by Jeremy Dwyer
However, the poverty in the Solkidian Trail was such that they had to directly transport these people – those who were interested in coming along – in their travels. This was a slow process, and other ships had to assist.
This continued voyage added another five million three hundred thousand (5300000) people who were brought into the walled city-continent of Baradaxa, entering from the north.
~~~
Sebastian personally traveled via airship to observe the arrivals, and listened for word of how many. He also used his powers given by drinking the waters of the Elanatin Ocean to sense their thoughts and discern their true number, and sense their gratitude. Many were awed by the great and luminous wall that surrounded Baradaxa, noting how it was not possible for a ship to cross it, or to sail over it, so that all were safe from an invading fleet of any king.
Sebastian was pleased, but not satisfied.
He returned to the grounds of his estate in the north central region of Baradaxa. There, he met with Fantine and Cassius, who both approached him, standing in front of the mansion which was one of his homes, and where Persephone lived with their new child.
“This walled city – nation, really – has attracted crowds in great numbers. They believe it to be safe, which it is, of course. This will be the least favorable target of attack. However, the king may decide to attack Javanda or Revod, and that would add to his power, and avail to him resources that could be used against us,” Cassius said.
“We have the ability to use the constructor to enclose both continents – Revod should be the first location, because that has a smaller coastline than Javanda, along with a higher population available to give assistance during the setup stage,” Fantine said.
“No. This is the safe place, and all should come here,” Sebastian said.
“There is much to offer here – this land has fertile soil, of course – but it is not unlimited. It might be wise to sell our services to the Jenaldej Empire. They would pay handsomely, at interest, if we begin construction immediately. We’ve already proven our results, and they are reasonably generous when it comes to spending on defense,” Cassius said.
“No. I have something more important for you to do. In order for these people to live here, they have to have a common bond. They’re arriving from different lands across the world, and they’re not accustomed to working together. I’ve worked with many people, and, sometimes, conflicts arise. We have to defend against that,” Sebastian said.
“You are the one who drinks the Elanatin Ocean waters. You can influence their emotions, and harmonize their work. That is not a power that either of us has,” Cassius said.
“I’m an architect, not a diplomat. The sooner we begin construction, the safer we’ll all be,” Fantine said.
“The Jenaldej Empire may not be your ally, but they always make good on their debts, so you would profit,” Cassius said.
“They need to know who I am. All of these people. That I lead them…and love them. They feel it – I’ll make sure of that. But I need them to see it, before their very eyes. A likeness of me – several of them – should be constructed,” Sebastian said.
Cassius’ old heart nearly stopped – he thought he had seen the last of that nonsense with Octavian and the monuments he had ordered his sculptors to create. Now, this telepathic aristocrat – who also had access to the constructor through him and Fantine – was even more vain. Vanity was the road to madness, and Cassius had seen quite enough.
Fantine considered this to be ridiculous egotism that did nothing to protect anyone. “How do symbols help actually protect those in danger? They might inspire by their form, but they don’t function,” she said.
“Very true. And this is a land where we work together. If it becomes like a monarchy – with statues and monuments – then people might not see the difference between you and the tyrannical king,” Cassius said.
“They will know a good leader from a bad one. People need symbols – that is a fact of psychology – and the evil king has symbols of himself. Therefore, the good leader should have symbols, as well. Otherwise, they can be misled by the evil leader who does have a likeness and be turned away from the good leader who does not. Believe me: I know people. I’ve worked in businesses where the company with the better product and service lost out to the one who had more attractive signs and symbols and could dazzle and deceive. We truly have the greater city – the greater nation – but this false and evil king has greater symbols – illusions, even – which is how he leads,” Sebastian said.
Cassius considered this, and realized that Sebastian was actually partially correct. Still, this was a dangerous course of action. “Perhaps a symbol of unity that represents all of us, working together, would work best. The classical symbols of the twelve (12) waters, arranged in an emblem made of bright crystal would denote that cooperative intent. It could be surrounded by a great wall, and emblazoned on the walls,” Cassius said.
“Meanwhile, this king will attack and people’s lives will be ended or ruined. I don’t agree with any of this,” Fantine said.
Sebastian was highly energized with the waters of the Elanatin Ocean and exerted his influence using telepathic powers. “Trust me. I’m right. You’ll soon see. Don’t worry,” he said, smiling.
Cassius was swayed because he already partially agreed with the prior argument about manipulating sentiments, but Fantine was not swayed, because she only cared for solid construction, rather than any form of politics or shallow symbolism.
Sebastian sensed that he was making no progress on her, so he doubled his efforts and implanted a different thought in her mind: “I love you – I always did – and I’m the only one who ever did. Do it for me,” but only she could hear this. He made it emotional, with a hint of something more.
Fantine knew that Sebastian was empty, and that another man – Niven – had truly loved her before, although she didn’t return it. This wasn’t working, but she was afraid that Sebastian was going to push the matter too far, and that the telepathic powers could compel her, even if they couldn’t convince her.
