The Riddle of the Gods

by Lyra Shanti

  Chapter 2: Arrival

  His eyes were so familiar, and his strong, masculine jaw, even his entire face. It HAS to be Meddhi-Lan, thought Pei, but how?!

  He sat for a moment, dumbfounded and unable to speak. All he could do was look at the ex-teacher in front of him whom he had once loved with all his might. This man, however, seemed a slight bit different somehow – younger and more lean.

  Then, an awful realization came to him: it was all Dr. Hessen's doing. This new Meddhi-Lan was once the teacher Pei had admired so much. Yet, through science and witchcraft, he had been brought back to life. It amazed Pei, and also frightened him.

  “Do we... know each other somehow?” asked the man, clearly confused.

  Unable to control his emotions any longer, Pei felt the rising wave of tears inside him burst forth. Between learning about his biological family and discovering Meddhi-Lan reborn, it was just too much.

  Breathing erratically, Pei put his hand to his forehead and said, “I can't take anymore. Please gods, I can't.” He then bent his head down and cried into his hands.

  Not knowing what to do or how to feel, the man who looked like Meddhi-Lan stared at Pei, perplexed as to why the young man was crying.

  Then, out of nowhere, something stirred in the man's mind, and a vision followed without warning. He saw a boy with long dark hair and pleading blue eyes.

  “My Lan,” said the boy in his vision, “I can't do this anymore. I'm not smart enough to learn all of this in time for The Day of Seed.”

  Bending down to the crying boy, he saw himself tenderly pet the boy's cheek. “You can and will do it, Pei, you'll see. You're not only smart enough, but you will be my best student. I know that as sure as I know the Siri-Star will always shine. Just have faith in the gods, and in yourself. I believe in you, so you should do the same.”

  He saw himself smiling at the boy, which made the boy stop his crying and smile in return. It filled his heart with love as he saw himself hugging the child.

  Who is this boy that I'm seeing? he asked himself. Is it the same person who is crying in front of me now?

  Unsure of himself or why he was even there, the observer could no longer simply watch as Pei cried. He had to do something – anything – to stop the young man's pain.

  Laying his hand on Pei's back, he said, “I don't know what it is that is hurting you, but it will be alright.”

  Lost in his anguish, Pei didn't hear the man at first. After a few moments, though, Pei realized what had been said. As he turned to look at the man who was comforting him, he wondered if Meddhi-Lan actually existed somewhere inside those deep, dark-blue eyes.

  “Your name is Pei, is it not?” the man asked.

  Pei was thrilled, albeit surprised.

  “Yes! Do you remember me?”

  The man shook his head, unsure of what he remembered or what reality was. “I'm... not sure,” he replied. “I remember a boy... and he was crying, like you were just now. It seemed the same. Your eyes are the same.”

  Pei smiled as he yearned to hug his beloved teacher. He knew it wouldn't be appropriate with this new version of Meddhi-Lan, but he wanted to reach out and grab him. Feeling desperate, Pei wanted to beg his Lan to remember everything; their bond, Ayn, the temple, everything!

  It wasn't the right time, however, since they were suddenly interrupted by an abrupt rocking of the ship. It moved them from one side of the passenger seats to the other, which caused Jin to moan in pain as he lay across a few seats, still unconscious.

  “This isn't good,” said Pei, wiping away the left-over tears from his face. “I think someone is shooting at our ship!”

  Undoing his safety belt, Pei freed himself, trying his best to stand as the ship rocked to and fro.

  “Where are you going?” asked the confused man who was only just remembering himself.

  “I'm going to find out what's happening.”

  “Sit back down! It's dangerous!” ordered the man, surprising them both.

  Pausing for a moment, Pei shook his head. “I'm sorry, Meddhi... if I may call you that,” he replied, “but with all due respect, you are no longer my Lan, and I am no longer your Ney... and I am going to find out what is going on. Wait here for now, alright?”

  Pei turned his back to the new version of Meddhi-Lan, then headed toward the cockpit of the ship. When there, he saw Reese and Hynfir doing their best to keep control, but he had been right, there was another ship showing on the radar, and it was clearly firing at them.

