by Jeremy Dwyer
“You want a better world, but people who reject God won’t be able to achieve it. God commands us to love one another and to not steal or murder. People do these things anyway, to gain more than what belongs to them. That’s why the world is so evil. You’ve seen it more than I have. You’ve written the records of history for others to read for twelve (12) centuries. In all that time, what has changed? People still disobey God’s Laws when those laws are the only way to peace, because those laws get in the way of their selfish desires,” Romana said.
“I believe in God. I just can’t prove that He is real. I can’t see Him with my own eyes, so I can’t write about Him in my book. The best I can do is to write the truth about all the terrible things people do so that others can learn their tactics and trickery. Maybe innocent people can’t escape the next war, but the war after that can be avoided,” Judith said.
“Let’s get Onora’s advice,” Romana said.
“You don’t want me to go to the central bank governor and learn the truth?” Judith asked.
“The central bank declared the embargo so it’s to their advantage to manipulate the story. The governor won’t give you the whole truth, and you can’t read minds or secret bank records. They use codes and ciphers to protect some knowledge. Only a mathematician could analyze all the details and see through their financial fraud,” Romana said.
“You’re trained in mathematics. Come with me,” Judith said.
Romana broke down crying hysterically. Judith reached out and hugged her, holding her for several minutes.
“I can’t follow you. My place is here. You’re free to go as far as you want, for as long as you want, but I’m under orders to stay in this city and give reports. I want to follow you every step of the way. Even if I leave for a little while, I have to come back here before long,” Romana said through tears.
“I love you, Romana. I will always love you. Still, I have to pursue the truth. I can’t stay forever,” Judith said.
“How do you do it?” Romana asked.
“Do what?” Judith asked.
“Leave everyone you ever loved?” Romana asked.
Judith released Romana from her embrace and took her hands.
Romana looked into Judith’s eyes, afraid of the answer.
“I have more than one lifetime to live. I have more than one destination to reach,” Judith said.
“Doesn’t it hurt? Doesn’t it break your heart?” Romana asked, her voice strained and her eyes swollen from crying.
“I think differently. You’re a part of me now – a part of my long life. When I can, I’ll come back. For now, I have to follow where world events lead me. I need to seek knowledge and record it. Then, I’ll take my book to Emeth, for everyone to learn from,” Judith said.
“When are you leaving?” Romana asked.
“I’m going now. What I do is important. I want to learn the truth of history and share it,” Judith said.
Romana hugged Judith tightly and said: “I’m going to pray for you, sister. Day and night.”
Judith said “thank you” and then began her next journey.
Tears welled in Romana’s eyes as she watched her dearest friend walk away and blend into the bustling crowds of people moving through the crystal city.
~~~
Judith walked across the Port of Reliance and entered the docks located at the eastern coast of the crystal city. As a Chronicler of the Oath, Judith received free transport on a ship. The vessel sailed eastward across the Pirovalen Ocean, passed through the western gate of the ring-shaped crystal city known as the Port of Illumination and arrived at the western shore of Haza’Kedro’Maral Island at the center.
When the ship dropped anchor, Judith disembarked and went ashore. She trekked across the island and entered the Trading Center One Building. She drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from her vial to be energized with the power to slow the passage of time within and around her. Fast-moving events could now be perceived with relative ease so that she could record them, and her own long life was further extended.
~~~
Derek drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial and was energized with the powers of light. He manipulated the ambient light to wrap around his body so that anyone who looked in his direction would not see him. He walked from the western edge of Haza’Kedro’Maral Island toward the Trading Center One building. Inside, he watched and listened as Governor Aranka directed her clerks to examine the bank records.
~~~
Judith approached a woman who appeared to be an authority and said: “I am Judith, Chronicler of twelve hundred forty-five (1245) years.”
“Another Chronicler? The one I already have is more than enough. I am Governor Aranka, and your presence here is entirely unnecessary,” the woman said.
The Chronicler Caemgen was reading bank records from a book on a nearby table when he overheard this. He approached Judith and said: “Greeting, trustworthy Judith. I am Caemgen, Chronicler of four hundred twenty-six (426) years.”
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo watched dozens of central bank clerks examining the record books. He read the pages of the books as the clerks turned them, but found no indication of what he was looking for. He then started sifting through other books when he thought that no one was looking. Goyo was certain that the land deeds were precisely recorded somewhere within the central bank, but he was unable to determine where. The Trading Center One building was bustling with activity and replete with financial information, but nothing was relevant to his mission.
~~~
Governor Aranka turned to Sechnall, who was standing nearby, and said: “Come with me, Sechnall. I have to review the land boundary records in Trading Center Three. I need you nearby in case…an urgent matter occurs.”
“Yes, Governor,” Sechnall said.
“Under the authority of the Chronicler’s Oath, I will be coming with you,” Judith said.
