Terrineia

by Brian Whiting

  “When the Hu valla was no longer able to care of its people, our leader ordered all citizens to the surface. By then a large city had been built already. My great grandfather found a way to produce power with these.”

  The king pointed to two bike looking systems. Lots of nearby wires were loose and not connected to anything. The king walked around the room and lit two stationary torches along the walls.

  “For a generation these two devices when wielded by men would generate some power to Hu valla, I remember the lights being on in this ship when I was little. However they stopped working and my father couldn’t figure out why.

  “So one day years ago, I had another unique visitor come to our lands.” The King looked at Alesti. “He was searching for what my people saw, a ship burning and crashing into the realms in pieces. Your father wanted to know if the ship crashed nearby as he couldn’t find it. I had sent my own men into the boglands to the north but they never returned.

  “Instead, I showed your father this ship. We talked about the past and the future with such passion. When I brought him to this room and told him about these devices, he changed. He spoke less and less often, then one day he and one of these were gone.”

  Only then did Alex noticed the closest device was missing a cylinder object the wires should be connected to.

  “When I saw you thru the window I thought you were here to return the device, but the object you carry is too large and my men say it’s filled with wine.” The king said looking at Alesti.

  Alex immediately felt uncomfortable and he looked at Alesti who continued to appear shocked.

  “My father stole this?” she asked.

  The king did not respond but only looked at her.

  “When I was a little girl my father had his men bring back a part of a…crashed ship. Forty men with juntards dragged it across our land to the city of rock and then my father hid it somehow and I never really saw him after that.”

  “You father must have found one piece of the crashed ship and was looking for a replacement!” The king raised his voice, Alex wasn’t sure if it was out of anger or excitement. “He comes here and steals this and returns home.”

  Alex and the king began to walk in circles obviously deep in thought.

  “My king!” Someone shouted from far away. It sounded faint in the darkness.

  “My King!” It was a little louder this time and it caught everyone’s attention in the room.

  “My king!”

  The king walked towards the door just as a man with a torch, obviously out of breath, had reached him. “Flebitsi has returned, he brings word that Jebney is in chaos, the people flee the land and war has been declared against us!”

  “What! Assemble the council with no delay.”

  “Yes, of course.” The man turned and ran back up towards the surface. His footsteps banging on the deck lessened as he got further away.

  “Unbiter is a fool if he thinks he can defeat us.” The anger in the kings voice was evident and his muscles tensed.

  “Alex, I believe we can fix the remaining device, but I suggest you make the king believe you need to explore this ship and scout out the other ship debris to be sure.” Symboli said quickly.

  “Hu va, I apologize on behalf of my people. I would not have condoned such a thing.” Alesti said almost pleading.

  “Your people rise against us!”

  “King, I believe with some time I can repair this device.” Alex said clamly.

  The king froze in place appearing stunned by what he just said.

  “You say this to protect her, do not lie to me!”

  “Hu va, I do not lie. This looks like an alternator, a device my people commonly use to create power. I believe If I can find the first device I can repair both of them.”

  The king paced back and forth quickly.

  “Alex, it’s possible by reconnecting those wires to the device that still remains you can generate a current. It may be enough to prove your intention.” Symboli said.

  Alex moved confidently to the remaining device. “Bring the torch closer!”

  “Alesti, please get on the device and begin pedaling.”

  “I do not understand.” She responded.

  Alex got on the device and showed her how to pedal. “Do that, ok?”

  While she started Alex began to touch wires to various posts sticking out of the device. One of the posts generated a spark and there was an opposing identical post. Then he simply attached a wire to the each of the posts on the device. But nothing happened.

  “Faster.” Alex told Alesti.

  When she was going nearly as fast as she could the lights in the room and the corridor all lit up at the same time to full brightness.

  “Ha!” Alex exclaimed.

  The king fell to his knees, arms out wide and a huge smile on his face.

  One of the pedals broke and it scratched Alestis leg, then she stopped pedaling.

  “I can fix that too.” Alex said as he picked up the broken petal.

  “I believe you, what do you need?” The King asked. His mouth open wide as he basked in the glory of artifical light.

  “I seek things to repair on my ship as well. I want to get home, perhaps I can build a new ship. Perhaps I can repair a broken one to fly again, the only way to know is to see all the damaged debris or ships that have crashed over the years. Including this one.”

  “What you ask will take time, and their people continue to incite war!”

  “King you are correct, Unbiter is a fool, my people do not wish for war, I know them well. If we can eliminate him I can put a stop to this as I am the rightful heir to the throne. Unbiter jeopardizes any chance we have at making progress. He must be stopped and I will reclaim the lands.” Alesti said.

  “Hu va consider, you have built large fortifications, let them come to you and you can easily eliminate whatever pitiful army they send your way, it will be tower versus foot. If you go to them you make yourself equal to them on the battlefield. Foot versus foot, and you will suffer greater losses.” Alex said.

