Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “I will be here for you, always, and do all that I can, my lord. Let me help you,” Fenella said.

  “My pain will not end, Fenella. Not as long as I live. Neither will my anger,” Duke Jovan said.

  “How do you know, my lord? Good things can still happen. The future has hope. You don’t have to live like this, constantly angry. My love belongs to you. Take it. Take me. Believe in a future with us, together,” Fenella said.

  “Do you know the future, Fenella?” Duke Jovan asked.

  “No, but they do, in their dreams,” Fenella said.

  “Can your dreams tell my future?” Duke Jovan asked.

  “I don’t know, but we did have a strange dream recently. There was a tiger, made out of ash, and it followed a river. The tiger passed by a woman holding a pair of short swords and she was leading soldiers. The tiger kept going, passing by farms and mines. There was a castle, and inside was a woman screaming as her children were burned alive, then she was beheaded. Her husband was forced to watch, but his torture went on after they were dead: twenty-two (22) lashes with a whip every day. The torturer said ‘taxes must be paid’ and then the captive man stood free, holding a sword and crying,” Zoe said.

  “Duke Saburo Velten beat me with twenty-two (22) lashes every day. My wife was beheaded after watching my children being burned alive. This dream is almost certainly about me…about my past. Yet, what does the dream tell you about my future?” Duke Jovan asked.

  “There was a song of vengeance, at some point in the dream, but I don’t remember when. The woman carrying the short swords was defeated, along with her army, lying dead around a castle. She could be Countess Eurybia. We had the dream before we saw that battle, so that part was probably about your future,” Zoe said.

  “Perhaps. Is there more?” Duke Jovan asked.

  “The ash tiger followed the river, heading southwest, passing between mountains and going into a wasteland, with fallen trees, poison lakes and lava rivers,” Zoe said.

  “Cinder Valley! A worthless, ruined land,” Duke Jovan said.

  “There’s more to the dream. Armies marched into battle. A cold breeze blew volcanic ash through the valley. Acid rain and lava rivers burned the people and the land. The ash tiger’s body scattered to the wind. A new army came out of the shadows,” Zoe said.

  “We don’t know what it means, or what the ash tiger is all about,” Brant said.

  “Is that the end of the dream?” Duke Jovan asked.

  “Yeah, that’s all I remember,” Zoe said.

  “You think the ash tiger is you? That you’re going to die?” Fenella asked.

  “Sometimes,” Zoe said.

  “A dream of ash is a dream of death, but not necessarily for the person who dreams it. A dream of wind is a harbinger of change,” Massa said.

  “What is a dream about a tiger?” Brant asked.

  “Specifically, what is a dream about a tiger made out of ash?” Zoe asked.

  “A tiger is a powerful, lone warrior – a solitary hunter. Your dream means that the warrior will die,” Massa said.

  “Who’s the warrior?” Zoe asked.

  “This is not our war, my lord. Lead us into prosperity, not battle, please hear me,” Fenella said. She held Duke Jovan’s hands tightly.

  “Dreams are a matter of spirit, and the spirit world is quite enigmatic, giving only some of the information you need,” Massa said.

  “It’s the craziest dream we’ve ever had. Usually, they make more sense,” Brant said.

  “But this dream doesn’t make a lot of sense. We’re still trying to figure out what we should do,” Zoe said.

  “I know what you should do. Rest here, and then go to Cinder Valley. Your dreams will guide you each step of the way, so long as you move in the direction they lead,” Massa said.

  “You are welcome to stay in my castle until you feel rested. Then, be on your way to wherever you must go. Your dreams do not concern me. I am not leading an army into Cinder Valley. I have no interest in occupying that barren wasteland,” Duke Jovan said.

  “Thank you, my lord. Let there be peace,” Fenella said, relieved that Duke Jovan was determined to stay out of the battle foretold by the ominous dream.

