The Children of Calm

by Smith, J Michael

  Lana was apparently unsure how to respond. Selenor jumped in. “Andulibar, you and your people – well, at least Ryaskoreid and Kelsereid – keep bringing up this seemingly taboo topic of shame and regret that your people appear to have. And yet you have shown us nothing but kindness and grace. May I be so bold as to ask what exactly happened to scar the Aesid so…permanently?”

  There was an uncomfortable silence all around. Finally Altan offered a slight cough. “Well, you could say that long ago there were certain grievances that certain peoples held over certain others,” he said in a quiet voice that somehow carried so well in the air. “But,” he continued, glancing at Andulibar, “the past has passed away; a new day dawned long ago for these Aesid, and the people you see sitting here are not guilty of the sins of their fathers. If you would like me to, I am able at your convenience to show you greater detail of the history of the Aesid and allay any fears you might have of Andulibar and his people.”

  Andulibar sighed. “Must it be so?” he asked. “Must our shame be spread to these young innocents?”

  Altan looked back at the four. “These Aesid are a very noble people, practically to a fault.”

  Rylek felt the silence grow more uncomfortable and wondered that this man would speak so openly. But none of the Aesid objected or attempted to stop him. It was as though he held some kind of authority over them.

  He went on. “The events which Andulibar has referenced took place more than six thousand years ago. But the deeds that were done were so evil that he and his people feel they must punish themselves for the endurance of their race. If you would allow me to show you the truth behind these events, perhaps you could help me in convincing them that they needlessly bear these feelings of guilt.”

  Something in Altan’s words was stirring Rylek’s mind, and everything he said seemed to whet his appetite. There was a note of vague familiarity about him that Rylek could not quite figure out. But he did not have the time to dwell on it.

  “Rylek,” Altan said, “would you all like to join me for a little excursion tomorrow?”

  Rylek looked at the other three as they looked back at him. Tresten’s eyes were filled with curiosity; Selenor’s face spoke of doubt; Lana nodded her head. “I think it would be wise for us to discuss this privately before I give you an answer,” he said. “Tresten and I are still in the process of healing from some unfortunate accidents. How long would this excursion, as you call it, take?”

  “Three or four days at the most, I should think,” Altan said. “There will still be plenty of time for you to make it back home.”

  “Forgive me, but you speak as though you expect us to be on some form of schedule,” Selenor said, her voice quavering. Rylek could see her hands shaking and knew she was nervous and uncomfortable. “Make it back home for what? How is it you know so much about us and we know nothing of you?”

  At this Altan grew silent and looked down at his hands. No one said anything for a few tense moments. Selenor was about to say something else when Jorikith stood from his chair.

  “Do you truly not know who this is?” he asked. “He is the Wayfarer, who comes and goes as he pleases. No man is over him and he is over no man. Council he brings to those who would hear, and most learned of all peoples is he. He wanders so he may observe, and listens so he may learn. His days are…”

  “Thank you for your most flattering words, Jorikith,” Altan said suddenly. “Please, sit down. You humble me by being so quick to my side, but I can assure you, no harm was meant by the asking. I can see in the others that they do not possess the same doubt as our Selenor does; but hopefully she will come to trust me. The One knows that we must not be torn apart from internal strivings. Difficult times will soon be upon all of Calabranda – indeed, all of Mira. Trust must be wholly earned, and thus justly kept. I place myself into your service, if you so desire it, Selenor. And to answer your inquiry, Rylek, I say ‘yes;’ feel free to discuss this matter with your sister and friends. I believe it is imperative for you all to join me, but the choice is entirely yours.”

  There did not seem to be much for Rylek to say, so he said, “Thank you.”

  “I will seek your answer in three hours’ time,” Altan said.

  “I have grown weary,” Andulibar suddenly said. “I think I shall retire soon. However, I welcome the young Aenosh to stay here for awhile longer to partake in this evening’s chorus. Ryaskoreid will soon escort you to the Memorial Chamber.”

  “Andulibar, do you mean that there will be music?” Rylek asked. “If so, then you need to hear Selenor. She sings and plays beautifully.”

  “Rylek!” Selenor started.

  Andulibar smiled. “Is this so, Selenor? Then I insist: you shall perform for us also, and I will delay my nightly retiring so that I may hear your delightful music.”

  Selenor turned all shades of crimson.

  “Since when have you been shy about your music?” Tresten asked. It was the first he had spoken since they had eaten.

  “I…” Selenor said. Then she looked up at Andulibar. “It will be my honor.”

  Rylek smiled. She probably was not very happy with him, but he did not care. Her gift was too good not to be shared with as many people as possible. He happened to glance towards Altan, who was also looking back at him, chin in hand, nodding slowly and smiling.

