by Ania Bo
Violen bit her lip, unsure if she should tell him anything at all. She already regretted saying so much to him. She shouldn’t have treated him as if he was a Reader. “You will be on a quest with others, a search party of sorts, and the lands you will cross will not always be safe. But not to worry. You will learn more once we reach Atlantis,” she said in a rush she hoped sounded positive.
Dwade simply nodded. He knew there was no point in pushing. Readers were very loyal people, and if Violen told him there was nothing to worry about, then all was okay.
Soon the aircraft began to descend, and Dwade returned to his seat, tying the belt in a knot as he had done before. Once they touched down, Violen accompanied him to the front of the aircraft.
The ramp reopened slowly, and Dwade was shocked by what he saw. They had somehow ended up in a gigantic building. He’d call it a barn, but it was crafted from metal, not wood. He craned his neck and looked upward. He wondered how they had gotten inside and caught the ceiling closing back up. So all the stories are true. Readers lived in a dream world, while humans were barely scraping by. Where had all these contraptions come from?
It was really crowded inside the building. Lots of women and men in white clothes with different symbols on them were busy working on various projects. Dwade couldn’t describe much of anything he saw. The technology was so much more advanced than anything they possessed in the village.
“This is the hangar where we keep our aircrafts,” Violen explained as she increased the volume of her voice, as it was quite loud inside. “It’s located on the outskirts of the city. We’ll need to ride through the countryside before we reach the city center.”
“Great, more riding. I love sightseeing.”
Violen ignored Dwade’s sarcasm. He didn’t really like riding on such a massive beast. He sat behind a Reader soldier and hugged him securely so as not to fall. They passed through the fields quickly, the farmers stopping in their work only briefly to watch the group gallop past the crops. These fields were larger and more expansive compared to the ones in his village. The Readers had a seemingly endless supply of fruit trees and crops. He was surprised to see how much the Balance smoothed the way for Readers.
“There’s so much food.” Dwade didn’t even realize he was speaking out loud, but the Readers paid him little attention.
They were determined to reach the pyramid as fast as possible and didn’t have time to answer the questions of a curious human.
It wasn’t long before Dwade caught a glimpse of the city in the distance, and his jaw dropped as he saw the reflective buildings that seemed to reach for the sky. The horses slowed when they entered the city limits, and Dwade was given a chance to look around. He was bewitched by the architecture. Each building in the city was made of a combination of natural stone and glass and was multiple stories high. The facades were engraved with intricate markings and patterns, and everything was exceptionally clean. Vegetation in this city was abundant—vines, trees, flowers—and they were clearly not for eating purposes but for decoration, a completely new concept for Dwade.
Every person wore some form of silk, and they seemed so happy and healthy. It was the first time Dwade had seen so many people and buildings in one place. It was overwhelming, to say the least.
It wasn’t long before they reached the city center, and Dwade got his first look at the great pyramid of Atlantis. It was just past midday, and the pyramid shone a deep blue as it reflected the afternoon sky. It was much taller than any other building around. He couldn’t imagine how they managed to build such a structure. Though it was made of glass, Dwade couldn’t see inside the building. He wondered how many people could fit inside it—his whole race maybe.
They dismounted their horses in front of the pyramid, and Dwade noticed everyone was watching them. Dwade leaned toward Violen, whispering in her ear, “What are they staring at?”
“You,” she said curtly. “There hasn’t been a human here in over a thousand years. You’re quite the anomaly.”
Dwade’s mouth opened wide, and he gave a shy wave to the bystanders who quickly scurried away, spreading the news that a human was spotted in Atlantis. He could understand their confusion. He and his people felt the same when they saw the Readers in his small village.
