Caleb had to have known Anise. He was sure it. One thing that was certain was that he never had the chance to discover her like he had discovered Sarai. Why was he comparing Anise to Sarai? He let it go to clear his mind.
“Caleb? What’s going on in that noggin of yours?” Rian asked.
Caleb pried himself out of his daze, looked around, and sighed. “We just need to figure out what we’re going to do about the Polarists. I appreciate your help, and if I need anything, it’s good to know that I can come to you.”
“Of course you can,” said Rian. “Caleb?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think Raylen had anything to do with Dena’s death?”
“Shahrach help him if he did.”
The room became silent, and Gardiv broke the stillness “Let’s head to Narwine. Maybe Jensen can point us in the right direction.”
Caleb gave Rian a hug, and the three of them headed north to Narwine. The weather had gotten cooler as the afternoon progressed, but the coolness was an acceptable contrast to the heat of the tension Caleb felt while talking to Rian. The breeze came in spurts, and Caleb shivered a bit at the gusts.
“What do you think about Rian’s refusal?” asked Sarai.
“I didn’t expect it. I thought I knew him better than that.”
Sarai put her hand on his shoulder as they trekked to the north. “What you’re feeling is what I felt for years after my extraction. I thought I knew the people who I grew up with. I thought I understood them, and I thought they understood me. After the extraction, everything was so different.”
“Any reason why?” Caleb asked.
“I don’t know. It was like I had to get to know them all over again. Since I was a Wanderer, they certainly didn’t want to get to know me.”
“Do you think that’s why Rian is acting like he is? Because he looks at me as a Wanderer? I mean, you studied him, right?”
“I did. I think it’s more than that with him. He really believes what he is telling you is true. He genuinely wants to look out for his people. Emblem or no emblem, people change, and we have to accept that.”
“Sarai?” He took a deep breath and waited for the words that somehow refused to be formed. “I really shouldn’t have kissed you.” He meant it this time, unlike last time where he wanted her to respond and give him some sense of hope.
“I told you not to worry about it. We all make mistakes.” She punched him softly on the chin, squinting and grinning. “That’s one that I would appreciate if you didn’t make again.”
=====
After a few days, they arrived at Jensen’s two-story house, outside of the central city of Narwine called Thiden. Caleb had never been to the house before, and he found it to be larger than what he figured Jensen would be accustomed to.
Caleb knocked on the door and Jensen opened it right away. His orange emblem pulsed on his chest radiating his sleek shoulders and his dark skin. He invited the three of them inside, and he led to them to his laboratory.
Emblems from all the regions neatly lined the room, and dozens of metal containers, holding Anaerobia, were stationed in the center of the lab tables. Some were bubbling and others were fuming gases. Despite the activity, the lab was surprisingly clean. Rows of plants were tied with leather bindings and neatly placed on the lab table nearest to the right wall. A candle stood at the four corners of the room, fire standing erect.
“How are you making it, Jensen?” Caleb asked.
“I decided to focus on some research for a while and take a step back from the med center.”
“That makes sense,” said Caleb. “This is a nice house. Too bad I haven’t visited before now.”
“Vanessa and I bought it a few years ago. We wanted to have as many rooms as we could for research and the like. It was fully furnished when we bought it, and the laboratory was included. I still find compartments and attic spaces that I didn’t even know we had, even after so long.”
Caleb nodded, looking around and examining the unique architecture of the wooden beams that climbed the walls and peaked at ceiling, contrasting the drab but polished metal lab tables. Fancy antiques of hand carved eagles and other creatures sat on the shelves that lined and decorated the room.
“Jensen, we came to you to see if you could help us.”
“What is it, Caleb?”
“I’m sure you’ve heard about the Polarists' invasion of Broughtonhaven. We have to stop it. The Spiritualists are going mad.” Caleb leaned back against one of the lab tables and folded his arms over his scar, bunching up his tunic at the chest.
