Haunt & Havoc

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Pandaros raised his machete to prepare to kill them all, but then Denise pulled the dagger that she had readied and lunged toward the shadow of the man moving in the light. She struck Pandaros in the abdomen and he began bleeding and was hunched over from the pain. He had a clear view of Denise, however, because of where the light was focused, so he swung his machete and severed her jugular vein and spinal cord, and she fell, dying instantly.

  However, being distracted by the serious stab wound that Denise had dealt him meant that Pandaros no longer had control of the spirits of sickness, so they suddenly left.

  Instantly relieved of their illness, Mitchell jumped up, screamed and kicked Pandaros in one leg and Emmett leapt out of bed and kicked him in the other leg, knocking the man to the ground. Pandaros dropped the luminary as he fell.

  “Run!” Mitchell shouted, grabbing Emmett by the arm and leaving the house. Mitchell still had the book with him that he had taken from the box.

  Tofa just stood and watched what was next. She observed as the other man – who had the powers of light – picked up the bleeding man, and the black onyx candle, putting it in his pocket. She watched as the man with the light powers helped to escort the injured man out of the house.

  ~~~

  Tofa left the house to follow the men outside, where she listened and recorded what they said and did into her book.

  Seleukos looked at the bleeding and generated a hot beam of light on the wound, cauterizing it. “I have stopped the bleeding. You have lost some blood, but I think you will recover. Drink of your waters, and the blood will regenerate soon,” Seleukos said.

  Pandaros drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean and was energized with spirit powers, but they mattered little. It was the hydrating powers of the water that mattered here, and even the Dead Waters would have been enough. After an hour, Pandaros had his strength back and began to walk slowly, with Seleukos helping him along.

  “We have it, and now we know what they do,” Seleukos said.

  “Where is it?” Pandaros asked, still not at full strength.

  “I have it,” Seleukos said, and he escorted Pandaros away from the house.

  ~~~

  Tofa watched the men move away, finished her record of what she saw, and began to follow them, but then she reconsidered. She changed course and went looking for Mitchell and Emmett, personally grieving over their tragic loss.

  Tofa made her way slowly toward the village, looking for a sign of them, and heard a voice: “Tofa! Here!”

  Tofa ran over and saw Mitchell and Emmett, standing near a lamp post, with its ordinary candles glowing brightly.

  “They left. I was going to follow them, but then, I remembered, that there’s something more important,” Tofa said.

  “Don’t you have to follow what happens in history? Isn’t that what a Chronicler has to do? This is all too dangerous now. I had no idea of any of it. It’s much bigger than I thought,” Mitchell said. He was short of breath, and out of ideas.

  “Mom’s gone. Mom’s gone. Mom’s gone. What do I do? Where do we go?” Emmett said, panicked.

  “I don’t know. I love you. Mom loved you. Don’t forget that, ever,” Mitchell said.

  “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have come here. I am so, so sorry. More than sorry. I have to do something,” Tofa said. She recalled one of the tenets of the Chronicler’s Oath, meant to handle situations such as these, although this predicament was far beyond even her wildest imagination.

  The Twelfth Tenet of the Chronicler’s Oath

  If – while acting under the obligation to chronicle the truth – some knowledge is necessarily exposed in such a way that the course of events is changed for the worse, then the Chronicler may choose to take respite from the Oath for a time and provide a remedy to the matter if possible, after giving the report to Emeth.

  “I have to reveal the truth, that’s why I asked the questions. I didn’t want Denise to get killed or even get hurt, but I didn’t know there was a secret of this importance,” Tofa said.

  “None of us did. She hid it too well,” Mitchell said.

  “The secret was revealed and it’s because of me, and those men killed her because the secret got out, and now your family is torn apart. My presence is partly to blame, but I am obligated to pursue the truth. When something like this happens, and revealing the truth causes harm that it shouldn’t, I have to work to help repair the damage. She’s gone, and that can’t be fixed, but you need help. He’s still a boy, and you still have to work. I will stay with you. You don’t have to be my husband or love me. Just let me help, please. I owe you that much, even menial tasks. I can educate him, while you work. Please don’t think you have to do it alone,” Tofa said.

