The Keeper's Codex: Ashen Memories

by A. D. Wills

  The room let out an erupting cheer, as everyone shot to their feet, slinging their ale and scraps of food around like wild animals, suddenly roused and excited again, if only for a fleeting moment before their full stomachs dragged them back down to their seats. They were all tapped out, and with the night's festivities nearly finished, they began to file out on their way out.

  In the midst of everyone getting up to leave for their respective huts, to sleep off their bloated drunken selves, Eszu grabbed Ralak's shoulder.

  “Ralak, come with me for a bit, I need to speak with you about something urgent.”

  "Alright, but this can't wait until after the hunt?” Ralak asked with heavy eyes that begged for some extra sleep.

  “What, you need your precious beauty sleep? If you're that tired tomorrow, let the rest of us carry you then, if you need it. Not like I'm not used to doing it anyway,” Eszu goaded Ralak, playing at his competitive nature.

  “Alright, fine."

  “Great, then follow me.” Eszu led Ralak out through the back of the great feasting hall, through the deep snow to where Eszu's hut was.

  It wasn't like Eszu to be so secretive, especially not on the night before a hunt where everyone would end up knowing of any plans. Ralak deduced this had to be something that didn't have anything to do with the hunt.

  Ralak followed Eszu who marched on with purpose past the contained fire pits that lit the way between the rows of huts throughout the mountaintop. The whipping winds howled into Ralak's ears, and while every Dracus can withstand the cold with their cold blood, even these conditions bothered Ralak until finally reaching Eszu's hut they both rushed into.

  Eszu grabbed an unopened bottle of pink liquor off the table to hand Ralak. “Here, have some of this from my personal stash—all the way from Pink Paradise.”

  “This is good booze, but this isn't the reason you're dragging me along here, right?” Ralak asked.

  “No, but if you don't want any...” Eszu turned over his shoulder, while approaching a table at the back of his room.

  Eszu turned to shuffle some papers on his back table beneath his various trophies, like mammoth tusks, or plucked out dragon tongues all along his walls. After some frantic rearranging, Eszu walked over to uncoil what looked to be a big, crudely drawn map.

  Ralak tilted his head to see if he could make sense of it. “What is this? I've never seen this place before on any map.”

  “I've found it Ralak, I've found Dragonswreck—where those damn Dragons call home.” Eszu pointed at the map with confidence, and spurred on a look of near disbelief from Ralak.

  “Are you sure?” Ralak couldn't believe his eyes.

  Ralak, and many others, suspected it to be to the far east, but it wasn't much more than a hunch. As far as anyone was concerned, Dragonswreck existed, but that's all they knew. Their enemies' home shrouded in mystery all these generations, but here Eszu was, presenting Ralak with all the confidence he's ever exuded that he's finally found it. Their final target that's eluded them for so long.

  “I've been able to fly out, and narrow it down as far as I can before getting too close. Whenever I try to approach it, the amount of Dragons in the skies is too much for me to evade and hide from. I can't ever manage to get past the canyon which makes me sure Dragonswreck is just beyond it.”

  “Hold on, whenever you approach it?” Ralak backed the conversation up with a look of concern.

  "What, were you so worried over me dying from a little bit of curiosity?” Eszu flushed the tension of Ralak's well founded worries.

  “I would've gone with you, if you asked,” said Ralak, still a little bitter Eszu didn't think to bring him. “And why were you hiding any of this in the first place, Eszu?”

  “I know you would've,” Eszu chuckled again. “In case I was wrong, I didn't want to give anyone false hope, that would've been shameful. Even more shameful would be losing someone in this search that I wasn't sure would yield anything at all. But now I'm sure of it, and we can take back every bit of freedom we've long lost.”

  “Then you better have a plan to tell me if you're showing me all this now."

  “Even though I've nailed down as close as I can where Dragonswreck lies, as of right now, we still don't have enough forces to take it...at least not on our own. There are too many of them. But I'm going to make sure we won't need to risk this. We won't be alone in this fight anymore, Ralak."

  “So, you plan to ask the Humans and Etai for help?” Ralak deduced as much. With the upcoming summit, it would be the perfect time to ask all of their allies at the same time directly.

