by Thomas Fay
Izikiel finished, relieved to have been able to share his nightmare with someone else. He was surprised to find that both Te’Anne and Xavier had the same stunned expression on their faces. He asked them what was wrong.
‘Your vision is of a burning flame reaching out across the Universe?’ Xavier asked in a subdued tone.
‘Yes. Do you know what it means?’
Xavier looked at Te’Anne who nodded her head. Turning back towards Izikiel, he said, ‘You dream of the Eternal Flame.’
FIVE
Izikiel stared at them in disbelief. The revelation that his vision was showing him an all-powerful interstellar deity filled him at once with wonder and dread. Without warning, his subconscious released the memory that he had been suppressing. He felt sweat forming on his brow as his breathing increased. Watching the memory expand in his mind, he fought hard to prevent the flaming tendrils of molten plasma from rising up to claim him.
‘We should take him to see Da’Amo,’ Xavier said.
Te’Anne nodded.
‘Yes. He may be able to help you.’
Izikiel managed to force the fiery memory to recede. As his breathing returned to normal, he asked, ‘Who is Da’Amo?’
‘He is a trader and a good friend. On several occasion he has mentioned that he knows the location of one of the last remaining true believers living on the planet. He operates a trading outpost not far from here,’ Xavier said. ‘Come on, it’s getting dark outside. We’ll need to move swiftly for the night won’t last long.’
Xavier walked over to the dark grey container and packed up the remainder of their equipment lying around the cave. He then moved to the two light emitting devices and adjusted a control on each. Slowly, their light dimmed, throwing the cave into partial darkness. Xavier placed one of the devices inside the container while the other he set on the ground next to it. Te’Anne collected her tools and returned them to the sheaths on her arms and legs. Grabbing a light brown pack, she hoisted it onto her back. Izikiel watched them in silence.
‘Here, you can wear these. They won’t protect you from the sunlight but they will keep you warm at night,’ Te’Anne said.
She handed him a pair of dark grey leggings and matching long sleave top. It was only then that Izikiel remembered that he was wearing only a pair of jeans. Still puzzled by his attire, he accepted the new clothing gratefully.
Walking behind a rock outcropping, he returned moments later clad in dark grey. The material of the leggings and top moulded itself tightly to his legs, feet and torso. He absently noted the lack of any feel from the clothes. Even though he could see that he was wearing them, he was unable to determine their shape or texture.
‘It’s polyformic clothing,’ Te’Anne explained. ‘It adapts perfectly to your skin and allows it to breathe while maintaining your body temperature.’
Nodding his understanding, Izikiel followed Te’Anne. They walked towards the back of the cave and through a narrow passage. Izikiel braced himself for the harshness of the twin suns as they stepped outside. Instead, he found himself in darkness.
The sky above was a heavenly canvas interwoven with a multitude of stars. Each shone with its own distinctive ambience and hue. He turned his gaze away from them, fearing that he would be drawn towards the Eternal Flame once more. Instead, he looked around at his surroundings. It was then that he realised that he could see the rock formations around them. They glowed with a faint inner light that illuminated the white sand. He stared at the strange phenomenon, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
‘The stones reflect the light that they have built up during the day. It is a quality unique to the Kartucian Desert,’ Te’Anne explained.
‘How can a stone glow?’ Izikiel asked, unable to take his eyes off the rocks.
‘No one knows for sure. Some say it is the souls of the true believers who have returned to guide the way for those still living. Others say it has something to do with the crystalline structure of the sand. Regardless, it allows us to travel at night without using any energy.’
Te’Anne set off at a brisk pace. Xavier walked beside her. He carried the large container on his shoulder as if it were little more than a handful of sand. Taking a deep breath, Izikiel expelled it into the night air. It steamed and then crystallized into miniscule drops of ice which fell to the ground. Realising just how cold it was outside, Izikiel marvelled at his clothing’s ability to keep him warm. He felt perfectly comfortable encased in the polyformic material. As he followed Te’Anne and Xavier, he began to wonder how he had come to be in this strange place. An unending desert filled with ancient secrets and a nightmarish climate. At least I’m not alone, he realised with a sense of relief.