  “I don’t know what to say,” Mitchell said.

  “Just say that you’ll let me help you. We have to report this to Emeth. Not just for the Oath, but for the world. There’s a rule – the Twelfth Tenet – that says that I can choose to take time away from being a Chronicler and stay with you. Come with me to Emeth, and I’ll give the report. I mean…we’ll all give the report. They need to know. Believe me, they need to know,” Tofa said.

  “Let’s go. Times have changed,” Mitchell said.

  “I miss her, and I’m scared, of the dreams, the voices, all of it,” Emmett said.

  “So am I. But I’m here for both of you, as long as you need,” Tofa said.

  The trio of them – Mitchell, Tofa and Emmett – booked passage on inland riverboats to the southeastern corner of the continent of Revod. From there, they hired transport to travel south across the Medathero Ocean to Emeth. The entire voyage took them eleven (11) days, owing to the difficulty of navigating in the darkness. The entire time, Tofa just apologized, and promised to give her life in service to them. She cried, feeling horribly guilty.

  Mitchell just held Tofa, and remembered why he once loved her, and then he cried over the memory of Denise, and every good thing about her. He felt deep pity that she had been moved to jealousy, for fear that another woman would lure him away. He realized the tragic irony that the very woman Denise feared was now the one to live to raise her child. Emmett cried, as he was confused and scared, especially because it all happened so suddenly. He knew that his mom was dead, and that he had to leave his house and run away in the darkness, because of the terrible secret he learned too soon.

  ~~~

  Pandaros and Seleukos booked passage on inland riverboats across Revod and ships across the ocean, making their way back to the cave in the Colossal March Warpath land bridge. The journey was more difficult than before, owing to the injury that Pandaros had sustained, but his strength slowly returned.

  When they arrived, Seleukos said: “We learned something of great interest.”

  “You’re not well,” Abrax said, looking at Pandaros in his weakened state.

  “My injury is healing,” Pandaros said.

  “A woman drew a dagger against him, but she is dead,” Seleukos said.

  “Were there others?” Abrax asked.

  “Yes, but they escaped in the conflict,” Seleukos said.

  “One of them was a Chronicler,” Pandaros said.

  “That is unfortunate, as we have no recourse to act against the Chronicler and thereby conceal our mission,” Abrax said.

  “What interesting thing did you learn?” Erikkos asked.

  “These luminaries are the source of power for a machine. The mythical city – Thalkalana – exists underground, and it’s really a machine that consumes stars and turns them into a new ocean,” Seleukos said.

  “Now I really am interested in these luminaries,” Erikkos said.

  “Interested in turning them off, I hope. If those stars all disappear, that’s not going to be interesting. It’s going to be cold and dark, everywhere and always. Just try exploring that,” Amaltheia said.

  “The waters of the new ocean will bring everlasting death, according to what we learned,” Seleukos said somberly, not enthused at th
e thought of following through with activating the machine.

  “Let’s not try too hard. I don’t mind storming through a desert city. But I’m not going to let you just plunge us all into the dark for your demented ego and curiosity,” Amaltheia said to Pandaros. However, she also looked at Seleukos to see if his facial expressions revealed any enthusiasm toward what had to be an act of self-destruction.

  “What are you going to do? Betray the Explorers of the Quiet Sea by obstructing our quest for knowledge?” Abrax asked, holding up the spiral dagger and preparing to thrust it into Amaltheia’s pregnant belly.

  “Abrax, wait. She’s right. We’re not here to destroy the world. The luminaries are useful tools by themselves, letting us control the light and darkness as we see fit. Activating this machine entails risks and irreversible damage that we are not prepared to handle, although this new ocean is something I would like to learn more about, theoretically, at least. Collecting the remaining luminaries would be wise, if only to prevent someone else from deciding to actually proceed with using the machine,” Pandaros said. However, he only meant that they were not prepared to handle the damage just yet, and he planned to get prepared.

  “You’ve learned their purpose. Yet, did you actually obtain a new luminary?” Abrax asked.

  “Indeed, we did,” Seleukos said, producing the newest one from his pocket.

  “Light its dark flame, that we may know if it is true,” Abrax said.

  Seleukos held the new luminary out and lit its wick using a torch on the cave wall. He carried it in his hand and walked outside. There, he saw that the sky had, indeed, grown even darker.

  “The luminary is true,” Seleukos said. He then placed it into the second holder on the second candelabra. Thus, they now had fifteen (15) luminaries that were lit – the thirteen (13) in the first candelabra plus the two (2) in the second candelabra.

