by Alex Davis
'I knew that we should never have trusted them.'
'Do not be side-tracked, Zerial. The true problem lies with you. Viarus may have used his channel for ill, but he was in control of it. Your scream was ragged, unrelenting. You were not in control.'
'I would never...'
'You did not mean to hurt me, nor did you want to inflict such damage upon the Re'Nuck and his compatriot. What is worrying is the result. It implies that there is still much that we have to learn about these powers we have.'
'What do you... think it means?'
'I cannot know, with any certainty. I only have my speculations.'
'Which are what?'
'So far, we have only ever considered the channels to have one element. In our tests, we were always able to control them easily. But there was never any extreme of emotion involved, simply intellectual curiosity. That meeting... was the first time I have ever seen such emotion being expressed. We Noukari are creatures of duty, of responsibility. There have never been such furious emotions raging within us. But I fear it is more complicated than that. We have assumed that all we have is the thoughts that occupy us in the moment. But what if there is another level to the mind? We think on one level of what is immediately in front of us. On a second level, deeper down, there is more going on, things that we do not – or perhaps cannot – acknowledge. It was this second level that overtook you, I think. The surface part of your mind wanted to stop, but the feelings that lay beneath took over.'
'Beneath?'
'Come, Zerial. You and I both know that Asha died within that temple. That does not inspire any fury within you?'
'I have tried to forgive them.'
'But you cannot. I am not judging you, Zerial. What you feel is natural, I am sure any of us would feel the same. Yet you must understand that these feelings make you a liability.'
'What do you mean?'
Ameri sighs, turning away from Zerial for a moment.
'In you, we saw the potential for a leader. We believed in you. But now we know the fire burns too bright within you. We cannot have you involved with the A'Nockians any more. There is too much potential for people to be hurt.'
'I would not...'
'Zerial, please. This is not an easy thing to do. But we must approach this peacefully..'
'So you wish me to step back?'
'I would like that to be the case.'
'I do not think it should be.'
'Zerial, please...'
'Do not plead with me, Ameri. You invited me into this, asked me to support you, and now you will turn your back on me?'
Ameri turns to leave, saying, 'We have to try and achieve this the right way. Just because Viarus delved into his rage, does not make it right to respond in kind.'
It is exactly the right way to respond! Do you not see that?
Ameri can only respond in just as firm a manner.
We have lived all of our sunups in peace and cooperation. Once we descend into aggression it can only escalate. We must avoid that path entirely!
You assume that violence must inevitably lead to violence? Surely there must be a victor?
You would call stopping this by force a victory? It is no victory at all if it takes the shape of what you did. It brings only pain and misery.
You are weak, Ameri.
I am stronger than you think. And I have many to support me.
As this thought comes across her channel, Zerial can see many shapes appear in the doorway, the tall forms of ten, twenty Noukari.
What is the meaning of this, Ameri? An ambush?
It is nothing of the sort. We have spoken, and I have given you the chance to see the error of your ways. I have endured much hurt at your hands. If you cannot see that you go too far, we shall simply have to keep you here.
Keep me here! I do not intend to let you do any ssssssuch thing!
Zerial can feel the scream building within him, a high-pitched whine. Ameri can feel it building too, and nods to those around her to make their move.
They move too late.
The sound that blasts from Zerial is projected into the mind of all of those in the hut, an aural knife that cuts the multitude of thoughts. It is only Ameri that is able to stand tall, prepared for the malice that inhabits Zerial. The two of them stare, eye to eye, saying nothing but conveying much. She maintains her mental barrier against him, pushing back the wave of fury, which breaks against the wall she creates.
Stop this, Zerial! What do you think you can achieve?
I can stop them! I will destroy all of you if I have to!
This is not you, Zerial! You have to fight it!
I will fight all of you!
Ameri can feel her resistance breaking, and looks around to her fellows. There is no help forthcoming. Many of them will never have exercised their own mind-channel, let alone encountered anything like this. It is all up to her. She continues to force back the internal howl, the wall within her threatening to crumble under the onslaught.
Zerial, you must not do this!
You cannot stop me!
The force that Zerial projects wavers, just for a moment, and Ameri sees her opportunity. She pushes the wall she has built outwards. She can almost picture the barrier as it crashes into Zerial, who is so concerned with his own assault he can offer no defence. He lets out a cry of anguish, falling to the floor in an abject heap. Ameri crumples just moments after, her energies spent. Some of her colleagues stir with the silence around them, and Ameri finds herself pulled to her feet.
'What was that, Ameri?' Calorus asks.
She takes a deep breath before speaking, her voice broken.
'His mind-channel, his powers of telepathy.'
'How can he do such a thing?'
'We all have it within us, if we choose to acknowledge it. But his powers have become... twisted. This is supposed to be a force for good, something to help our people along.'
'I do not like it, Ameri. I have never felt anything like it.'
'Neither had I. But we must try and remember that Zerial has been through much, endured much of late. It has... done something to him.'
'What shall we do with him?'
'I do not know. We can restrain him physically, but how do you restrain the mind?'