“If you think this will prevent internal conflicts, I’ll do it. But if this king comes north, he’s going to take Revod, and everything they have, and that’s going to make him a threat, even to us, given all their resources. Javanda is not high populated, so it will fall quickly, and give him even more natural resources, for even less effort,” Fantine said.
“We’ll do this. We’ll build these symbols of your likeness, if only so this king doesn’t gain any influence here, by sending in agents to infiltrate,” Cassius said.
Fantine and Cassius then left Sebastian to begin working on a smaller machine – one that could produce the likenesses that Sebastian had requested. They were both afraid, however, that the attention had inflated the man’s ego.
CHAPTER 34: Revelation of Secrets of Death and Darkness
On Athekriptole Island in the Dead Waters Ocean, the members of the Society of the Dead Waters persisted in their experiments.
“Yet more tests must be performed. These will involve the powers of stars,” Dietrich said. He held his notebook and prepared to record the results.
“The darkness is spreading, and soon it will be all that I can do to give you light by which to labor, diverting my attention from watching for intruders,” Claramond said.
“Do what you can, Claramond,” Dietrich said.
“We will all do what we can,” Ulrich said, and he drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to manipulate crystals.
Ellenor drank anew of the waters of the Pirovalen Ocean from her own vial and was energized with the power of music. “I continue to be ready as well,” she said.
Claramond drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from her vial and was energized with the powers of light. She produced light by which the other members of the society could continue in their experimentation. Not only would she illuminate the area, but she
would also contribute to the experimental procedure.
Ulrich then filled another four (4) vials with potions of Dead Waters from the central pond, and used the powers which the Kazofen waters gave him to remove impure crystals and other minerals from those potions.
Ellenor then sang out a new melody that perturbed the Dead Waters in the vials in a specific way.
Claramond then generated light in carefully planned patterns to perturb the Dead Waters in the vials.
Dietrich watched as closely as he could and recorded the process into his book, including the visible portions of the light pattern and a sketch of the musical notes that he heard.
Ulrich then gave the potion to another four (4) young un-waterbound men who had succeeded at – and survived – their prior tests.
“Call out to the stars and hear what it is they tell you – tell us what sounds you can hear,” Dietrich said.
The men drank of the given potions of waters from the vials and began to concentrate, and fell to their knees in pain – dreadful pain.
“The darkness of the stars may put them out of reach,” Dietrich said.
“Or the potion of waters is not as it should be,” Claramond said.
“All of our experiments gave us new insights,” Dietrich said.
“I did nothing new to the waters – the impurities were removed as before,” Ulrich said.
“I used light patterned much as before,” Claramond said.
“My melody was nearly the same,” Ellenor said.
“Slight variations can have significant impact. That may be the cause for their reaction,” Dietrich said.
The men who had taken the waters held their hands to their heads and then fell to the ground.
“Was the mixture too toxic?” Dietrich asked.
“No – the purity was extremely high,” Ulrich said.
“Then the variations in light and sound may have contributed to this result…or the conditions of the suns themselves,” Dietrich said.
“There are many things to consider here. Perhaps we should select for other powers to be released from the Dead Waters,” Claramond said.
Within moments, the skin of the men who were in pain turned to a dull red, then to medium red and then to bright red and caught fire. Their flesh was then incinerated in a hot flash and the flames poured forth from them, reaching out and burning Ulrich, Ellenor Claramond and Dietrich severely. They fell to the ground, yelling.
“I see nothing!” Dietrich said, dropping his notebook to hold his hands over his eyes.
“The light was blinding!” Claramond said.
“I am on fire!” Ulrich said.
Ellenor called out, but her voice was somehow different and – in a melodious voice – she sang: “Peace and life are what we seek. End this fire, so we can be strong, not weak. Peace and life are what we seek. Let us gaze farther and higher, and learn of the mystique.”
The fire stopped burning them – as the words she sang were given extra power by the Pirovalen waters she drank – but the four (4) of them were seriously injured, and moving about in a disoriented manner as might be expected of the blind, for all of their eyes had been singed at least.
~~~
From under the cover of darkness, Felicite watched safely, not knowing if the injuries the experimenters had suffered were due to the strange darkness that had eclipsed the suns when the subjects attempted to listen to their sounds or if it was related to the manipulations they had performed on the potions of Dead Waters. In either case, they were clearly not in a position to stop her, and their experimental results were of interest.
Sight unseen, Felicite then moved through the darkness. Claramond, who had the powers of light which could have allowed her to see Felicite, had never looked exactly in the proper direction, and her eyes were now too burned to focus. Thus, Felicite stealthily took the notebook that Dietrich had dropped without interference. She drank anew of the waters of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from her vial and was further energized with the powers of darkness, maintaining her cover so that she was never noticed by the members of the Society of the Dead Waters. She was able to easily travel to the northern edge of Athekriptole Island.