  “They're the only ones who can help us now. We'll finally have the strength to restore our home with them alongside us. Believe me when I say I want to do it on our own, but we need help this time.” Eszu was rarely willing to set aside his pride, but for this, he made the exception which showed Ralak just how sure he was.

  “Do you think they will though?”

  “I can't be sure, but we've got no choice but to ask. Until now, we've never brought them into this fight, but they've brought us into theirs plenty of times. I hope they can see that. We only need their help this one time.”

  Ralak nodded, with crossed arms. To this day, he and Eszu weren't the biggest supporters of either the Etai and Humans, and neither were the Humans and Etai of the Dracus, but they were all on good enough terms to not let those differences get in the way of what little negotiating they've done, and peace they've maintained since the War of Regions.

  It wasn't until the War of Regions, when the Dracus joined the powers that be. Before that, and throughout most of the war, the Dracus were on their own. Seemingly stranded, and vulnerable, both Tepis and Kuxori armies tried their hand at seizing the mountains of Eldaesa as a strong strategic foothold. With it, they knew they would seize a huge advantage against Ethril. But despite being outnumbered by two armies, Eszu and his Dracus never backed down. They refused to concede so much as an inch to their invaders. They would swoop down from above on their rocs, raining down spears and boulders along the mountainside, rolling over any who dared try and take their home from them. Compared to the raiding Dragons, two armies of humans were nothing.

  King Dreymond tried to offer the Dracus added protection from the Kuxori, and Tepis armies, and end this war, but he had a condition. He and Sage Zaes of the Etai, both wanted Eszu to leave the mountains—to leave their home. Of course, they offered a new home for the Dracus, but Eszu flat-out refused. No kind of offer would be so tempting to accept, not to any of the Dracus. In the end, Dreymond relented, and struck a deal with the Dracus that was instrumental in ending the war.

  “I know Dreymond, Zaes and I haven't seen eye to eye on many things, but I'd like to think of them as the type who wouldn't abandon their allies in our greatest hour of need. All those Dragons have done is cause our people harm for generations, and done nothing for the Etai or humans for revering them as sacred—treating them as these untouchable creatures. And there's no better time to fight back. There are no wars or feuds between regions that are pulling anyone's forces away either. I know that if we have our allies in battle with us, we'll be able to push them back, and end this once and for all.”

  “And what will you do if they reject us?” Ralak had to ask.

  “I don't know, but I won't risk the lives of my people by sending them to their deaths alone.” Eszu clenched up. "Regardless our difference in opinions, I hope they can see our problem for what it is. We're barely breathing up here. Our heads keep dipping below water, gasping for air. Before now, we didn't have a way out, but now we do. All we need is a little help to get there. Helping us will only help everyone else in the end. But, if they choose otherwise, I swear I'll find another way. I'll do everything I can to make a peaceful life for the generations to come.”

  “We'll be with you regardless, Eszu. With or without their help, we'll be with you the entire way.”

  Eszu wanted to look confident, but all he could do was stare at the map
with a look of pensive concern.

  Chapter 4: Caden

  All of them soaking wet, Sappo carried the one they saved back to their room in a hurry, and placed them sitting upright in the corner before lighting a candle to finally get a look at them.

  "Whoa, do you think this is a Vessi?” Caden gazed at their blue skin, bulbous round head, and long thin limbs.

  “I've never seen one, but it looks like them from what I've heard...” Sappo drifted off in disbelief. “But that doesn't matter right now. Are they still...breathing?” Sappo gulped.

  Caden shook off his daze, and leaned in to check on the Vessi, when a tiny green newt with stubby little limbs shot out from their clothes, and stuck onto Caden's face. “Sappo what is this? Hey, get it off, I can't see!” Caden tried to pluck it off, but the newt wriggled around avoiding being touched.

  “Hold still for a second,” Sappo calmed Caden, and carefully plucked the newt off of Caden's face. “I've never seen anything like this thing either.” Sappo observed the struggling newt.