'There may be a way.' pipes up Olurus. There is a plant that grows out in the forests, a rare one. It can put people to sleep.'
'Is it harmful?'
'It cannot be as harmful as leaving him awake.'
'I do not like this, Olurus. We should not be in this situation! You have misjudged him so badly.'
'I thought that...'
'You thought? And you got it wrong. You said we could trust Zerial, that he would be a good leader!'
'He had all of the assets that we were looking for. We already had enough thinkers between us, enough intelligence to understand the problem. We needed somebody who could act.'
'But look at how he has acted! He has hurt all of us, and driven a wedge between us and the Animexians that cannot be mended!'
'How was I to know that this lay within him? When he first met us, he knew nothing of the mind-channels, let alone how to use them.'
'He is not using them, Olurus, the channel is using him! I have never seen anyone act in the manner he has. Even Viarus's bitterness was nothing compared to what Zerial has done. Lashing out at the Animexians I can understand, but I cannot forgive lashing out at us.'
'Very well. I will fix it – I will get hold of some sleeproot.'
Ameri's answer comes as a sigh. 'How long will it take?'
'I will attend to it immediately.'
'I expect you back before moonrise. You two, fetch some rope and tie him down. Ensure that he cannot move, whatever he tries to do.'
The two Noukari she addresses nod dumbly, dashing from the hut. Olurus trails out behind them, a man on his own mission. Ameri looks back around the hut to the rest of her supporters, wondering
why she even summoned them. It was her own powers that had rescued the situation. Whatever physical strength the men possessed, they could not match the power of her mind.
'What are you all standing around for? What are you waiting for?'
None of them respond, and Ameri bites back a curse. Sighing, she dishes out instructions.
'I want five of you to stay in order to hold him down. If he awakens before we can tie him down, I will need you to apply enough force to keep him restrained. The rest of you, just leave, go about your usual business. Rest assured you have been no help at all.'
Chastened, the remainder of the group leaves. She watches those left hold Zerial down, still wondering how it came to this.
The Summoning
Sunup breaks over the horizon, and the time for The Summoning has come.
Viarus awakens with a sick feeling in his stomach, looking out from the window of his hut to see the forests of Noukaria staring back impassively. They care little for the machinations of his race, but simply stand sentinel, looking on with cold indifference. But he knows that something of vast significance is about to happen. Something that could reshape the entire world view of the Noukari. Something that could bring them in contact with the Animex themselves.
Not far away, the Re'Nuck awakens with a feeling of peace. His confidence in the venture remains unshaken, despite the pain he and Viarus have endured to get there. The blast of agony that Zerial brought will stay with him forever, just as the physical pain that Asha caused him. To think one Hasban and wefi could cause so much trouble! But their attempts to derail his religion and shake his faith have failed. In fact, they have strengthened his conviction further. Struggle and battle are what make triumph all the sweeter.
Ameri wakens with a dull sense of resignation. For many sunups she has voiced her opposition to the Re'Nuck and his ways, talking to close confidantes of the same mind. Now she cannot help but wonder if she should have done more, made some serious move earlier. Their talk and the experiments have ultimately been for nothing. Even the future of the Book of Truths is uncertain until Zerial comes back to himself. None have been able to find it within his hut, and there is no way to ask him. The temptation of violence and pain was too much for him, and Ameri was the one who had to stand in his path. To be opposing one of her own rather than their true adversaries! It will happen today, she knows. And all she can do is watch and hope.
(MAKE MORE OF THE LOSS OF THE BOOK OF TRUTHS)
And on the very outskirts of Genem, in a small hut for one, a body lies prone and a mind lies quieted within it. Zerial can scarcely feel the rope that ties him down. Every sense is dulled. He barely has any control of his body. The sleeproot is doing its job well, Olurus reflects as he watches him. It is not a task he welcomes, fearing what may happen if he comes back to consciousness. But he has plenty of sleeproot ready. He does not know the true effect of it, but there are more immediate concerns than that. The safety of the A'Nockians, of all Noukari may be at stake.
Genem awaits the proclamations of the gods.
***
Unable to sleep, Viarus decides to head to the temple early. Perhaps there will be some sort of guidance waiting for him there. He looks up at the sky, the sun high above him, and wonders how much further beyond that the Animex lay. If he shouted to the sky with his real voice, how far would that reach? How much louder must his mental shout be to reach whatever place the Animex inhabit? Not for the first time, his doubts rise to the surface. It is then that a clear voice breaks his reverie.
'Wondering just how far it may be?' Apius asks. Viarus turns to face the Re'Nuck, who is in the finest of his ceremonial robes. The occasion calls for nothing less.
'Are you reading my mind, Re'Nuck?'
'No, but I am aware of the doubts you have about The Summoning. I have been from the very start.'
'I can only apologise, Re'Nuck. The magnitude of this... '
'The scale of it is what makes the day so exciting, brother. I respect the fact that you are here in spite of your doubts. Do you know what that shows to me?'
'What?'