  ***

  The Memorial Chamber was a long, thin, tall building carved into the Great Room a few minutes’ walk from the dogwood gardens where they had eaten. Selenor had gone back to Ryaskoreid’s dwelling for her lyre, and then they journeyed together to the appointed destination. Inside the chamber, several large Aesid statues lined the walls, and between the statues were censers burning incense. The inner walls were polished so smoothly that they reflected the light of the many lanterns softly illuminating the space. It was darker here than in the Great Room. Rylek thought it was because there were no shafts bringing sunlight or moonlight down into the building. There was a chill in the air, and he found himself wishing he had an overcoat to put on. The floor was slightly inclined all around, such that the lowest part of the room was directly in the center. There were about three dozen Aesid there, and not long after they arrived, a female Aesid approached Selenor and asked if she would like to begin.

  She led her down to the center of the room, and Selenor began to strum the strings of her lyre. Rylek instantly recognized his favorite song. Slowly the melody lilted in, and she sang of moonlight on misty waters, and of lovers long parted. The sorrow in her voice dropped a weight on his heart, as she sang with a passion he had never before heard. He happened to take his eyes off her for just a second, and saw Altan standing alone in a corner. His eyes were closed, and his head was lifted up. Then something happened that Rylek would not forget for the rest of his life: slowly, one by one, the Aesid began to sing with Selenor in non-syllabic tones, adding harmony upon complex harmony. Their voices were filled with melancholy, and gradually they built and soared till the music was resonating from the walls and ceiling. They followed her every lead, her every change, as though they had become the instrument she was playing. And so the massive organic symphony played, an ocean of sonic bliss, till time itself seemed to pause so it could listen.

  How long this went on Rylek was never able to tell, for he was helplessly under the spell of the song and the incense. His mind was saturated with images of the grey sea, of forlorn figures standing apart on the foggy beach. The vision was so real he swore he felt the spray of the water on his face. With a start he suddenly realized there were tears streaming down his cheeks. Wiping them off, he looked back to where Altan had been, but found he was no longer there.

  Chapter Ten:

  The Room of No Time

  “That was the most amazing experience of my life!”

  Selenor was walking by Rylek’s side as they were on their way back to Ryaskoreid’s dwelling. He was carrying her lyre for her while Lana and Tresten were a few steps ahead of them. Rylek looked over at Selenor an
d could not help but smile as her face was glowing.

  “I mean, I’ve never felt that connected to music or creativity before,” she continued. “It just poured out of me, and somehow the Aesid fed off it and matched everything I was doing. I don’t even know where the time went! Did we really go on for nearly three hours?”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” he said. “There did seem to be some weird hypnotic spell over the room. I would never have guessed that much time passed, but then again I was totally drawn in.”

  Selenor shook her head. “I have a hard time picturing anything at the University surpassing tonight,” she said. “There was something bigger going on.”

  Suddenly Rylek was reminded of what Altan had told them. He was expecting an answer from them after three hours had passed, and he knew the time was up. They had not even discussed whether they would join him on his “little excursion.” He decided to wait to bring it up when they were alone and settled.

  When they arrived at Ryaskoreid’s, he very politely asked Selenor and Tresten if they minded spending the night with Rylek and Lana in their room. “I believe you will feel more comfortable and at ease there without worrying about Kelsereid or me,” he said. “I am sure the four of you would appreciate some time for yourselves.”

  After having relocated to the neighboring room, all four sat in a circle on their sleeping mats and were discussing the events of the night. When a lull in the conversation came, Rylek lightly coughed. “So, what do we say to Altan?” he asked. “He’s probably on his way to find us to get an answer. Do we go with him or not?”

  “I say yes,” Tresten said immediately, “if only for curiosity’s sake. We did come to explore and learn, even if this place was not my first choice. I also want to know what happened to these people and what in all of Mira they could have done that would affect them this severely. Yes, the music tonight was beautiful, but it was depressing. You could feel the tension of mourning in their voices. I want answers.”

  “And remember what Elder Caenar said,” Lana reminded them. “It’s good to trust anyone who blesses us in the name of The One, and those were the first words out of Altan’s mouth. Besides, these people have done nothing but show us goodness and compassion since we’ve been here. I had some reservations when we first met Ryaskoreid, but they have proven themselves to be so honorable. I feel we owe them some kind of payment, and this could be it – I mean, if we can understand them better and then find a way to help heal them.”

  “I confess I have my doubts about him,” Selenor said, “but you all seem so confident in this that I will let you decide. I trust you, and the Aesid have won my trust; and everybody in both of those groups seem to trust Altan, so I will do my best also.”

  The back of Rylek’s mind began to buzz again, but not about Altan. His mind had been made up about him since the moment he met him. It was the matter of the Aesid that troubled him. The issue with the orb was unsettling, and he could not shake the feeling that he had been lied to about it. But with the Oathbinder preventing him from discussing it with anyone, he felt helpless in knowing what to do.

  If only there was someone I could talk to, he thought to himself.

  There were also many questions he was prepared to ask Andulibar earlier, but never got the chance due to the events of the night. Maybe he did not need to ask him those questions. Altan wanted to show them the Aesidian history, and perhaps he could paint a clearer picture than what anyone else had offered. Then the questions could possibly answer themselves, or Altan would answer them himself.

  “Rylek, what do you think?” Lana asked.