  CHAPTER 35: Cities of Peace and War

  Inside the wheelhouse of the Consecration of the Hopeful, Annaliisa pulled levers to pivot the masts and the sails to the sides of the ship and elevated it to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude. She steered the vessel southeastward across the Glivoran Trail land bridge and returned it to sea level in the Trerada Ocean. From there, she sailed the ship southeastward until reaching the Farmer’s Road land bridge. At that point, she again pulled levers to pivot the masts and the sails of the vessel to its sides and elevated it to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude. She steered the ship across the land bridge and returned it to sea level in the Pirovalen Ocean. Annaliisa then sailed the Consecration of the Hopeful southeastward until reaching the Port of Reliance on the eastern coast of the continent of Meridianus. There, she docked the ship and pulled levers to drop its anchor and extend its boarding ramp.

  During the voyage, Juho watched Annaliisa, longingly and lovingly, and she felt uneasy. She tried to ignore him, but felt his eyes probing her figure. If she wasn’t careful, she feared things could start to happen. There was nothing specifically wrong with the man, and she did have occasional desires for companionship. Still, she wasn’t attracted to Juho just yet.

  ~~~

  While standing out on deck, Kaija drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from her vial and was energized with the powers of telepathy and empathy. She probed the thoughts of her fellow oblates, to know who was focused enough to help her, and who should remain with the ship. She senses their thoughts and desires – Juho had desires for Annaliisa, Tija had desire for Reko and Saku had desire for Tija. Some of these affections could pose problems and could lead to jealousies. She wasn’t interested in obstructing relationships, or deciding who was best for whom, but she needed to be around should any conflicts arise.

  Reko drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from his vial and was energized with the powers of light. He looked around corners, bending light downward to peer at the hull of the ship and at the surfaces of its sails. “The ship is in fine shape. I see no damage,” he said.

  Tija stood next to him, smiled and said: “I’m glad you’re looking out for us, Reko.” She gently, momentarily put her hand on his to show her warmth and affection toward the man.

  “I will continue to keep watch. My commitment to service doesn’t end with inspecting the ship. The seas around us need to be monitored, for approaching enemies. Not everyone shares our faith and some would oppose us, violently because of their devotion to false religions of death. Others would steal our possession, interfering with our mission,” Reko said.

  “How much can you see, Reko?” Tija asked.

  “My far sight lets me see one hundred fifty (150) miles by day, one hundred ninety (190) miles by night, without the interference from the suns. That changes when we sail the Lujladia Ocean: I can see as far as two hundred fifty (250) miles or even more. But I am not the best. A rare few people, with a higher potential, can see over a thousand (1000) miles away,” Reko said.

  “Do you see any danger? Do you see anything in our way?” Tija asked.

  Reko looked in all directions across the ocean waters to the north, south and east, and then he peered over the land to the west. “I see no immediate danger. But I must continue to look. Enemies can appear suddenly, and some are shrouded in the powers of darkness,” he said.

  Saku approached them and said: “Sometimes, allies are shrouded in darkness. We’re all here for you, Tija.”

  “We’re all here for each other,” Reko said.

  Kaija approached Tija, who was at the center of the love triangle, and said: “We’re all here to serve the One True God. Tija, please come with me, and we will take the children ashore to meet Lady Onora. She can help ca
re for them in the city, and give them proper religious instruction.”

  “Yes, Kaija. I’m ready,” Tija said.

  “I can come with you, to help,” Saku said.

  “I would prefer you stayed to watch over the ship, Saku. Reko is correct: we do have enemies,” Kaija said.

  “Of course, Kaija. I just wanted to be available to serve,” Saku said.

  “This is where I need you to serve, Saku,” Kaija said.

  “Are the children in their cabins?” Tija asked.

  “Yes, let’s wake them and lead them into the city,” Kaija said.

  ~~~

  Kaija and Tija went into the cabins where the children were resting and awakened them. “Let’s go into the city, and meet Lady Onora,” Kaija said. She and Tija led the one hundred five (105) children down the boarding ramp of the Consecration of the Hopeful and onto the pier. They walked along the pier and into the glimmering crystal city known as the Port of Reliance. Kaija led them to the city’s center, where she saw Lady Onora meeting with city residents and praying with them.

