by D. W. Rigsby
The air was humid from warm steam coming up off the turquoise waters, as though spirits were rising.
Vetus Sepher nodded and proceeded to get undressed. A servant boy took his clothing as he removed each article. The boy averted his eyes from Vetus Sepher’s nude body. “It’s OK, boy; I’m a man just like you.” Vetus Sepher was a fit man, strong and hardened from exposure to the outside. His skin was bronzed, his eyes gray, and his hair black and thick.
The boy handed him his swimsuit, its fabric sleek to the touch. Vetus Sepher ran his finger over it and thought this came from the Kingdom of Aiyl; they produced some of the finest fabrics and had combined their techniques with new technological advances. Noticing the boy was still averting his eyes, he quickly put it on. “Thank you,” he said and placed a coin in his hand.
“Thank you, sir,” the servant boy said and left.
Vetus Sepher advanced into the water, taking a short set of stairs, until he found the bottom, waist deep. He moved toward King Amerstall.
“This water heals the body. It’s a natural spring. Quite warm, too. It helps to loosen the muscles,” King Amerstall said, making his way to a small circle of carved-stone seats off to the side where refreshments waited. “The man’s cave under the castle. Has a good ring to it, doesn’t it?” He took a drink from his cup filled with wine.
Vetus Sepher chuckled. He looked out into the pool of water, watching the lights dance with the shadows on the walls.
“Some time ago, long before you or I were making our mothers’ lives hell, my forefathers worked on this cavern, carving it out and making changes to it over many seasons. I suspect they were no different than I am today, using it to get away from the queens.” King Amerstall grinned.
“I’m sure if she wanted, she could find you down here,” Vetus Sepher said. He took a seat near the king, the water coming up to his chest.
“You are a cruel man to suggest such a thing. I should have you taken outside and flogged for such treachery.” King Amerstall laughed hard, loud, and long. “Ah, the waters feel good this evening. Did you know they have concentrated amounts of calcium, iron, and magnesium, as well as trace elements like iodine, manganese, and selenium? All these are beneficial to the body, helping to reduce pain like that of my aching back. I swear, I got my mother’s back and my father’s might—the two don’t often go together, you know,” King Amerstall said. He reached over, took a glass of red-fruit wine, and took a drink. “Ah…that is wonderful. Loosen up, Numa; have one. Or does your order prevent you from indulging in the finer things of life?”
Vetus Sepher nodded to King Amerstall. He picked up a glass of wine and drank it down until it was completely gone. “No, I rather like the taste of wine.”
The king’s eyes glistened. “That wine has matured for nearly two hundred seasons. No one has tasted its pleasurable flavors, taken in its immeasurable scent, or drunk of it until now. And, Numa, you have a lot to learn about the finer things in life. This is no ordinary wine. It is as precious as your first courtship date with your future wife,” King Amerstall said. “Take it slow, Numa.” He took another drink and chuckled to himself. “Ah…well, it may not be that precious, but it is still a fine wine.”
Vetus Sepher laughed as the servant poured him more.
“Drink, Numa; the night is…well…the night is here, and so are we,” King Amerstall said.
Vetus Sepher took up his glass, and the two clinked them together and drank. This time Vetus Sepher took his time, letting the flavors pass over his tongue, reading their district signatures with his taste buds.
King Amerstall took pieces of meat and cheese, along with a few grapes, and ate them slowly. He drank more and then swallowed what was in his mouth. “So tell me, how did Petro stand up? Next to the others, I mean,” he asked. He had the look of a father waiting to hear good news to be proud of.
“You mean his testing?” Vetus Sepher said.
King Amerstall chewed on another combination of delicacies, drinking his wine and nodding all nearly at the same time.
“They were interesting—far more than some other candidates we’ve seen.” Vetus Sepher’s mouth turned down at the corners, and he shrugged.
King Amerstall swallowed. “Interesting. I guess that means he did well. My wife was also wondering how you Numas came to your decision to accept Petro into your order. It took you a while to get around to it, seeing as he was not selected for this year’s recruits until two months ago.”