  ~~~

  When Tofa, Mitchell and Emmett arrived in Emeth, Tofa presented her own book to the Verifier Alyona and said to her: “We must see him at once. The matter is urgent, and this will be my last report for some time, as I need to take respite under the Twelfth Tenet.”

  Alyona looked at Tofa’s book for several minutes, learning of the true gravity of the matter, and then said: “Come with me. All of you.”

  Alyona led them into the Library of Tedorik, and, therein, to the private chambers that belonged to Danek.

  “We must speak with him now,” Alyona said.

  Suddenly, darkness enveloped Alyona, Tofa, Mitchell and Emmett, and they were escorted by unseen figures along an unknown path to a hidden place.

  Soon, the darkness retreated and they met with a very old man.

  “What is it, Verifier Alyona?” the old man – Sava’Tzefanya – asked.

  “Trustworthy Chronicler Tofa has learned, through this boy’s mother, of another luminary, and of their purpose. From that which I could verify, claims were made in her book that these luminaries are the source of power for the machine that is the city of Thalkalana, so that it can draw power from stars, consuming them, and thereby expand a hidden ocean, whose luminous waters are false,” Alyona said.

  “Also, there was a luminary, and it was taken by a pair of men who intruded into the boy’s house, and his mother was slain in a conflict with them. The boy – Emmett – woke from dreams, and I questioned him, exposing the secret, which these intruders overheard, and then they moved quickly to seize the luminary,” Tofa said.

  “She is taking respite from the Oath under the Twelfth Tenet,” Alyona said.

  “Emmett lost his mother – wife of his father, Mitchell, here – during my exposition of the matter, and so I will stay to help the remnant of their family,” Tofa said.

  “This is a matter of considerable danger. For now, the three (3) of you are to go into hiding, so that this secret is not further revealed, and you can give them familial assistance. There is a place that is safe from those who would pry into your thoughts. Remain until called for,” Sava’Tzefanya said.

  Suddenly, a darkness enveloped Tofa, Mitchell and Emmett and they were carried away along another unknown path, to another hidden place.

  “According to Tofa’s record – which she copied from another book, belonging to the boy’s slain mother – all of the luminaries must be present to activate the machine,” Alyona said.

  “Gathering as many of them as possible, as quickly as possible, will be my priority. Return to your post, and guard your thoughts,” Sava’Tzefanya said.

  Darkness then enveloped Alyona, and she was escorted back to the private chambers of Danek in the Library of Tedorik. From there, she went outside and awaited reports of other Chroniclers as they arrived in Emeth.

  CHAPTER 31: Arrival of Powers from an Outside World

  Admiral Quin’Va’Pitar looked through the telescope in his observation room, and saw that the suns surrounding the world of Thalariveth became dimmer still. This time, however, they were so greatly diminished in their intensity that he became confident that travel was safe again.

