the entire mountain moved across the ocean floor.

  CHAPTER 19: Pursuit of Maps and Schemes

  The Royal Jalvinic River had its source in the Dead Waters Ocean. The waterway flowed northwest across the continent of Baradaxa and extended north through the Prince Jalvin’s Crossroads land bridge. Hundreds of small port towns lined the eastern and western banks of the six (6) mile wide river as it passed through the narrow land bridge.

  The one hundred nineteen (119) foot long galleon Vesper Sparrow sailed southward through Prince Jalvin’s Crossroads along the Royal Jalvinic River, propelled by the solar energy stored in the diamonds embedded into the three (3) pairs of double-masted, pivoting sails.

  Inside the wheelhouse, Zamir pulled a lever to halt the vessel. When the ship came to a stop, he pulled a lever to drop the anchor and another to lower the boarding ramp. The fifty-four (54) year old man removed the vial hanging on the chain around his neck and placed it into a barrel beside him to refill it. He then placed it back around his neck and drank the Atrejan waters from it to be energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars.

  “I am ready, Bardhyl,” Zamir said.

  Bardhyl – the sixty-two (62) year old man standing next to him – drank anew of the waters of the Medathero Ocean from his own vial to be energized with the power of calm, rational thought. He made a number of rapid mental calculations and said: “I am also ready, Zamir. It is time we went into town and paid a visit to this Madame Shelena.”

  “I have my doubts about the old woman being reliable. If a star exists, I can hear its sounds,” Zamir said.

  “Unless it is hidden from your senses, Zamir. You don’t seem to understand that,” Bardhyl said.

  “A star exists or it does not. They cannot be hidden,” Zamir said.

  “That is what you believe. Yet, do not forget the darkness of the skies in recent years,” Bardhyl said.

  “The stars were present. Only their sounds were being obstructed, so that the readings were unclear,” Zamir said.

  “You could not navigate by those readings, as you yourself admitted. Thus, the stars were effectively hidden,” Bardhyl said.

  “Despite that, they remained as stars,” Zamir said.

  “And they remained inaccessible. It is conceivable that they could be further obstructed, to the point that you could not detect their sounds or recognize them as being stellar in origin. We will give this woman a chance to provide useful information about our objective. If she does, she will be paid well,” Bardhyl said.

  “And if she does not?” Zamir asked.

  “Then we will search along another path. I’ve had enough of this discussion. Lead us into town, please,” Bardhyl said.

  Zamir exited the wheelhouse, followed by Bardhyl. They disembarked from the Vesper Sparrow and entered the port town. After walking along numerous side streets, they arrived at a storefront with many strangely cut, dark glass panes in the window frame. The closed front door had a gaudy display of brightly-colored gems embedded in it, arranged in stripes and swirls. A sign above the door read: “Madame Shelena, Spirit Guide.”

  Bardhyl reached out to open the door but the door opened before he could touch it and a woman in her fifties – having gray-brunette hair and wrinkles – appeared before them.

  The woman – who wore oversized robes of brown, yellow and blue – spoke to them, saying: “Greetings, travelers. I am Madame Shelena, your guide to the spirit world. Come in to my parlor and I will chart a course for your future.”

  After Bardhyl and Zamir entered the parlor, Madame Shelena closed the door and said: “Sit down. Make yourselves comfortable, so that we find the path to what you seek.”

  Bardhyl and Zamir sat down on comfortable chairs with cushions, arranged around a circular table. Madame Shelena sat down on a chair across from them and asked: “What question would you gentleman like answered?”

  “We seek the location of something of great value. Something that was lost a long time ago,” Bardhyl said.

  “What lost treasure do you seek?” Madame Shelena asked.

  “A source of fire – as hot as a star,” Bardhyl said.

  “What can be as hot as a star if not another star?” Madame Shelena asked.

  “A fallen star,” Bardhyl said.

  Madame Shelena’s face turned pale with fear. She knew that a fallen star was a grave danger, so the very subject was unsettling, even before proving such a thing had occurred. “A fallen star is no treasure. It is a curse!” she said.

  “You seem so certain, even before giving us a reading,” Bardhyl said.

  “I am certain that this is a dangerous matter. If a star has fallen, it will seek out prey. No person should seek it out,” Madame Shelena said.

  “I’ve already sought it out and found nothing. I drink the Atrejan waters and detect no fallen star,” Zamir said.

  “Then, perhaps, there is no fallen star. I am relieved to hear this fortunate news,” Madame Shelena said.

  “Don’t be relieved just yet. It may be that the danger is hidden beyond the reach of his senses. Unseen enemies are more dangerous,” Bardhyl said.

  “Do you want to give an old woman a terrible fright and cause her death?” Madame Shelena asked.

  “Not at all. I want to find the danger before it finds us. Can you give us a reading?” Bardhyl asked.

  “I will give you a reading for the price of fifty (50) platinum coins, no less. High risk carries a high price,” Madame Shelena said.

