Infused (Book 2 of The Pioneers Saga)

by William Stadler

  “And what reason is that?” Caleb asked.

  Jensen was still standing, and he couldn’t withhold his excitement. “It’s like the plant is more alive than we know. If it sedated creatures, the beasts would inhale the toxins and fall asleep, never making it to the plant so that the bramble could feed. What I found is remarkable! The toxin only acts as a sedative when there is a certain amount of water added to it. If the water quota isn’t met, then the pollen won’t be dangerous.”

  “So how are we going make it interact with the life forms?” Caleb asked.

  “That won’t be a problem. People and beasts aren’t affected by the toxins as long as the toxins aren’t consumed.”

  “You're saying that the toxin is safe to inhale?” Sarai asked.

  “I wouldn’t say safe.” Jensen seemed unsure as he juggled his hands in front of him. “But the toxin works more slowly if the creature doesn’t drink it.”

  “Would the Naturalists be affected by the toxin also?” Sarai asked.

  “Of course they would,” Jensen replied. “Naturalists don't just connect with the creature. They connect with the life forms between themselves and the creature that they are trying to control. If the Naturalists cannot connect with the life forms around them, then they will not be able to make a connection with the creatures either.”

  “How long does it take before the effects show up in creatures?” asked Caleb.

  “That’s hard to tell, especially with such large quantities. From my tests, I’ve seen some creatures inhale a constant supply for about a day, so with as much as we’d be using, I’d say a few hours...maybe?”

  “Maybe? We need to know!” Caleb demanded. “I can’t bring the Pioneers and the Spiritualists into a maybe.”

  “You also couldn’t bring them into a ‘not at all,’ but I have managed to change that to just a ‘maybe,’ so I think you should be satisfied.”

  “Jensen, I asked you to make a serum that could stop the Domination, and you’re telling me that you might have come up with something?”

  “No, I’m telling you that I have come up with something that works. And trust me, you would not like the alternative.”

  “Alternative? So there is another solution?”

  Jensen sat down and stared at the wall without any expression. “I wouldn’t call it a solution.”

  “Then what would you say it is?” Sarai asked, trying to remain calm.

  Jensen looked uncertain like he was saying something that didn’t really fit. “A virus….”

  “A virus? That doesn’t make much sense either,” Caleb replied.

  Jensen sighed and hesitated to start his explanation. “There was something else that Vanessa mapped out in her letter. Something that she says should work if the toxin could be extracted. And as smart as my wife was, I wouldn’t doubt it.”

  “Spit it out!” said Caleb as he leaned forward and pushed his tea away from him. He could feel his nerves tingling as he tried to relax and fight the anticipation of what Jensen had to say.

  Jensen dragged his heavy eyes up to meet Caleb's. “It could destroy the Pioneers.”

  “How? And why just the Pioneers? Why not the other regions. Jensen, what are you talking about?” Caleb asked.

  “I don’t know how to say it lightly, but Vanessa says that this toxin, with a little tweaking, can actually do what we’ve always wondered.”

  “Which is what?” asked Sarai.

  “Remember how we used to ask the question if a person could be re-infused with an emblem, once he lost his original emblem, that is to say?”

  “Yeah,” Caleb said, nodding and hanging on every word.

  “Vanessa found a way.” Jensen took a sip of his tea that had cooled, and he pretended to savor the flavor that had now become bitter. “Once an emblem has been removed, the body rejects all emblems, especially the one that was extracted. As Ex-Naturalists, you two experienced The Silence. Even if you wanted to become a Naturalist again, your body would not allow it. Your body still recognizes the Naturalist emblem as hazardous, so any interaction with the powers of the green stone may cause you to feel sick. Some might even die from the effects. But,” Jensen tapped his finger on the side of the table, “that doesn’t mean that you can never wear an emblem again.”

  “Are you suggesting that we infuse the Spiritualists?” Caleb asked.

  “Let him finish.” Sarai touched Caleb’s knee softly to quiet him.

