Alliance

by Andrew Stride

  “We’ve been looking for you for days. What happened?”

  “I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you,” said Boroc. “I can barely believe it myself.”

  Sha was next and her emergence was no less dramatic but certainly more emotional. She rose from the waves, having nearly drowned from the weight of her body armour and was helped onto the sand by people she had never met before.

  This was the island of Zamo, where a small group of people had begun a journey, a quest for freedom in the hope of finding other human survivors. How remarkable then, after all this time, a human survivor should actually find them.

  Having prepared herself for the worst, Sha struggled to come to terms with what had happened, to make sense it. The fact that they had defeated the Formless Ones was equally difficult to grasp, but defeat them, they had. She would not have been standing here otherwise. What of the messenger? Had the one that changed everything, survived?

  As she looked around at the smiling faces, a great weight was lifted from her shoulders and the lightness in her heart told her that all was well. What a legacy, the gift of freedom.

  With freedom came responsibility. There would be trials ahead, as people here adapted to the change and what of Earth? Were the people there ready for a revelation?

  Ready or not, they would soon discover that they shared the universe with other forms of life and there was a planet called Shalasing, its very existence, proof that we don’t know everything.

  Acceptance of these discoveries would prove that the humans were finally free to think for themselves. There would be no fear of ridicule. The days of serving the diabolical were over.

  Like an infant standing on its own feet for the first time, the human race would need support and the races that had guided them through their darkest of days would be needed for this new chapter and in collaboration, they would form an alliance.

  Mica emerged, rising like a water nymph from the circular pool and collapsing in Robin’s arms.

  “Full circle, Robin, full circle. We did it,” gasped Mica, barely able to speak through her tears.

  Robin was having difficulty putting a coherent sentence together, himself and gave up trying and just held her.

  “I would never have believed I would have emerged from out of my pool of reflection,” laughed Mica, finally. “I can’t begin to tell you how good it is to see you. I thought I’d lost you forever.”

  Robin smiled. “Nothing could keep us apart Mica, not even the Formless Ones.”

  Deep in conversation, they left the pool, trying to answer the unanswerable, which for the moment would have to remain just that.

  “What now?” asked Robin.

  Mica took Robin’s hand. “Life doesn’t come with a set of instructions, Robin, so let’s make it up as we go along.”

  Epilogue

  Don’t Ignore The Signs

  Memories of his existence came flooding back to him as he stood there in the middle of a pattern, pressed into a field of wheat. The pattern was familiar to him, he had seen it many times during his journey and those open and willing to embrace it, would see it for what it was, a symbol of freedom.

  Others would brand this unsigned work of art, vandalism, clinging desperately to a mindset that would quickly find itself in the minority.

  Its edges clear, distinctive, orderly, the pattern heralded the beginning of change, a change that would touch every human soul, regardless of gender, race or religion.

  David turned, his eyes leading him back to the pattern on a newly formed path of broken stems and standing there looking upon it in wonder, the field whispers to him and says.

  “This is your planet speaking, please do not be afraid. Open your eyes like it is the first morning and embrace the wonders you see. That feeling in your heart is real and it is telling you, all is forgiven, so unchain it and set it free.”

  Over the sound of the whispering field, he could hear the sound of machinery, distant at first, but soon rising to a crescendo. The sound of clattering blades quickly shattered the morning chorus, steel against steel, unaware of the work they are about to undo.

  He watched in torment as the machine drew nearer and waved to the driver whose face was worn like a mask. Choosing not to see him, the driver gunned the engine more determined than ever, in a bid to hide the inconvenient truth.

  The pattern was soon eradicated and the machine trundled away, while its occupant was satisfied with the work it accomplished today.

  The field may have been scarred, but the voice remained unwavering and with the clattering blades receded, it could once again be heard.

  “Worry not, this crop will be harvested and those that refuse to see, will be given time to digest the truth. Even so, some will remain steadfast, clinging to the old ways, longing for their dark masters to return. These stiflers of the light will plot and scheme, but their twisted tongues will eventually be silenced and truth will prevail.”

  It turned out that David wasn’t the only one to return that morning. A host of people stepped out of fields, some emerged from the sea, but wherever they materialised, they left behind the symbol of freedom for all to see.

  Some of these individuals were unable to speak of their experience for one reason or other, while others broadcasted to the world.

  David returned home and was rather thankful that he was able to slip back into his mundane life, secretly knowing that he had played a major role in the transformation of the human race. He even took to buying the morning paper, since the news had become more digestible and certainly less biased.

  Despite everything, David felt there was something missing in his life and grew less and less content. He had been feeling the pull of the sea for a while now and finally gave in to it and moved to a cottage within easy reach of a beach.

  Early morning or late evening was the best time to hear them. He would never grow tired of their singing voices and sometimes he would catch a glimpse of them too. Their existence would become known in time and require another shift in consciousness, which would open the door to humanities past and ensure its place in the future.