  Kaija approached and said: “Onora, it is so good to see you again!”

  Lady Onora hugged Kaija and said: “Kaija, I’m glad to see you. You always seem to find your way back to me, and for that, I’m thankful.”

  “We found these children in the Glivoran Trail. They were to be used for a stone worship ritual. We had no choice but to destroy the officiant before these children were harmed,” Kaija said.

  “I felt his spirit descend. The priest who officiated the stone worship ritual did not confess the One True God, who gives life and saves,” Tija said.

  “We will lead these children to know the One True God, and His Perfect, Truthful, Innocent Son. They will have life and hope in Him,” Lady Onora said.

  “Is there a place for them in this city, Onora?” Kaija asked.

  “I will make a place for them,” Lady Onora said.

  “We’re going to stay here? With her?” a ten (10) year old girl among the children asked.

  “Yes. Lady Onora will provide a home for you and teach you,” Kaija said.

  “What about you?” the ten (10) year old girl asked.

  “I have to travel again. More children need me. Evil people are in all places, and good people can be saved from them. Sometimes, the bad people can be saved, too,” Kaija said.

  “How can bad people be saved?” an eleven (11) year old boy among the children asked.

  “They can be taught God’s Truth, and saved from their own mistakes,” Kaija said.

  “You are alive, here and today, because the One True God loves you. He protects this city and its inhabitants from harm and ruin. The city is called the Port of Reliance because we rely on Him,” Lady Onora said.

  “If my mommy was here, would she be safe?” a nine (9) year old boy among the children asked.

  “His mom died. She believed in the stone god, Lord Ralithos. My parents believed in Ralithos, too, and they’re dead,” the ten (10) year old girl said.

  “Does that mean they’re in the bad place?” the nine (9) year old boy asked.

  “Is there a bad place?” the eleven (11) year old boy asked.

  “Yes, there is a bad place, but we will pray they are all saved from it. God has a way of rescuing those in danger. He wants all of His children to be with Him. Let’s pray for your parents’ souls,” Lady Onora said. She took the hands of the nine (9) year old boy and the ten (10) year old girl, and joined hands with Kaija and Tija to form a prayer circle. Onora then led the prayer, saying: “We pray to Thee, Our One True God, for the parents of these children to find you. If they turned to a false god, we pray they see Your Truth, that You give life. If they are lost, we pray that You find them and rescue them from suffering, through the mercy of Your Perfect, Truthful and Innocent Son, who died for our sins.”

  “We pray to Thee, Our One True God, that these children and more all come to know you, and can be spared from the lies and torment and the ruin brought by sin,” Kaija said.

  “We pray to Thee, Our One True God, for wisdom, awareness and speed, in service to you, that many more children and adults can be rescued from the evils in this world,” Tija said.

  After the prayer, everyone in the circle released hands and Kaija said: “We need to go.”

  “You need rest. Stay a while,” Lady Onora said.

  “Onora, you know our commitment to the order. The work is unending and rest is seldom found,” Kaija said.

  “You look tired. I wish you would stay in this city for a few days, to refresh yourself and your crew. God does not work people endlessly. Rest will strengthen you for the work ahead,” Lady Onora said.

  “My crew – who are oblates to the same order – will get preoccupied if they rest too long,” Kaija said.

  “Let them. The work and the trouble will come soon enough. The oceans give great power, but they fuel ambitions good, bad and awful. There is no shortage of difficulty in the world. Let us all prepare with rest. Besides, I want you to meet a good friend of mine. And there’s a few things I need to warn you about, in case you ever come across them,” Lady Onora said.