  Bardhyl reached into his coat pocket and removed a small pouch. He opened it and counted out fifty (50) platinum coins, placing them onto the table. “There is your payment. Are you willing to give us the reading?” he asked.

  “I will give a reading. Be forewarned: those looking for trouble often find it. If an unfortunate event befalls me as a result of this reading, I will put a curse on both of you,” Madame Shelena said. She drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean from her vial and was energized with the power to connect to the spirit world. She felt a spiritual presence near her, although its identity and purpose were unclear.

  Bardhyl and Zamir watched and waited for the woman to conduct her reading.

  Madame Shelena took out a deck of cards from a shelf underneath the round table and began to shuffle it. She then dealt out cards, two (2) at a time, placing them on the table, with the second card atop the first in each pair.

  As the first pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Five (5) of Flames and the Fourteen (14) of Daggers upon it. The star you seek has fallen. It is protected by powerful warriors.”

  As the second pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Two (2) of Dice and the Eight (8) of Tombstones upon it. It is time for greater uncertainty. I must make two (2) extra drawings – six (6) instead of the customary four (4) – and eight (8) people will die as a result.”

  As the third pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Six (6) of Flames and the Fifteen (15) of Shadows upon it. Another star has fallen. It is hidden by the darkness.”

  As the fourth pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Ten (10) of Flames and the Twelve (12) of Ru
bies upon it. Yet another star has fallen. It is encased in jewels.”

  As the fifth pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Eleven (11) of Diadems and the Thirteen (13) of Lyres upon it. Powerful music will resound and a kingdom will fall.”

  As the sixth pair of cards was dealt, Madame Shelena announced them, saying: “The Nine (9) of Daggers and the Eleven (11) of Vipers upon it. Poison will bring the deaths of many warriors.”

  “What does this card game even mean?” Zamir asked.

  “This is no game of chance. I am guided by spirits when rearranging and drawing the cards. However, not even I cannot be completely certain of future events. Doubt and mystery are ever-present. The reading is not yet complete. Wait a moment,” Madame Shelena said. She then drew a single card and announced it, saying: “The Fourteen (14) of Rubies. One (1) of these other twelve (12) cards is false, and this thirteenth card is the truth that will be revealed in its stead.”

  “I believe I know what it means,” Bardhyl said.

  “I don’t know that I believe any of it. It doesn’t make a bit of sense,” Zamir said.

  “The truth will be revealed in time and the mysteries will become clear,” Madame Shelena said.

  “I agree, Madame Shelena. Thank you for the reading. We’ll be on our way now,” Bardhyl said and stood up. He walked across the room, opened the front door and exited the parlor, followed by Zamir.

  ~~~

  “We paid fifty (50) platinum coins for a card trick. We’re fools to trust that old woman or any spirits she communes with,” Zamir said.

  “Spirits are real and they do have knowledge. Their messages can be cryptic, but they’re not beyond the understanding of a clever mind. Let’s deliver our report,” Bardhyl said.

  “This is a report?” Zamir asked.

  “Yes. You’ll understand when I explain it to everyone, in detail. We need to get back to the Vesper Sparrow and chart a return course,” Bardhyl said.

  Zamir and Bardhyl walked through town and returned to the Vesper Sparrow. Inside the wheelhouse, Zamir drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars. He concentrated and learned their paths and positions. Using this information, he charted a course back to the Port of Bryziklad in the Dark Platinum Road land bridge.

  “I’ve got our course charted, because I listened to the stars that actually exist. I can’t wait to hear you tell us all where to find these stars that don’t exist,” Zamir said.

  “They do. Just wait. It’s a little complicated,” Bardhyl said.

  Zamir pulled levers to retract the boarding ramp and raise the anchor. He then sailed the Vesper Sparrow northward along the Royal Jalvinic River until reaching the dry land at the northern edge of the Prince Jalvin’s Crossroads land bridge. He pulled a lever to pivot the masts and sails to the sides of the ship and elevate the vessel to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude. He steered the Vesper Sparrow across the land bridge, returning to sea level in the Ikkith Tar Ocean. From there, he sailed eastward, until reaching the Port of Bryziklad in the Dark Platinum Road land bridge. Zamir pulled levers to halt the ship’s movement, drop its anchor and lower the boarding ramp. Bardhyl and Zamir then exited the ships and headed into town.

  ~~~

  On Haza’Kedro’Maral Island in the Pirovalen Ocean, inside the Trading Center One building, Governor Aranka continued her audit. She returned her attention to the vaults where the lightkeeper crystals were kept, turning them slowly and carefully to peer into their facets. Certain lightkeepers were of particular interest and she efficiently found, identified and inventoried them. Aranka soon determined, however, that not all was well.

  “Sechnall, send a message to the Premier Governors. I have taken inventory of the lightkeeper crystals. The one containing the map to the seventh vault is missing. I suspect that it is among the precious gems stolen by Duchess Uliana,” Governor Aranka said.

  The Chronicler Caemgen was still with them and recorded all of this into his book. He saw Governor Aranka’s eyes following him and suspected that she was less than forthcoming in her spoken accounts.