  “You speak wise, have you battled before?” the king asked.

  “Many times unfortunately.”

  The lights that had been on suddenly shut off. Everyones eyes adjusted to the torchlight once again.

  “Let’s travel to the council.” The king put out the torches in the room by covering them with a thick cloth and walked out into the dark corridor.

  “I will go into Jebney and kill Unbiter myself.” Alex said as they walked out of the room.

  “You against an army, I doubt you are that powerful.” The king replied with a hint of unbelief.

  “No of course not, however, if I can sneak into the city then it will be easy to eliminate him.”

  “Sure but it might not be so easy to survive afterward.” Alesti said from behind the two.

  Alex considered her words and then looked at the king. “I suggest you consider Deetur to lead your defensive army, he seems good for it.”

  “No that would sour the relations with the permitters they would be in charge of defenses.” The king replied.

  “They are fools, they tried to kill me when I arrived. It wasn’t very smart of them.”

  “Yes, I have heard much of what you said… I will discuss it with the council.”

  They exited the dark ship and the king extinguished his torch placing it where he first picked it up, then closed the iron door. Now they were in the kings room of trinkets once again.

  “Neither of you are allowed in the council. I will speak, and if needed I will send someone to retrieve you from this room. Do not leave here until I say it’s ok to do so.” The king continued walking out of his chambers, and as he passed the two guards outside they looked in at Alex and Alesti.

  “See that no one disturbs them!” the king said to the guards as he rounded a corner out of sight.

  Alex and Alesti looked at each other and then to all the odd objects scattered around the room.

&nbs
p; CHAPTER 9

  WAR AGAINST WHO?

  “ALEX, YOUR PRESENCE is requested in the council chamber.”

  Alex opened one eye and then both as he stretched and sat up. Once oriented, he stood up and Alesti followed.

  “No, not you.” The council member said as he pointed to Alesti.

  “If I am going, she is going too or we don’t go at all.”

  The council member looked irritated.

  “He said you would say that, very well, you may both come.”

  Alex looked at Alesti as she returned his smile.

  They followed the man up two different flights of stairs towards one of the uppermost additions of the complex which included a smaller room big enough to fit three tiers of stone seats holding about twenty people. The room did not seem cozy, or comfortable or large enough for so many people.

  Upon entering the room, which was the same dirty bronze as the exterior building material, Alex walked the short distance to the center.

  “The king has said many things, as have the permitters and the people. We are to hear more about your plan and defense of our city. However, none of us on the council has seen with their own eye the power the people claim you possess, the king himself admits he has not seen this power, yet yields to you anyway. We are not so gullible and require demonstration.”

  Alex eyed the king; his face reddened and muscles tensed but he did not move or say anything.

  “As you wish, what do you have in mind?”

  “We have heard you can kill a man with little effort. If you look out that window you will see a man that is about to be killed, he has committed a crime worthy of this punishment. It is said you can kill a man from this distance and even greater, but we do not believe this to be true, not even the strongest death singer can reach there from here. Kill that man from this window and we will implement your plan.”

  “I want to know his crime.” Alex said as he stared out the window.

  “It matters not! Either you kill him or we will.”

  Alex hesitated and did the fake double cough knowing Symboli would offer some wisdom.

  “Alex… I don’t understand your hesitation, whether by blade or your hand the end result is the same, the criminal will die.”

  “Doesn’t mean I have to like it…” Alex took a few steps back and turned towards a opening in the wall. Alex looked down at his belt knowing he had two weapons there with different settings.

  “Try a setting you haven’t used yet.” Symboli suggested.

  Alex pulled out the weapon with the red number one visible on the indicator and aimed it at the prisone noticing an executioner standing nearby.

  “Instruct the executioner to get one hundred paces away.” Alex told the council in the room.

  “Is that really necessary,” one of the younger men on the council said.

  “Unless you want a dead or wounded executor it is.”

  “Very well.” He nodded towards one of the guards at the other end of the hallway. Who disappeared behind the door, about five minutes later the guard was seen approaching the executioner, who then took about twenty steps away.

  “The executor did not move far enough.” Alex told the council.

  “You do not know if that’s a dangerous proximity or not?” Symboli said but Alex interrupted.

  “Exactly.” Alex whispered.

  “We tire of your delays, do it or leave.” The young council member said.

  “We are in an enclosed space I suggest you cover your ears.” Alex suggested to the council.

  The only one to listen was the king and then a couple others followed suit. Alex looked to Alesti and she covered her ears. Alex pushed her away from him several feet.

  He looked around to stick something in his ear but found nothing worth attempting. Firmly grasping the weapon with both hands he aimed down the short sight. About two hundred or so meters away a man was standing on a tiny podium of wood affixed to a stone pillar about two or three feet in diameter.

  Alex slowly squeezed the trigger and nothing happened, it didn’t click or move at all. He tried again but still nothing happened.

