Balance of the 12

by Ania Bo

  Violen gave a smile that was more condescending than sweet. “You are most kind, but we have no need of your produce. Readers do not collect tribute or taxes. The matter at hand is more significant. Our mission will affect the lives of everyone on earth, so I’ll explain it to you very clearly.”

  Dwade threw her a sardonic look, her condescending tone not lost on him.

  “The universe has signaled to us that one of the twelve races is in danger of extinction. Our predictions for the future indicate a war, the reason for which is unclear. The Visionary Reader was recently found, and we have analyzed her visions. That is why we are here.”

  They listened to Violen with different levels of skepticism. They heard many stories about Atlantis and the Readers’ prophetic abilities along with their mastery of telekinesis. If it weren’t for the fact that everyone agreed they were the guardians of good, their abilities and technology would be a serious threat to the lives of every other race.

  Dwade remembered what Patrice said during one of their conversations. “If there is a semblance of order in our lands, we must give thanks to the Readers, for they are the only power these barbarian races fear. Without them, we would have already been hunted down for sport.” Whatever animosity the humans might have toward the Readers, Dwade believed they were ultimately good people—selfish, maybe, conceited and exclusive, but good. They made it the sole purpose of their lives to keep the Balance, and they deserved some form of gratitude for that.

  “What does a family like us have to do with it? Your Visionary Reader must have made a mistake. We have nothing to do with war or evil. We just try to live the life the universe has granted us to the best of our ability,” Tagly interjected.

  Violen smiled. “Perhaps in trying to do that, you have become special. And a Visionary Reader does not make mistakes. The visions clearly show that your son holds a special place in all of existence.” Everyone’s eyes turned to Dwade.

  “And what is that supposed to mean exactly?” Dwade asked, looking at his parents’ pale faces.

  “It means the universe has appointed you as our Protector. Allow us to be your helpers, Protector Dwade.” The beautiful Reader suddenly gave a ceremonial bow. “Please accept our aid and do not withhold yours from us.”

  Everyone was breathless while Dwade stood conflicted. The stories of the Protector and the Visionary Reader were just that, stories. At least, that’s what he always thought. And even if there was such a hero who was destined to save the universe as they knew it, why would the Balance choose him, a farm boy from a mountain village that even most of the humans had forgotten about?

  Dwade glanced at his parents for help and saw his mother shake her head slightly in disagreement, while his sister was so upset, she trembled. His heart broke.

  “As much as I am honored by your request, I can’t leave my family. Snow will fall on the mountains soon, and they’ll need me to provide for them. There must be someone else who can be your protector,” Dwade said hopefully.

  Violen’s cheeks flushed red with disappointment. “If you do not accept your destiny, in a month’s time you will have no family.”

  Lillian, understanding this part of the conversation, immediately burst into tears. Her mother swooped her up and tried to quiet her as she glared at Violen, her teeth clenched together. Without saying another word, she carried her daughter toward the front door, and they left, leaving Dwade and his father alone with the Reader.

  Violen tapped her foot in agitation. She knew she had to do some damage control. “I’m sorry, but you really don’t understand how dire the situation is. I did not say those harsh words to intimidate you. Our lives are in peril, all our lives.”

  “Yes, and some of us have more to lose than others,” Tagly cut in.

  Violen was about to shoot back a reply when Dwade interrupted, “Look, I don’t even fully comprehend what it is you want me to do yet.”

  “That must be answered by our Chancellor. I’m not in such a position to explain, nor would I reveal such information with so many ears.” She motioned toward the window, and it seemed the whole village stood as close as Violen’s companions would allow them, attempting to see what was happening inside the small dwelling. “I promise all your questions will be answered by our Chancellor, but you must come with us to Atlantis. We’ve already wasted much time scouring the lands for you. Please.”

  It was the first time Dwade sensed Violen was genuine. If one thing was true, he could tell she had given everything she had to locate him.

  Dwade paused for a moment. Violen saw his confusion, but he appeared he was closer to saying yes than no. “The Balance is in great danger. Do you think the Readers would be sent here if it weren’t?” To her surprise, the father was convinced first.

  “I think she tells the truth, son, and if she does, this is not something you can turn down. If the Balance has chosen you, then there is no other who can replace you. This is the destiny we have always talked about.”

  Dwade squirmed as he fought with his emotions, and Violen approached him urgently. “May I?” she said as she stuck out her hand, and Dwade allowed her to take his hand. He saw her pupils vibrating as a strange feeling flowed through his arm at her touch.

  Just as Dwade was about to pull away from Violen, she stared straight into his eyes and whispered, “I know the girl you dream of. She is the Visionary Reader.”

  He took a step back. “How…how did you see my dreams?”

  “That is not important. Don’t you understand? You have seen the Visionary Reader yourself. You have already witnessed proof of your destiny. You are the Protector.”

  Dwade couldn’t believe this strange woman had looked into his mind. Maybe it was just a trick, but what if it wasn’t? The girl’s face flashed in Dwade’s mind, and an overwhelming need to meet her overcame him. “I will come with you,” he finally answered, “but I’m not promising anything. I want to see what this chancellor has to say.”

