by Drew Bell
Chapter 19
Ailios’ roads, while wide, were cluttered with the merchants and vendors selling their wares. Excited Aurrus children ran through the streets, purchasing sweet candies and sparklers, their laughter piercing the deeper laughter of the adult Aurrus watching from balconies of the homes facing the streets.
The Aurrus adults appeared to be slightly shorter than Miles; probably about four and half feet tall, resembling short biped elephants. Their limbs ended in hands with hoof-like fingers, they clumsily grabbed goods from their vendor carts, handing them to the children. Their noses were elongated like an elephant’s trunk ending in a bulb, their ears fan-shaped, but their eyes were small; about the size of a button. Miles surmised, without asking, that the Aurrus didn’t use their eyes as a human would. The Aurrus continued with their festivities ignoring the two Callos and the odd-looking alien.
“Was there somewhere we were planning on going? You know, in particular?” Miles asked.
Lalia continued to lead the way through the busy streets:
“Yes. I am hoping that a friend of mine is still in Ailios.”
“You have a friend in Ailios?” Garth asked.
“I don’t but my great grandmother did, two-hundred years ago; there is a chance that her friend is still alive.” Lalia reasoned.
Lalia cut between two vendor’s carts and led them down a narrow alley way. The alley way was dark and damp. Miles stepped on old discarded fruit; the smell of rot inducing his gag reflex.
Garth stopped to help him: “Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. This stuff is gross.” Miles answered kicking the fruit down the alley.
The alley gave way to an open pavilion, the curtains of the houses were each drawn, and the round space was dark and empty. Lalia approached the fountain in the middle, dropping her hand into the cool water to splash on her face; the grit of the dust washed off.
“This is as far as I can remember.” Lalia told them.
Garth approached the fountain and sat on its edge:
“I don’t recall any memories of Ailios, sorry I can’t help.” He apologized.
The festival continued, down the far end of one alley Miles could see several Aurrus children prodding the rotted fruit with some toys that they had just purchased. Their shouts of delight wore on Miles, he was tired, they continued to sit in the pavilion for several hours. The rotted fruit split open and the children each giggled and screamed as the fled from the stench of the fruit. Miles moaned and held a hand to his temple, Garth eyed him curiously. Miles slumped up against the wall of one of the Aurrus homes facing the fountain, Lalia, and Garth:
“The Aurrus are friendly right? Why don’t we just get them to talk with the Admiral on our behalf and have them settle the situation?” Miles asked.
“I’m afraid that the Aurrus don’t have a formal government. Ailios has prospered with a live and let live mentality. Besides, in all likelihood they would turn us over to the Admiral as a token of good favor.” Lalia explained.
“You sound just like her.” A voice said from the shadowy alley beyond the fountain, a silhouette appeared in a robe. The silhouette approached slowly.
“I should. I am Trelier’s great granddaughter after all.” Lalia replied, cocking her head and facing the stranger.
“Yes, you are. You also inherited a precision in thought and decisiveness in language from your great-grandmother in the war. You are the great granddaughter, but one clearly different from the rest. I could hear it in your voice.” The cloaked figure reached out to touch Lalia’s shoulder; “And in your posture.”
“I would presume that you are Braes Attounkos?” Lalia introduced herself; “I am Doctor Lalia Tarrus.”
“Ah, Tarrus eh? So you are married to the Admiral’s lineage?” Braes asked.
“I was.” Lalia said sternly.
“No matter. Interesting; yes, relevant; not so much.” Braes chuckled and walked back down the alley from where she had come. Her voice cracked, the age in it seeming to fade.
Lalia followed Braes, Garth and Miles cautiously got up from where they were sitting and followed down the alley. Braes seemed to pick up her pace slightly, the maze of alleys were dizzying to Miles who began to lose all sense of direction. Initially he used the sound of the festival in the street as his guide, but then he began to hear partying in all directions. Braes stopped at a flight of stairs heading into a home; she beckoned them up the stairs, she then followed the three of them to the pink wooden door and unlocked it.
“Ovalt wood?” Miles guessed, the hooded figure nodded “Yes.”.
The home was sparsely furnished, but was warm and had several cushions and pillows littered on the floor haphazardly.
“How old do you think she must be?” Miles whispered to Garth.
“I was wondering the same thing. She must be ancient.” Garth agreed.
Lalia approached the far wall of the living space and picked up a lantern, she lit the candle’s wick and flicked the match in the air to quickly extinguish it. The light from the candle filled the room; the cushions and pillows were plain, but the walls were etched in emerald green and golden trim. The room was brilliantly glittering in the light; more ornate than any palace Miles had ever known.
“This is my home.” Braes welcomed them; “I made up some cushions in preparation for your arrival.” She said directing with her hands to each of the pillows lying in the room.
Braes still stood in the darkness; she lowered her hood and stepped into the light. She was unlike the other Aurrus; she was slender and fit. Her ears were pierced and studded with jewelry. Her nose, while still elongated like a trunk, had less prominent ridges and accentuated his strong cheek bones. Her eyes were comparable to human eyes, grey rings around blue. Most of all, however, Miles and Garth noted how young she appeared.
“Wow. You look so, young!” Garth exclaimed in a hushed voice.
“Thank you.” Braes thanked him with a slight curtsey. “I try to maintain my youth; which isn’t always convenient at my age.” She chuckled with Lalia.