  “Try Harder.” Symboli suggested.

  Alex put some moderate effort and squeezed the button. Paying more attention to squeezing and less on aiming, the weapon released a flash of red light at the end of the barrel, the weapon kicked back hard and despite his firm grip Alex almost lost his hold on it. The bang from the weapon was stong, sounding more like a powerful bomb than any gun he had ever heard. The dust from the walls and the ceiling shook loose in the room and likely the entire building. He registered pain in his ears and he went to the ground on his knees as he worked his jaw and rubbed his ears. The steady ringing was distracting. He assumed he missed the target as the discharge was unexpected.

  Alex thought he heard voices but he couldn’t make them out just yet. He looked at his weapon and fumbled with the switches to put it back in normal use, but as he thumbed it down he pushed it too far. The number switched from a blinking red light to a golden one. Which started counting almost immediately. 1..3..5..7..9..11..13..15, Alex watched the number climb to thirty three.

  Alex looked at the council who all appeared to be in as much pain and disorientation as Alex. The king still holding his ears was the only one who attempted to approach him. For a moment, Alex wanted to try the new setting but stopped himself.

  “Alex… Alex… Can you hear me?” Symboli asked and Alex slowly responded.

  “Yeah, what happened?”

  “You just demonstrated your power to the council, was that a rhetorical question?” Symboli asked.

  Alex watched as the barely perceptible breeze took the massive cloud of dust and dirt away from the area. He tried to find the stone pillar but after a moment he realized it was gone as was the wooden podium. Instead a small crater took their place. Debris were scattered across Alex’s entire field of vision in the window. The executor was face down near the crater and not moving.

  He was startled when Hu Va bumped shoulders with him as he too looked out the window and witnessed the destruction. He looked at Alex and backed away several paces, real fear on his face. Alex backed away from the window and grabbed Alesti’s hand and walked towards the exit door allowing the council access to the window unhindered.

  “Are you ok?” Alex asked Alesti.

  “I am fine, it never did that before is your weapon ok?”

  “Yeah, that was a stronger setting.”

  “All he has to do is point that thing this way and we would all be dead.” Alex overheard one of the members say to another.

  Alex approached the council still gathered at the window. “Well…”

  “Alex no one in my land has the battle experience you do. In addition, given the power of your weapon you would be unstoppable on the battlefield. Would you consider leading my men into battle?” The king asked.

  Several council members overheard and turned their heads towards Alex.

  Alex thought for a moment, and Symboli remained quiet waiting for a signal from Alex to offer advice.

  “I do not think that is the wisest option.” Alex said looking the king in the eye. He knew while it was true Alex had been in battles he had not lead men on a large scale ground war before.

  “Then let us hear your plan.” One of the members said.

  “I will go and kill Unbiter, that will put a stop to this before war even starts.” Alex said firmly.

  There was a quick moment when council members exchanged glances with each other.

  “Your plan has our unanimous acceptance,” said one of the older members.

  “We shall need food and drink for travel.” Alex asked expecting to get whatever he asked for at this point.

  “That and I am sending you seven men to join you, both as witnesses that you killed Unbiter and to assist you however possible to accomplish that goal.”

  “As long as Deetur is the one in charge of defense of this realm, that’s fine with me.”r />
  Several council members looked at Alex with apparent dislike to that idea, but Alex stared each of them down, no one said anything.

  The king looked around at the quiet council members with an odd smile. “As you say, unless there’s any other business… There is much to prepare.”

  Again, none of the council members spoke up or said anything.

  “We are accomplished!” The king said as he walked out of the room quickly with Alex and Alesti sticking close to him.

  Outside the chamber, family members and town members were in a slight panic asking around if they were under attack.

  “No we are not under attack, go back to your homes.” The king said as he passed them by.

  Just as the king made it back to his room, Deetur came running up, “Are you ok?”

  “I am well, that was a demonstration from our friend here.” The king glanced at Alex and went deeper into his room. “You should know, you’ve been promoted to defense master of the realm. See to your duties immediately.”

  “What?”

  The king didn’t respond immediately, seemingly looking for something. Instead Alex turned around. “I told the council you would be the best choice for someone to defend the realm, you literally have more combat experience than anyone else in your army, so I’ve been told.”

  “What!”

  “I’m sure you will do well, please if you see innocent people approach your borders do not harm them they are just frightened.” Alesti said looking Deetur directly in the eyes.

  “Ok….What?”

  Alex frowned and went for some of the food on the kings table that hadn’t been touched since the day before. Grabbing something that looked like a palm sized coconut, he spent a few moments trying to peel or open it.

  Deetur walked up to him and hit the nut on the edge of the table, and the top of the nut rolled away. Inside was a pudding like substance and tasted like creamy mushroom. “I am not sure what to say, thanks for your support.” Deetur whispered to Alex.