SIX
The temperature continued to drop as they made their way across the illuminated sands of the Kartucian Desert. Izikiel found himself marvelling at his companion’s sense of direction. Everything looked the same to him. Yet somehow Xavier and Te’Anne never faltered as they kept up a steady pace. At one point, Xavier raised his arm, motioning for them to stop. Kneeling, he examined a series of markings in the sand. Raising his head to scan the horizon, he looked back down. Straightening up, he turned towards Izikiel and Te’Anne.
‘Desert wolves,’ Xavier said. ‘I make about a dozen of them.’
‘Can we get around them?’ Te’Anne asked. Her hand instinctively moved down to one of the black cylindrical devices strapped to her leg.
‘No. We’ll need to wait it out. I don’t think they’ve sensed us yet,’ Xavier replied, shaking his head.
‘But daylight is only a few hours away. We can’t afford to be caught out here.’
‘We won’t.’
A single howl rang out across the desert. It was a strange, hollow sound which carried on the cold air. Moments later, it was answered by another. This one was much closer than the first. As the night descended into silence, Xavier dropped the container he was carrying to the ground. Opening it, he withdrew a squat, metallic object. Prying it in two, he unfolded its ends and formed a double barrelled implement which Izikiel instinctively knew could only be a weapon.
‘They’ve found us. Our only chance is to get to that large rock formation on the horizon. Te’Anne, lead the way. Don’t use your weapons unless absolutely necessary. Move!’
Drawing two small hand weapons from her leg sheaths, Te’Anne began to sprint across the sand. Izikiel followed close behind with Xavier bringing up the rear. As he ran, Izikiel tried to catch a glimpse of the desert wolves. At one point he thought that he saw something large disappear behind a rock. It was the size of a man walking on all fours. He realised it could just as easily have been one of the many shadows created by the glowing rock formations. Izikiel began to wonder if there really was anything out there. What he had experienced of this world made him question how anything could survive out in the open.
Another howl pierced the night and suddenly the desert wolves were upon them. Two dark shapes appeared on either side of them with another handful behind them. Izikiel’s heart raced as they increased the pace of their frantic dash. His feet sank into the soft sand as his tired muscles strained to their limit. The rock formation appeared close now, filling up a large portion of the horizon. He was breathing heavily. Sweat poured down his face as the polyformic clothing struggled to maintain his body at an even temperature. Glancing over at Te’Anne, he watched in horror as she tripped and fell to the ground.
‘Xavier!’ Izikiel yelled as he stopped to help Te’Anne.
Xavier braced the double barrelled weapon and turned around in mid-stride. Aiming it at the nearest desert wolf, he fired. The sound was deafening as a bolt of blue energy arced out towards the dark shape. Hitting it squarely, the desert wolf wavered for a moment and then dropped to the ground. An oily burning smell filled the air. Coughing, Izikiel realised that the other desert wolves had dropped back after witnessing the power of Xavier’s weapon.
‘Hurry, it won’t take them long to regroup,’ Xavie
r said. Looking over at Te’Anne, he asked, ‘Can you run?’
She slowly placed some weight on her leg which gave way beneath her. She shook her head.
‘Damn it! Izikiel help me hoist her up between us. We’ll have to carry her the rest of the way.’
As the two of them supported Te’Anne, the desert wolves let out a howl. This time there were a large number of voices joined as one.
‘They’re letting the others know where we are. We’ve got to hurry or we’ll be surrounded,’ Xavier said.
As they approached the rock formation, a handful of desert wolves moved to block their way. Izikiel finally got a good look at the creatures. Each was about the size of a grown man on all fours, covered from head to toe in glistening red spikes. Their heads had long snouts with two small eyes set on either side. Izikiel absently marvelled at how they had managed to adapt to such a harsh environment. Drops of ice had formed at the tips of each spike. As the ice slowly melted it delivered water to the creature encased within the impenetrable outer shell of red carapace, allowing it to survive during the day. Something told him this was not what he expected a wolf to look like.