Braes’s skin, while grayish like the other Aurrus, was also adorned with emerald green and gold calligraphy and tattoos. She raised her hood, this time only partially covering her face:
“I apologize; I am still slightly sensitive to the cold. I’m recovering from illness last week.” She coughed, her voice again hoarse.
“How old are you, exactly?” Miles asked.
“Oh, I am,” she coughed, her voice now clear again; “I am nearly four-hundred-years-old. Really, three-hundred-and-seventy, but I prefer to round upwards. It gets me a discount at my favorite vendor.”
Miles silently nodded understanding, unable to formulate words.
“I brought the three of you here for a reason.” Braes began,
“You three,” her eyes lingered on Miles, “Were called upon by Eurithalos, Gamaliel, and Brontus.”
Garth interrupted;
“Who are they?”
“The three goddesses of Ailios.” Lalia explained, encouraging Braes to continue.
“Yes, our three goddesses have chosen the three of you to be their stewards in a time of great need. I, as their oracle and priestess of Ailios, will lead you to your destinies.” Braes finished.
“You’re going to lead us to our destinies?” Miles asked in stupor.
“I don’t believe in Brontus, and whatever!” Garth argued.
“You may not, but they have selected you, nonetheless.” Braes sighed.
“Perhaps Phlasia chose us.” Lalia half-heartily offered as an explanation.
Braes’s face gained a red hue: “I take my position seriously, I am their priestess.”
“Understood. Somehow, you knew that we would be coming, I can accept that.” Miles interjected, Garth nodding in stubborn agreement.
“Yes. I have been directed to keep you hidden in my home tonight. I will decide what to do tomorrow. Please go ahead and rest.” She patted Miles on the back.
Miles lay do
wn on a long cushion and propped his head against a pillow, his mind was a flurry of thoughts:
“A priestess for some alien gods? She is 370 years-old? I am being hunted by an alien nation. The Aurrus are having a festival, Phlasia is getting closer…”
His eyelids proved to be too heavy and he fell asleep. Garth’s snoring made it clear to Lalia that both of the young males had fallen asleep. She stepped into the sitting room where Braes meditated.
“You don’t really think we have some sort of spiritual significance do you?” Lalia asked.
“I can’t say for certain. For centuries I have thought that the goddesses had shunned me, forgotten their own priestess. How could I preach to all of Ailios if they wouldn’t talk to me? But, I found renewed faith; I was given a vision. I saw him, the alien, and you and the young Callos. I saw pain and the gnashing of teeth, I saw conflict, but I saw a radiant hope in resolution.” She said pointing her hand towards where Miles slept in the other room.
“Somehow, he brings this all together. He brings salvation and freedom to the Callos; he will save the people of Ailios. He will be light in our darkest hour.” Braes prophesied.
“I do not believe he is a chosen one in any capacity. He will be met with tragedy, many will die, but many more will be saved.” Braes finished.
“Tovar will send soldiers after us. I already saw a reconnaissance shuttle; they will begin sweeps of the city in the morning.” Lalia explained.
“I understand. I promise that I will do all I can to protect him. That child cannot stay here, Lalia. He must continue on to Phlasia.” Braes responded gravely.
“Why? He was a scientific discovery, a triumph for exploration! Why must he now be on a pilgrimage to Phlasia?” Lalia asked in exasperation.
“I do not know. Maybe you are right; maybe there is nothing supernatural occurring here, nothing done by Phlasia or my goddesses. But you cannot deny that fate has brought him here.” Braes challenged.
Lalia averted her eyes, allowing them to dance across the beautifully ornate room. She nervously ringed her hands, and her eyes began to water.
“You shared dreams with him haven’t you?” Braes guessed, wisdom in her eyes.
“Yes. I thought that dream sharing couldn’t happen anymore. I thought it was an ancient practice, I thought it wasn’t real.” Lalia whispered.
“Oh, it is very real. Your ancestors have provided you with something extraordinary, you were given a premonition. To separate yourself from this would be to forsake your ancestors, all that you are. You were born into this faith, you cannot leave it.” Braes warned.
“I refuse to accept that; there must be an answer to this. I cannot accept that I am incapable of escaping the superstitions of my ancestors.” Lalia cried in frustration.
“This is why you are needed, for a time such as this.” Braes pulled Lalia’s chin up and smiled: “You leave what is known or thought to be known in search of what you do not know. This is why fate has brought you and the child together; you believed in him, rather than some lifeless planet.”
Lalia listened, her sniffling began to stop.
“Neither of us can explain the origin of this dream sharing, but it needs no explanation. The two of you are given the unique opportunity to change everything; the Convoy will never be the same. You have been called to be an agent of change. Tomorrow, things will change, but you must move forward on your own accord. Lalia Tarrus, you bend to the will of no planet or goddess.” Braes finished.
“I thought you just got done explaining that you were a priestess?” Lalia laughed.
“I thought I just told you that this job hasn’t done me any good for centuries.” Braes admitted.
The two sat at the table late into the night, as they spoke Miles drifted further and further into the sleep his body and mind so desperately needed.
Miles was in a damp dark chamber, a faint roar of mechanical parts hummed nearby. Miles turns around to see an orange object in the darkness of the shadows, the orange bobs up and down, keeping pace with Mile’s breath. Miles squints to see what the orange bulbous thing in the distance is, before he feels a sharp pain in his arm.
The dream ends, Miles opens his eyes to reassure he is in Braes’ home. Braes and Lalia sit talking at the table in the other room. He closes his eyes, grateful that he doesn’t dream for the rest of the night.