“The news has already gotten to me. What about the Naturalists? Are they going to help?”
“They sure aren’t,” said Gardiv. “Governor Rian thinks that he should protect his people. I don’t blame him, but we can’t stand back and let the Spiritualists get Dominated.”
“Why have you come to me?” Jensen asked.
Sarai looked down at the chemicals bubbling on the lab tables. Strands of her hair dangled out of the braid that hung tightly down her back. “Your wife Vanessa helped design the Anaerobia. We wanted to know if you could figure out a way to give the Spiritualists an edge against the Polarists. Maybe they could fight from within so that they wouldn't need the other provinces to come to their rescue.”
Jensen lifted his gaze up heavily to meet with Sarai’s. His voice was deep and defeated. “That’s impossible. The stones’ interactions with life forms are very specific, and it’s a known fact that Polarists Dominate Spiritualists. That’s the emblems' design.”
Sarai grabbed the grip of her bow that hung over her chest. “With the Anaerobia, you and Vanessa figured out how to harness the emblems’ powers without having a host. Maybe there are other things that we are missing about the power within the stones.”
“Sorry, Sarai. All Vanessa and I did was pull out the characteristics that were already resident within the gems. We did nothing more than that.”
Caleb stepped towards Jensen, brow bent down. “Broughtonhaven is out of control. Children are giving into the Hellstate just to protect themselves, and things are only going to get worse as the Polarist siege continues.”
“Look, Caleb. I’ve been trying for months to figure out the very thing that you’re talking about. My research is very specific, and it’s not working. I’ve experimented and analyzed the emblems to see if there was something hidden within the stones that we hadn’t discovered and there isn’t. There’s nothing left in them. We’ve sapped them for all they’re worth, and the sooner you face that, the sooner you will accept the fate of the Spiritualists, just like I had to do with Vanessa.”
“This isn’t about Vanessa,” said Caleb, tapping his finger onto the lab table. “This is about the what’s happening in Broughtonhaven. If Vanessa were still alive, she would not stand for this. She would crank up that Bahoil accent and attitude, and she would get to work.”
Jensen leaned back against the lab table, folded his arms, and stared at the floor. His auburn emblem pushed outwards, but it wasn’t pulsing. “I suppose you’re right. I can hear her now, ‘Jensen, get your chin off the ground and stop moping around,’” he said, smiling as he mocked her.
Caleb grinned also. “That’s exactly what she would have said, but you’re not good at her accent.”
Jensen sighed and pushed himself off the table. “I can’t keep researching the same thing. There are no answers. The Anaerobia was Vanessa’s field. That’s what she studied. I helped design Juten. I’m not good with substances like she was.” He rubbed his forehead and put his hands on his hips.
Gardiv shook his head slowly, disappointed. “You think that Raylen is going to stop with the Spiritualists? He won’t. I know that if I were in his position, I surely wouldn’t. He’s going to beat the Spiritualists into submission. Then he’s going to use them as his army to come here and Dominate the Materialists. Once he’s done that with Narwine, he’ll do the same to Kyhelm.”
Jensen’s emblem flick
ered, shooting orange streaks throughout the laboratory that ricocheted off the metallic surfaces, fist clenched. “We can’t let him do that.”
“That’s what we’re telling you,” said Sarai. “We have to stop him before he ravages all of Broughtonhaven.”
“So what can you do for us?” Caleb asked, gesturing towards Jensen.
“I can’t promise anything, but I’ll work tirelessly to figure out what we can do to prevent this from happening. You have my word on that.”
“That’s all we need,” said Gardiv. “How long do you think it’ll take?”
“I have no idea. The research is so incomplete. I’ve been studying the Breathless Bramble from Kyhelm more closely, but I haven’t been able to find anymore answers. I feel like that plant has contributed all that it can from the secreting sap in its trunk.”