  Iliya was sitting nearby in a seat behind Reese, gripping her seat tightly and looking rather terrified. She looked at Pei and grimaced.

  “It will be alright,” he told her, trying his best to comfort her with a lie.

  “No, it won't,” she replied with a pout.

  He couldn't help but think of Ayn. It was something he would have said, almost in the exact same way. She was such a Shiva, and it made Pei smile for a moment, despite the surrounding chaos.

  “What's going on?” he asked, leaning on Reese's chair.

  “What do you think?!” she snapped. “We're being attacked!”

  Pei smirked. “Yes, I can see that, but who's attacking us?”

  “I dunno,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “they didn't exactly introduce themselves!”

  “It's The Tah,” Hynfir said calmly. “They've been following us ever since we left Deius.”

  “What?!” Pei sputtered. “How long have they been following us?”

  “I don’t know,” said Hynfir with no sign of emotion. Instead, he concentrated on veering the ship left or right accordingly to avoid being blasted.

  “How do you know it's The Tah?” asked Pei, struggling to stand. “It looks more like an Ohrian Stealther!”

  Hynfir grinned. “Your knowledge of space vessels impresses me, Pei. Yes, it's an Ohrian ship, but that is because Yol acquired them for The Tah. It was a deal I'm beginning to wish he never made.”

  “Does it matter?!” blurted Reese while maneuvering the controls, keeping the ship's plasma-shield intact. “Want to be helpful, Pei?” she added, sarcastically.

  “Of course!” he replied, oblivious to her sarcasm.

  “Good. Go get the plasma re-filler, which is in the bottom storage compartment of the ship. It should look like a large, cylindrical, clear bottle. Bring it here and help me refill this damn shield, which is draining like a mother f...” Remembering that Iliya was right behind her, she stopped herself before saying something she'd regret.

  Pei nodded and did as she said. Swaying, he ran to the storage area, located near the floors of the back of the ship. It had food as well, wrapped in cylo-plaxi, which was one of the most durable and long-lasting containers for space travel. Pei moved the containers of vegetables and fruits, then saw the plasma re-filler. He quickly grabbed it and ran back to Reese.

  “Is this it?”

  “Yeah, good boy,” she replied as she stood up, still holding onto the controls. “Now, I want you to take over for me, Pei. I need to refill the plasma, and it takes a deft hand. Not that I don't trust you, but... well, I don't trust you.”

  Hynfir gave a slight laugh as he navigated through the plasma bursts coming at them.

  Pei sneered, but did as Reese asked, slowly taking the shield-control with his right hand while she let them go. He sat down, trying his best to seem like he knew what he was doing. Never having to control a ship before, he was a bit lost.

  “Good,” she said as she carefully took the bottle of plasma from Pei's left hand. “As long as you keep the lever up as close to a hundred percent as possible, you'll do fine.”

  Pei looked and saw that the shield data-screen said the shields were at fifty-four percent. “Um... Reese!” he exclaimed. “It's nowhere near a hundred!”

  “Just do your best, priest!” she shouted as she ran to the back of the ship where the plasma input/output device was. Slowly, she turned the notch on the side of the bottle, then quickly shoved it into the ship. She usually was
a lot slower and more careful about handling raw, refined plasma, but with the shield so drained, she knew she didn't have the time.

  Hoping she did it right, she closed her eyes and waited for the plasma-generator to hum with a loud buzzing sound.

  After a few seconds, it hummed, and loudly.

  “Good job, Sis! She sounds like a purring Sarax!” Hynfir yelled, smiling and relieved.

  “What's a Sarax?” asked Iliya.

  “I'll tell you later, honey,” said Reese as she ran back to her seat, sitting on Pei's lap. “Alright,” she said, grinning at both Hynfir and Pei, “let's lose this bastard!”

  Pushing Pei's hand all the way up on the lever, the shield went to 100 percent. Pei smiled, loving her vivacious and clever mind, as well the feeling of her on his lap.

  Hynfir laughed, then slowly pushed the lever which raised the power of the plasma-engine.