King Amerstall paused a moment; ripples formed on top of the water while Vetus Sepher ran his hand back and forth in the warm pool.
“But that doesn’t really matter. I know the reason for it. We know there is concern about the Father—and his next move.” King Amerstall’s face went dark for a moment, but then it returned back to its original state.
Vetus Sepher could sense King Amerstall had a lot on his mind, probably dealing with the current situation of King Offing.
King Amerstall cleared his throat. “I know this will be hard for Petro, not to mention on me, since my wife is upset. Not that she is complaining openly to me; I just feel it—as though I’ve done something wrong again.” His laughter returned and carried through the cavern. “I know her discomfort has more to do with you than me, but I’m the one to endure it, and I will. I think Petro needs a change; it will do him good to go off and see the world and have experiences he cannot have here,” he said.
Vetus Sepher admired King Amerstall. He seemed a good man, even if he did not follow their ways. Surely God had a means for all His people, regardless of where they stood.
“So…you say that the queen is displeased?” Vetus Sepher said.
“Well, it’s more like this—she doesn’t want him to go. I know that. I can feel it. And neither do I want Petro to go. But I know he must. He is coming closer to age, which means he’ll be a man of his own. He needs a journey, and so why not this one? It’s good timing, and it will test him.” King Amerstall splashed water on his face. His beard glistened, and the red in it showed even more.
Yes, it will test him. Petro will undergo things that a normal man would break under. If he’s an ordinary man, we’ll find out. Vetus Sepher swirled his wine about by moving the glass in tight concentric circles.
“Yes, I know what you mean. Tokus Numas is a place for young men to become their own. It was my journey. He’ll learn our ways, and we’ll show him how things are and let him grow,” Vetus Sepher said. He paused and pondered. “I can see that perhaps Petro could be somewhat of a distraction, since you have your own children to tend to.”
King Amerstall turned to his side, stretching, and then to the other side, stretching. “Distraction…well, I wouldn’t go that far. I prefer to be direct, and so here it is. There is something strange about him. I don’t know what, but there is something there in his manners at times, his way of thinking, his words, and his eyes, too,” he said.
Vetus Sepher finished his wine. He poured himself a new one, not waiting for the servant boy to come around. He savored it more, taking a sip and placing it back down. “Really? What sort of strangeness have you seen?”
King Amerstall reached for a nearby towel. He wiped his face, and the servant boy quickly appeared and took the towel. “Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I haven’t seen anything strange; it’s just how he is. I cannot put my finger on it. It’s not like you’ll pick it up instantly by being around him. It took me seasons to sense it, and yet I cannot tell you what it is. Oh, he’s a strong lad, and clever, too; and he knows his manners most of the time. Sometimes it feels like he’s waiting. I don’t know why I said that; it just sort of came to my mind. Odd, isn’t it?”
Vetus Sepher’s head felt fuzzy and his lips numb. He blinked several times to clear his vision.
King Amerstall noticed and grinned. “That’s the wine. It’s got an aftereffect on the body and the mind. It’s unlike many other wines. It’s the higher concentration of alcohol, but I believe it also has to do with the mineral co
ntent in the soil where the grapes are grown.” King Amerstall chortled.
Vetus Sepher thought about what Queen Lilith had said about the man who touched her belly before he leaped out their window; maybe His Majesty knew something as well. “Has the queen mentioned anything strange about Petro to you?”
King Amerstall’s eyes lit up. “Oh, she told you about some dark man being in Petro’s room on his first-name day, did she? Yes, we’d celebrated his first-name day with a feast in his honor—a small one, of course, with mainly the family and servants.” He belched. “The day passed into night, and on the eve, a wind roared from the west and crashed into my city like a vortex, sending cows up and over fences, leaving them dead from the impact, knocking roofs off buildings, and injuring some of my people. Thank goodness it did not last long, or it would have torn our city apart. The strange thing was that there was no buildup storm before or after it was gone. It was as though it descended from above, dropping out of the sky, and then back up it went.” King Amerstall’s eyes were wide, and his palms faced upward.