'Faith. An almost unlimited supply of it. You have been with me from the very start. You were the first to bestow the title of Re'Nuck upon me. And this next I ask of you is the greatest yet. But you must bear in mind the reason I have asked you is because I have faith. Faith in you.'
'Thank you, Re'Nuck. Your words mean much to me.'
'It is a momentous sunup. This is one that we shall never forget. It is when all of the non-believers come to join our faith.'
'It will be wonderful, Re'Nuck. No more arguments. No more doubt.'
'That is the vision, what we always dreamed of. Come, let us spend some time in the temple. It will be the perfect way to begin.'
***
After a stirring sermon, The Summoning is ready to begin. Viarus knows his place – he walks immediately to the centre of the clearing. The power he has is the most potent, and as such he will be the focal point of communication. The clearing soon fills with his fellow believers, with the Re'Nuck presently standing just outside of the circle. Once the shape is complete, and the body of believers is in formation, the Re'Nuck makes his way through the crowd to stand next to Viarus. He grasps Viarus by the shoulder and whispers 'Be strong, my brother.'
Viarus does not even nod in response, and Apius turns to address the gathering. 'My brothers, my sisters, this is a moment we have waited a long time for. The gods have created us, given us life, and watched over us. Now is the time for us to reach out to them, to give them our praise and devotion, and to hear their voices in response. Each of you will know the gods better than ever before!'
There is no cheer within the clearing. The moment is too sombre, too sacrosanct. The Re'Nuck is glad – everyone here is focussed on their task.
'Myself and Viarus shall be at the very heart of the circle, shouting to the Animex with all of our might. But the power of two alone will not suffice. It will require the effort of every one if The Summoning is to succeed! Even if you feel your voice is little more than a whisper, when added to those around you it may be clearly heard. Give everything you have, and we shall bask in glory!'
The Re'Nuck nods to Viarus, knowing that in this situation he commands every bit of respect that he does. He has been the one to teach and train the Animexians to employ their minds.
'Remember everything that we have learned together. The mind is not a muscle, like the tongue or the lips. Forcing things will get you nowhere – the key to what we are about to do is relaxation, a clear mind. I would ask you all to focus only on the words we have rehearsed. It is a simple message, but today it goes on an incredible journey. The words we must all concentrate on are these. Today we reach out to you, the Animex. We are your loyal and faithful servants. We must all reach out with these same words so that we may be heard. Is everybody ready?'
There is no response, but Viarus takes it from the mood around him that the collective is prepared. Nodding, he reaches out with his mind. Then let us begin.
Viarus is surprised to find the Re'Nuck grasping his hand, a display of solidarity between the two of them. As they link fingers, Viarus begins to pick up the first whispers of the agreed phrase. It is quiet at first, a susurrus that grows out of the silence. There is no noise in the clearing – the wind and the wildlife themselves seem to have been silenced in this moment. The hushed sound that begins to blossom from the gathered minds is messy and garbled, and Viarus a gentle guiding hand.
Listen to those around you. Let us make this sound in unison rather than a broken chorus.
His words seem to have some effect, although it takes time for the inner voices to align. Then the rhythm and pace asserts itself, becoming a hypnotic mantra. With that established, what was ten or twenty voices are now joined by many more. Viarus feels as though he can pick each voice out.
Today we reach out to you, the Animex. We are your loyal and faithful servants.
The sound of the statement grows, a choir now intoning their chant not just at the same pace but also the same tone.
Today we reach out to you, the Animex. We are your loyal and faithful servants.
Viarus is delighted at the sound, an entire religion working together in harmony. What a beautiful occasion! He can feel the Re'Nuck squeeze his hand, but he knows that it is not time for him to step in as yet. Not even half of the voices have tuned in. But with each passing moment, what was a congregation of whispers grows into a loud and clear proclamation. The volume rises, rises, until Viarus feels the time has come. With his own intense power, he knows that he can draw the remainder of the circle into the message. Taking a deep breath, letting the words take over him, he accompanies the rest, a dominating persona among them.
Today we reach out to you, the Animex. We are your loyal and faithful servants!
His own effort lends confidence to those who have kept their mental voices low, attracts the few yet to communicate their part in the message. The sounds builds into a cacophony. The Re'Nuck now takes his place, the voice seeming to echo that of Viarus's own. The build is about to reach a crescendo. The sound has grown and grown, but this must reach beyond the sky to the gods! Unleashing every bit of his potential, Viarus lets loose with a mighty cry.
Today we reach out to you, the Animex! We are your loyal and faithful servants!
The immensity of his voice silences all of those around him. The gathered power seems to disseminate in an instant, replaced with something else entirely.
The interior wails of agony.
It seems at first to be only one individual, a dissenting voice amidst the mental quiet. But then this becomes a mantra of its own, a piercing scream passing from one to another. Viarus can see the followers falling to the floor around him. Their mental screams have stretched into the physical. The wall of misery extends to all levels, a nightmare palimpsest. The Re'Nuck looks around in horror. He digs his nails into Viarus's skin. But there is no response.