The Deian War: Vermillion's Apostles

by Thomas Trehearn

  He decided to close his mind to the nature of the Gothican Empire as he made his way past the city’s river banks on his return route, but instead began to wonder how the previous night’s events would change things between him and Calla. It would be awkward at the least at the Academy. He had no desire for change, unless it were for improvement, so he was determined to act as normal when the week-start came around and they met face to face again. It would be painful, but their friendship deserved its continued life.

  Although at first his heart warmed to the idea, he realised that this would be harder than he first expected. He would have to find a way to deal with the tension between them, to get over it and become the friends they were before. Yet, such a thing was simply not in his powers to do.

  He shook his head at how insignificant the problem was; he was an Apostle of Vermillion, one of twelve humans elevated to the position of demi-god to fight a dimension-wide war to save the human race, but the rejection of a girl was plaguing his heart and mind. What was it about her? Why did he feel so connected, like it was meant to be?

  Only a few moments after feeling this conflict inside himself, he was home again. He scanned his hand at the door and watched it unlock patiently before entering. Sweating more than usual after his run, with the sun more dominantly in the sky today than he was used to on his dawn exercises, he went to the kitchen and poured some water into a large glass. Downing the refreshing, cool liquid quickly, he slowly had another as he sat at the table.

  His house, to others, would seem eerily quiet, but he enjoyed its atmosphere. It gave him a sense of safety and belongingness, as though no evil or pain could reach him here. He did not fear much, but the jeopardy of his personal space was something he did not take lightly, so the comfort of his own home was perhaps the most important thing to him now.

  Finishing the second glass of water, he felt an urge to shower and be clean again from the run. His skin was begging for the purity of water and his softly aching muscles were asking for the healing touch of its warmth. This physical strain, much like his disturbed sleep, was an alien experience for him. He walked upstairs and into his bathroom, which adjoined onto his bedroom. He left his clothes and shoes neatly on the floor and opened the shower door.

  Stepping in, he closed the glass pane behind him and immediately turned the shower on. He felt the pre-heated hot water pour over his body, washing away his sweat and distracting his mind. He stood under the cascading drops for almost twenty minutes, a time that felt so much longer to him, but he had no desire to move. Instead, he let the shower flow over him, relaxing his muscles and dousing his skin in replenishment as the minerals mixed in with the water treated his flesh caringly.

  Once he was satisfied, he turned the shower off and left the glass cubicle. It was fairly large, easily capable of taking two or three people, but though he had no need for that, he enjoyed the space. He fetched a towel from a heated panel protruding from the wall and headed to his bedroom. No longer than a few minutes after drying himself, he heard a faint tweet somewhere in the room.

  It resounded twice before finishing with a dull bell tone and he realised that it was his phone. It was a very similar device to the one Calla owned, but instead of the marble effect that hers featured, his shone of sapphire. He opened up the message on its main screen and was surprised to see who it was from. He wasn’t expecting Calla to have something to say before their inevitable meet at the Academy.

  He raised an eyebrow as he read the message, a mixture of intrigue and wonderment plain on his face.

  How are you, Lupus? It began. I was wondering…when you would like to go on our first outing?

  Of all the things he had anticipated and planned his reactions to, this had never even dared to cross his mind. With blunt bewilderment and a shimmer of hope coursing through his veins, he put the device on his bed and thought about his reply.

  LUPUS EVENTUALLY DECIDED that, although Calla’s message had stirred a new range of mixed emotions in him, he would reply with a time and place he deemed suitable. One he knew she would enjoy. A secret of his he was waiting to share with the right person

  How about tonight? We could walk along the river until it meets the cliffs of the sea. He suggested to her.

  The walk was one he had taken many times himself and there was a path that only he knew. It was lavished with an elegant natural beauty, unlike the manmade imposed wonders of the Cygnus City architecture, stunning though it was. Knowing that this could be Calla’s way of giving him one chance to win her over, he wanted to ensure the night was worth remembering.

  Though he wouldn’t bestow a hundred gifts on her, perhaps the finest jewels or delicate silks like most men would offer shallowly, the walk would give ample opportunity for them to rebuild the bridges that had burnt last night and to forge better ones. He knew Calla had little interest in material things, as she was a girl of heart and feeling, not of money and transience.

  After a few moments, Lupus started to feel anxious, but Calla answered him before his mind could drive him mad.

  I like the sound of that. I can come to your house at first evening, tonight?

  It was a simple message, one that gave very little away of how she was feeling about him now. It served to cement the idea that he had to take this chance to impress upon her again his claims and passion from the night before.

  He was tempted to ask her about her change of mind, but decided against it. If she really wanted to tell him, then she would do just that and he should expect nothing else. Although the prospect of the outing filled him with joy and optimism, he was careful not to overextend his hopes for fear of a second failure.

  Instead of focussing on the mystery of this sudden change and how it might suggest some kind of fickle side to Calla, who changed her mind about matters like this from day to day it seemed, he put his mind to more positive thinking. Perhaps she really did have a good reason for changing so soon. Nonetheless, he would not discover the truth unless she told him herself, which he couldn’t count on. He chastised himself for thinking about things negatively again so quickly.