Vetus Sepher raised one eyebrow, nodded, and took another drink. “Yes, yes. That is strange indeed.”
King Amerstall sat back in his chair, and the water rippled around his upper body. “I find it uncanny. A tall, dark figure in the middle of the night flees my castle, and then a vexing storm cuts through my city. I don’t discount my eyes, Numa, or my ability to reason. I don’t believe in any gods, but I know strange things do happen that cannot be accounted for, and this was one of them,” King Amerstall said. “And strange things often come from men. Was it coincidence? Or would the Numas call it supernatural?”
Vetus Sepher could see the event had upset him.
“For those who believe, all will be revealed, and for those who do not—they will be cast into shadows.” Vetus Sepher mused over the words as he took another drink.
King Amerstall’s face lit up. “Hmm…interesting saying. I don’t see myself as being cast into shadows, and I’m inclined to think whoever wrote those words might have drunk too much of this wine.” King Amerstall stretched and yawned.
Vetus Sepher knew it was getting late, and the morning would come quick.
“Drink up; eat some more,” said the king. “I’m tired and must be done for the night. I wish you a safe journey. I know you depart with Petro immediately after the ceremony.”
Vetus Sepher put down his glass of wine and straightened himself. “It is better that way, to not allow the young men to think about the morrow. Having them go directly into the journey quells their fears,” Vetus Sepher said, picking his wine up and finishing it.
“My God, man—if there is a God—you’ve drunk your fill this night.” King Amerstall laughed loudly. “It’s good wine, isn’t it?”
“Yes, indeed, it is a very good wine,” Vetus Sepher said, blissful.
“This will be good for Petro,” King Amerstall said. He got up, and water trickled from his skin and splattered over the top of the pool. Up the stairs he went, nude, not the least bit self-conscious. The servant boy wrapped King Amerstall’s waist with a large towel.
Vetus Sepher ran his hands over the water, feeling its warm touch lap at his fingers.
“The Numas hide things from us and take us as fools, but we are not fools. You seem to be a fair-minded man; don’t let certain ideas cloud your judgment,” King Amerstall said.
He was right. They were hiding something, and Vetus Sepher felt it would be better now to tell him about Petro and their prophecy. He had to be cautious with King Amerstall; he was not a man of faith, and knowing this could make him change his mind about letting Petro go. He gave pause, doubting his reasons and wondering if it was the wine talking. Maybe it would be best to say nothing until they knew for certain about Petro.
The water stirred as Vetus Sepher got up. He waded through the waters to the stairs, taking them slowly to keep his balance. “I do not believe you a fool.” The dripping water ran in streaks down his legs and arms and hit the stone floor. It was on the tip of his tongue. He needed to say something to earn his trust at least. If reports were correct, the Father was seeking out Keepers to obtain the Numas’ sacred knowledge. “Your Majesty, I need to confide in you,” Vetus Sepher said.
A servant helped King Amerstall put on a wolfskin robe, making him look like he was a large beast himself. “Go on,” he said with his brow furrowed.
A servant brought another robe made of fur and draped it over Vetus Sepher’s shoulders. “Aye. King Offing was a trusted man and what we call a Keeper—those who hold and protect certain pieces of sacred items in the event something were to happen to the Numas themselves,” he said.
King Amerstall stood still. “Is that the real reason why he attacked King Offing? Hmm, come out with it, sir,” he said.
Vetus Sepher’s voice had a slight slur to it. “Aye, we suspect that the Father is after other Keepers, searching for more sacred information and objects. The High Order has decided to bring all these items back under the full protection of the Numas, and we fear the identities of our Keepers have been compromised. It’s why we’ve come for Petro.”
King Amerstall pursed his lips. “Well, this is interesting.” He moved to an area where there were four seats encircling a fire pit. King Amerstall sat and pushed a button, and the pit lit up. The flickering light drew long lines down King Amerstall’s face, making him look older and more menacing.
