by Jeff Inlo
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Ryson Acumen, a purebred delver, moved quickly on foot toward the setting sun. The soles of his boots barely grazed the surface of the road, creating just enough impact to propel him forward. The soft step reduced the chance of leaving a trail as well as lessening the amount of friction which might slow him. The striking of foot against ground conceived the lightest of sounds, nearly inaudible until he was upon you. How strange this sight was; pumping legs moving like pistons at break neck speed, yet with near silence and total control. He moved like most delvers moved, as if blessed with the grace of an angel flying among the clouds.
While it appeared this delver was running swiftly, in truth, Ryson was merely setting a comfortable scouting pace. His face revealed his ease with the stride. His mouth shut, breathing through his nose, he showed no signs of physical exertion. He might as well have been resting upon a soft, feather bed. It was the gift of the delver. He could keep this step for many hours without any discomfort.
Ryson's physical presentation included a trim, fit body; from his narrow shoulders down through his long legs. His arms, also long but not to the point of gangly, draped gracefully from his shoulders. His movements were always smooth and precise. His face was only slightly narrower than most, and his features maintained the balance. A crop of short, well-kept hair rode the top of his head. He grew his hair longer once, but the rustling behind his ears interfered with his keen hearing.
Still, with his physical stature as it was, he needed only to act as the common man, and no one would ever identify his delver heritage. But Ryson ran through the town at this particular moment because his delver soul was filled with much too much anticipation. Even as he pressed onward, his mind filled with memories of the quake. The rumble of the tremor echoed as clearly in his mind as if it were still passing under foot. It was not so much the tremor itself which thrilled him, but the results which it may have left behind. It constituted the opportunity for new exploration. It was this, as well as his meeting with Elizabeth Bent, that drove him with eager anticipation.
As he moved toward Connel's town square, he considered his earlier conversation with the councilwoman. While he believed the quake would create an opportunity for his skills, he never believed she would agree to pay so much. He blessed his own luck as he considered his task, a task perfect for a delver. A task he might have set out to complete on his own had he not found a willing employer.
Quakes were rare in this part of the world. In fact, Ryson never experienced one before this morning. He did know that they carried the power to change the land, land which he scouted many times before. After watching the quake roll past Connel, Ryson actually felt something call to him. The very air bristled with subtle changes somewhere beyond the horizon. A deep instinct awakened and the desire to scout the land emerged with great force. It pressed upon his senses to strike out and investigate. Deep within him, he realized that what he had once examined and had placed into his great memory was no longer the same. Perhaps the entire land of Uton had been altered, and it was his fortune to determine how. So strong was his instincts, he felt the need to leave immediately.
With no family in town, Ryson did not hesitate to begin his scout. As for equipment, a delver needed little. That which was most important, he carried with him always. It included a knife, a short rope, and a spyscope. Everything else, such as food and shelter, could be found along the journey.
Thus, the able-bodied delver departed with no further delay. With half of a sizeable payment already in his pouch, he moved westward to the beckoning lands with euphoria. So great was his anticipation over what he might find, he moved passed Connel's citizens with near disregard until someone called for his attention.
"Delver!" A voice called out. It held a strong tone, yet concern was also evident.
Ryson brought himself to an immediate halt. Amazingly, the delver showed no sign of imbalance at such an instantaneous stop.
He faced the origin of the voice which called to him. He was already well aware of his exact location, for he always kept his bearings when moving. With but a subtle glance of familiar territory, a delver could reveal more about his surroundings than an ordinary man could recite even after taking hours to study. He stood at the steps of the Church of Godson and the leader of the church waited just outside the front door.
The leader, dressed just as any other man of town, took a few steps downward and motioned for Ryson to meet him halfway.
Ryson acknowledged with a nod and slowly proceeded upward, one step at a time. He stopped two steps below the church leader, yet high enough to command a strategic view of the surrounding area.
"Yes sir?" Ryson said reflecting a tone of politeness as well as respect.
"I am Reader Matthew," the middle-aged man said plainly. If he was proud of his position in his small church, it did not show in his tempered speech. He bowed slightly at Ryson.
"I know, sir," Ryson bowed in return.
Matthew showed little emotion other than concern to a distant problem.
"And I am aware that you are Ryson Acumen, full-blood delver."
"I am."
While Ryson continued to feel a great urge to move quickly upon his quest, he curbed his impatience. He waited respectfully for Reader Matthew to continue.
Matthew acknowledged Ryson's honor with a thankful smile before returning a weary gaze to the west.