Inside the pyramid, Violen led Dwade into what she had called a private elevator as he admired the glass statues and observed the plants that seemed to sprout out from the walls. He wasn’t sure about this thing Violen called an elevator. The moment they stepped inside, the doors closed, and they rose up higher and higher. His apprehension disappeared as he took in the view. He struggled to see everything around him as the elevator doors opened to a corridor lit by tiny lamps. The refraction caused by the light hitting the glass walls produced an array of colors that seemed to leak through the glass of the pyramid. Violen guided Dwade to a private room furnished with a bed, a kitchen he knew was too advanced for him to use, and a lounge area. Just like every other room in the pyramid, the walls were made of glass, and from this height, Dwade could see the entire city of Atlantis extending out to the ocean.
“You may rest here tonight,” Violen said. “Tomorrow morning first thing you will meet with the Chancellor, but for today, we think you’ve had enough stimulation.” She gave Dwade an amused smile as he continued to look out the window with his mouth hanging open, nodding slowly at her words. “We’ve provided you with food.” She pointed to a long table which held an assortment of meats, cheeses, fruits, and bread. “But if you’d prefer something else, please let us know. It can be prepared for you immediately.”
She waited for a sign of approval while Dwade tried to hide his amazement. “No, thank you. There’s much more here than I could ever eat.” A sad look emanated from Dwade’s eyes, and for the first time, Violen felt some guilt. While travelling through the human villages, she received her first glimpse at how different their two worlds were. Though she still believed the people of Atlantis had earned everything they had, seeing a race living in poverty had given her a new perspective.
“Great,” she said half-heartedly. “This is where you may bathe.” She gently pushed a mirror on the side of the wall, and it swung open, revealing a large bathroom.
Dwade couldn’t hide his astonishment and said, “Pia Utsu! This privy is almost bigger than my house.” Violen turned her head to the other side as she choked back a laugh, and Dwade turned to look at her, surprise written all over his face. So there is a real soul under that hard exterior, after all, he thought.
Violen cleared her throat and frowned, upset she let her guard down. “Your bed is behind those little trees over there,” she continued.
The bed itself was sheltered by large fronds that acted as a canopy. It looked somewhat strange to Dwade, but a bed was a bed to him.
“We thought these clothes might fit you, but again if you have any problems or need something different, you can always push the button next to the door, and someone will arrive to assist you. I’d stay away from the kitchen if I were you. We’ll continue to bring your meals, and don’t worry about the lights. They’re programmed to turn on and off according to changes in your movements and pulse.” She knew she had to inform him about the room, but she wasn’t sure how much information he would need, or what he fully understood. She was trying to keep the balance between informing him and treating him like a fool.
Dwade nodded in understanding. It was probably the hundredth time he had been stunned into silence. Once Violen felt that her guest was happy and satisfied, she kindly asked for permission to leave and withdrew from the room.
Dwade decided to eat something since he hadn’t had anything since breakfast with his family. The thought of them made him choke up, and he concentrated on the food. He ate what tasted like wild boar meat, three different kinds of cheeses, and some type of fruit he couldn’t identify. After he felt relatively full, he made his way to the bathroom, and—after fiddling with a few knobs and burning himself in the process—he took
a hot shower. The closest he had come to a hot shower was on the few occasions when he boiled multiple pots of water and carried them to a basin that he bathed in. Humans usually bathed in rivers or the sea. If they were lucky enough to have a home close to a source of water, then they could clean themselves through the whole summer, but winters were the worst. These were the months they suffered from maybe one bath a month. It’s no surprise they smell so good. They must be taking showers every day. As he felt the relief of the hot water, he looked at the room through the glass wall. It must be such a blessing to have things come so easily.
Once he was clean, Dwade slipped under the covers of the bed. He felt like he was laying on a cloud and supposed the strange sleeping mat was stuffed with feathers. As soft as it was, he continued to toss and turn for an hour, his continuous movement turning the light back on each time he shifted. Dwade thought it was a bit ridiculous. Finally, he ripped the blankets off the bed and threw them on the floor. It would be easier for him to sleep on something he was used to. He curled up on the hard, cold surface and smiled. For the first time since that morning, he felt like he was at home. He wished his family was there to witness everything he saw. He found peace by imagining his little sister with him. His eyes closed, his pulse steadied, and the lights in the room switched off and stayed off.