  “No, a person with an emblem can’t have another. Well he can. He can do whatever he wants, but two emblems would kill a man. The body would be poisoned from the competing powers.”

  “If we can’t infuse the Spiritualists with an additional stone, and we can’t become Naturalists again, what are you saying?” Caleb asked.

  Jensen looked troubled and seemed to refuse to answer. “This is what Vanessa feared. With the aid of the toxin, the body will except the emblem that once Dominated it. Spiritualists could become Polarists. Polarists could become Naturalists. Naturalists could become Materialists. And Materialists could become Spiritualists.”

  “How is that possible?” Sarai asked.

  “This is the alternate way that I mentioned. If the right amount of toxin is taken, the body becomes so sedated that the life forms within it shut down. It’s like they forget which emblem was in charge. In this brief ‘memory lapse,’ if the Dominating emblem is infused, then when the life forms awaken, they will accept the newly infused emblem.”

  “We could become Materialists?” Caleb’s words trickled off as he thought about the implications. “And we have to decide whether we want to infuse the Pioneers or to have the toxin excreted as a toxin alone?”

  “That decision isn’t up to you. I chose for you, and I’ve already sent my trainee Chance to Juten to let Arthur know.”

  “And what did you decide?” Sarai asked.

  “The obvious one of course. I couldn’t suggest that the Pioneers become infused with emblems just to win this war. I told Chance to let Arthur know about both options, but I’m sure Arthur would not want to have the Pioneers be infused either.”

  “What do we need to do to get the toxin to the Spiritualists?” Sarai asked.

  “Head to Juten and organize the Pioneers. Have some stay and make make the toxin, and let the others go to distribute it throughout Broughtonhaven.”

  Caleb shook Jensen’s hand and left right away with Sarai to head to Juten. As they arrived on the shore, a group of Pioneers saluted them and offered them assistance. The two of them searched for Arthur, and they found him in the conference hall within the Housing Ward after sundown.

  Arthur was reading through a stack of papers when Caleb and Sarai walked in. The candles swayed back from the gust of wind as the door opened. Arthur looked up from the table. His eyes sagged more than usual, and even though his wrinkles brought about a usual dreariness, there was something in his expression that appeared weightier. Caleb and Sarai sat at the extended, wooden table side by side.

  “What is it, Arthur?” asked Sarai.

  He pushed the papers aside slowly and sighed. “What is it not? It’s everything and nothing at all at once.”

  “Are you talking about Gardiv?” Sarai asked.

  “What about him? Please don’t tell me there’s more.”

  Caleb gently nudged Sarai with his knee under the table. He didn’t want her to bring anymore burdens on Arthur. “I just wanted to make sure that he was doing well,” Sarai said, stumbling over her words. “He came back from the mainland sooner than we did, and we haven’t heard from him since.”

  “No. He’s fine,” said Arthur. “I’ve just learned some disturbing news from Jensen. It’s about the emblems.”

  “We talked with him a few days ago, and he sent us here to speak with you to see what you thought about it all.”

  “What does it matter what I think?” Arthur sounded defeated — a rarity with him.

  “Because what you say we should do will be done,” said Sarai.


  “If it were entirely up to me, I’d burn these papers and just let the war play out.”

  “But it is up to you,” Sarai replied.

  “It’s not. It’s up to that part of me that knows better than to let Spiritualists die at the expense of my dream. When I built this place, I knew that it wasn’t flawless. I knew and Jensen knew. We did all that we could to work out the kinks. And for over a decade, Juten has run smoothly. But I knew this day would come.” He tossed the papers over his shoulder, and they fell carelessly to the ground.

  “What other options do we have?” Caleb asked.

  “It depends on who answers. The Arthur who wants his dream to live on, or the Arthur who understands that his dream was never about the dream at all. But it was about the preservation of the people.”

  “Can’t we just tell the Pioneers about the toxins and leave out the part explaining how Pioneers can be infused?” asked Caleb.