  Violen gave a sigh of relief. “Good. Very good. We must leave immediately. You don’t need to pack much, just say your goodbyes.” The look on Dwade’s face told her she had again been too callous. She took a deep breath and tried to settle her own sense of urgency to stop sounding crass. “We’re out of time. There’s no telling what has happened in Atlantis since our last communication. We have to hurry, Protector, please.”

  Dwade nodded and rummaged through his things, trying to decide what he could possibly need on a mission he knew nothing about. He chuckled at the absurdity of the situation. Just a few hours ago, he was only looking forward to a nice steaming bowl of venison stew.

  Dwade exited his home with a small burlap sack and made eye contact with his mother. It only took a look for her to guess his decision, and she placed her hand over her mouth trying to stifle a cry. Her time with her son was over. She knew his adventurous soul, his honesty and his faithful heart; if there was a task to be done, he would do it. As Tagly came to comfort her, her will collapsed. Her tears flowed freely, and Lillian began to cry anew right along with her. The Reader was right, their son was the Protector, the defender of the Balance. It was more than an honor, but it meant he would be gone and might never come back. Ishtar wasn’t ready to accept such a thing. She didn’t care about the Balance or existence. She wasn’t that faithful, and she mostly believed the balance of existence was a myth. But Tagly’s look made her at least pretend she accepted Dwade’s fate. Moreover, there were five Readers in their village claiming their son as the Protector. There really might have been a Regenerator to be protected. The fear of the unknown possessed her soul. She had no choice but to accept that she had no power to stop her son or the Readers. She didn’t even have the power to stop the fire in her own heart as a mother who was about to lose her son. She felt so weak but held her head high.

  Violen tried with difficulty to hide her surprise and contempt. She couldn’t understand the family’s reaction. She always wondered why the Protector wasn’t chosen from one of the four
tribes of Atlantis in the first place, but of course, it was not her decision to make. Shaking her head, she mounted her horse as the other four Readers did the same. “If you don’t mind, please make haste. I’d like to begin our journey back to Atlantis as soon as possible.”

  “I should prepare something,” Ishtar said quickly to stall their departure.

  “There is no need,” Violen responded. “He will lack nothing. Say your farewells and let us leave.”

  At the word “farewell,” Lillian grabbed her mother and pleaded, “Mother, I don’t want my brother to leave. Do something!”

  Embracing and kissing his sister, Dwade said, “I’ll be back soon. Take care of the vegetable garden while I’m gone, will you? It must be green and healthy so it can produce big onions and potatoes. Don’t eat them all before my return.” He kissed her on the forehead and hugged her tight.

  “I will.” She sobbed, and her tears soaked into his sleeve. He gave her one last kiss and handed her to his father. He then embraced his mother.

  “I’m proud of you and love you more than anything, even when you weren’t the Protector, never forget. And this is a war she’s talking about. Try to stop it if it’s in your power, son, but most importantly protect the Balance.” He silently nodded at his mother’s words. He would do anything to make sure this conflict never reached his peaceful mountain village.

  Violen gave him a look of impatience—which seemed to be her go-to look—and Dwade quickly said farewell to his father. “We are proud of you,” Tagly said. “Be brave and rely on your strength and the power of your mind. Those are things which will never leave you. May the Balance protect you, son, and know that our people and I will stand behind you if we are called upon to fight.”

  Dwade nodded, shouldered his pack, and quickly turned away before his emotions broke him down. He hurried toward a dune-colored horse carrying a rider in black. He attempted to mount the horse by himself, but the animal was just too large. The Reader was forced to grab his hand and hoist him into the saddle. Dwade looked back at his people with an abashed grin.

  The villagers gathered around the horses. They shouted questions as they saw that Dwade was being taken away.

  “Where are you going, Dwade?” some asked. Others addressed the Readers directly. “What has he done to you? Why are you taking him away?”

  Dwade tried to calm them and stop their shouting so as not to anger the Readers. Although he believed they were truthful about their mission, he still feared them. “I’ll be back. Don’t worry,” he shouted to his friends. He tried to appear confident as he swayed precariously on the oversized horse.

  As one, the five riders turned their horses and spurred them on, out of the village. They picked up speed, and the villagers ran behind them, waving frantically as they said their last goodbyes. In just a few seconds, the horses reached the forest, and the village disappeared behind the trees. As they weaved through the woods, Dwade couldn’t help the feeling of excitement building in his chest, overriding his anxiety about leaving his family behind. The Protector of Atlantis, he thought to himself. This idea that he was some special guardian of the universe gave him an intoxicating feeling, and he was ecstatic that he was going to be the only person in his village to have seen the city of the Glass Pyramid. He again pictured his dream girl, and Dwade’s spirits couldn’t have been any higher.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Within two hours, they reached a valley which would have taken Dwade a day and a half to walk to. In the middle of the field, a strange metal looking house awaited them. Dwade had never seen anything like it. The structure was frighteningly large, had wings like an eagle, and its tail opened into a long ramp. Around it, a large group of Reader soldiers stood waiting. Dwade was no longer so certain about his journey after seeing such a monstrous contraption. Balance protect me. The horses didn’t stop but ran up the ramp and into the craft as if they had done it a thousand times. The troops quickly followed, and the iron ramp closed behind them, trapping them in the belly of this strange beast.

