Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “You have set us free!” the spirit of King Stathis said. He and the other spirits in the swarm then fled.

  Judith detached the smaller lens from her scope, removed the sapphire and replaced the lens. She dropped the sapphire onto the ground.

  “You are very clever, Chronicler. You have set us free,” Erikkos said. He bent down, picked up the sapphire and placed it into his coat pocket.

  “I have places to go. The Chronicler’s Oath is in service to God and I must be free to do my work,” Judith said. She wrote all of these events into her book, including her own actions and the results.

  “It wasn’t God who rescued us,” Kastor said.

  “She believes God helped her,” Erikkos said.

  “Yet, she is ingenious in her methods. It is a waste for her to credit a nonexistent God for her own intellect. If she worked with us, I believe we could discover many powerful secrets together,” Kastor said.

  “The offer still stands, Judith. You are curious and fearless. We would be honored if you would explore the world with us, and apply your skills of observation and reasoning to overcoming obstacles. We could learn powerful secrets together. Many questions would be answered,” Erikkos said.

  “I’m not here to interfere or to assist. Only to observe and to record,” Judith said.

  Nearby, the four hundred five (405) combatants and their commanding officer awakened and stood up.

  Lieutenant Plamen directed three hundred thirty (330) soldiers and seventy-five (75) archers to surround the pair of men and the woman standing nearby. He approached and said: “Identify yourselves.”

  “Why didn’t your God protect you from this?” Kastor asked, looking toward Judith.

  “I am Lieutenant Plamen, commanding officer of this company. The only way to protect yourselves is to answer my question and identify yourselves,” the commanding officer said.

  “I am Judith, Chronicler of twelve hundred forty-five (1245) years,” Judith said.

  “I am Erikkos, world explorer and collector of cultural knowledge,” Erikkos said.

  “I am Kastor, fellow explorer,” Kastor said. He exerted the power of his violet eyes and looked into the eyes of Lieutenant Plamen. “Now, Lieutenant Plamen, you will command your soldiers and archers to obey me. My first instruction is for them to scour this swamp and seek out the plant known as the nerium oleander,” he said.

  Erikkos reached into his pocket and pulled out a lightkeeper crystal containing an image of the flower. He showed it to Lieutenant Plamen and said: “See that? Find and gather all of them you can.”

  Lieutenant Plamen had no will to resist the commands. He turned to his soldiers and archers and said: “Lower your weapons. Traverse this swamp and gather the flowers. I will show you what to look for.” He marched his company through the swamp. Erikkos, Judith and Kastor followed.

  For the next three (3) days, they traveled through the swamp. Each night, Kastor pitched a tent he shared with Erikkos. Within that tent, Kastor stared into the amethyst he acquired on Zerekamis Island, reinvigorating his eyes with their violet, hypnotic power. Small amounts of blood were noticeable in his tears, but he endured the suffering to gain the power.

  Judith pitched her own tent. Each night, she prayed the same prayer to God for guidance.

  After three (3) days of grueling search through the swamps of the Crypt Trail, the soldiers and archers found a field of the nerium oleander, some as little as six point six (6.6) feet tall and others as high as nineteen point seven (19.7) feet tall. The stems had grayish bark and the dark green leaves occurred in whorls of three (3), being anywhere from two (2) to eight point three (8.3) inches long and from zero point three nine (0.39) to one point three eight (1.38) inches wide. The four hundred five (405) combatants and Lieutenant Plamen each gathered a handful of the smallest flowers. The chainmail gloves on their hands enabled them to hold the specimens.

  “Now, follow us back to the ship,” Kastor said. He and Erikkos led Lieutenant Plamen and the four hundred five (405) combatants – with Judith following closely – on another trek through the swamp. After five (5) days, they were back at the port on the western coast of the Crypt Trail land bridge. They went to the docks and boarded the Cypress Advantage.

  Captain Ibriy and his crew of seventy-seven (77) sailors were waiting on deck. “We waited here as stipulated in the contract,” the captain said.

  Kastor exerted the power of his violet eyes and looked into the eyes of Captain Ibriy, hypnotizing him once again. “Sail to the Provincial Isles, Captain Ibriy,” he said.

  “Not yet, Kastor. Let’s go back and get that constructor. We might have use for it later,” Erikkos said.

  “The constructor is flawed. Whatever it assembles can be all too easily disassembled,” Kastor said.

  “That’s a feature, not a flaw. We just need to use it creatively,” Erikkos said.

  “We can’t rely on the constructor. We shouldn’t let it distract us,” Kastor said.

  “The constructor is a tool, to be used when and where its functionality is applicable to achieving our goals. I don’t suggest we use it to solve every problem. However, I would just as soon have it at our disposal, rather than leaving it for someone else to discover,” Erikkos said.

  “I suppose that’s a reasonable answer. Lieutenant Plamen, have your soldiers and archers store the gathered oleander in the sea chests on deck. Then, they need to be ready to lower ropes to pick up the constructor pillars and hoist them onto the ship. Captain Ibriy, sail the ship over the swampland, due northeast. We will show you the way. Also, order your crew to assist in the loading process,” Kastor said.