Vetus Sepher joined him. “Sometimes we don’t tell our Keepers what they are holding. Sometimes we do keep them in the dark, so they won’t reveal it to others, but this is done only in special circumstances,” Vetus Sepher said.
“You Numas are strange, talking in your riddles, hiding information when you think it benefits you. This tells me that there is another reason why the Father attacked King Offing. Why is this information so valued?” King Amerstall said.
Vetus Sepher raised his hand, palm facing outward. “In the event Keepers are overrun, they are to destroy the information they hold. Instead, King Offing wanted to trade it for his and his son’s lives. That information may now lead the Father here to Dugual and to Petro.”
His Majesty leaned forward, warming his hands against the flames. “Is it so? You have informants in the castle?”
Vetus Sepher moved closer to the fire. “We do.”
King Amerstall’s gaze fell to the ground, and then he looked up into the dark ceiling above and back to Vetus Sepher. “My army sits at the border, waiting for my word, yet King Offing is dead? He’s made a foolish decision.” King Amerstall’s face turned red, somewhat matching the color of his hair. His jaw tightened. “He refused our aid. Fool!”
King Amerstall was indeed a good man, yet he failed to realize the deceptive nature of the Father, Vetus Sepher thought.
“What does Petro have to do with all of this?” King Amerstall groaned.
Vetus Sepher gazed into the fire, and the flames danced in his eyes. “We believe Petro possesses unique abilities.” He tapped his fingers together. “These abilities are yet to be seen or understood. It takes time for us to understand what we see. I say that with caution, because we don’t yet know entirely. And still I caution more: the Father will find out about Petro, and he’ll come looking for him. It’s just a matter of time.”
King Amerstall’s face contorted. “Well, that wine must have loosened your lips a little, Numa. You sure you wanted me to hear that?”
Vetus Sepher thought to literally bite his tongue, but he decided against it; this was important for all. “I know it sounds strange to you, and I’m not trying to convince you that Petro has any supernatural abilities, but the Numas believe there is a possibility that Petro may be the one we call the Mittere Ergon mentioned in our prophetic text, and the Father will try and use it against us,” he said. “The time will come soon for all to choose sides.” Vetus Sepher ran his hand over the soft fur robe.
Servants quietly went about cleaning up and gathering the king’s things.
“Thi
s is strange indeed. When are you going to tell Petro?” King Amerstall scoffed.
Vetus Sepher felt a bit woozy and pinched the bridge of his nose to help clear his head. “We won’t tell him. He needs to find out for himself, but while he’s in our care, we’ll watch for any signs that may show us he has unique abilities, and then we’ll work with him to discuss and uncover what those mean.”
“Well, he’s different, all right.” King Amerstall smiled and leaned back. “I can’t say I like this, after what you’ve said. If the Father is truly trying to collect this sacred information, then I suppose it doesn’t matter if it’s real or not. I can protect Petro, but I believe he should still go.”
Vetus Sepher drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We will protect him. He’ll be taken to Tokus Numas. There he’ll undergo observations. We should be able to tell if he has any unique abilities or if he’s an ordinary young man,” Vetus Sepher said.
King Amerstall rose and pressed his hands onto his lower back, arching his body. “Well, Numa, it is late. You’ve given me much to ponder, and I am saddled, I suppose, with telling my queen.”
Vetus Sepher nodded.
King Amerstall did not seem overly pleased. “I thought so. If the Father shows himself here, we’ll be sure to deal with him accordingly. You will be sure to watch over Petro,” he said. “Good night.” King Amerstall patted him on the shoulder; then he left the room.
The stars, the sun, and the moon were all set in perfect balance around Spearca, giving her life. And what is life? Does life extend to far reaches of the galaxy, or does it only exist on Spearca? What of the White Sea? Is there life on the other side, past the storms, past the wall of falling bolts of lightning? For all we know, Spearca is nothing more than a fraction of an atom, and what exists outside her is a vast spatial plane filled with matter—and eternity.
—From The Book of Origins of Spearca, by the scientific community of the Free City