From there, Felicite paid for passage on a series of ships. The first leg of the voyage took her to nearby Mezkarilith Island. Next, the vessel traveled southwest across the Dead Waters Ocean, crossing briefly as an airship over the Crypt Trail land bridge. As she passed by, she saw the great and luminous crystal wall that surrounded Baradaxa, standing hundreds of feet high, for all she could tell. The ship returned to sea level in the Medathero Ocean and sailed northwest, leaving her at the southeastern tip of the Prince Jalvin’s Crossroads land bridge. To go further, she hired transport on an inland riverboat to the northern tip, which extended into the Ikkith Tar Ocean. All of this took nine (9) days – when it should have taken three (3) at most – due to the navigational difficulties in the darkness.
Felicite had to wait until a ship she recognized came for her, and would take her to Av’Tovenka Island. After a painful two (2) days, a ship finally came for her – with a woman she knew at the wheel – and then she was taken to that island. She drank anew of the Ikkith Tar Ocean waters from her vial and was energized. By the water’s powers, she again went under the cover of darkness so as not to be noticed when she stepped onto the shore. Then, she made her way – unseen – through the island’s interior and entered into the water-worshipper’s temple using a hidden passage. Once inside, she eased her powers of darkness.
When she entered the temple, she made her way to the door of the Matriarch’s Room. Another woman was standing there and read her thoughts and knew that she was waiting to see the old woman.
“Felicite, I will inform Tanith Orenda that you have arrived,” the other woman said, and then she made contact with the old woman telepathically.
“She says to come in,” the woman said.
Felicite opened the door to the Matriarch’s Room and walked the narrow path – surrounded by a pool of sacrificial blood – to approach the throne made of bone where the old woman sat in the room’s center.
“Felicite, I understand that you have something of interest,” Tanith Orenda said.
“I have with me the book of notes on research done by the Society of the Dead Waters,” Felicite said, handing over the book.
Tanith Orenda began reading through the book and said: “This shows promise, though not much. Many of their experiments ended in death, rather than the permanent attainment of new powers. Their final recorded attempt led to their disability, it seems. Why do you think that is?”
“It was not clear – many of their experiments were failures, although some were partial successes – so that it is not possible for me to know whether they did not use the proper light or music to affect the water,” Felicite said.
“The cause of their failure is the same as that for everyone else who tries to hear the sounds of the stars. The dark presence brings them pain…as it should. Feel no pity for them, of course. Still, their experiments should not be forgotten, and may yet reveal the secrets of the Dead Waters, which I have long suspected to be alive. We will continue them when the time is proper,” Tanith Orenda said.
~~~
On Haza’Kedro’Maral Island in the Pirovalen Ocean, in his office in the Trading Center Five building, Governor Lux paged through many financial books, identifying the various assets of the deceased governors Parry and Sullivan.
Their deaths were not inconsequential – they were wise fools, clever enough with the mathematics of banking, yet unwise in the movements of the greater powers of the world – and he would have to promote other financial officers to the level of bank governor to carry out their duties.
However, Governor Lux decided to seize the opportunity to acquire the dead governors’ assets for himself. They had no nearby living family that could lay claim to their considerable personal fortunes – over seven million five hundred twenty-nine thousand (7529000) platinum coins com
bined – and he sought a legal way to take control of that money personally.
Fortunately for Governor Lux, it seemed that Governor Sullivan had approved a number of underperforming loans during his tenure and compensation was due to the bank, so he wrote instructions to transfer all of Governor Sullivan’s assets into the special reserve fund to restore the lost bank assets, and this covered three million two hundred forty-three (3243000) platinum coins worth of shortfall. These instructions would be left for the clerks to carry out, so as to not create an appearance of a conflict of interest. Governor Lux was already in control of the reserve fund, and had plans to justify moving money from their funds into other funds and purposes, with the ultimate destination being his own account.
However, the performance of loans approved by Governor Parry’s own authority was nearly spotless, so his assets would have to be left intact until forfeited due to going unclaimed, which was a year from his death.
Governor Lux thought that it would be even more interesting, though, to gain control over the land in Baradaxa, and the machine that so suddenly constructed the great and luminous wall surrounding it. The couriers of the bank had been reporting the large migration of people to that place for fear of the tyranny of King Xander and of the darkness in the skies. Fear was useful, of course, and he had no qualms about benefitting from it. Rather, he was irked that Sebastian was the one who stood to benefit from the arrivals, as he was the largest and richest land owner in Baradaxa, and he controlled the wall and the machine that built it.
~~~
Duchess Uliana – who was now eight (8) months pregnant – stood near the construction site on Haza’Kedro’Maral Island and watched as the new Temple of the Sky’s Nine (9) Kings neared completion. She was hoping it would be finished before the child was due.
Blazer Luken provided his own powers of illumination by drinking the Atrejan waters from his vial and using the powers they gave him to turn any water into fire – along with heat and light. By this, he was able to give guidance to the workers as they molded the crystals to form the temple towers.