"You are no doubt setting out on a mission of exploration," the reader stated succinctly. "You are moving west. It pleases me to see this. May I ask you of your objectives?"
"Certainly," Ryson responded without hesitation. Councilwoman Bent said nothing about maintaining secrecy over the matter; otherwise he would have kept a measure of discretion. Instead, she made it plain that the entire town council had asked for the delver's assistance. In fact, she was not at all cautious when making her request. She had spoken as if she wanted everyone in the tavern to hear, thus he treated the request as if it were public knowledge. "I'm to explore the lands and towns west of Connel. After I've investigated how our neighbors have fared against this morning's quake, I'll send reports back to the town council by courier. I'm to report as to damage and the need for labor and materials."
"How far are you commissioned to travel?"
Ryson considered the question for a moment before replying. "To Burbon and Pinesway. That appeared to be the greatest concern. There's not much beyond that that I think the council might be interested in."
"What are your own personal objectives?" Matthew asked with a delicate tone.
Again Ryson answered without hesitation, but he glanced over his shoulder as he spoke. "I want to know more about this tremor, what it might have done."
Matthew nodded his head. "That is good. I have a charge for you. I hope you will accept it."
Ryson did not speak. He waited for the reader to announce his request.
Matthew exhaled deeply before continuing. "I need to know what has happened. I need to know where this quake came from. And I also need to know how the land has changed. I can offer you no payment. I can only hope that you will include me in your reports. I will also hope that you continue your journey even if it means venturing far beyond the limits of your original employer's wishes. I ask that you continue west until you find the source of this quake, if of course that's possible."
"I doubt finding the source would be difficult," Ryson responded with certainty. It was not with arrogance he spoke, but with calm confidence in understanding the land. "All I have to do is find the area of greatest upheaval. That should indicate where the quake began."
"Then will you do this for me?"
Ryson reflected upon the proposal with obvious hesitation.
His silence brought anxiety to the reader. Not wishing to be turned down, the reader hoped to entice the delver further. "If it is payment you need, I may be able to scrape something together. We are a poor church, but this is of ..."
Ryson politely interru
pted. "It's not that. I've already been hired and I don't see a conflict in sending you reports. I would also be more than happy to inform you of what I find beyond my work for the council."
Hopeful expectation blanketed the face of the reader. "Then you'll do it?"
"I don't know if I can," Ryson responded with all honesty. He did not wish to dampen the spirits of the reader, but he also felt the need not to misguide him. "I’m not just dismissing your request, but I don’t know what I’m going to find out there. Right now the source of the quake interests my instincts enough so I want to know more, but that could change quickly depending on what I find. It would be hard to follow a trail of dust if I come across something of greater interest. Do you understand?"
"I do, but I don't think that will be a problem," Matthew reflected. His expression still held hope, yet it also included deep deliberation. He appeared to be placing the limits of logic upon his own dilemma. With a satisfied nod of his head, he continued. "If the quake does hold importance, for me as well as for you, it will continue to pull upon you. If it does not, then my own anxieties over the matter will be eased just as well. You are a delver with keen insights. I simply have to trust your instincts."
Ryson kept his eyes upon the reader, but he chose his words and tone carefully. He did not wish to insult the reader, but Matthew's request, if not his concern, created questions of his own. "If you don't mind, what is it that's bothering you? I haven't had much contact with people of your faith, but I've never known any of them to show such concern. Your own admission has me wondering what you think I might find."
"The truth is, I have no idea what you will find," the reader stated plainly, the gleam in his eyes giving way to the resurgence of that which disturbed him. "That is what truly bothers me. It has been some time since I have had to deal with the unknown. I must admit, I do not like it."
"We all deal with the unknown," Ryson commented with skepticism. "Forgive me for saying so, but I still don't understand why it's upsetting you so much. I have seen the people of your church face much more serious problems without showing the same concern. Truthfully, I have always admired that. Because I want to help you find what it is you're looking for, I have to ask again, what makes this quake so distressing?"
Matthew smiled upon the delver. "You honor your people. If that has not been said to you before, it is long overdue. You show respect with honesty. I shall try to do the same. The truth is that we do not face the unknown as the rest of the town. We are blessed with knowledge of things to come. People of this church follow the Book of Godson. It contains many prophesies, but it describes them in elaborate fashion. An ordinary follower or reader, including myself, has a difficult time understanding the true meaning. Roughly ten cycles ago, however, we were blessed by a visit from a believer with a great power of understanding. I will not reveal his name out of respect for his own wishes. During his stay, he revealed to us the meaning of many of the prophesies. He explained them clearly and in our own language, and he actually told us what to expect over the many cycles to come. Amazingly, each and every one of his interpretations occurred just as he explained. We studied his work and soon we were prepared for every major event which would affect this land before it would even happen. When we heard rumors, we knew which were true and which were not. The interpretations have guided us in that respect and we have relied on them ever since.