‘Look out!’ Te’Anne cried out.
Two of the creatures leapt towards them. Their jaws opened wide to reveal razor sharp teeth.
‘Now!’ Xavier shouted as he and Te’Anne fired in unison. The cobalt energy beams burned through the two desert wolves. Their lifeless bodies dropped to the ground, landing with a heavy thud in the white sand.
Everywhere Izikiel looked it seemed a pair of black pupils stared back at him. He braced himself as the desert wolves closed in.
A flicker of movement near the rock formation distracted him. He was just able to make out a dark shape coming towards them. Then a desert wolf crashed into him, knocking him to the ground. Searing pain exploded in his right arm and chest. His mouth filled with a pungent, metallic taste. As darkness closed in around him, he heard a deep voice utter a single word.
‘Aduro’
SEVEN
The endless blackness of space unfolded before him in every direction. Punctuated by stars and planets it was a living, evolving creation. He travelled at the speed of thought, propelled along invisible solar currents. Time seemed to stand still as planets paused in their orbits. The light from a million stars remained steady. Nothing moved. Then he felt it, a growing sense of heat. Twisting around, he tried to locate its source. But no matter how hard he tried he was unable to look directly at it. The heat reached a scalding temperature and continued to rise. Finally, he managed to turn around. He found himself staring directly at the now familiar plasma tendril. The heat was making his eyes water. He could feel the sheer power emanating from it.
There was something else there too. Something he had not felt before, a sense of understanding. That surprised him. He slowly reached out with his right hand. Pain exploded within him as a distant image of a red spiked beast forced its way into his mind. Opening his eyes, he instinctively brought his right arm up to his chest.
‘Your wounds have been healed,’ Te’Anne’s voice reassured him.
Izikiel inspected his arm, noting the faintest of scars.
‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘Da’Amo and his people came to our aid. They healed us and brought us here.’
Izikiel looked around. They were inside an enormous cavern. Grey rock walls, glowing faintly, stretched up as far as he could see. Gigantic stalactites reached down towards them, while equally sizeable stalagmites clawed their way upwards. Several people, dressed in simple white robes, strolled along the thick green grass. Izikiel marvelled at the vegetation while at the same time wondering how it could survive underground.
Then he heard it; the sound of running water. Standing up, he took several steps until he found himself at the edge of a fast running stream. Staring at the water, a pair of steel grey eyes framed by a youthful face looked back at him. His hair was light brown in colour. Prominent cheekbones accentuated his long, narrow nose. Looking at his own reflection, Izikiel found a stranger staring back at him. Bending down, he scooped up a handful of water. It was icy cold, making him flinch. Splashing the water across his face, he looked over at Te’Anne.
‘Where are we?’ he asked.
‘This is an underground cavern, far below the surface of the desert. I have heard of such places but I’ve never actually seen one until now,’ Te’Anne replied.
‘What about Xavier?’
‘He’s here, somewhere. I’m sure that he’s fine,’ Te’Anne said, her voice betraying her concern. Before Izikiel could say anything else they were interrupted by the arrival of a white robed man. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with a flawlessly youthful face and flowing white hair. A pair of green eyes looked directly at them as he spoke.
‘Forgive the intrusion. Da’Amo is waiting for you in the audience chamber. Please follow me.’
Turning around, the white robed man walked along the banks of the stream deeper into the cavern. Izikiel and Te’Anne walked closely behind him. They passed through a doorway of sorts where several stalagmites had interwoven together to form an archway. Inside, they found themselves in a chamber filled with dozens of white robed people. All waited silently. Izikiel and Te’Anne walked up to the stone dais in the centre. As they reached the foot of the dais, their guide left them to join the others.
Izikiel’s gaze followed him as he looked closely at those in the chamber. Each wore the same white robes and had very similar features. No, not similar, he realised. They all looked exactly the same. All were male and had green eyes, white hair and looked to be in their early twenties. Puzzled, Izikiel was about to share his observation with Te’Anne when a slight motion swept through those assembled.