“As will I,” Caemgen said.
Governor Aranka ignored the Chroniclers and exited the Trading Center One building, followed by Sechnall, who was followed by Judith and Caemgen. They walked across the island and entered the Trading Center Three building.
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo followed Governor Aranka, Sechnall and the Chroniclers Judith and Caemgen.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek followed Governor Aranka, Sechnall, the Chroniclers Judith and Caemgen and a man whom he could see was moving under the cover of darkness.
~~~
The Trading Center Three building’s main floor was down a flight of stairs, extending fifty (50) feet below ground level. The main floor was much larger than the structure above and was elliptical – spanning eight hundred forty (840) feet from east to west and four hundred eighty (480) feet from north to south. The floor’s marble tiles were etched with a map of the world’s continents, land bridges, known islands and oceans. Horizontal lines of latitude ran parallel to the equator – which was at zero (0) primalurens – up to one hundred five (105) primalurens north and down to one hundred five (105) primalurens south. Vertical lines of longitude ran parallel to the primary vertical ocean line – which was at zero (0) primalurens – out to one hundred five (105) primalurens east and back to one hundred five (105) primalurens west.
Judith began transcribing the map into her book in detail. The lines of latitude and longitude guided her eyes and made the process much easier. It was already quick because of the Ursegan waters flowing through her.
Caemgen drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from his vial, thereby becoming energized with the power to slow the passage of time within and around him. He began transcribing the map into his own book. For him, the process was already easy, but the lines of latitude and longitude simplified it.
“I believe that you’ll find this map and the land boundary records in this hall to be more detailed than the Grand Atlas in Emeth. As supposedly trustwo
rthy Chroniclers, you might as well have accurate records of the world’s geography, and who actually owns it,” Governor Aranka said.
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo examined the main floor’s world map and carefully noted the section of southeastern Waderav where the Duchy of Yutaka was located. He then walked across the map to reach an open doorway on the northern wall. Goyo entered a rectangular room where he saw bookcases on three (3) walls, each extending forty-five (45) feet high and two hundred fifty (250) feet long. Ten (10) rows of shelves were on each bookcase. A rolling ladder – attached to a track on the wall – was available to reach the higher shelves. Goyo took his time to scan the indices of the books of land deeds, looking for anything referring to the geographic region of interest to Baron Amidio. The work was excruciatingly boring and difficult and he was no scholar. He hoped to find someone he could torture, interrogate and threaten to make them reveal the answer, rather than torturing himself with this much reading material. He knew enough to realize that the Chroniclers were not targets for harm, although eavesdropping on them was possible.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek was able to use his luminous powers to penetrate the darkness and follow the hidden man to see where he might be going. Derek also watched Governor Aranka and Sechnall. The Chroniclers were of little interest at the moment.
~~~
Judith heard footsteps which she couldn’t see and walked across the main floor’s world map toward an open doorway along the northern wall. Caemgen followed, hoping to share in any discovery.
Governor Aranka smiled as she watched the Chroniclers walk toward the records room. Sechnall looked to her for guidance and Aranka said: “Let them be. There’s nothing we can do to stop Chroniclers. They go where they please.”
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo climbed the rolling ladder and stepped onto the bookshelves, rather than sliding the ladder along the track, which he knew would alert others to his presence. Climbing was easy. Geographic research was difficult under normal circumstances, but more so while climbing. He scanned the indices of the books of land deeds even more slowly while maintaining his balance.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek used his powers of light to follow the man moving under the cover of darkness. That man was now climbing the bookshelves and looking for something in the books of land deeds. Derek was under orders from Senators Paion and Nova to investigate financial corruption in the central bank. Whether this spy was related to that corruption, or was something altogether different, was unclear. However, Derek used his power to bend light and look over the man’s shoulder and read the same pages he read.
~~~
Judith walked around the records room looking at books, perusing their indices and transcribing a few details that happened to interest her into her own book. Caemgen followed her and examined other books, transcribing curious facts into his own book.
“Caemgen, I hear footsteps. Listen,” Judith whispered.
~~~
Governor Aranka and Sechnall stood on the main floor’s world map and looked toward the doorway leading into the records room. Aranka leaned in toward Sechnall and whispered: “Nothing they can learn here is confidential. They’re distracted with reading. Leave quickly and quietly.” Aranka moved carefully, quickly and quietly up the stairs, followed by Sechnall. They exited the Trading Center Three building and headed toward the Trading Center Five building.
Once Inside, Governor Aranka went to the largest office. When Sechnall followed, she closed and locked the door.
“This was Governor Lux’s office. For now, we’ll wait. Eventually, Chroniclers lose interest. They follow the action, or stop to read books. We need to allow them to find something exciting that leads them away from this island,” Governor Aranka said.
