Dreamer ignored Specter completely. “Put her in the water,” she said.
Willing to try anything, the Flaxers picked up Ponder again. Slowly, almost reverently, they lowered her back into the water-filled stone bowl where Mrs. Flaxer had first discovered her. They backed away and let the spring water rush over the wooden body.
Specter turned his head toward Dreamer. “This has gone far en…”
He trailed off because Dreamer’s eyes were glowing. So were Ponder’s. And so were the statue’s.
All three sets of purple eyes shone from within, matching in color and intensity, which grew until everyone else in the room was forced to look away. Then, as if a giant valve had been turned somewhere inside the mountain, the flow of the natural spring shut off completely. The water stopped pounding down on Ponder. The pool leveled off, as did the overflow channel. When that water level had lowered, the inner waterfall slowed and then ceased.
As fluidly as if they were flesh and blood, the great gemstone eyes began to move side to side. The eyes traveled across the congregation before settling on Ponder. Just as in Karkus’s shrine the night before, a voice filled the stone chamber. This voice was smooth, nonthreatening yet authoritative, similar to Ponder’s own. The otherwise perfectly still surface of the water below the stone platform vibrated in time with the words the bust spoke.
“Dear Ponder. You’ve made it back to me.”
Every bird, including Specter, drew back in complete surprise. Only the Flaxers, Dreamer, Healer, and Mauler were unaffected, having seen this before.
Ponder floated on her back, the glow in her eyes steadily matching those of the statue’s. “Optera, Goddess of Air and Water, I presume.”
The head of the statue had no mouth, but the cheeks rose and caused the eyes to curve from underneath in an unmistakable, approving smile. “I am indeed. You have overcome many perils to seek audience with me. That took no small measure of faith. Even though you witnessed my brother Karkus speaking with his Mauler, you did not take it as a guarantee that I would similarly favor you. And yet here you are. What would you ask me?”
Ponder thought for a moment. “First, I want to know why you put me in this immobile body.”
Optera nodded. “A difficult trial, I know. I chose to do this because of the message I wanted to you demonstrate for my birds. To put it simply, you cannot accomplish any of your objectives without cooperation. I needed to force you to develop charisma, leadership, the ability to persuade other people to work with you. And to help you achieve your purpose, I granted you the power to influence the thoughts and emotions of others.”
“And what is that purpose?”
“Karkus stated it well. I will corroborate everything he said to you. The Father Orchid, Arghast, has forbidden us gods to wage war on each other directly. By his laws, we may act only through the natural phenomena of the world, including our mortal followers. Toxid’s pigs have taken over this world and they feed him sheep’s blood to sustain and strengthen him. With the quantity of blood he consumes, he grows extremely powerful. He will soon be in a position to force us out altogether and solidify a permanent reign of terror and death. We cannot allow this to happen. So, Karkus and I were forced to put aside our petty grievances and work together. One god cannot stand against two.”
“Karkus did indeed explain all that to us very clearly,” Ponder replied. “What he did not do was tell us how we are to make this happen. What, exactly, do you want us to do to remove the pigs from power? Mauler may have strength and I may have eloquence, but I think these alone will not be enough to threaten the system they have in place. I fear birds and dogs can do nothing to undermine the Megatropolis, even if they mobilize together and take the sheep with them.”
The stone head lowered. “Rest assured, we will lead you to the next step, just as we brought you into the world and led you back to speak with us.” The amethyst eyes scanned the room. “Little Dreamer.”
Ponder shifted her gaze back to see what Dreamer was doing. She stood rapt at the lip of the stone tunnel. “Yes, Optera.”
“You are the key. You have been gifted with a degree of understanding that baffles even me. I confess I do not know how you received your incredible powers of sight, or why your eyes are the same as mine and my Ponder’s.”
Dreamer blinked, looking absolutely crestfallen. “My eyes aren’t from you?”
“No, I am afraid not. Much like your companion Healer, your nature is a complete mystery to me. But you have been a guide and guardian to Ponder. It is because of you that she has been able to fulfill her purpose thus far. I would ask you to stay by her side until our world is saved.”
“Of course,” said Dreamer. “I would do anything for her.”
Optera’s eyes curled into that smile again. “It is the duty of Mauler to bring the pigs down and break Toxid’s rule over the world. The role of Ponder is to help dogs and birds come to a level of peace and understanding that will ensure Toxid will never be able to rise again. Ponder, I have sent you to fly among the living and give people the truth: they are not to look to me for answers but to glorify me through discovery and advancement. Birds like Caper must lead innovation—not in spite of me, but in my name. You can make my vision of the world real.
“And Dreamer… you have a unique ability to touch the souls of others. Through you, too, I will channel my own power. Karkus has seen fit to bless Mauler and Healer with the ability to wreak potentially limitless destruction upon our civilization. You two are the peaceful counterbalance. If you can spread compassion and real understanding, you will end the strife that allowed Toxid to take hold of our world in the first place. Together, the four of you can embody the will of Karkus and myself. You are commanded to remove the pig war machine that destroyed us all. You are my vessels.”