  “Who knows, probably something in the ocean that latched onto them,” Caden went in to examine the Vessi. “He's definitely not breathing.” Caden somberly noted, as he felt the Vessi's chest.

  The stubborn newt managed to squirt free from Sappo's grip, and hopped onto the Vessi's body, waving its limbs around wildly as if it were trying to defend them.

  “We're not going to hurt him, we're just trying to help,” Caden tried assuring the little panicky newt, somehow sure he could communicate with it.

  The newt tapped its little flippers on his chin, pondering whether or not it could trust Caden and Sappo. It looked over at the unconscious Vessi's face that was all but lifeless now, and dove beneath the Vessi's clothes. After some speedy shuffling, it emerged with a small bright blue stone that it could barely lift up. Dropping the small stone, it let out pleading chirps toward Caden, pointing down at it, and then over to the belt over and over again in a growing panic.

  “Their belt?” Caden asked, and the newt nodded in return. “Alright, I'll give it a try then.”

  Caden hadn't ever seen a stone like this, but he didn't waste much time examining, and plunked it into the center slot of the Vessi's belt. The stone fit perfectly in the belt's center, and emanated a brief but bright pulse.

  Caden and Sappo looked on in confusion and awe when they saw a thinly veiled translucent shielding layer overtake the Vessi's body. After the short few seconds it took to encase the Vessi, the thin lining disappeared, as though it had become a part of him.

  Sappo, and Caden leaned in, holding their collective breath they'd would wake up.

  The newt looked more annoyed than sad, and hopped back up onto the Vessi, proceeding to slap their face around with its tiny flippers in a surprisingly swift fury.

  The Vessi's big round black eyes shot open, with a desperate gasping breath that followed. At the sight of Sappo and Caden, they skittered away, pressing themself against the wall next to the shelves crouched by.

  “Calm down, we're not going to hurt you,” Sappo said as friendly as possible.

  “Ya, we're the ones who helped you out, so relax there's nothing to worry about,” Caden echoed Sappo's sentiment, but the Vessi still didn't look like they bought it.

  The newt climbed up the Vessi's body, and up to their face to frantically wave its limbs about, letting out some high pitched chirps.

  “You're saying they don't work for Tirli?” The Vessi asked their newt, who nodded.

  “Wait what? I've never heard of this Tirli guy before, who's that?” Caden blurted out.

  “Then it seems as though you truly aren't involved with him, thankfully,” the Vessi took a sigh of relief, trying to calm their rapidly beating heart. “Tirli is the Lord Inquisitor of the Vessi, and I'm positive he has sent people to come and bring me back to Avara. He isn't one that easily forgets or forgives...”

  “Alright, well, we're not whoever they are. So, may as well sit here for a bit without worrying about them.” Caden sat back in the hammock next to Sappo.

  “I have some food left too, if you want some." Sappo reached for the last meal.

  “Thank you.” The Vessi looked at the food for a second, still somewhat suspicious, but it looked far too tempting to possibly pass up. Unable to resist, they dug in to fill their begging stomach.

  “So, what's your name? I'm Caden."

  “Oh, and I'm Sappo."

  The Vessi still seemed a little averse to opening up, but when they looked down at their newt for approval, it nodded back. After all, they were the ones who saved them. “My name is Snillrik.”

  “Snillrik? And here I thought Sappo had a weird name,” Caden let out a full-on belly laugh.

  Sappo smacked Caden upside the head with his wooden spoon. “I'm sorry, but please don't be rude,” Sappo recoiled his hand almost right away behind his polite request.

  “Alright, alright, I just couldn't help it I guess, I've just never heard a name like his before...” Caden rubbed the back of his head.

  “I prefer 'Theirs,' if you please,” Snillrik politely corrected Caden.

  “Oh, my bad! I'll remember that for sure, sorry about that.” Caden flashed an apologetic, bashful, yet assuring smile.

  Snillrik took a few seconds to themself to finish up the meal, and feel the oddly comforting rocking of the ship under them as the storm began to quiet. The room was small, dingy, and a little musty, but Snillrik focused on the generous warmth.