  To be certain, however, he tapped on the screen of a computerized tablet, navigating through its control software and connecting to the service that transmitted the data signal produced by the telescope. As a result, he received the information on his tablet that included the exact light intensities and placements. He then tapped on additional parts of the tablet screen, directing the software to calculate for him a pathway from the imperial core world of Votteus to Thalariveth. The distance was two hundred ten thousand (210000) light years. The pathway passed through dark regions of his own galaxy as well as those of two (2) intervening galaxies, leading out to the empty region of space which contained only Thalariveth and the surrounding suns with their diminished levels of light.

  The pathway that was calculated by the software was based on the properties of the key lens of the telescope, which altered light and made it burn through the fabric of space very quickly. It was a weakened version of a trailblazer, meant to give a real time optical view of distant regions of space, not subject to the delays of light speed over the incredible distances. In theory, it was unlimited, and could see the end of the universe, if he sought that location – and if such a location existed. Whether the universe was of infinite or finite size was an interesting question, with philosophical and physical implications all its own. However, Admiral Quin’Va’Pitar was not given to ponder that at the moment. The practical limitations of the trailblazer included the energy expenditure of using it and its dependence on passing through dark space, rather than areas of intense light.

  When the path it calculated got too close to a star – even a very small one – its energy was dwarfed by the heat and light radiated by that star so that the image which the telescope provided was distorted, becoming scattered far and wide. The small suns surrounding Thalariveth were now just dark and weak enough to not meaningfully distort the image. That also meant that the suns would not meaningfully distort the path of a ship – or company of soldiers – that traveled along that pathway.

  Admiral Quin’Va’Pitar then tapped on the tablet again and transmitted the information about the pathway to Captain Mendis’Kanto’Petarin, along with the order to launch when ready.

  He transmitted the same information and orders to Commander Doriv’Natix.

  ~~~

  Commander Doriv’Natix waited in a large training room in the lowest level of the naval officer residential tower, surrounded by the one hundred ten (110) combat troops and twenty (20) scouts who had been assigned for this mission.

  His usual training regimen for his subordinates was brutal – which was why it was effective, he believed – but he knew not to overly drain them when they were waiting to be deployed at any moment. He merely watched them, making sure that they did not appear drowsy, unfocused or ill. He would replace those that were, and deal out discipline upon his return. However, this group was ready, so he didn’t need to make any changes.

  The tablet computer he held
then displayed a notification, including orders to depart immediately, along with the spatial coordinates of their destination.

  “We have our orders. Follow me!” Commander Doriv’Natix said, and he led his company of troops out of the residential building to a nearby cylindrical building – over two hundred (200) feet in diameter and forty (40) feet high. Several such buildings were clustered together, each having the same blue metallic exterior that seemed to give off a glow at times.

  Therein, Commander Doriv’Natix and his troops stood in the center of the cylindrical chamber and he tapped on the tablet computer to take the spatial coordinates he had received and transmit them to the system that controlled the principal machine that the cylindrical building housed.

  The system echoed back its status onto the tablet computer’s screen, and Commander Doriv’Natix relayed the status to his troops, saying: “Preparing burnpath generator – trailblazer stage. Assume ready position.”

  All one hundred ten (110) combat troops and twenty (20) scouts stood upright, with arms at their weapons and sensor equipment, ready to strike and fully alert.

  Commander Doriv’Natix then tapped on the tablet computer again, watching the reported progress of the preparation of the burnpath system. It quickly reached full readiness and an image appeared asking him to tap it when ready to burn. He tapped the image and then the work began.

  Eight (8) green beams of light appeared above their heads, crossing the interior of the cylinder, and the beams then began rotating rapidly.

  Unseen by anyone was a powerful beam that burned through the very fabric of space, crossing two hundred ten thousand (210000) light years, blazing a trail from the inside of this cylindrical room to another distant location.

  What could be seen by everyone inside this cylinder was a fiery walkway that led into the distance.

  “Forward! March! Follow the brightest light and heat!” Commander Doriv’Natix said.

  The one hundred thirty (130) troops then stepped through the fiery walkway and found themselves in a cavern, inside of a planet, that was located in a galaxy nowhere near their own.