  Resolving not to dwell on it any longer, lest he become mad with speculation, he changed into his clothes for the day and decided that he would do some studying after all. He prided himself on his knowledge; not just of how the Empire was made, but also how it worked, its philosophies and its ethics. It also happened to be a good way of distracting his mind from Calla’s first time to his house only a few hours away.

  LUPUS WAS WAITING in his living room for Calla to arrive. He had been sitting relaxed on a large couch, with room enough for three people. The furniture was made out of rich leather that afforded it both a luxurious touch and an aesthetic beauty.

  A screen on the wall opposite where he sat was showing the newscasts of the day, filling the room with light. It was, at first, detailing very tedious and boring events locally and barely caught Lupus’ interest. When he heard a knock on his door, however, an important newsbreak flashed across the screen, almost stealing his attention away from his priority of the evening.

  It was more important to him to answer the door than watch the news, but he had a feeling he shouldn’t miss it. Nonetheless, he made his way to front of his house. Opening the door, he was elated to see that Calla, not a disappointing stranger, was there waiting for him, resplendent in the low light of the setting sun.

  Not wanting to seem over-eager, he smiled gently at her, though on the inside he was battling to contain his excitement. A few seconds passed before either of them said anything and then they both tried at once.

  “Hi Lup-“

  “Calla, hel-“

  Calla blushed while he laughed at the awkward mimicry in timing. He hung his head and ruffled his hair as she continued.

  “It’s a lovely evening, isn’t it?” she said.

  Lupus looked out into the city and the sky beyond, already knowing that the evening was set to be a promising one. “It is,” he nodded. “I’m glad you chose
this time, it’s perfect. Do you want to come inside before we leave? I thought we could go for that walk in a few moments?” he asked.

  Calla nodded, “I’d love to” and returned the smile appearing on his face again more warmly and readily than he anticipated. As she came inside and the full light of his hallway illuminated her, he could now appreciate her full appearance. She looked astonishing.

  As usual, she did not need to overdress, or garb herself in the various makeups that her friends did, but her simple yet attractive attire suited her perfectly. She was wearing clothes similar to the night before, when he had gone to her house for dinner, which brought back to him a sting of regret, but now she wore a white top more detailed and with a bow across its lower back. Lupus could not help but stare for a brief moment and she caught the gaze, her cheeks turning red under his eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “You look beautiful tonight, more so than you always do.”

  Calla held a hand to her hair and brushed it behind her ear nervously as she thanked him for the generous compliment. Then she heard the newscast from his living room and suggested that they go inside and discover the cause for alarm coming from it.

  “What’s the newsbreak for?” she asked him as they entered the room. He gestured kindly for her to sit down.

  He sat next to her and told her that he was unsure. Before it had been merely a newscast, the regular form of the City’s media news, but now it had changed to a newsbreak which was reserved for the most important matters. Turning the volume up, it became clearer what the issue was when the lady presenting it could be understood more easily.

  The newsbreaker was dressed in a formal beige suit, suitable for the media’s formal appearance. In the backdrop of the city behind her, people were bustling about their normal business, most on their way home from work or heading out to have fun, unaware as yet what she was broadcasting and informing the rest of the city about.

  Earlier today, the Sentinels reported the arrival of several dozen ships in our orbit, seemingly out of nowhere with no prior warning. Fortunately, and it is uncertain whether through luck or planning, the fleet’s jump into our orbit was successful beyond flaw, with no ship-to-ship collisions with Gothican vessels she began, her tone authoritative yet shaky, giving the impression that she was as unsettled by this event as the city dwellers hearing of this now through her.

  “That can’t just happen…” Calla muttered. Lupus gave no reply, intent as he was on listening to the newsbreak.

  The Sentinels, quick as they have always been, soon hailed the fleet and discerned whether or not the armada were hostile or friendly to the Empire, though both are as unexpected as the other. When the mysterious ships gave no response and appeared to do nothing but retain orbit, the Senate was consulted in earnest. Whilst the ships gave no sign of hostility, the Fleet Officers on board the Sentinels had no choice but to prepare for conflict.

  “The Sentinels would have lost that fight…” Lupus said ruefully.

  Calla looked at him curiously, wondering why he had such conviction against his own world’s defences. “Why would you say such a thing? The Sentinels have stood guard over us ever since the beginning of the Colonisation Wars. They have never failed us”.

  Lupus replied without giving her his eyes. “Look at that fleet, Calla. Have you ever seen ships that big or powerful? You can feel their strength, even through the screen.”

  She gazed at the newsbreak and couldn’t help but agree with a nod of her head.

  “Besides,” Lupus continued. “The way they just jumped into orbit like that, not hitting any of our vessels…what kind of mastery is that? It’s beyond our abilities. They did it perfectly, fitting in between us. The Sentinels would have to sacrifice a lot of the trade ships just to get to them.”

