by Jeremy Dwyer
“What is this? We must kill the one who sings this new song! Find her and kill her now!” Victoria screamed.
The tempest still raged, but Victoria’s temper raged more within her.
“Master! Bring me to the enemy that I may strike her down and silence her voice!” Victoria screamed.
The voice of the demon, Matatirot, spoke to Victoria and said: “We shall take the battle to yet another ocean, where the enemy is weak. Our plans for war are still in motion, and new victims we shall seek.”
“Can we not strike her, master?” Victoria screamed.
Matatirot did not answer her. He knew that the singer was a holy woman protected by a Guardian Angel and that he was not prepared to face that one.
Instead, Matatirot opened a portal and moved the Tidal Sovereign through it, and the ship disappeared from the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean.
When Victoria left, the tempest then ended, as she and the power of the tiara were no longer upon the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean.
~~~
On board the Everlasting Pain, Va’Qileren was the first to recognize the beginning of the end of the tempest.
“The storm is dying down. I can see it diminishing in the distance, rapidly,” Va’Qileren said.
“That probably means that she’s gone,” Pradrock said.
“We should find out where she’s going. You’ve got to show me how you do that,” Akylas said to Farovaxen.
“If you have the potential, and the willingness to learn, then I will attempt to teach you,” Farovaxen said.
“First, we have a rescue mission. Whoever sang that first song – Sail to Me – may still be around,” Pradrock said.
Va’Qileren looked out into the distance and saw a girl on a hilltop.
“I see a young woman. She is standing on a hilltop on Modajatisk Island,” Va’Qileren said.
“On our way,” Pradrock said.
Pradrock steered the Everlasting Pain as an airship through the sky over the Pirovalen Ocean and toward Modajatisk Island. As they approached, they could see the many mountains and hills of the island. Soon, they could see a person standing on a hilltop. As they approached, Caroline burst into tears as she saw the person was most definitely her daughter, Taesa.
“No! Why did it have to be her? Why?” Caroline cried.
Akantha instinctively reached out and held Caroline and hugged her, and Caroline sobbed into her shoulder.
“No judgment. Just find out what happened. We’ve seen enough hate and death,” Pradrock said, turning to Claudia.
Claudia drank anew of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean from the vial she carried. She was energized and could clearly feel the thoughts and emotions of those around her.
The ship was brought to the level of the hilltop and all on board stepped onto the ground.
Caroline ran off of the ship, reached out and hugged Taesa, who was standing on the hilltop, seeming as if she had just awakened from a confusing dream.
Claudia read the girl’s thoughts and understood instantly what had happened.
“You don’t love him. She told you that you should love him. Victoria told you that he would come for you if you sang the song. Her eyes were violet – that’s the last thing you saw,” Claudia said.
“How do you know?” Taesa asked.
“I read you. It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault,” Claudia said.
“What is not my fault?” Taesa asked, very confused.
“The song you sang was Sail to Me. There was a great storm in the sea, and the sailors in the ships were called by your song and sailed into the storm. Millions died,” Claudia said.
Taesa looked out toward the ocean surrounding the island and saw the wreckages of countless ships, not knowing what to make of it all.
“I did this?! All this?! I killed all of them?!” Taesa then screamed.
“Sadly, your song has lured many to their deaths,” Farovaxen said, only dealing in the facts. He did not blame the girl, but he was a protector of those who sailed the seas, and was saddened by the massive number of deaths.
“No! No! No! No! No!” Taesa said many, many times, crying.
“I know it’s not your fault. Believe me – I’d be the first to kill you if it was,” Claudia said.
“Well put! Not!” Akantha said to Claudia, with ample venom in her voice.
Caroline then looked at Claudia in such a way that, had she possessed any power by any of the waters, Claudia surely would have fallen down dead.
“You were not acting of your own accord. This is Victoria’s war. She is the murderer,” Pradrock said.
“Why would she commit murder?” Taesa asked through her tears.
“She worships and serves a demon,” Akantha said.
“How? She told me that she was fighting an evil of a dangerous world. She rescued me from the creature of fire. I thought that meant she was a good person…a loving person!” Taesa said.
“She’s a skilled deceiver. She’s the evil. And she has the power to create storms in every ocean on which she sails,” Akantha said.
“And a heart that hates the world, and kills millions,” Claudia said.
“We protect the innocent lost at sea. We help them find their way,” Farovaxen said.
“Who are you?” Taesa asked.
“I am Farovaxen. This is Va’Qileren. We are of the Order of Redfire Sentinels. We guide ships lost at sea, lighting their way in darkness and storms, finding the true course by the stars, and some of our order even use song,” Farovaxen said.
“Song can guide the way. Your voice is more than powerful enough to guide. It only needs to be used to send travelers in the proper direction, and you could be one of us,” Va’Qileren said.
“You can help people find their way. You already have. And you will again,” Caroline said, hugging her daughter even more.
“I knew it wasn’t your fault. I’m glad to see you again – I mean, not see you, but hear your voice. You know what I mean,” Torin added.