  “Are you ready?” he asked them, rhetorically. “Hold on tight!”

  With the press of Hynfir's forefinger, they all felt the wild rush of entering the tunnels of time and space. The tunnels had been discovered a long time ago, even before the Great Adin, but using plasma to travel through space was still relatively new, and it was only Pei's second time traveling this way. It still made him want to be sick.

  Iliya felt the same, but she held it in. The man whom Pei called Meddhi was no better, but he too braved it out. Jin had the good fortune of being completely unconscious through the whole thing.

  Reese and Hynfir, however, were old pros when it came to space traveling. In fact, it was Hynfir who had first taken Reese out on a ship when she was a child, and it was a good memory for them both. Flying was almost as enjoyable to them as horseback riding, and their memories made them smile when they looked at each other.

  “Isn't it beautiful?” asked Hynfir as he watched the stars racing past him.

  “Yeah,” replied his sister, “it never gets old... and neither do you, my brave brother. I'm so proud of you for doing this – for saving us. I know it wasn't easy for you.”

  “No,” he replied sadly, “it wasn't, but... it had to be done. I have no regrets.”

  “Good,” she said as she held his hand with her free one, “because you've lived in regrets for too long in my opinion. It's time for you to start anew, my dear brother, don't you think?”

  Sighing, he looked at her for a moment – her radiant face silhouetted in the shadows of the stars.

  “Indeed,” he replied. “It is more than time.”

  Chapter 3: Becoming Sirini

  It seemed odd... using a spoon. The very idea of holding anything in his hand felt odd, but he did it to seem like a normal Sirini. So far, so good. Axis had successfully eaten some sort of star-shaped fruit with his hands, and now he was slurping back Granjie's stew with a very large spoon. Proud of himself, Axis smiled at Srah, spoon in hand and food in mouth. This made her laugh, tickled by his uncouth behavior.

  He loved her giggle. He had always loved her, but when Ayn was there, he could never tell her. Plus, he was in a Sarax body back then, and he knew it just wouldn't work that way. But now that he was in this upright body and using a different kind of brain, Axis felt new, powerful urges, not only to make her laugh, but to tell her everything he felt. He couldn't wait until dinner was over so he could talk to her alone.

  Unfortunately, Kren was thinking almost the exact same thing. He too couldn't wait until they were all done eating so he could spend time alone with Srah.

  Both young men sat in silence, looking at Srah with hungry eyes, flanking her from both sides, and she knew it.

  It was hard for her, being born with strong empathic senses. She could always feel what others felt, especially if their emotions were passionate, or easily detectable; Axis and Kren's were extremely detectable.

  Srah was touched by their affection, but unnerved as well. She liked them both, but wasn't sure she wanted to have a serious relationship with either. Not only was she still missing Ayn, but Kren was someone she hardly knew, and Axis was nearly a god.

  Like Ayn, Axis seemed out of her reach somehow. She didn't even know how to approach the idea of realistically being with him.

  Her insecurities, however, didn't stop either men from staring at her. They just couldn't help themselves.

  Even Kren's family could see how he and Axis looked at their lost princess – as if she were the shining moon above them. It made Granjie especially happy to see her “bookoo” all grown up, and finally in love. He had always resisted romance, trying his best to become a warrior like his father, and it seemed as though he'd never find a girl he fancied. Warmed by the idea of her grandson growing into a man, she gave Kren a huge hug, which made him smile wide.

  “Aw, come on, Granjie, I'm fine.”

  “I know,” she replied, still hugging him. “I'm just so happy you're here.”

  “Alright, Mother,” said Vuntu, “that's enough. You're smothering my nephew. We should let him and his friends get some sleep. They've been through quite an ordeal.”

  Getting up from the ground where they all had enjoyed their stews in wooden bowls, Vuntu gently pulled Granjie up from Kren's embrace, then hugged her himself, teasing her about being over-protective and silly, like an “old Whinley tree!”

  "I can't help it," she defended herself, "I'm just so glad he's home with us again. The gods must have listened to my prayers!"

  Vuntu nodded, then smiled at Kren. "Yeah, I think they did, Mommie."