The great statue paused, narrowing her eyes as if calling upon some unseen power. Not a single bird moved or said a word as Optera’s eyes begin to shimmer in an iridescent whirl of color. Specter collapsed to his knees in despair.
“Ponder,” Optera said, “I give you even more tools to make others see the world your way. The powers to deceive and overwhelm the senses are yours. And Dreamer, I augment your psychic abilities to make you more than a passive observer in the minds of others. Together, you two can bring this Goddess’s fondest wishes into reality. Make a world where the peaceful can prosper and the unjust cannot exploit them. Go with the blessing of Optera.”
Dreamer nodded solemnly and stepped back to stand next to Healer. The glow departed and her eyes returned to normal.
Optera looked at Ponder again. “There is one more thing. I have heard your private thoughts on how to resolve this current situation.”
Ponder said nothing.
“I want you to know, Ponder, that I agree with the conclusion you have come to. Share your decision only with the Mauler. He will understand. Karkus and I are in accord on this.”
“Thank you,” Ponder finally said.
The stone eyes changed to violet again and focused on Specter. “And you… you speak in my name but lead my people away from me. You keep them occupied with frivolous infighting so they cannot use their intellectual gifts to defend the vulnerable sheep from the abuse of the pigs.”
Specter drew back in terror. “G-Goddess… I have always followed your…”
“Go back to your slobbering masters,” Optera spat. “I wash my hands of you.”
The natural spring water began to gush forth from the eyes once again, plowing forward in a torrential wave. The rest of the birds cleared out of the path of the water, but the wave crested up towards the condor and his two raven followers.
Specter and his two servants tried to get away, but the rushing water caught them and threw them down the overflow channel. Squawking and sputtering, they were swept down the waterfall and out of Ptera Peak.
Tossed about by the water that raged in the shrine once again, Ponder waited for any more information. But the Optera statue had gone inert.<
br />
The Flaxers hurried to retrieve Ponder. The wooden macaw arose from the stone bowl to thunderous applause and cheers from the assembled birds. The canaries carried her over the rushing water and into Mauler’s outstretched arms.
“Now we know our purpose,” Ponder said warmly.
“I already knew you were here to do great things,” Mauler answered. “I am glad you know it too.”
Beside them, Healer and Dreamer stood in a tight embrace without saying a word.
Wender took flight and rose above the others. “This calls for a celebration!” he called out. “My home, everyone! We’ll have a feast! The feud of birds is ended!”
The gathering sounded off their approval. Ponder said nothing, absorbed in the warmth and safety of the powerful arms around her.
Dreamer looked up. “I could do with a meal. Sounds great. Healer, what do you think?”
Healer smiled. “Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we’re headed to the Megatropolis.”
Chapter 93
Everyone else seemed to be having a great time, but Dreamer just wanted peace and quiet so she could talk with her friends.
So many birds came to Wender’s home that they ended up relocating to a nearby fallen log. Everyone brought food. The log served as a makeshift banquet table for piles of seeds, berries, nuts, insects, and jugs of homemade wine.
Ponder stood at the center of the gathering with Dreamer and Mauler at either side. They retold the story of their adventure and answered questions posed by Church members and skeptics alike.
Every few minutes, someone asked Ponder the same question that gnawed at Dreamer’s brain: “What conclusion did you come to that Optera said she agreed with?”
And Ponder always gave the same answer: “Do not concern yourself with it.”
Dreamer kept an eye out for Healer, growing more concerned as the night wore on. He never came to the table for food or drink. She never saw him talking to anyone.
She got her chance to go look for him when Ponder announced that she was finished answering questions.
“I need to speak with Mauler alone,” the wooden bird said to the group. “Thank you for your support and your hospitality toward my companions. We will return to the festivities in a few minutes.”
Mauler picked up Ponder and carried her into the trees. Dreamer took the opportunity to slip away. She walked around the area, courteously greeting the birds that came to talk to her. Her eyes caught a blue figure and she tracked it down.
“Wender,” she said, “have you seen Healer?”
“He asked if he could have some paper and a pen. I took him back to my home. He was still there when I left. That was half an hour ago.”
“Thank you.” Dreamer set off in that direction. She found Healer sitting against the base of Wender’s tree, drawing what looked like a schematic.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
He looked up, surprised. “Oh, hey. I’m figuring out tomorrow morning. Are Ponder and Mauler around here, by any chance?”
“No. They went off alone to talk about that thing Optera told her to keep secret.”
“OK. Well, we should get together with them soon. I’ve come up with a plan.” He held out his drawing. She took it and sat down beside him.
“What am I looking at here?” she asked after a minute of staring at the overlapping shapes.
“When I was arrested, they dragged me through the Megatropolis and put me in the jail, which was pretty deep in the city. As Caper was walking me back out, I had a lot of time to look around. That’s my general understanding of the layout. Downtown, uptown, Chugg Corporation compound.”
Dreamer shook her head. “All that is well and good, but we’ll never break them out if we can’t even get into the Megatropolis.”
“Yeah, I got a good look at the defenses on my way in and out. That wall must be a hundred feet high—twice as tall as the quarry wall. And there’s that pair of massive guns at the top on either side of the gate.” Healer paused. “I saw them from pretty close. They looked high-tech, lots of electronics on them. They moved together, like a programmed pattern. I wonder if they can aim and fire automatically.”