“Do whatever it takes,” Gardiv said. “We’ll check back with you not too long from now. We’re headed to Juten to let Arthur know. I’m sure he’ll be satisfied that you’re working on this, but he won’t be happy with Governor Rian.” Gardiv paused and cut his eyes back to Caleb. “Also, we have to be back in time for the big event.”
“And what event would that be?” Caleb asked.
CHAPTER 7
THE PROMOTION
Caleb stepped on the Juten shore along with Sarai and Gardiv. He was dissatisfied with Rian’s refusal to assist the Spiritualists. It didn’t make sense. He knew that Rian had to look out for his people, but what about the entirety of Clydenholm? Were they not people also? Did they not also deserve to be protected, especially since Rian and the Naturalists had the power to do it?
Caleb couldn’t be too disappointed with his old friend, though. Rian had aided the Pioneers with so much over the past six months. He allowed them to dock on the shores of Kyhelm whenever they were traveling to the mainland, and he had opened the markets for them by taking in their merchandise and selling it in the city centers.
Vanessa used to do that, but since her death, the financial condition of Juten had declined. If Rian had not stepped in, the city might have had to revise some of its fiscal policies. Why couldn’t Rian do this one thing? If it were up to Caleb, he would have let the Juten market suffer for the sake of the Spiritualists, especially for Shauna.
The stone gate lowered, and he walked over it, remembering why it was built into the ground — so that he could trudge over all his heaviness. He certainly appreciated that now. When he entered into the Market Ward, the people burst out with applause. Cheers and screams paraded through the air. Archers on top of the wall saluted him. The entire ward had stopped its commotion for one reason — to honor him.
People shouted Caleb’s name, whistling. Pioneers stood proudly in front of the vendor stands, cheering. Women threw rose petals into the sky that flitted down slowly, tossed about by the overhead winds. Men shook their dagger blades high above their heads.
What had he done to deserve this? Everything inside of him longed for this. Ever since his extraction, he wanted to be appreciated. He wanted to be recognized again, and here he was in Juten, getting all the esteem that he yearned for. But for what? It didn’t matter. There was no celebration when he returned home from the failed Emblem Run when he had first discovered the Polarist barricades in Broughtonhaven.
The Examiner walked up to Caleb and put his hand on Caleb’s back. Arthur looked up the wall to the archers, and they all had their arrows pointed towards Caleb. The Examiner raised his hand to silence the crowd, then he motioned to Gardiv.
Gardiv stepped forward with his hands on his hips. A confident grin sat on his face, and he continuously nodded to the crowd while looking around at all the people. The applause erupted again, but he quieted them before it could escalate.
“Fellow Pioneers,” Gardiv said, voice reaching far into the Market Ward. “I appreciate you stopping your duties to take the time to honor a man who deserves nothing less. Your commitment has forced him to become the Pioneer who he is today.” He patted Caleb on the back. “I have gotten to know this man over the past year, and he’s a a fighter in every sense of the word. He had some hard times at first, like we all did, but he came around, and look at him now. He organized a squadron to take down Spiritualist Wex Braun, the man that almost single-handedly conquered Clydenholm. If it weren’t for Caleb, who knows what the fate of the mainland would have been? So I stand before you now, to promote him before you and before Shahrach as Third Watch Pioneer Caleb Eaves!”
The archers shot Materialist shots out to sea. Explosions burst into the ocean. Water from the waves drizzled over the crowd, and the Pioneers hollered celebratory exclamations.
After the ceremony ended, Caleb had retreated back to the Housing Ward. He could barely hold back his smile. He felt like Ethan. He kept shaking his head, not knowing what to say even though he was alone. He relived the promotion in his mind, and each time there was something else that tugged the corners of his lips upwards. He wasn’t sure if it was the cheers, or the people, or if it was the shock of it all, but he was glad for it. Regardless, this is what he wanted.