***
Shasta was meditating and trying to find comfort as her anxiety continued to plague her. But a knock at the door disturbed her and she sighed, climbed to her feet, and went to see who it was. She reached to press the door open and found Ivy on the other side.
“The Chancellor awaits you. She’s received some news about your vision.”
Shasta had that confusing feeling again. She couldn’t decide if she should smile or cry. But her superior was looking at her and just as every good Reader would do, she settled on smiling and followed behind Ivy, excited and afraid to see the Chancellor. It had been a couple of weeks since her first meeting, and every day she wondered why she hadn’t been contacted. May the Balance seal my fate, she thought. It wouldn’t be wrong to say she had no power left to deal with her anxieties.
They returned to the same room they had been in before where the Chancellor now stood before her many mirrors talking to a man. She seemed bright and peppy as she leaned flirtatiously toward the visitor. She eventually noticed Shasta and Ivy and stood to welcome her guests.
“Welcome, Shasta. Please come in. I have some good news for you. Your vision has been confirmed, and the result is here in the flesh.” At their entrance, the man turned and looked at Shasta. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks.
“It’s you,” Dwade blurted.
They all looked to the Chancellor for an explanation, but surprisingly she looked just as perplexed. She reached to put a hand on Dwade’s shoulder. “Do you know this woman, Dwade?”
He shook his head. “Yes…I mean, no. Not really.” He cast his eyes to the floor. “She’s in my dreams. For weeks every time I close my eyes, I see her.”
Chancellor Amel’s eyes widened in surprise. “Well, that is interesting. May I introduce to you, Shasta Anes. It was through her visions that we found you. She is the one who identified you as the Protector.”
Shasta forced a smile. She couldn’t help but connect this man to her horrifying visions, and his presence was not necessarily pleasant. She made a slight gesture as a sign of welcoming him. Although she wouldn’t normally do that in Atlantis, she was educated enough to know that humans saw the simple gesture as a form of politeness.
Dwade was so mesmerized he didn’t even think to gesture back. He was utterly captivated by this girl who was more beautiful in reality than in his dreams, and his heart beat faster. Not because he was captured by her beauty. There was something else that drew him to her. An unseen bond and familiarity took over his soul.
Shasta said, “Welcome to Atlantis. I am Shasta of Anes Taman.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Dwade from a human mountain village.” He mentally kicked himself after hearing the clumsy greeting that came out of his mouth.
Amel stepped forward to take over the conversation. “And that brings us to the reason why we are all here. Shasta, we have confirmed that all signs show Dwade is the Protector, which makes you, as you might guess, the Visionary Reader.” She stared at both of them to evaluate their reaction and continued. “As you are both assigned by the Balance to your duties, now we have to admit that at least one of the races is facing extinction. Although even putting such a horrible thing into words hurts my soul, we need to stay strong and take precautions to save the Balance. For now, we do not know which race is in danger or how it will happen. The only thing we know for sure is that we don’t have time to lose.” She motioned for Ivy to come forward, and she brought with her an old book that rested on a tray made of silver. Amel picked it up gingerly and put it on the table beside them. “Please, have a seat,” she said, addressing Shasta and Dwade. They obeyed her request and sat down in the chairs in front of the table.
Amel opened the book and flipped through a few pages as if she searched for something in particular. The book was written in the ancient language, and the sigil of Atlantis was on the right-hand side of every page. “This is the Naru Haljam,” she explained as she continued to search through the pages, running her finger along line after line. “This particular book is a copy that was given to the Readers. Unfortunately, the original is in the possession of the Zaends, and they refuse to lend it to any other race as if we couldn’t have protected it,” she said mockingly. She flipped through a few more pages until her finger landed firmly on a specific paragraph. “Found it.” She turned the book toward Shasta. “Please read this aloud so everyone can hear.”