  Warmed in his heart and soul, Kren looked up at the bright stars of Sirin and was struck by how good it was to be home. Tearing up, he thought about his sister, and how horrible it was when they had both been caught by the Ohrian plasma miners, otherwise known as the “plasma thieves.”

  He and Kuva had been out hunting for Abwa Breath, a certain kind of moss only found by the Hana-Lo Mountains. This purple looking, rare moss could be used for treating wounds, infections, and even used in cooking for taste. It was one of the most important items in Kuva's list, and as Granjie's heir to the art of healing, Kuva was adamant they find it, even if it was in a dangerous area. Their father had charged Kren with protecting her that day, and Kren felt utter shame about not being able to do so.

  When the plasma thieves came, they did it in their usual style. They came with their plasma-guns and their hideously overpowering plasma powered vehicles that were the size of large boats, and could shoot plasma from their silver colored front and rear facing, tentacle looking shooters. They had taken many Sirini for slavery this way for decades, though Kren's tribe had always fought back. Without his tribe behind him, however, he and his sister were no match for the Ohrians' grand machines and evil intent.

  They shot them with plasma, then scooped them up into their huge, hovering boat-cars. Soon after, Kren was separated from his sister, and they took her to the mountain for the sacrifice, while he was taken for slave trading on Xen. It was his shame and defeat, and his spirit felt broken. He never thought he’d make it back home to his planet, and to his family.

  As Kren thought about all of this, his mind turned to Ayn, who was the one at the heart of their rescue. Without Ayn, he wouldn’t be sitting with his family, eating and drinking and feeling safe, at least for the moment. Despite his doubts, something told Kren they’d be together from this point on, and he had Ayn to thank for it. He looked up at the glowing moon and silently prayed to the moon goddess, Thali, who was also the fore-mother of their entire people. Please, Thali, guide Ayn back to us and keep him safe.

  Srah looked at Kren, almost as if she had heard his prayer. Her rounded, arched brow raised a little as she looked at him, then up to the sky.

  For a moment, Kren wondered if Srah really could be the reincarnation of their goddess. The idea made him smile at her, which made her shyly smile in return.

  Axis was not smiling, however.

  “Well!” said Axis, abruptly, “that was a wonderful dinner! Thank you so much, Granjie.” Standing up, he took Srah by the hand, ma
king her stand up as well, then said, “Now... what about sleep? We're so tired. Where can we sleep?”

  Granjie looked at Joh who looked back at her with a raised left brow.

  “Hmm...” Granjie slowly replied as she gathered everyone's empty bowls, “we usually make our own homes for more than one person to sleep. We share with those close in spirit.”

  “Great!” Axis perkily replied. “Srah and I will share one together!”

  His bold announcement shocked, not only Kren and his family, but Srah as well. She looked at him with wide, lavender eyes.

  Half annoyed and half tickled by his forwardness, Srah said, “It's alright, I can share a tent with Granjie, if she doesn’t mind, that is.”

  Kren's grandmother grinned knowingly, and said, “Of course I don't mind, sweetie. We can share stories and talk ourselves to sleep.”

  Srah felt genuinely happy about that idea. She could barely remember her own mother, having lost her to Undaniasis when Srah was only a baby. She looked forward to bonding with Granjie, and hoped it would help her feel even closer to her own people.

  For a moment, Srah wondered what it would have been like if her mother hadn't been exiled by the Ohrians, and if she hadn't died. Would her father have even met her mother? Would her mother now be queen? Would Srah be ruling Sirin after her mother had passed? So many questions swirled in her mind as she helped Granjie to clean the camp's bowls and spoons. Granjie had brought a cleaning fluid made from the milk of flowers and trees on Sirin. Together, they washed, then handed the bowls and spoons to Kren and Vuntu for drying.

  Axis pouted, feeling ignored and unloved. It was strange to him how intense his emotions felt. He was aware he'd always been emotional, but it felt different now. He wanted to do things he'd never wanted before. He desperately yearned to spend time alone with Srah, and felt a sense of heat and urgency. For some reason, he couldn't think straight, and Kren's smiling face made him want to be sick.