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo continued his research for more than five (5) hours. He was ready to stop and rest when he found a book on the seventh level back shelf concerning southeastern Waderav land deeds in the region of interest to Baron Amidio. He noticed that the territory Amidio wanted to annex did not, in fact, belong to the central bank. Instead, it was the property of King Hamza Bazavador, who held the actual land deeds. This book merely referenced the deeds, but could not be used to alter their ownership. He quickly jotted down what he needed to know using a pencil and writing geographic coordinates onto his arm. Goyo replaced the book into its former position, walked adroitly along the shelf until reaching the ladder and climbed back down.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek saw what the man under the cover of darkness had written and the page of the book he had examined. It was clear that this man was interested in a territory in Waderav which belonged to King Hamza Bazavador. It was not clear that the corruption of the central bank was related to this. More likely, it was an external matter, because the man under the cover of darkness operated invisibly to Governor Aranka. However, he stopped himself in the act of assuming he knew the boundary lines or full scope of the problem. Derek reasoned that if some covert activity involved both the central bank and the Bazavadoran bloodline’s property holdings, it was possibly a financial risk worth investigating and reporting, especially if it had a ripple effect in the financial world.
~~~
Judith exercised her powers to slow the flow of time and extended it toward where she heard footsteps hit the ground. She caught a glimpse of slow-moving light reflecting off of someone hiding in the darkness. She gestured to Caemgen, who did the same, until he could also see the man hiding in the darkness.
Judith then turned her attention toward the source of the light and stared directly at it. Slowing down the light, she saw the man hiding within it. She then pointed and directed Caemgen’s attention toward it.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek saw the Chroniclers staring directly at him, but he was unsure whether they had a means of seeing him.
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo exited the records room and walked across the main floor’s world map. From there, he climbed the stairs to the ground level and exited the Trading Center Three building. He headed toward the eastern docks and boarded a ship, unseen by the crew.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek followed the man who moved under the cover of darkness. Derek boarded the same ship, unseen by the crew.
~~~
Judith and Caemgen continued exercising their powers to slow the flow of time, which included the reduction of the speed of light. Judith wrote a note in shorthand in her book and showed it to Caemgen. The note read: “The man covered in false light is following the man moving in the darkness. We can follow both of them by following the first, if we do not speak of the matter and draw attention to it. I have special instructions to follow the activities of the central bank, in search of financial corruption and depravity. Danek directed me to privately share the instructions with other Chroniclers, and for them to do the same.”
Judith and Caemgen followed the man wrapped in the cover of false light as he boarded the ship. They were noticed by the ship’s crew. However, being Chroniclers of the Oath, they were not required to pay.
The ship traveled eastward from Haza’Kedro’Maral Island, passed through the eastern gate of the Port of Illumination and sailed out onto the Pirovalen Ocean. The vessel then traveled northeastward until reaching the Scholar’s Path land bridge. The captain elevated the ship to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude, steered the vessel across the land bridge and returned the ship to sea level in the Ursegan Ocean. From there, the ship sailed northeastward toward the Bazavadoran Isthmus land bridge, where the anchor was dropped and the boarding ramp was lowered.
During the voyage, Judith and Caemgen continued to monitor the movements of the man covered in false light and kept close by. When he disembarked from the vessel, Judith and Caemgen followed.
; ~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo hiked through the forested lands. He drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial to energize his powers of darkness and maintain his cover. After two (2) days – during the nights of which he was tormented by the dream again – he reached a castle of eleven (11) towers. Goyo waited outside for the main gate to open. He noticed that the Chroniclers from the central bank were still close by and decided that it must be a coincidence for them to be going to the same place.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek followed the man moving under the cover of darkness. He drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial to energize his powers of light. After two (2) days, he reached the castle of eleven (11) towers, moments behind the man in the darkness. He was alarmed that the Chroniclers from the central bank seemed to be following him. He wondered what water they actually drank, or if they were coincidentally going to the same place.
~~~
Judith and Caemgen each drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from their vials to energize their powers of slowing time. They hiked through the forested lands, following the man covered in false light, who led them to a castle of eleven (11) towers.
The front gate of the castle opened and a company of eight hundred forty-four (844) armed guards marched out. Another man – a captain of the guards – stood in the gateway and spoke to the guards, saying: “Attention, Company Three! Stand guard around the castle perimeter at a radius of one (1) mile. Relieve Company Two from duty when you arrive at your posts.”
~~~
Under the cover of darkness, Goyo entered the castle’s main gate.
~~~
Under the cover of false light, Derek entered the castle’s main gate, following the man moving under the cover of darkness.
~~~
Judith watched as the man covered in false light entered the castle. She walked through the gate and spoke to the captain of the guards, saying to him: “I am Judith, Chronicler of twelve hundred forty-five (1245) years. Under the authority of the Oath, I am entering this castle to observe and record.”