Shasta nodded and started reading obediently even though she couldn’t understand the Chancellor’s rationale. “`When the Balance falls into darkness, sending the world into the unknown, the sun will rise to reveal what is hidden and shine upon a seed in the mud. That seed will grow so strong and great, a mighty oak it will become, and upon its sturdy branches, the scales of the Balance it will hold. Let the sun shine anew when the darkness comes again. Find the seed that shall be woken from its wintry slumber.’”
“Do you understand what this means, Shasta?” Amel asked.
Shasta shook her head. The passage was heavily symbolic, and she couldn’t make out their meaning.
Amel answered her own question. “This passage illuminates your task.” She waited for one of them to give any sign of recognition, but both Shasta and Dwade observed her with blank stares. “It explains how the universe restores the Balance once a race nears extinction.”
“And how exactly does it do that?” Dwade asked.
Amel ground her teeth. Oh, Balance help me! They are both so naïve! But like a patient teacher, she explained, “When the Balance is altered, and it foresees the destruction of a race or more, twelve Creators are signaled to give birth. Only one will do so, however, producing a child belonging to the endangered race. She is the Regenerator.”
Dwade frowned, watching the Chancellor closely. There was something else, but she merely waited a few beats then continued.
“The main issue right now is where they are located. We, of course, know where they are, a secret most others are not privileged to. To protect the Balance, you have to find them and save the baby or babies. The Creators are kept within the land of the Zaends where very few outsiders are ever let in. The Zaend King is very conservative. He never easily lets anyone in or out of his lands.”
“So if the Zaends are so secretive, how and why do you know about them?” Dwade asked suspiciously, and his way of asking seemed to bother the Readers in the room. Questioning the Chancellor was apparently rude. Served them right seeing as how they had treated him on several occasions.
Yet Amel didn’t take offense. The Protector was human and had very few understandings of other races’ customs. She explained herself with simpler words. “The leaders of each race have limited knowl
edge of the Creators. We must have this knowledge in cases such as this when a race must be saved from extinction. As the protectors of the Balance, we Readers are given more information than some others.” The smile she gave was not lacking in hubris. “Shasta’s vision confirms that at least one race is in danger and the Creators must be pregnant already. Unfortunately, it took us too long to discover the changes in the harmony of the Balance. Your mission is to find the Regenerator and acquire the baby before anyone else does. We—”
“Hold on a minute.” Dwade jumped up from his seat. “If we don’t know anything how will we be able to find or protect any baby?”
Amel hesitated for a moment. “We will do our best to show you the way that we know, but the rest will be done by the Balance. We don’t and can’t know the details, these are only for you and Shasta to know. The Balance will lead you. I am not really experienced in this either.”
Dwade was almost certain the Chancellor knew more than she was telling. A burning fire started in his soul and encouraged him to speak up against her, but he ignored it. He was smart enough to know he had to stay quiet, for now at least. Her speech and answers were just like the mind games his people had been playing with the Kree for years. His ears heard the words of the Chancellor, but his mind and soul were like rebel winds. He just wasn’t sure what the problem was. He just said, “Okay,” and sat back down.
He looked at Shasta to see what her reaction was. He noticed that although she seemed as if she believed in the Chancellor’s words, she was playing with her fingers. And that was definitely a good sign. Her anxiety was so clear for Dwade’s eyes to see, he only hoped it wasn’t for others in the room. Realizing he was not alone made him feel like he and Shasta were already becoming connected on a deeper level.
Shasta’s anxiety broke the silence, and she began to ask questions. She was still confused about how this whole process worked. “The Zaend race is the most powerful one. We were taught so, right?” She looked at Ivy to confirm, but Ivy stayed silent. Shasta frowned. “The Creators must be safe with the Zaends. Will we just go there to help them?”
