by Jeremy Dwyer
Jolene took this as her cue, held Torin’s hand and guided him back to her cabin and closed the door. When they were alone, she said to him, sensually: “Lose everything else and just listen to me.” She began to kiss him, passionately. Torin’s connection to the stars was quickly lost while his connection to Jolene was complete and fulfilling. In his blindness, he saw nothing; yet, he felt everything during their lovemaking. The pleasure was intensified when Jolene drank of the waters of the Elanatin Ocean and thereby empathically linked with the young man, connecting with his mind as well as his body.
~~~
“No! Not again!” Nina yelled while standing on the deck of the Escapade as it sailed northeast across the Trerada Ocean.
“What is it?” Tomiko asked.
“I hear sounds from the suns! It’s a sound of pain!” Nina said.
“What do you mean? The skies are still bright. I don’t see anything,” Tomiko asked.
“Are you in pain?” Genevieve asked. She had chosen to remain with them, largely because they were intelligent and widely-traveled, which made them interesting.
“I’m not in pain. I don’t sense any darkness, either,” Nina said.
“Then this is different from before. You’re not being injured by this, so we can focus on details. Try drinking more Atrejan waters,” Tomiko said.
“Let me make them a little more pure,” Tristan said.
Nina handed her vial of Atrejan waters to Tristan. Then, he drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his own vial to become energized. He poured her water into a separate vial, using his powers to separate the impurities from the water crystals as he did so. After spilling out the impurities left in her vial, he poured the higher purity Atrejan waters back into Nina’s vial and gave it to her.
Nina drank of the higher purity Atrejan Ocean waters and was energized. She listened for the sounds of the stars and heard them clearly, as well as something strange.
“I hear all the usual suns – the nine (9) blue, the twenty-four (24) yellow and the thirty-seven (37) red. They’re not dark like before. They’re in the sky, moving the way they usually do,” Nina said.
“That’s good, I assume. So, what isn’t good?” Tomiko asked.
“There’s more. The other sound is like a different sun – and it’s not up in the sky. It’s all around us, down here. And it’s in pain,” Nina said.
“After the things I’ve seen up close – including that horrid sunfire creature – that’s actually quite frightening. If all the usual suns are in the sky, then this may be an unfamiliar adversary,” Genevieve said.
“It’s in pain. Why do you assume it’s an enemy? Can we help?” Stephan asked. He wasn’t inclined to be negative, despite living in a clearly dangerous world.
“A wounded lion can be more dangerous,” Genevieve said.
“Genevieve is correct. You’ve been with us long enough, Stephan. We always have to assume a bit of danger, without letting it distract us,” Tomiko said.
“This doesn’t mean it’s a star, however. If you’re hearing something, it could be ghosts or even distant music,” Carter said.
“However, if there is someone – rather than something – in pain, then that might be detectable,” Yared said.
“Then you each know what to do,” Tomiko said.
“First, let’s improve the water purity,” Tristan said and Carter handed him his vial of waters from the Zovvin Ocean. Tristan applied the purification process and handed the vial back to Carter. He did the same for Yared and his vial of Elanatin Ocean waters.
Carter drank anew of the higher purity waters of the Zovvin Ocean from his vial and was energized. He concentrated to sense the presence of spirits, but none were nearby, and nothing in the spirit world could account for Nina’s report.
“There are no malevolent spirits nearby – the few spirits I do sense are not causing any disturbances we could hear,” Carter said.
Yared drank anew of the higher purity waters of the Elanatin Ocean from his vial and was energized. He focused on locating thoughts and feelings everywhere around him, but detected only those of the crew. If the source of the sound was a living being in pain, he could not detect that being telepathically or empathically.
“I don’t sense anyone or anything – either telepathically or empathically – nearby: there is no indication of any pain,” Yared said.
“Stephan, you can sense sound better than any of us, besides being able to create musical sounds,” Tomiko said.
Stephan handed his vial of Pirovalen Ocean waters over to Tristan, who then purified and returned them.
Stephan drank anew of the higher purity waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from his vial and was energized. He listened for strange sounds or sounds at a great distance and sensed nothing special.
“I’m hearing everything I usually hear – people on ships in the distance, the rolling waves of water, all the regular sounds,” Stephan said.
“We have some research to do in Emeth, so there’s no sense in worrying about this now. Let’s be on our way. We still have to make discoveries to turn a profit, and pay our share of the profit to Alistair. It’s still his ship,” Tomiko said.
“He’s still an idiot,” Nina said.
“Our expenses could be much greater if we had to pay the full price for a ship. His arrangement is more than fair: we do the work at which we’re experienced and pay him a share to cover our usage of this vessel. He stays on land, and doesn’t get involved in our day-to-day activities,” Tomiko said.
“The idiot’s not on board. At least that’s an improvement,” Nina said.
“Unpleasant as usual, Nina. Yet, you’re not the one in pain,” Yared said.
“Let’s have some positivity. We’re going to Emeth, so we should learn something interesting,” Genevieve said.
“And profitable. Nina, can you still navigate?” Tomiko said.
“Yes, I’ll get us there,” Nina said. She listened to the sounds of the stars and kept the Escapade on course.