“Yes. I know what you mean, Torin,” Taesa said as she laughed uneasily, unsure of what to think of the horrible situation.
“Let’s move out and be ready to find her. You need to look closely at all of it, Taesa. I want you to see the terrible truth. You need to see who Victoria really is,” Pradrock said, looking to the young singer.
“Yes. You need to understand. There’s something bigger going on – bigger than you ever knew,” Akantha said.
“And it’s time for us to put an end to it,” Claudia said.
Along with Taesa, they all boarded the Everlasting Pain and sailed off through the air, waiting for the next signal from the other Redfire Sentinels indicating Victoria’s arrival at a new battlefield.
~~~
On board the Persistent, Zoe looked out and saw that the storm was over.
“The tempest has ended!” Zoe said.
“Where does the Spirit Sword point to next?” Emerond asked.
Joshua looked at the glowing blue lines, but they had no definite direction yet.
“The blue lines point in all directions – there is no specific one,” Joshua said.
“Then we should get a closer look at what just happened, and who made it happen,” Emerond said.
Zoe drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from the vial she carried. She was energized and could see even farther out.
“Over there! That island,” Zoe said, looking far out into the distance and pointing.
“Set your course,” Emerond ordered.
The crew of the Persistent set the course and the ship flew through the air toward Riquivindi Island.
There, they saw a woman and a man standing on a hilltop.
As they approached, even Romana could see that the woman was Lady Onora. She did not recognize the man, who looked to be a ship’s captain.
The Everlasting Pain was brought to the hilltop and Romana was the first to step out to greet her old friend.
“Onora!” Romana said, and reac
hed out and hugged her.
“What was that?” Romana then asked.
“There are powers of utmost evil at work, even using song to lure the innocent. Even my former student, I am afraid, has fallen into the service of evil, lending her powerful voice to their wicked plans,” Lady Onora said.
“You mean it was Taesa?” Daven asked.
“Daven! You heard the song, too, then?” Lady Onora asked.
“I heard it. I thought the voice sounded familiar,” Daven said.
“It was Taesa. I saw from a distance. And the song carried far – the very waters of this ocean that give the power of music also made it stronger when she was surrounded by it. That’s also how I was able to reach so far, to bring the lies to an end,” Lady Onora said.
“I can’t believe that she would deliberately kill. It has to be an accident. It has to be a misunderstanding,” Daven said.
“I certainly hope so. I pray so,” Lady Onora said.
“Victoria is the minion of a demon and she has the power to control others. Her eyes can enchant. It may not be the girl’s fault,” Judith said. She had recorded their arrival and Lady Onora’s presence here and the exchange. She could not judge Taesa innocent or guilty, but she could judge a demon, and his minions, by the authority of the Oath.
“We speak against Victoria because she is a minion of a demon, and the Oath demands it,” Ovid said.
“I understand that about the Oath,” Lady Onora said.
Ovid recorded all of this as well. He, like Judith, also counted the wreckages of the ships floating around, as their quick sight – granted by the time-slowing powers of the Ursegan Ocean waters they drank – enabled them to do. However, they did not have far sight, as their power was from slowing time and not from bending light. They could only count what they actually saw had occurred in nearby areas, and were not authorized by the Oath to extrapolate the small number to the larger number that estimated the total number of deaths across the entire ocean.
“The One True God will let me see what has really happened, when the time is right,” Lady Onora said.
“The time is right to move out of here,” Emerond said.
“We should take them with us,” Romana said.
“More passengers?” Emerond asked, clearly annoyed.
“Remember…she sang the song that ended all this,” Romana said.
“Alright. Good enough for me,” Emerond said.
“Please bring my dear friend along, only so that he is not abandoned on this island,” Lady Onora said, gesturing toward Captain Guillermo.
“I am Guillermo. I had the pleasure of bringing this most delightful woman to this island,” Guillermo said.
“This is a war. We can’t protect you – we have to focus on winning,” Emerond said, not interested in making the effort to argue.
“I understand that completely. And if I can assist you in any way, I will. And I look forward to repaying your gracious hospitality,” Guillermo said. In fact, he looked forward to the danger and the excitement of what was sure to be a monumental battle – he would have tremendous stories to tell for years to come with which to captivate and charm those he would meet.
They all boarded the Persistent and looked for a sign of Victoria’s next appearance.
Xal’Kativok/Xavier was carefully observing all of this. He came to understand that the girl named Taesa sang the Sail to Me song that lured the ships into the storm and that this woman named Onora sang the Symphony of Lies song that counteracted the first song. He also discerned that the power of their music was the result of drinking these particular ocean waters. These were powerful singers, and he looked forward to putting their powers into his service.
~~~
From the spirit world, Lavakara heard all of this. He knew that Taesa was a deadly threat, and that he would have to manipulate her carefully, or destroy her, before she gave any more assistance to Victoria.
CHAPTER 47: Arrival in the Sea of Death
A portal opened and the Tidal Sovereign appeared on the waters of the Dead Waters Ocean. Victoria looked out onto the waters, yet saw no ships around her. She did see an island nearby – it was Athekriptole Island, which was the location of another water-worshipper’s temple that she had previously occupied.