  Arthur chuckled facetiously. “We have some amazing researchers here in Juten. Once you give them a thread of knowledge, they’ll be able to sow together the entire tunic. The toxin was something that they had not much interest in investigating because of how dangerous it was. But knowing what Vanessa has discovered will only lead to piqued curiosities and newfound discoveries. And what’s worse? Giving them the information up front, or having them figure it out on their own, only to find that I was withholding this information from them?”

  “You could try and….” Sarai started.

  Arthur waved her off as he interrupted her. “Try what? Try to deceive them? I’ve made it my policy to keep them in the light about every decision that I make so that they never feel excluded. And that was not just for the researchers. I did that for everyone.”

  “Then we must make sure that we explain to them why they should not be re-infused,” said Caleb, pointing to the strewn paperwork. “We remind them what we are about. That we can be given the choice to retreat, but we always choose to press on. That we don’t need to redefine ourselves as people with emblems.”

  Arthur gave a gentle grin. “We could do that.”

  “How long will it take to make the toxin?” Caleb asked

  “Jensen says that it’ll only take a few hours to evaporate the water from all the bulbs of the brambles, but we have to be sure not to boil it. That’s why some Pioneers must stay back while others go to the mainland. We need to make enough to neutralize an entire battlefield.” Arthur scratched his forehead softly. “So many Pioneers died in the Battle of Bachenlaw, and I’m having trouble knowing that I’m going to send them into another battle...unarmed.”

  “Unarmed?” Sarai was shocked. “Our people will be better trained for combat than anyone on that battlefield. We’ve trained our people not to rely on their emblems, and this is one of the reasons why.”

  “But so many more people are going to die,” Arthur sighed. “The older I get the more appalling death becomes, and when I’m the one who makes the decision, it’s even worse.”

  Caleb thought of Dena and then of Raylen. “I would die a thousand times before I let Raylen have his way in Clydenholm. And I’m sure that many of the other Pioneers feel the same way. I know that Sarai does.”

  Arthur nodded assuredly. “Caleb Eaves. You are a Pioneer indeed. Send the command to start the toxin.”

  The next day the word about the toxin spread through Juten, and the Pioneers readied themselves for another battle. Sarai followed Caleb to the Southern Sector to alert the people. The sun shined on them brightly, and the wind rushed in from above. Caleb and Sarai were the only two people in the streets as the soldiers were saying their goodbyes to their families or just concentrating on the battle ahead.

  “So half of the Northern Sector and half of the Southern Sector will go to Clydenholm, and the other half will stay back to make the toxin,” said Sarai.

  Caleb shook his head and readjusted his bow. “I’ll finish up down here.”

  “Have you spoken to Gardiv yet?” Sarai asked.

  “I still haven’t seen him. A few Pioneers said they ran into him the other day, and they said that he seemed like his normal self.”

  “That could be either good or bad.”

  “Like all things,” said Caleb.

  “I guess my work is done here,” said Sarai as she yawned and stretched. She looked sheepishly at Caleb and she turned slowly to walk away.

  Caleb grabbed her wrist, and she spun around to face him. “I’ve changed my mind.”

  “About what?”

  “The squadron. I don’t want to form my own, but I’d like to stay in yours.”

  “Caleb. You can’t make those kinds of decision based on your feelings for me.”

  “Who said that I had feelings for you?”

  “You certainly didn’t have to say it,” she said smiling.

  Caleb's gaze caught hold of Sarai's, her beautiful brown eyes tossing back and forth and looking into his. “I don’t want to go into this fight thinking that you and I are still at odds,” he said.

  Sarai looked away, pulling away from Caleb and letting her arm fall to her side. “I’m not trying to hurt you, but I don’t want you in my squadron anymore.” She winked at him and jogged back to the Training Ward entrance so that she could head to the Northern Sector. “See you at the mainland!”

  CHAPTER 15

  THE KILLINGS

  The night slugged along, and the torches lighted up the city of Arenn. Shauna listened to the spirits of the twenty-something Polarists guards she was controlling. Their resistance turned to obedience, and their eyes were glazed over with a dead submission.