~~~
On the Bazavadoran Isthmus, inside a room atop one of the eleven (11) towers of King Hamza Bazavador’s castle, a sixty-eight (68) year old man named Ochieng drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He listened and heard a faint sound in the distance, and it was unusual in its character. He listened carefully for the sounds of the usual suns, and found all of them – the nine (9) blue suns, twenty-four (24) yellow suns and thirty-seven (37) red suns – all present at their full brightness and moving in their usual ways. This sound was that of something different from the other suns. It was very similar, in that he was certain that it was a sound only a sun could make. Yet, it was different enough to not be any of the usual suns, and its position was wrong. It was not in the sky, but all around. The sound, despite its clarity, was faint.
Ochieng left his private room and walked through the castle’s hallways to the tower wherein was found the throne room. A guard, Captain Duvall, met him outside the throne room. Ochieng said: “I need to speak with His Majesty.”
“Is this news of failure? If so, you will be the first to die, so as to soothe his anger,” Captain Duvall asked.
“No, it is news of a mystery. Whether it bodes good or ill, I do not know. Yet, it is my duty to watch the suns in the sky and report of the unusual,” Ochieng said.
“What is the nature of this mystery of the suns in the sky?” Captain Duvall asked.
“A new sound has joined the usual sounds. The ordinary suns have their full brightness and regular movements; yet, they may no longer be alone, as I hear a sound such that it could be a new sun,” Ochieng said.
“Tell His Majesty yourself. If he is distressed by this news, he will tell me, and I will strike you down,” Captain Duvall said.
“I will tell His Majesty of this matter, so that I am not remiss in my duties to him,” Ochieng said.
Captain Duvall opened the door leading into the throne room and found the king awa
ke and alert on his throne. Ochieng stood beside the guard captain.
“Your Majesty, your stargazer Ochieng is here with a message for you. It is a mystery, which he does not know to be good or ill. I stand ready to strike him dead if you so wish it, my King,” Captain Duvall said.
“Approach the throne, Ochieng, and bring me your message,” King Hamza Bazavador said in his powerful voice. It was full of authority, but not full of anger. His orders to Captain Duvall were to keep foolish words and irreverent buffoons out of his throne room. Ill news was not a crime and he would not order the execution of a messenger if the message were true.
Ochieng approached and said: “I thank you, Your Majesty, for hearing me today. I have been intently listening to the sounds of the suns in the sky. By my counting, they are all present and have their full brightness. They move in their usual ways. Yet, a new sound is among the sounds they make, heard by me due to drinking the waters of the Atrejan Ocean. It is as if a new sun shines, different from all the others.”
King Hamza Bazavador stood up immediately and said: “Captain Duvall! Leave us to speak in private.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Captain Duvall said. He left and closed the door to the throne room, mystified. It was unusual for the king to react in such a way.
“In the way that you interpret the sounds of the ordinary suns, you know their positions and movements. What is the position of this – supposed – new sun?” King Hamza Bazavador asked.
“If it is a sun, it is not positioned in the sky like the others, Your Majesty. It is all around us, at the level of the ground. I say it is like a sun, by its sound; yet, I do not yet entirely believe it,” Ochieng said.
“Do not entirely disbelieve it, either! Whatever you hear, you will share it with me immediately. Remain in this tower, taking up residence in the same room as my guards, for you are my guard in matters of the suns,” King Hamza Bazavador said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Ochieng said.
“You are dismissed,” King Hamza Bazavador said.
Ochieng left the throne room and went to wait in a room with the armed guards in the same tower. There, he drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He continued to listen to the sounds of the suns, and still detected the unusual sound, albeit very faintly.
~~~
Indigo stood on the deck of the riverboat as it arrived at the riverbank near a small village. The Prince Jalvin’s Crossroads was home to varied towns and villages with an unusual market consisting of exotic goods and services. It was a bit of a mystery what – or who – she might find. She was accompanied by her friend – a handsome twenty-seven (27) year old man named Drystan. He drank the waters of the Trerada Ocean for good health, but it multiplied his good looks as well. Life was drudgery for Indigo, but Drystan’s affections and comeliness were the bright spots.
To maintain her awareness, Indigo drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from her vial and was energized. She heard the sounds of the ordinary suns, as well as something else, however faint. It wasn’t painful for her to hear, and the suns were not darkened, but the unusual sound was concerning. It was like the ordinary solar sounds in more ways than it wasn’t, but it was still different in its character, and it sounded like a cry of pain. Stranger still, it wasn’t coming from the sky, but seemingly from all around her. Despite that, listening to the sounds of stars was safe again – and the stars shone brightly again – because the luminaries were no longer lit. She knew for a fact that the eight (8) luminaries she secretly carried were not lit, and she was determined to never allow their flames to burn again.
Indigo winced at hearing the strange sound and Drystan noticed this in her facial expression.
“What’s wrong?” Drystan asked as they stepped off the riverboat and onto the pier leading into the town.
“I just need another kiss,” Indigo said as she leaned in and kissed him sensuously. She didn’t want to share her troubles and dangerous knowledge with the young man for fear that he would be alarmed, changing into a serious partner instead of a relaxed lover.