Looking up at the stone dais, Izikiel was just able to make out a figure cloaked in black moving towards them. Their face was hidden. He was unable to tell whether it was a man or a woman.
‘Welcome, Izikiel,’ a deep voice resonated throughout the chamber.
‘How do you know who I am?’ Izikiel asked, surprised.
‘I have been expecting you for a long time now,’ the voice continued as the figure moved closer. Izikiel was still unable to see their face but a strange feeling was beginning to build within him. Thoughts of the flaming plasma began to encroach on his mind as he struggled to hold them at bay.
‘What do you mean? Who are you?’ he asked.
The black robed figure finally stepped into the light cast by the glowing rocks. Izikiel sucked in his breath as he beheld a face which had been burned nearly beyond recognition. The man’s skin had healed but it was difficult to recognise him as human. Folds of new skin had grown over scarred tissue, creating a deeply marred texture. A pair of milky white eyes stared directly at Izikiel from the disfigured face. Lifting an equally scarred left arm, the man gestured around the chamber.
‘I am Da’Amo. Welcome to my home.’
EIGHT
The white robes assembled within the audience chamber slowly bowed their heads one by one. Watching them, Izikiel’s mind produced a distant memory of worshipers showing respect to their messiah. Looking at the black robed figure standing atop the stone dais, he suspected that he wasn’t far from the truth.
‘Leave us,’ Da’Amo commanded.
The white robed men raised their heads and filed out of the audience chamber. Only Izikiel and Te’Anne remained. Stepping down from the dais, Da’Amo reached up and pulled back his hood. Te’Anne gasped as the man’s head was revealed.
Da’Amo’s scalp was in even worse condition that his face. No hair remained and his ears had been reduced to small ridges of flesh. Folds of new skin had sealed over much of his head. Izikiel marvelled at how the man had survived such a burning.
As if sensing his discomfort, Da’Amo said, ‘Do not be ashamed. All those who see me for the first time are surprised by my appearance.’
‘What happened to you?’ Izikiel asked, lowering his gaze in embarrassment.
>
‘This is the price one pays to become a true believer,’ Da’Amo replied calmly, his vapid eyes continuing to look directly at Izikiel. Flinching slightly under Da’Amo’s unwavering gaze, Izikiel absently wondered if he could actually see him.
‘You mean the Eternal Flame?’ Izikiel asked.
‘Yes’
‘But how could you allow anyone to do this to you?’ Te’Anne asked.
Turning his sightless eyes towards her, Da’Amo’s face contorted into something which Izikiel identified as a smile.
‘I did this willingly. Becoming one with the Eternal Flame is the final step in demonstrating ones faith.’
‘But...why? Why would anyone do this to themselves?’ Te’Anne exclaimed, falling back a step in apprehension.
‘True faith and joining with the Eternal Flame allows you to move into a different state of awareness. It also grants you power.’
‘What kind of power?’ Izikiel asked.
‘The power to affect the Universe around you, much the same as the Eternal Flame does. In the old days, before the colonisation of space, mankind existed on a single planet called Earth. It was there that an ancient language was first uttered, the language of the Eternal Flame. That language holds incredible power.’
‘Wait! I heard a voice speak a word that I couldn’t understand just after we were attacked,’ Izikiel said, recalling the encounter with the desert wolves. ‘That was you?’
Da’Amo attempted a smile again as his mouth opened and he spoke a single word.
‘Aduro’
The palm of his right hand erupted in blue flame. Te’Anne and Izikiel sucked in their breath, suitably impressed.
‘Incredible! Da’Amo, I had always thought you to be a simple trader. But this...’ Te’Anne’s voice trailed off as she groped for the right word.
‘My disguise was necessary to hide what I am and to protect those who live here. I fear that by rescuing you I may have attracted the attention of the Void Lords. But I knew that I had to act. To save you,’ Da’Amo said, pausing only to turn his sightless eyes towards Izikiel. ‘To save Izikiel.’