  “Now I’m curious. You know me too well, Onora. We’ll stay for a little while, but not for too long. Let me go find a lodge to stay in. I’ll stop by when I can. Tija, return to the ship and tell the others to wait for me there,” Kaija said. She then walked through the glimmering crystal city to find a suitable place to rest. Tija walked across the city and returned to the docks where she boarded the Consecration of the Hopeful and told the crew that Kaija would be returning soon.

  ~~~

  Inside the wheelhouse of the Plenteous, Consolata continued kneeling as she watched the enemy ship sail eastward across the Zovvin Ocean. “My lord, the Staunch Carriage Five is more than one hundred fifty (150) miles to the east, out of range of my far sight,” she said.

  “Very good, Consolata. Now, we will continue our journey. Allegria, chart a course for the Port of Sedurabrith, in western Meridianus,” Grand Duke Braden said.

  “Yes, my lord,” Allegria said, while still kneeling before the ship’s wheel. She drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from her vial to be energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars. She learned their paths and positions and used this information to chart a course. “I have a course, my lord,” she said.

  “Excellent, Allegria. Now, sail the ship there and we will begin our work,” Grand Duke Braden said.

  Allegria sailed the Plenteous southward across the Zovvin Ocean. While she worked, Duke Rowan continued massaging Allegria’s shoulders and playing with her hair. “That’s wonderful, my loving lord,” she said.

  When the Plenteous reached the southeastern coast of the Way of Raza’Deptorum land bridge, Allegria pulled levers to pivot the masts and the sails to the sides of the ship and elevated it to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude. She steered the vessel southwestward across the land bridge, returning it to sea level in the Gradaken Ocean. From there, she sailed the ship southeastward, until arriving in the Port of Sedurabrith on the western coast of the continent of Meridianus.

  When they docked in the port, Allegria pulled levers to drop the anchor and extend the boarding ramp. “We are here, my lord,” she said.

  “Why, my lord, are we here?” Consolata asked.

  “This city is poor, and the farmland around it was ruined by the senseless deeds of religious fanatics. We are here to restore it, and build a larger city, with irrigation canals, homes, and opportunities. I own this land, and I am committed to improving it,” Grand Duke Braden said.

  “How will you improve it, my lord?” Consolata asked.

  “My father’s plan is quite impressive. You will see, Consolata,” Duke Rowan said.

  “You are impressive, my loving lord,” Consolata said.

  “Allegria, lift the crate out of the cargo hold and place it on the deck,” Grand Duke Braden said.

  “Yes, my lord,” Allegria said. She
pulled a lever to release a mechanical lock and the sounds of gears turning could be heard for a minute.

  “Come, take a look,” Grand Duke Braden said. He exited the wheelhouse, followed by Duke Rowan. Consolata stood up and followed him, and Allegria also stood up and went out on deck to join the others.

  A large wooden crate – forty-five (45) feet cubed – sat on deck.

  Consolata used her powers of light to peer between the wooden boards that made up the crate and saw that it contained several sapphire-tipped pillars. “The crate holds pillars with sapphires. What are they for?” she asked.

  Grand Duke Braden said: “you will see, soon enough, Consolata.” He then drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to manipulate crystal and stone. He removed a sharp gemstone from his sash and used it cut away the edges of some of the boards that made up the sides of the crate. He then folded the lowest boards downward, and the boards above them slid downward, so he removed these, until the crate was open on that side. He did this until all four (4) upright sides of the crate were open, and only the upright wooden beams that defined the cube remained standing, still connecting the wooden boards at the top and the bottom faces of the large crate. The open-sided container revealed contained eighteen (18) sapphire-tipped pillars, each standing thirty-nine (39) feet in height.

  “What are they, my lord?” Allegria asked.

  “Before I tell you, please calm yourself, Allegria. Kneel down here, facing the port town. You, too, Consolata, so that you do not become excited,” Grand Duke Braden said.

  Allegria and Consolata both knelt down on deck, facing the port town, wherein hundreds of people could be seen lying still on the ground. Some of them were slumped over next to wheelbarrows and carts that were partly filled with wheat, corn, oats and potatoes.

  “In the port town, there are people lying on the ground. To see their faces, I think they are all dead,” Consolata said.

  “The religious fanatics burned the fields, and summoned locusts to devour the crops that weren’t destroyed in the fire. They also poisoned the lakes and the fields. Even the soil was ruined. What little food remained was toxic. We will need to irrigate healthy fields, further inland,” Grand Duke Braden said.