  The newsbreak continued on in front of them. Strangely, the Senate informed the Fleet Officers that the fleet had been expected and were friendly to Gothica. Debate now rages as to the true nature of these ships, their presence here and why it was that such a large deployment was both unknown to the Sentinels and to the public. The Senate denies any hostile intent of the fleet and refuse claims that they are acting under duress. They insist that, sometime tomorrow, they will give a formal address to the public explaining the issue, but some people have expressed their concerns about the Senate’s own motives in concealing-

  “We don’t need to hear any more” Lupus said with finality, getting up and turning the screen off by a button at its side.

  Calla was surprised by him; usually he would take any opportunity to learn more about events like these and she considered that maybe there was a better night for their outing.

  “Are you not interested? I thought you revel in news about the Empire” she asked politely.

  He looked at her and replied thoughtfully, unwilling to admit the real reason why he didn’t want her to see the newsbreak any longer. “No, I am…but I do not expect to learn anything new from the opinions of those who are in no position but to speculate. The newscaster said the Senate will address us tomorrow; I think that’s the best chance to learn more about this. I must confess, this perplexes me…we’ve never had ships like these. I can only imagine that we have allies we have never seen or known before, or the Promethian Shipyards have made a breakthrough in ship design. Perhaps the fleets are being upgraded, hidden from public knowledge?”

  Calla seemed to buy his response, but in truth she had her doubts. She decided to play ball anyway. “They do say that we were unprepared for the Colonisation Wars. Do you think all the talk of the Prophecy in the last decade could have inspired this change, through fear of an enemy unlike any before?” she suggested.

  “It’s possible…” Lupus replied, knowing he couldn’t dissuade her easily from her opinion. Part of him knew that she had to be ready to accept the future, so any inkling of its reality would help her. “It would certainly explain why the Senate did not inform either the Sentinels or the public about this; if it’s some kind of test, to gauge the effectiveness of the ships and what must be some kind of cloaking technology, then what better way to see it than using a well-defended, friendly planet unsuspecting of it?”

  He had said this seriously, but as they looked at each other they burst into light-hearted laughter at their conspiracy theory. Despite trying to usurp the Senate’s explanation before they even made it, the two of them admitted that it was a better explanation than anything else they could think of. Neither of them wanted to suggest that some of the dissenters were right and that the Senate was being manipulated by someone…or something.

  Accepting that Lupus was still committed to her tonight and not the news, she placed a hand on his arm gently and said “I think we should take that walk now”.

  “Well, follow me” Lupus grinned, an air of confidence rushing through him at her touch. He went to the seat where she sat, offering his hand to help her up, and they left the living room for the front door. Picking up a coat for himself and offering a second, more effeminate one to Calla, who had underestimated how cold the night would get, they left his house behind and ventured onto the path that would take them to the river and their first outing.

  THEY FOLLOWED THE main streets that ran through the heart of Cygnus City until they came to the river bisecting it in equal parts. The roads were shouldered by clean, white pavements that ran flat against the polished black tarmac and at the sides of houses. The residential buildings came in all shapes and sizes, usually reflecting the occupants’ wealth, all sitting proudly in the encroaching darkness. By the time the two of them reached the water, which had high banks of untarnished light grey concrete and elegant, yet protective steel rails, it was late evening. The walk alone had taken half an hour and Lupus was unsure if they should go all the way along the river, but Calla insisted they might as well. She was looking forward to what he had in store for them.

  “I’ve never really been all the way along, not fully,” she confessed. “As a child I was always warned against
it by my parents; they told me the cliffs at the end were perilous, that no-one was allowed to go down there.”

  Lupus was a little shocked by her obedience after she seemed to him such a free spirit. He reasoned that since her parents’ warning as a child she had asserted her independence, excited now to explore and to do as she wished now that she had matured and could take care of herself.

  “I have been there a few times,” he said softly, trying not to rub it in. “It is a beautiful place and it can be dangerous to newcomers, but I know a way for us to reach the bottom safely. I promise no harm will come to you if you follow my lead,” he promised her, but she needed no reassurance. She trusted him as she always had done, ever since they first met at the Academy and he saved her from her isolation.

  For now, they had to follow the bank tops along the river. Its wide berth and steep depth meant that the rails were more than necessary to keep the city’s people from falling into the lively water. Lupus knew that there had been no deaths in the river for centuries, but he could still understand why Calla’s parents were so protective over her as a child. She was precious to him and she wasn’t even blood, so their love and care for her was surely limitless.

  As the two of them walked side by side, but without touching, they talked as fluidly and copiously as when they first met. They shared facts about their past, Calla more so, and of their hopes for the future. Calla told Lupus about her family, how they came to be in Cygnus and Lupus told her about his life before the Academy in return, though there was little they didn’t know about each other now. He had to use vagaries to cover up his past, but in essence he told the truth and it was enough to give her an idea of who he was and what he wanted in life, at least in his heart. Though, had Calla been able to decipher what the nature of his past was really like, Lupus was sure the walk would have been over long before.