  “I will inform them,” Sechnall said. He drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to connect to the spirit world. He reached out into the spirit world to communicate, through an intermediary spirit, with the Premier Governors and transmit Governor Aranka’s latest report.

  ~~~

  Inside Depository Building Number Three Hundred Six, on Tilvonix Island in the Ursegan Ocean, the swirling blackness within the ruby spire came to a standstill. “Governor Aranka has sent a new report. She has taken inventory of the lightkeeper crystals. The one with the map to the seventh vault is missing. She believes that it is among the precious gems stolen by Duchess Uliana,” the voice of Athamus said, vibrating through the ruby spire.

  “We must do everything possible to recover it,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Duchess Uliana and her cult of sun worshippers must be destroyed as well, in case they already have too much knowledge,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “We have many fleets of warships in our service. We should deploy them all, immediately, and launch a massive attack against Nataloridivu,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “We can do much better than you are suggesting, Premier Governor Enrichetta. Remember that Athamus is a powerful servant. He can influence others to fight the war for us, using their assets, which are already in position to attack, without revealing our involvement,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “Do whatever works quickly and completely, Premier Governor Dustin. The saraphakadite and the seeds that produce it – even the very knowledge of these things – is too valuable to lose control of. Just kill her expeditiously and protect our secrets,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Execute your plan now, Premier Governor Dustin. Time may no longer be on our side,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “What instructions do you have for Governor Aranka? How does she fit into your plan?” Premier Governor Enrichetta asked.

  “Governor Aranka needs only to declare an embargo against Nataloridivu. The entire continent is to receive no supplies and participate in no trade whatsoever, due to the fraud which Duchess Uliana has committed,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “That won’t be enough!” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “It’s just the beginning, Premier Governor Enrichetta. Athamus, you are to direct Governor Aranka to inform all merchants and bankers of this prohibition against all trade with and financial support of Nataloridivu,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  ~~~

  Inside the Trading Center One building, Sechnall spoke up and said: “I have a response from the Premier Governors.”

  “What is it, Sechnall?” Governor Aranka asked.

  “You are to declare an embargo against Nataloridivu. Inform all merchants and bankers of this prohibition,” Sechnall said.

  “I will write and execute this embargo immediately. However, this will increase costs in several regions. With the loss of business in Nataloridivu, merchants will raise prices elsewhere to make up the difference. I know how they work, even if it’s off the books, and it will have a ripple effect. The Premier Governors had better prepare for this, because it will not work out in the central bank’s favor,” Governor Aranka said.

  Caemgen heard this embargo order and recorded it into his book. He suspected that it was a prelude to war, but he could not record this suspicion. Only facts could be written into his book, although he could use suspicion as a basis for a change of venue. For now, however, he intended to remain.

  ~~~

  Under the cover of darkness, the four (4) Hidden Paladins of unit number thirty-seven (#37) learned of this order and concluded that this was almost certainly a prelude to war.

  ~~~

  Bardhyl and Zamir walked through the Port of
Bryziklad to a domed building located at the southern end. The granite structure was eighty-five (85) feet in diameter and had a single doorway, seven (7) feet wide and high, leading to its interior. They entered the dome and the door sealed behind them a moment later.

  An older man, carrying books and dressed in the fine clothes a wealthy scholar, appeared out of thin air in front of them. His wrinkled features were those of a ninety (90) year old man, although he was far more ancient. “Did you gain useful information from your journey, Bardhyl?” he asked.

  “Yes, we did, General Gratien,” Bardhyl said.

  “The old woman’s card tricks didn’t make any sense to me,” Zamir said.

  “Two (2) of the green stellar cores are buried in Waderav. One of those cores is in the southeast, in the Duchy of Yutaka. It’s protected by a large army. Another core is buried in Cinder Valley,” Bardhyl said.

  “That makes no sense. How did you get all of that from the cards?” Zamir asked.

  “The flames symbolize the stars as well as lava: the Pika-Huojin Lava River and the volcanic region it connects to. The daggers symbolize the army that guards the first stellar core. The numbers indicated the position along the coast. The shadows symbolize a mountain range. The fact that it was the highest ranking card in its suit indicates that it’s the tallest mountain range on the continent, which is what surrounds Cinder Valley,” Bardhyl said.

  “She said there was another star, didn’t she?” Zamir asked.

  “The rubies symbolize the Kazofen Ocean, so that stellar core is inside of a mountain. It will be considerably more difficult to reach. If you want to understand how I know that, you have a great deal of reading to do,” Bardhyl said.

  “We will begin by pursuing the stellar remnant in southeastern Waderav. The services of Captain Ibriy have been retained. His ship, the Cypress Advantage, will leave from here and go to Grand Redwood Bay, where it will be loaded with the refined crystals. He has his instructions to transport them to Governor Taulant upon our orders. The governor is to use the purest of these crystals and begin building his army of captive spirits. Now that we know the location to search, chart a course there and send this message to him,” the older man – General Gratien – said.