  Captain Ibriy ordered his crew to standby and Lieutenant Plamen put his own soldiers and archers into position around the deck of the ship. They opened the sea chests located on the ship’s deck and stored the nerium oleander into them. Then, they gathered ropes with metal clasps from those same sea chests.

  Kastor, Erikkos and Judith followed Captain Ibriy as he went into the wheelhouse.

  Captain Ibriy pulled levers to retract the boarding ramp, raise the anchor, pivot the masts and sails to the sides of the ship and elevates the Cypress Advantage to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude.

  Kastor directed Captain Ibriy to steer the vessel northeastward – across and above the swampland of the Crypt Trail land bridge – to the clearing where the constructor pillars were located. There, they had the captain lower the ship to just forty-two (42) feet of altitude, matching the height of the pillars.

  Judith exited the wheelhouse and went out on deck. The airship hovered in place – and she watched and recorded – while all thirty-nine (39) pillars were hoisted up by the sailors, soldiers and archers. They used the ropes with metal clasps to lift the pillars up from the swamp land and to lower them down into the cargo hold of the Cypress Advantage. When all the constructor pillars had been loaded, Judith returned to the wheelhouse.

  Erikkos and Kastor were still waiting in the wheelhouse, watching the progress of the loading operation until it was completed.

  “Now that we have the nerium oleander, it has to be mixed with several species of venom,” Erikkos said.

  “The venomous creatures can be found easily enough. The herbalists will do the mixing for us. Captain, take us to the Provincial Isles,” Kastor said.

  Captain Ibriy drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars. He concentrated to learn their paths and positions and then used this information to chart a course. He pulled levers to elevate the Cypress Advantage back to one hundred twenty (120) feet of altitude, then steered the ship eastward across the Crypt Trail land bridge and returned the vessel to sea level in the Dead Waters Ocean.

  He sailed the ship northeastward until reaching the western coast of the Way of Raza’Deptorum land bridge. At that point, he pulled levers to pivot the masts and the sails to the sides of the ship and elevated the vessel to one hundred twenty (1
20) feet of altitude. Captain Ibriy steered the Cypress Advantage southward over the land bridge and returned the ship to sea level in the Gradaken Ocean. From there, he sailed the vessel southeastward, heading toward the Provincial Isles.

  Judith recorded all of these events into her book. She was troubled by the thought that Erikkos and Kastor would likely succeed in formulating the poison they sought. If the toxin was as lethal as they believed, it would bring ruin and death to the world. She intended to pray for them to fail in some way, but she would have to rely on God to decide that way.

  CHAPTER 40: Protection of Wealth and Advantage

  Fotini sailed the Greatest Future southward across the Lujladia Ocean until reaching the Jeshirinko Barrier land bridge. The three hundred eighty-four (384) warships in the Jeshirinko fleet followed closely.

  “Fools! All of us! We left Arisha behind on the Coherent!” Nikon said.

  “You gave the order to retreat, Nikon. And Klemens relayed it,” Perikles said.

  “I will contact her through the telepathic relay crystals,” Klemens said.

  “Have her return to the ship if possible,” Nikon said.

  “We’re still cloaked by the crystals, so she won’t be able to see us. We’ll have to move closer to the Coherent,” Perikles said.

  “Fotini, move the Greatest Future closer to the command ship, near its right side, where the boarding ramp is located. Extend our boarding ramp,” Nikon said.

  “Will do,” Fotini said. She steered the Greatest Future closer to the Coherent and aligned it with the right side boarding ramp of that ship. She pulled a lever to extend the boarding ramp of the Greatest Future to meet with the Coherent.

  Klemens drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from his vial to be energized with the powers of telepathy and empathy. He focused his power, which was then relayed by the crystals on board the Jeshirinko warships.

  ~~~

  Arisha remained under the cover of darkness on board the Coherent. She sensed the telepathic powers of Klemens reach into her mind to check on her safety. She acknowledged that she was unharmed and received the orders to return to the Greatest Future. She learned that the ship was still cloaked, but it was now near the right side boarding ramp of the Coherent, with its own boarding ramp extended, so she would have to carefully traverse the narrow path between the vessels.

  ~~~

  “Arisha is unharmed and on her way back to us,” Klemens said.

  “Good. Now, do you still detect no sign of Xiomara?” Nikon asked.