The sun leaned away from Juten as it set to the west over Clydenholm. The rays were level with the stone wall, so that the light entered the town and descended into the city. There was a smooth calmness, and Caleb soaked it all in. The past few days had been filled with anxiety, and just being able to take a break from it all helped him to feel relaxed and restored. The city had a way of doing that.
He stood at the bonfire pit, and a few Pioneers were getting the fire ready for the night. Men and women spilled into the road of the Housing Ward, finishing up the last few chores for the night. The laughter had begun, and many of the Pioneers came up to congratulate Caleb on his new position.
“I’m glad they honored you like they did,” Sarai said. She squeezed his shoulder and bit her lip with a slight grin. Her hair was still intact, but a few stray hairs pulled themselves out of her braid, giving her a sweet, rustic look.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” Caleb replied as he nervously scratched the back of his head.
“Gardiv told me about it not too long ago. He said you deserved it. Most people are satisfied with being told what to do, but I explained to Gardiv months ago that there had to be something better than that for you.”
Caleb looked at the ground and brushed off his shirt. “Thanks for doing that. When I first came here, I never thought that I would have wanted to have anything to do with leading this place, but after getting to know the people, I don’t know, it just seems like the right thing to do.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and grabbed his chin, contemplating the promotion.
“It was no problem. Besides, with how you came to your senses and led the Pioneers to take down Wex, how you saved Gardiv’s life, and even how you always uphold the Pioneer ideals, it only made sense. The Pioneers know that you have their best interests in mind, and I know it too.” She smiled and squinted up at him sideways since the setting sunlight was too bright.
“What exactly does a Third Watch do?” he asked.
“It’s a newly appointed position. You have the freedom to craft it anyway you like.”
“What do you do as Second Watch?”
“I’m responsible for making sure that the Wanderers who come in are taken care of. I make sure that they are becoming better acquainted with Juten, and I check on them from time to time throughout the process of their training.”
“I’m not sure what I’d like to focus on just yet. There’s so much that can be done that I really do not know where to start.”
“Take your time. Gardiv oversees the Emblem Runs as well as the military strategies, so I would suggest that you choose another direction. But know this. As Third Watch, the Pioneers will be expecting some sort of direction from you. Try not to take too long in your decision.”
He ran his fingers through his hair and looked away at the stone wall. The sun rays barely made it over the edge as the evening closed in on them. “How lon
g did it take you to become a Second Watch, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I was here for about two years before Arthur decided that we needed to focus more of our attention on the people who came into Juten. The vision that he had for this place was large, but actually making it happen was a greater challenge. I told you before how Jensen described the architecture of the city to represent the development of the person. But what happened is that the Wanderers who came into the city only wanted to retreat and run away from everything. Their shame was too great for them to focus on anything productive.”
“That sounds a lot like me when I first came,” Caleb said.
“There were so many more people with greater losses than you who came here. And then there were the criminals, the people like Gardiv who got extracted because of their own actions. Those men and women were harder to train because they came here feeling that we owed them something for their loss.”
“What did you do as the Second Watch?”
“I rounded up all the Pioneers who were doing nothing, and I put them to work. Gardiv had a way of snapping them into action with his strong arm and his heavy words, but they weren’t motivated enough. They didn’t keep working hard on their own. Whenever we weren’t around, they would slack off, and things just weren’t getting done. Arthur promoted me to Second Watch so that I could motivate the people to work for themselves. I showed them that they had to find something from within if they wanted to see any results, and here we are now, moving along just fine.”
“So for about six years, Juten was falling apart?”
“I wouldn’t say it was falling apart by any means. It wasn’t living up to the standard that Arthur had set, which was unacceptable. This place turned around in about six months after I took Second Watch. Maybe you’ll have an even greater impact on this place than I did,” she said. She was looking at him now without squinting. The sun had gone down, and the night was creeping in.
“I hope so,” he said. “So what now?”
Infused (Book 2 of The Pioneers Saga) Page 10