  He looked up and saw they were looking at him expectantly. “I say we go,” he said after a moment. “I believe we lose nothing by going. Besides, Altan knew we were coming, so he must have some form of contact with home - though I have no idea what it could possibly be. I have a feeling it will benefit the Aesid best if we understand their history and can then return their generosity by helping them start a healing process. It sickens me to hear them talk so dejectedly about themselves.”

  “We are all on the same page then,” Tresten said, “and that is the way it should be.”

  No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice came from behind the doorway’s curtain. “Excuse me, Rylek? Are you in there?” It was Altan.

  They welcomed him in and offered him a seat on the floor. He politely refused. “I shall not take too much of your time,” he said. “I was merely coming by as I had promised and was curious to know whether you had reached your decision as a group whether to accompany me tomorrow.”

  “I believe we will,” Rylek said. “Is there anything we need to know before we go?”

  “Most of the details I will inform you of on our way,” Altan said. “We will leave early in the morning and journey to my home, where I think it would be wise to rest for the night. From there the remaining journey should not take long. I will have plenty of supplies waiting there that you will be more than welcome to use.”

  “Can you at least tell us where exactly it is we’re going?” Selenor asked.

  “It is a little difficult to explain,” he answered. “Our destination is actually much farther than the exact distance we will walk. But the name of the place is Khragzul.”

  Shivers ran up and down Rylek’s back. He had never heard of the place, but an unexpected fear jostled in his stomach. “And you’re fairly certain this will be safe for us?” he cautiously asked.

  “Rylek, surely you must understand safety can never be fully assured - at least, if your definition of safety is coming to no bodily harm. Was it safe for the four of you to come northward from your home by yourselves? You and Tresten have already suffered injury. But this I will say for your satisfaction: you will have me, and though I may not appear to be much, I have a certain…ability…to help others. As long as you stay with me and do exactly as I say, nothing out of the ordinary should happen.”

  “Now I’m starting to worry a little again,” Selenor said. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m being a pest, but like you said, we’ve had some scary moments already when we believed we had lost Rylek and then Tresten.”

  Altan knelt down on the ground beside her. “Selenor, you cannot go through life afraid of what might happen,” he said softly. “Anything can happen at any given moment. Nothing is guaranteed except for seeming randomness, coincidence, and chaos. Life is lived by meeting it head-on, with people in whom you trust beside you. I know you trust your three friends, and they will do all they can to make everything more bearable.” He paused for a moment and looked thoughtful. “This world is filled with too many opportunities and not nearly enough time.”

  A silence fell over the room. Rylek was unsure of what to say, and apparently the other three felt the same.

  After a few moments Altan rose to his feet. “I will leave you now so you can rest,” he said. “We will begin our trek after breakfast. But for now sleep peacefully.” He turned and left them alone.

  They sat quietly for a few moments. “What exactly happened just now?” Tresten asked. “He looked as though there was something…I don’t know how to explain it.”

  Rylek was still looking at the rustling doorway curtain. “There’s something odd about him,” he said almost to himself. “But it’s good. I’m not sure what it is, but it feels right anyway. He carries some ridiculously large burden that has made him a great person.” He looked at the others who were looking back at him with confusion on their faces. “Seriously. That’s the impression I get. There’s a kind of depth to him that I can’t possibly fathom. Can’t you feel it?”

  Tresten shrugged. “That is not at all what I meant. But then again, I’m not up for analyzing much of anything at the moment. I’m tired and would like to sleep now.”

  The others agreed this was a good plan and made ready to sleep. As they were settling in, Rylek kept thinking about Altan. He felt there was some vital piece of information he was missing to piece together another part of the puzzle. The
re was much he had learned on that night with his father and Caenar; but most of it was broad and vague, generalized and seemingly myopic. He did not know or understand why, but Altan somehow felt more detailed in his knowledge.

  It’s going to be good to pick his brain, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  ***

  Someone shook him from a dreamless slumber. He squinted in the dim light to see Tresten’s silhouetted figure kneeling over him, finger resting vertically over his mouth. Tresten then stood up and motioned for him to follow through the curtained door. Adrenalin started to pump through Rylek’s veins as he quietly rose from his sleeping mat.

  Once he joined Tresten outside, he took a quick glance around. “What’s the matter?” he asked quietly. “Is something going on?”

  “No, it’s nothing like that,” Tresten said. “I just want to take a look around and see what Perdeisolen has to offer. Maybe you can take me back to that first cave you fell into and we can figure out what exactly hurt me.”

  “That’s what you woke me up for?” Rylek asked. “I thought you were exhausted. Can’t we do this sometime tomorrow?”

  “When are we going to get a chance?” Tresten countered. “We’re leaving with Altan early in the morning. Who knows when we’ll be back here? Or if we’ll ever be back? I want answers and I don’t want to wait.”

  Rylek relaxed. “You do have a point,” he said. “Lana and I took some time to explore a bit while you were recovering. It’s only fair that you should see some things, too.”

  “Exactly,” Tresten said. “This is our Finding, right? We’ll have time to sleep when we get home. Let’s go have a look around. The girls will be fine by themselves. We should be back long before they even have a chance to know we were gone.”