“I don’t want to find out,” Dreamer said. “There has to be another way.”
“This is what Mauler and I were given our powers for. Karkus gave him all this physical ability and made sure I was able to keep him alive. Karkus said we have what we need to overcome anything those pigs can throw at us.”
“And then what? You’ll just kill everything in that city? Get some revenge for what a few pigs did to your father?”
Healer’s brow furrowed. “What?”
“You say you’re responsible for Mauler, but you’re going to let Karkus send him to get blood on his hands just for your little mission… or your own personal satisfaction. Remember our talk last night? You blamed yourself for us being in this situation. Do you want to make it worse?”
Healer shrugged. “It’s our purpose.”
Dreamer felt a drop of hot wrath fluttering in her chest. “Yeah? Well, you heard Optera. My purpose is to balance you out and stop you from going too far. We can free Caper and Boxer without leveling that city. Remember Caper’s lessons? Not every pig is terrible.”
“I’m not out to make pigs extinct. But I am going to put an end to their cruelty.”
“I want the abuse to stop, too. Optera told us how. Teach people. Put aside these petty fights. The key to the Chugg Corporation’s power is keeping everyone divided. In the face of unity, they’d have nothing.”
“And if that fails, Dreamer? What then? The difference between you and me is that I’m willing to do whatever I have to do to make our goal happen. If that means Mauler and I become killers… oh, well.”
“Whatever you have to do? So if a solution presented itself that didn’t involve any bloodshed, you’d take it. Right?”
Healer paused. “That might not be possible.”
“But it might be. Look, the Chugg Corporation has chased us for days and put our faces in the newspaper. Why do you think that is? We’re a threat. We have leverage. Bargaining power. Don’t you understand?”
“Sure I do.”
Dreamer reached out and laid a hoof on his cheek. “Then tell me you’ll take the peaceful way out if there is one. I don’t deny we may have to use force. But we may not. And if they give you the option and you don’t take it, if you choose violence when it isn’t necessary… I don’t think that’s the kind of killer you want to be.”
Healer set his jaw. “Alright.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise if we can resolve this peacefully, I’ll take the opportunity.”
She kissed him. “Thank you. Are you coming back to the party?”
“No. I’m pretty tired. Tomorrow’s going to be eventful. I may just fall asleep right here.”
Dreamer laid her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Sounds pretty good.”
Chapter 94
Healer and Mauler stood on the bridge over the great river. They faced the towering wall, their eyes taking in the reinforced metal gate, the twin guns atop it, and the massive corporate skyscrapers beyond. The sun glared at them from between Chugg Cybernetics and the main Chugg Headquarters building. The morning was cool and crisp, but a bead of sweat rolled down Healer’s temple.
Dreamer waited behind them on the Fleece City side of the bridge. The Flaxers held Ponder about thirty feet off the ground, rotating slowly. They all kept a lookout across the rolling green plains.
“There they are,” Ponder reported. “They approach from the direction of the Tooth & Claw facility. Perhaps they spent the night there.”
Healer looked to his left. Ledger and the other students were headed for the bridge at a brisk pace, led by some of the birds he had sent to find them. He watched as the rest of the scouts began to return, a group that included Wender and another fifty or so of the more adventurous birds. With the fifteen dogs on their side, Healer ha
d a sizeable group of allies.
The large gathering started to move in the direction of the bridge, prompting Healer to whistle and hold up a hoof.
“Ledger and Wender only,” he called out. “Everyone else stay as far back as possible.”
The Great Dane and the blue jay came his way. Dreamer ignored his request and joined them.
Ledger clapped Healer’s shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”
“Thanks for coming, Ledger.”
“Oh, we wouldn’t miss this. What’s the plan, Flesh-Mender?”
“The plan is everyone stays away except for myself and Mauler,” Healer replied. “We’re not putting anyone else in the firing line. You all stay here and be ready to run. I’m going to talk to whoever is in charge. If they force us to attack, we will go it alone. We’re going to test the limits of the new powers we’ve been given by the gods. If we can somehow disable the wall defenses, you can move in to back us up. If not, you all keep away, because it would just be a slaughter.”
“Healer…” Dreamer said hesitantly, “just remember what we talked about.”
He kissed her forehead. “I will. I’m going to do my best to negotiate. Now please get to a safe distance.”
Dreamer nodded and walked away with Ledger and Wender, but the frown of doubt did not leave her face.
Healer stepped up next to Mauler. “Ready, buddy?”
“Yes.” Mauler did not look at him.
“Alright. Let’s go.”
The two crossed the bridge side by side, heads held high, looking above the gate. Once they had crossed the bridge, the two guns rotated simultaneously to aim at them. Neither of them flinched. They followed the path and stopped about fifty feet short of the gate.
Healer cleared his throat. “Good morning,” he called out. “I want to speak with someone in a position of authority.”
At the top of the wall, a round, pink face appeared. Then several more popped up, all peering down at them from between the two massive guns.
“It’s them!” the first pig shouted. “Someone call the warden!”
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