  The spirits surfaced between her newly appointed Polarist allies and from the depths of the earth. The soil crumbled as the apparitions emerged. The claws of the ghostly entities scratched the sides of the stone buildings and converged on the stupefied guards.

  “What are you going do to them?” Uriel asked.

  “What they deserve.” Shauna’s voice was as eerie as the spirits’.

  Uriel shook her head disparagingly. “You can’t do this, Shauna. The more people you kill, the worse the Hellstate becomes.”

  The men stood motionlessly waiting for Shauna’s response. She could feel their fear within them as she threatened their lives. It was intoxicating. Their fear became her energy. Her white-lighted eyes beamed from the fury of the Hellstate.

  Uriel grabbed Shauna’s shoulders and shook her. “You have to stop!”

  Shauna regained her sanity, and her eyes changed from white to black as she dragged herself from the depths of he Hellstate, but she didn’t completely retreat from it so that she could maintain control over the guards. As she reduced her hold on them, she could feel their submission turning to disobedience, but they still couldn’t break free.

  “Let’s just find Aly’s child and get out of here,” Uriel said.

  “And just leave the guards to kill off more Spiritualists?”

  “Maybe we can lock them in the prison here. The walls are made of stone. They won’t be able to get out.”

  Shauna nodded slowly, commanding the guards to follow her through Arenn as they searched for the child. She listened to the emotions of the guards’ spirits, and she could tell when she was getting closer to the baby.

  Passing by the towering buildings of the town, they came upon a small one-story facility that was metal on the outside. It was the infirmary. The building's exterior walls were rough and copper colored from the thick rust that seemed to seep down the sides. The rust seemed recent, like it had been taken care of for a while but then suddenly neglected. The Polarists had probably refused to maintain the building’s upkeep after their occupation of the town.

  Shauna pulled the door open, and it squeaked on its hinges. The entrance was large enough for two people to enter at once, but she left the soldiers at the doorway.

  Inside the infirmary, there was only one large room. A few dwindling candles slung their light off the walls, and the looming shadows filled the r
oom. Waist-high lab tables lined the room, and a few metal cabinets sat cautiously against the far wall as if they could topple over at any moment.

  The infirmary smelled of decay. Several rodents scurried across the floor as the two women entered. Shauna covered her nose with her hands, but she still felt that with each breath she was inhaling the decadence. She could feel the tension rising within the guards that she controlled. What was this place?

  Shauna commanded the guards to grab some candles so that she could see the room more clearly. When the man returned and entered the room, the light cascaded off the bloodstained walls. Most of the blood was dried, but some of it was fresh. The lab tables were covered with the red life fluid.

  Her heart stopped within her. Blue Polarist emblems were scattered across the room, unattached to bodies. And not just bodies, but the bodies of infants. The babies were stacked in piles across the floor like their corpses had been tossed carelessly aside. Then it hit her. These weren’t Polarists babies. These were the children of the Spiritualists who had not yet been infused.

  Uriel rushed outside. Her stomach couldn’t endure what her eyes beheld. Shauna staggered back against the entrance wall. Her borrowed Polarist disguise, that she had stolen from the guards, didn’t seem as cumbersome as she fell weak to the death that she witnessed. These savages were running experiments on the Spiritualist babies.

  Regaining her balance, she walked further into the room, watching her step so that she wouldn’t kick any of the tiny corpses. On the table in front of her lay a child, strapped down, mildly sedated, and set to be infused. Had this infant been crying the whole time? She wasn’t sure. His small legs kicked into the fading darkness, and the blue emblem lay beside him.

  Shauna snatched off the binds and cradled the baby in her arms. The child gradually calmed down. His unrestrained arms and legs moved around sporadically. Shauna pulled off her coat and swaddled the baby to keep him warm.

  As she walked outside of the infirmary, she was met by the faces of the guards, the beasts that had treated her people like animals.