"To the people of this church, the interpretations have become a great source of strength and hope. They project great things for those that hold to the works of Godson. The interpreter told us of a time when this land would become a place of peace. While I can not reveal to you his work, I can tell you that many of the prophesies have not occurred and are not scheduled to occur for many cycles."
"I really don't see what the problem is," Ryson admitted.
"The problem is that this quake was not prophesied to us. The translator made no mention of such an event in any of his writings. Yet, we have grown accustomed to knowing such events before they occur. Unfortunately, this morning we faced the quake just as the rest of the town, with no warning and no idea that it was coming. For us, this is most unusual. It is also most discomforting. Some of our members are wondering if the interpretations are now in danger of failing. This would be a terrible event, for we have grown to base all of our hopes on these same interpretations."
"What has the translator to say of this?"
"We can not ask him. His stay with us was only for a few seasons. Such was his way. He would stay temporarily at each church explaining the meaning of the prophesies before moving on to the next. If he were here, he might be able to explain what is wrong, but he is not."
Ryson considered the tale, scratched the side of his face as he offered his own explanation. "Could he have just missed this one? Or maybe it wasn't even in the prophecies."
The reader shook his head. "Every major event has been prophesied and translated for us. I can't believe he missed it."
"What if it wasn't a major event?" Ryson offered. "Maybe this was just a minor incident?"
"Is that what you really think?" the reader eyed him questioningly.
The delver raised an eyebrow and sniffed the air around him. To his senses, he already noticed subtle alterations. "I'm not sure. I sense changes, something in the air. But how important… I just don’t know."
"I'm sure you can sense things which are beyond my reckoning," the reader allowed and once again his focus shifted to the lands to the west, "but what about the tremor itself? Wouldn't you consider experiencing a quake in these parts as out of the ordinary? I'm not even sure of when the last recorded tremor came upon these lands."
"I would have to agree. The actual quake was a unique event. But who knows how important it really was?" Ryson kicked lightly at the stone steps of the ancient church. "From what I've seen so far, the quake has done little to leave its mark. There's hardly a damaged building to be found. Maybe that's why your prophet failed to alert you to its coming."
"I have thought of this myself,” the reader allowed. “It is what I'm saying to comfort the others. It is not, however, making any of us rest easier. We have spent much of the day going over the work of the translator in hopes of finding something we might have missed. We have even gone as far as attempting to interpret prophesies in different ways. We have not done this since the translator made his visit. But our attempts have been useless. It's a daunting task and we have not been able to find any reference to this strange tremor. It continues to disturb us all, and as I look upon you, my doubts become even heavier."
Ryson looked thoughtfully at the reader. "Why is that? Have I said anything which bothered you?"
"No, no!" Matthew said apologetically. "It is not in what you have said. Instead, it is in the heightened excitement I sense within you. Your natural instincts are driving you to explore the lands and investigate what has happened. I can see that and that is precisely what worries me. I think your powerful senses might be telling us that there is something important out there."
Ryson shook his head doubtfully. "I wouldn't be so certain. I admit my urge is strong, but I've never been able to rely upon that with any certainty. There may be nothing more to see than a few cracks in the land or a broken road. I simply won't be able to tell what's out there until I take a look."
Matthew nodded in agreement. "That is why I have made this request of you. If you report to us that the quake left little mark on our world, than we will all sleep easier."
Ryson held out his hand in friendly reassurance. "Then, I’ll ask you to relax, for now. I'll include you in my reports, and I’ll let you know if there is anything to worry about only when I find it. Due to the nature of your concerns, I will limit my reports to include only the changes I find and not to those seeking supplies or building materials," Ryson smiled broadly in hopes of breaking the tension which gripped the reader.
The reader chuckled. "Thank you. I doubt we could offer any real help. Leave that
to the council."
"I will," Ryson replied with a continued smile, "but I will tell you what I see and what I find. I'll let you interpret this as you see fit. As to finding the source of the quake, I'll make every attempt to find it, but if I do break off my search, I will send you word."
"That is all I can ask, even more." The reader placed his hand upon Ryson's shoulder. "Go now and do not hesitate to report any of your findings. I need to know the bad as well as the good."