  Klemens focused his powers again and channeled his powers through the telepathic relay crystals on board the warships around them, probing for the woman. “Nothing,” he said.

  ~~~

  Still under the cover of darkness, Arisha walked across the deck of the Coherent, knelt down and reached out a hand to feel for the boarding ramp extended from the Greatest Future. Once she knew its precise position, she stood up and crossed over the unseen ramp to the unseen ship. Once she stepped on the deck of the Greatest Future, however, the vessel became visible to her. She eased her powers of darkness, walked across the deck and entered the wheelhouse.

  “Good to have you back on board, Arisha. We’re glad you’re safe,” Klemens said.

  “Arisha, have you seen Xiomara?” Nikon asked.

  “No, I was too busy placing the telepathic relay crystals on the Jeshirinko warships,” Arisha said.

  “Even though the mission failed, the commanding officers and the entire fleet are still under our control,” Klemens said.

  “Good. We may still need them. I will contact the Premier Governors now,” Nikon said. He drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to connect to the spirit world. He communicated with a familiar spirit and gave the 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. “Conservator Nikon has sent a new report. The mission has failed: they were unable to recover the lightkeeper crystal with the map to the seventh vault. The sun worshippers used a battle song to destroy the hidden attack bridge and kill the enslaved Jeshirinko soldiers marching across it. The warships were forced to retreat, but the commanding officers and the entire Jeshirinko fleet are still under the influence of our Conservators. Also, they believe that their light scout, Conservator Xiomara, may have been killed or incapacitated,” the voice of Athamus said, vibrating through the ruby spire.

  “The Jeshirinko military is usually very effective. Even when they take heavy losses, they almost always succeed at their objectives and recover,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “Almost always isn’t good enough, Premier Governor Dustin. We need success now! This is a dangerous situation. If that vault is found and opened, those seeds will be discovered, and our greatest advantage will be lost,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “If the attack bridge was thoroughly hidden, like Conservator Perikles had assured us it would be, the sun worshippers shouldn’t have known where to defend against the invasion. That suggests they had an informant. Perhaps Conservator Xiomara isn’t dead or incapacitated after all. I suspect that she may have betrayed us,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Conservator Klemens is a master telepath who monitors everyone on board that ship. The telepathic relay crystals would allow him to detect Xiomara’s intentions even if she were miles away,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “No telepath is perfect, and their Elanatin waters may not be quite pure enough. Also, never forget that some minds resist probing by even the most persistent efforts,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Conservator Perikles is a master alchemist and architect. He keeps their waters pure and he maintains his own through many applications of the virtuous cycle. Yes, I know that some minds are enigmatic enough to resist clear telepathic probing. However, those people often give signs of their intentions at some point, through words, actions or body language,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “You are too trusting, Premier Governor Dustin. Your confidence in the telepathic powers of Conservator Klemens only leads me to suspect that he is Xiomara’s accomplice. He pretends not to know of her whereabouts or intentions when he is perfectly aware of what is happening and helping her to conceal the plan formed against us,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “All you have are suspicions! If we doubt the loyalty of everyone who works for us, we will descend into paranoia!” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “They failed us despite all the resources they had available! That is reason enough to doubt them!” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “I am as angry as you are, Premier Governor Enrichetta. But incompetence is not the same as disloyalty. I will reserve my accusations of betrayal. I agree with Premier Governor Dustin that we cannot live in a state of perpetual distrust of those we employ. We must carefully vet them and test them. When they fail, we will make alternative plans,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “And I have an alternate plan already,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “So do I! Send our agents to the seventh vault and protect those seeds! They must go immediately before anyone else reads that map and travels there to take them! Time is still not on our side!” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “There is a better way. The kaiyoyad seeds, by themselves, have no power. Even if they are planted and cultivated, and even if the tree sap is extracted, it still has no use. The sap must be properly heated until it forms the saraphakadite, without overheating it and ruining its essential structure,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “This is true. The organic structure is sensitive, and easily damaged,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “If you are hoping that our adversaries do not learn this procedure, you underestimate their intelligence. Some Medathero water drinkers will eventually rediscover the plural ocean calculation th
eorem and be able to quickly reason through any puzzle, no many how complex, subtle or indirect. A few of them may have already done so,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “I am not depending on their lack of intelligence. I agree that great minds are still searching for answers and will likely discover hidden truths and resources. Instead, I suggest that we prevent anyone else from accessing the only location where the kaiyoyad tree sap can be converted. If a wall were to be constructed around Cinder Valley, then the lava flows which bake the sap will be our exclusive property,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “How is that going to be enough? The Pika-Huojin Lava River flows across Waderav!” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “Not all molten rock is the same. The Pika-Huojin Lava River system originates from the outer edges of Waderav. When the lava flow enters the Cinder Valley region, the unique minerals contained in the mountains there mix with it, changing its composition. The resultant combination is what properly heats and converts the sap into saraphakadite,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “How can you claim these minerals are found nowhere else? Have you scoured the world to prove it?” Premier Governor Enrichetta asked.

  “I have searched many places, across all terrain, and found no sign of it,” Premier Governor Dustin said.

  “That is not proof. However, even if I accept your argument, the constructor is still not entirely reliable. The structures it builds can be broken through,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “That’s the part of your plan that also worries me, Premier Governor Dustin. However, I agree with the rest of what you are saying,” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “The Jeshirinko commanding officers – and their fleet of warships – are still under the influence of our Conservators. If several of their warships are deployed to the region, they can defend its resources. The frigates can dock on dry land between the mountains. In that position, they can repel or destroy anyone who tries to enter and gain access to the lava that flows within Cinder Valley. As far as the lava chambers we use – those hidden inside the surrounding mountain range – no one else can find or enter them because of the powerful spirits that guard the entrances,” Premier Governor Dustin said.