  “Thank you for the meal.” Snillrik put the dish aside on the floor. “And thanks for saving me, really, I'm in your debt.”

  Snillrik bowed their head in appreciation as low as they could, mostly in an effort to hide their pained face from Caden and Sappo. They thought they were going to die in that ocean alone, but somehow, they're now here safe, and with a full stomach at that.

  “Pretty great, right? Sappo made those himself,” Caden proudly hyped up Sappo.

  “It's really not so amazing...” Sappo muttered, and looked away, bashful as can be.

  “And don't worry about us saving you. Not like we were gonna just let someone drown out there, right?” Caden reasoned. “But why are you on the run from this Tirli?”

  “Well, as an inventor—” Snillrik tried to begin.

  “—Wait, you're an inventor?” Caden cut bright eyes at the the mention.

  “Yes, as are many Vessi,” Snillrik replied.

  “Please just let them finish...” Sappo sighed, and tried to hold Caden's excitement for now.

  Caden conceded for now, allowing Snillrik to continue on, despite appearing to be using every bit of his will to quiet his curiosity.

  “Along with every other Vessi inventor, I was tasked with creating something to present to Tirli for approval at the monthly convention. It's a brief event where us inventors line up, and show Tirli, that we are making effective use of our resources, and in turn, we gain permission to continue development. Really, it's just another way for him to monitor us, but I digress. When it was time to present my new invention, I was seen as an outcast, and abandoned without so much as a shred of hesitation. Not a single one of my peers came to my defense. If anything, they cheered on my exile...” Snillrik trailed off in disappointment.

  “Why? What did you end up making that'd make him want to just throw you out like that?” Caden knew he was missing something.

  “For months, I was researching, and working on this device that would allow us Vessi to come up on land with everyone else. Perhaps then, I thought at least, that we could all make each other better, and understand one another. But more importantly, I thought that we wouldn't need to rely on Tirli as much that way.”

  “Oh ya, you can't breathe up here, right?” Caden completely forgot in the midst of helping Snillrik.

  “Not exactly. It's a common misconception that we can't breathe on land. However, with Tirli further isolating us from the rest of the world, I can't be surprised so little is known about us. No, this invention deemed s
o dangerous and treasonous would simply regulate our bodies to the pressures of the surface. Without it, the drastic change in pressure shuts our bodies down. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't be sure if this would work as planned. After all, it was still technically in development without having been tested in action. But tt was between hoping I might make it out on land somewhere alive, or spending what would have likely been the rest of my days in a cramped cell.”

  “This Tirli sounds like a real lowlife," said Caden.

  “All because you just wanted to help everyone, or at least that's how it sounded to me...” Sappo knew the pain of exile all too well.

  “As I am sure you are able to already tell just from this, Tirli is not a man of reason. Anyone who goes against Tirli's wishes is ostracized by everyone else. Cutting you out of their life is much easier than risking any association, even if you were colleagues for years.” Snillrik swallowed down the swirling sense of betrayal. “Even if I managed to get rather lucky and escape, I know that he's petty enough to go after me with his vast resources and connections, if only to prove a point to others that there is no escape above or below.”

  “That's horrible...” Sappo lamented. “How can he control everyone like that?”

  “It's quite simple if you have everyone indoctrinated the way Tirli does. They have all become so reliant on him, believing he is the only one who can lead them—that he is essential to their survival and prosperity. And being closed off to the rest of the world, he's able to direct any narrative he so pleases. He controls everything in Avara, be it information or how we use glynt in our inventions.”

  “Glynt?” The word stuck out to Caden, having never heard it before.

  “Sorry for all of the questions.” Sappo felt a little bit of guilt interviewing Snillrik like this, but he would be lying to himself if he didn't concede he wants to know more too.

  “Oh, it's not a problem at all,” Snillrik dismissed any concern. If anything, they enjoyed venting about it. “In short, glynt is a strange substance that we Vessi discovered many generations ago, and as far as I know, there's nowhere else in all of the world where it appears, other than near our city, Avara. Unfortunately, even so many years later, none of us Vessi know what it exactly is; it's origins, or even how it works past a surface level of understanding. For example, this belt.”