  The Reader riding in front of Dwade motioned for him to dismount. He jumped off the horse as if he was on the high branch of a tree. The soldiers were surprised at the way he jumped. Dwade didn’t care; he just stood and waited for someone to tell him what to do next. He was doing his best to hide his surprise but couldn’t help staring at the stuff around him. Everything was organized, and there were so many round glass spheres with colorful images on them. Soon he figured out these were buttons, commanding the metal house to do things by itself.

  Oh, my existence, what am I doing here? The horses were taken to designated pens in the corner of the huge metal home. The soldiers lined up around Violen and saluted her. One of them, who seemed more decorated than the rest, approached.

  He bowed to Dwade and said, “Welcome to my Sky Traveler, Protector. It is an honor to meet you.”

  Dwade was surprised but could’ve become used to being respected in such a way if he had been any other man. But he was such a modest person that he blushed as what could only be a commander bowed to him. “It’s my honor, sir. No need to bow, I’m just an ordinary man who serves the Balance.”

  The Reader smiled. Now he saw why Dwade was chosen as the Protector. A human who was as modest as a Reader, what a surprise.

  Only Balance knows what more qualifications his character has, the Commander thought. Then he turned to Violen to ask, “Was the mission successful, Commander Violen?”

  “Mission was successful, Commander. No casualties,” Violen replied.

  Knowing that nobody was hurt was a relief for the Commander. “Then we must take off immediately. As you know, we do not have permission to be here. The Kree are approaching.”

  “Take off, Sky Traveler,” she loudly ordered.

  There was a row of single seats along the side of the aircraft, and Dwade was herded toward one and told to buckle up. Not understanding how the buckle contraption worked, he looked around embarrassed and then knotted it securely around his waist. The Readers who noticed his predicament snickered and shook their heads. He was not in the position of caring about any of them while there were so many strange things to discover. He was still staring at the Sky Traveler’s interior equipment. The walls of the metal house became transparent as a man pushed colorful images on the glass spheres. Dwade wondered if the metal house had been made to disappear. He saw outside clearly and even the grasses on the ground seemed close enough to touch. He tried to extend his hand, but something unseen blocked the way. When I go back home, nobody will ever believe me. And these people, they’re just as smug as the stories say, Dwade thought as he glared back at the soldiers watching him amused.

  The craft shook, and Dwade felt a strange sensation as they were lifted into the air. As they rose higher and their speed increased, Dwade’s ears popped painfully, and he held the sides of his head in discomfort. He was surprised the Readers didn’t even flinch as the Sky Traveler continued to rise into the air. Flying. He was in the air flying.

  From the transparent walls all around him, Dwade watched the scenery pass by. They were already over the trees and close to the mountains’ height. He often wondered how birds felt when they flew high above the land, looking down at the world with a whole different view of life. Now he knew. He wished his people could experience this, especially his sister. He smiled as he imagined her blue eyes glued to the window as she asked a million questions.

  Violen, seated close by, saw an obvious shine in Dwade’s bright blue eyes. She wondered what he was thinking and what caused him to smile with such joy.

  Once they were above the clouds, the aircraft stopped ascending, and they traveled horizontally. It was full speed ahead to Atlantis, whether Dwade was ready or not. He was about to face a new life that awaited him.

  Violen undid her seatbelt and approached Dwade. She untied his seatbelt, and he blushed as her hands tugged at the tight knot until it finally came apart. “Please follow me, Protector. I wish to speak with you.” Dw
ade obeyed, and Violen led him away from the others so they could speak in private. She first gave him a once-over and noticed the bracelet on his arm. “How long have you been wearing this?” she asked, lifting his wrist.

  Dwade looked at the bracelet and shrugged. “Since I was twelve, why?”

  “We will need a Kama, and I think we can use this. Make sure you never take it off, please.”

  Dwade didn’t even bother to ask her what a Kama was or why she was so concerned about him taking off a homemade bracelet.

  “I know this is a lot for you right now,” she continued, “but believe me, it’s nothing compared to what you will experience over the coming days. The task awaiting you is difficult, finding the twelve Creators, the women. We all know the universe is greater than all of us, that it considers things we cannot foresee. The Balance does not make a wrong choice. If you have been selected to be the Protector, you must have been the most suitable among all living beings. When we arrive in Atlantis, I will accompany you, and the Readers will see to your every need. We fully believe you will be successful at completing your task.”

  Violen’s speech was so unfamiliar to Dwade. She was talking like a lecturer; her tone was so sharp and devoid of feelings. Dwade tried to follow and understand her, but he hardly understood most of what she said. Damn existence, there’s too much I don’t know outside of my village. Doesn’t she know that? He had no idea about Kamas or Atlantis or why finding twelve women would be dangerous, but he could understand the respect he received from Readers. In return for their respect, he wanted to show Violen he was listening by asking a question about the basic part of her speech that he could understand.

  “When you say it will be difficult, what exactly do you mean?” After the words spilled from his mouth, he realized the question wasn’t the best to ask.