The couple made their way into the village and rented a room for the night. Indigo paid with one (1) silver coin, having received over four hundred twenty (420) silver coins in exchange for just one (1) of the rubies given to her by Baron Ottokar before she left his castle in the Citrine Desert in Volaraden. After Indigo took intimate pleasure in her traveling companion, she rested for the night to be ready for the complicated business ahead.
~~~
On board the Sun Lynx, Rayner and Guillermo sailed the Ursegan Ocean, along the western coast of the continent of Waderav. They transported cargo and passengers at rates below the usual cost, making a profit by Rayner’s careful planning and efficient course plotting. Rayner drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He heard the usual sounds and something more – a strange and distant sound, like that of a sun, but unlike that of any sun he knew. It was a sound of pain – but it was not painful for him to hear, as it was during the darkness. The ordinary stars had their full brightness and regular movements, so this was something else, and it was somewhere no sun would be.
Guillermo knew his way around a ship, having been a captain of his own vessel for decades. He was older now, however, and found it better to sail with this younger man, who could navigate proficiently by the sounds of stars. The old man took pleasure in the mysteries of the voyages, and he noticed nearly everything. He even noticed the puzzled look on Rayner’s face.
“What is it?” Guillermo asked.
“I hear something different from the stars. Something unusual,” Rayner said.
“What is different? Are the suns painful to hear again?” Guillermo asked. He looked up and saw nothing strange. Then, he said: “The skies do not seem dark, unless it is too faint for the eyes.”
“No. Not like that. When the skies were dark, I heard sounds that were painful for me. Now, I just hear sounds of pain. I know the sounds of the regular suns – the sounds tell me where they are, where they’re going and where they’ve been. That’s all normal – all the regular suns are there, and as bright as ever. Now, I hear something more. It’s like the sound of some kind of sun – more similar to, than different from, the usual ones – but it’s different enough,” Rayner said.
“Are you saying there’s another sun? That would be most unexpected. How could such a thing come into being suddenly? Someone, somewhere in the world would know about it if it had been there all along…unless they kept it a secret,” Guillermo asked.
“But it can’t be a sun. It doesn’t sound like it’s from up there,” Rayner said.
“Where does the sound seem to be coming from?” Guillermo asked. He was fascinated and delighted by the mystery and all that it implied. It was a new chance to make life more interesting.
“Down here. All around us,” Rayner said.
“Can you still navigate?” Guillermo asked.
“Yes. That’s fine. We’re still in business,” Rayner said.
“Perhaps our business should include discovering this strange new sound,” Guillermo said.
“Maybe you’re right,” Rayner said.
CHAPTER 5: Faith in Suns and Spirits
The Unbroken Amethyst – an eighty-one (81) foot long galleon having three (3) pairs of pivoting, double-masted sails – traveled to and fro across the Atrejan Ocean.
“I sense their glorious sound…faintly,” Saverio said. He was a fifty (50) year old man dedicated to a singular purpose. He drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial and was energized. He concentrated more intensely, but the sound was still faint and weakening.
“Are you sure the sound is what you think?” Ines asked. At forty-nine (49) years of age, she still had her hopes, but they were tinged with skepticism. She knew that Saverio was very good at listening to the sounds of the stars, but she wasn’t going to settle for good or even very good.
“I am certain of
it, Ines. Yet, the sound grows weaker with each passing moment,” Saverio said.
“With it, so must our confidence that it was anything of importance,” Ines said.
“You, of all people, should not lose faith. You trust in spirits, even though they do things in their time,” Saverio said.
“Stars are related to spirits, but they are not the same as spirits. They cannot be compared. Do not let your hope increase your belief, Saverio. Remember that the ritual is useless if performed incorrectly, or too far from the violet suns,” Ines said.
“They will return. Their fires still blaze…and their flames are not so far away,” Saverio said.
“What do you sense? If there is light, even faint, I should be able to detect it? Give me a direction in which to look,” a young woman asked. Chiarina was thirty-one (31) years old and a drinker of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean. She drank anew of those waters from her vial and was energized. After this, she looked out into the distance, expecting to notice something unusual, and of a violet color, but nothing appeared, not even three hundred thirty (330) miles away, which was the limit of her far sight ability.
“It’s all around us,” Saverio said.
“It’s no use, Chiarina. You know that the sounds of the stars are different from the sight of them. He is overly sensitive. This is just a distraction, until we have more evidence,” Ines said.
“I assure you, no sound such as this has ever occurred to me in my fifty (50) years. I drank the Atrejan waters from birth,” Saverio said.
“I trust that you heard something different. Yet, that is weak evidence, rather than proof,” Ines said.
“You believe the tradition, do you not?” Saverio asked.
“Of course I believe it! I know that it is more than a legend – the three (3) violet suns truly burned in the first age. That story has been passed down to us for eons, and we are to search for them. Yet, what you sensed doesn’t prove they still burn, or that their flames can be rekindled. After the darkness, blue, yellow and red suns each returned to their full brightness, as you yourself admitted. Yet, there has not been a sign of the violet suns in any recent time,” Ines said.