~~~
Also in the Dead Waters Ocean was Pylakartus Island, which was home to another outpost of Redfire Sentinels.
One member of their order stationed in that outpost was Makla’Narava, a thirty-seven (37) year old woman who was a drinker of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean. She thus had the power of far sight, enabling her to look out into the distance and watch for storms and ships in danger from those storms, as well as to see the ship that she had been warned to look out for. She saw the sudden arrival of the Tidal Sovereign.
Makla’Narava had been a Redfire Sentinel for three (3) years. Before that, she was a debt collector for the previous fifteen (15) years who sought out those who hid from their creditors by using the powers of darkness given by the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean. She exacted what were considered to be excessively high commissions – over sixty (60) percent on the debt in most cases – but she did have one advantage: she found everyone she sought. The Redfire Sentinels pursued her for her accuracy and reliability, and agreed to pay her a sizable sum to operate as a lookout. This did not require her to use her ample combat training and carried little risk, and she had grown tired of the danger. She had hideous scars over her body from various dangerous encounters with desperate and dangerous debtors. The injuries left her unable to attract a mate – unless she was willing to use the light powers of the Lujladia Ocean to create illusions of attractiveness. This, however, was unsatisfying, and only worked while she was awake, of course. Being awakened by the sounds of screams from otherwise desirable men – men who caught sight of her disfiguring injuries when her illusion of beauty faded in her sleep – became tiresome. She was lonely, but unwilling to endure the repeated rejections.
Another Redfire Sentinel on that island was Ve’Rokevas, an eighty-seven (87) year old man who was a drinker of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean. He thus had the power to listen to the stars, to know their positions both in the future and the past, and to send and receive messages through them.
Ve’Rokevas had been a Redfire Sentinel for only two (2) years. Before that he had been an astronomer who was determined to use his powers to communicate with the stars to find out their paths in the distant past. Unlike others, who used this to find lost cities or treasure by cross-referencing the star positions with historical star charts, Ve’Rokevas was actually in search of the first positions of the suns from the very beginning of their existence. He recorded their ancient paths going back millennia and found it overwhelming, as it seemed that it would never end. Eventually, after going back one hundred ninety-three (193) millennia, which was only possible by greatly narrowing his focus down to a single red sun and skipping large swaths of its history, he tired of the fruitlessness of it all. Yet, some of what he learned intrigued and mystified him, as he saw shadows of other things that he still could not explain.
Makla’Narava closely examined the ship that appeared out of nowhere and concluded that it was the enemy. “Ve’Rokevas, she is here. Tell the others that the ship of the queen of storms has arrived,” Makla’Narava said.
Ve’Rokevas drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He called out to the red suns and sent his message through them.
~~~
On board the Everlasting Pain, Torin and Akylas had both recently drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean, along with Farovaxen.
“Concentrate. Hear only the red suns. Do not lose your focus,” Farovaxen said to them.
“There’s so much happening. The blue suns are bright and loud and enormous. They seem to fill the sky,” Torin said.
“The yellow suns are extremely weak, but they’re still present, and make so much noise,” Akylas said.
“Close you
r mind to all but the red suns. They are more numerous than all of the others,” Farovaxen said.
“I hear something, and it has a different form from what I’m used to,” Torin said.
“There’s structure – some sort of message. It’s more than just the star positions,” Akylas said.
“What is it?” Farovaxen asked. However, he already knew and was testing them.
“You’re the expert. If there’s a message, you should know by now. We don’t have time for teaching. There’s a war we have to fight,” Claudia said.
“She is correct. Please inform us quickly,” Pradrock said.
“It’s coming from the Dead Waters Ocean – that’s all I know,” Akylas said.
“Correct. Near Athekriptole Island,” Farovaxen said.
“You can hear messages in the suns?” Taesa asked.
“They can. I can only hear the star positions and where they’ve been or where they’re going,” Torin said.
“I’ve seen him do it before. Somehow, it seems to work, and they can hear things from others in their society or cult, or whatever it is,” Caroline said, gesturing toward Farovaxen.
Pradrock set the course due northeast and the Everlasting Pain was on its way as quickly as possible.
~~~
On board the Persistent, Joshua could see the glowing blue lines on the Spirit Sword begin to orient in a particular direction.
“The blue lines are pointing toward the northeast,” Joshua said.
“Set your course due northeast,” Emerond said.
The crew of the Persistent steered the ship in the direction indicated.
Xal’Kativok/Xavier saw the glowing blue lines on the blade that Joshua held in his hand and found it intriguing that it seemed to work as a compass and they followed it as such. Apparently, it would lead them to this woman known as Victoria.
“Do we actually have a plan this time?” Emerond asked.
“Hit her. As many times as we can,” Brant said.
“That won’t be enough. She ought to be dead many times over by now for all the times we did hit her,” Zoe said.
“The demon that protects her must be banished, or you won’t be able to destroy her,” Judith said.
