by Kyle Perkins
‘Am I dead? Did they already kill me? Is this what the afterlife looks like?’ I wonder in my head.
“No,” an oddly deep voice echoes through the meadow. The voice startles me and I scan the area for a way out, but find nothing. The trees have to be miles out.
“Who’s there?” I ask out loud.
“We are here, as you are, Captain Windhelm,” the voice echoes. I am still not wearing my suit. These voices are speaking in plain English.
“Show yourselves!” I shout, wondering how they know my native language.
“We have shown ourselves, Orrin. As you have. We’re here, all around you.”
“What is happening?” I ask, trying to wrap my mind around this impossibility. As I wait for an answer, three shadowy figures begin moving towards me from off in the distance. As they get closer, I notice that they are not human at all, though their form shares characteristics.
“How am I here? What happened to the people that were around me?” I ask.
“Those people are still there, likely wondering how you made such a quick escape right from under their noses,” the being in the middle states.
As the three move in closer, it becomes clear as to what they are… kind of. An impossibility. They have two arms, two legs, a head, and a torso, though they have no eyes, no mouths, and no nose. They look like they are made from the same gnarled branches that adorn the distant trees.
“What are you?” I ask, backing away slowly.
“The closest explanation that you might possibly understand comes from your own folklore. We have visited your planet before, and many others like it. You call us ‘spriggans’ in your native tongue,” the tree-person says.
“That’s just a myth, like fairies and elves.”
“Yet, here we are,” it replies.
“Okay, well what do you want from me? Surely you didn’t save me to kill me, correct? You want something,” I say, suddenly realizing I may have value to them.
“That is correct. We, like the people of this world, want you gone.”
“Yeah, and as I told them, that is impossible. Our ship is gone.”
“Anything is possible. Think harder.”
“Oh. You mean you want us gone, period,” I say.
“Yes. Your technology poisons this world, and sets back our own agenda. You came here to seek out a new world, to keep your people alive and to further advance your race. However, your race is not meant to advance. You were never meant to leave your system,” it explains.
“What are you talking about? What do you know of our race?” I ask.
“A lot more than you do. Now, you must end this war that your team is planning. You must put a stop to it and destroy your technology.”
“What does our technology have to do with anything, and why would I do as you ask? We came a long way to get to this world. Our people can exist together peacefully, once I can convince a few of the leaders on this world of my vision.”
“You’ll never convince them,” it responds.
“Well, I have met a woman, and I think she will help me.”
“Aya, yes. Aya is special, more than she knows, and so are you, Orrin. You both will put an end to all of this, and you will help her,” it replies.
“You’re saying you want us gone, meaning dead, I assume. What makes you think I would agree to those terms? What happens if I don’t agree to them, do you intend to join the battle and help the natives? If no one is willing to negotiate, we have no choice but to eradicate all intelligent life on this planet. That is our duty, but I want to give coexisting a chance, if you’ll let me,” I explain.
“We will not join the fight. We have never joined a fight in the history of men. We do not get involved in conflicts or politics. However, your arrival here is the first problem of its kind, and though we will not get involved in conflict directly, we can influence it. That’s why you’re standing before us now.”
“I still don’t understand your position in all of this. You seem intelligent enough, you know that existing together is possible, so why do you want us gone?” I ask.
“Your technology is a plague. Technology, in general, is almost always a good thing, and advances humanity. However, your particular brand of human cannot be trusted with it. You destroy everything around you, and so do the ones on this world. We have undergone great pains throughout history to ensure that these people never get anywhere close to the technological achievements that your race has. Your planet has always been a curious one to us. We have watched your wars, your rise and fall. The very things that makes you such proficient survivors, are the same things that always become your undoing.”
“We are hoping to change all of that, in a new world. We want to bring peace here, and live. We have that right, just like you do. We survive because everything wants to survive. You can’t fault us for being intelligent enough to do so,” I say.
“No, we fault ourselves. This is our doing. Greed, lust, envy, rage, xenophobia. Those things help you thrive in a primitive world. It helps you to kill off any competition, and to get rid of anything that doesn’t look like you. However, once technology advances to a point where that rage and greed can be quelled with the push of a button, those characteristics make you a danger to yourselves. You’ll ruin any world you touch, unless there is some kind of intervention. Unfortunately, we can only be on one world at a time. Your race, and the poison it brings, must be eradicated,” he says.
“Though part of me agrees with you, the other half cannot. We have gone through too much, and traveled too far to just give up, no matter who doesn’t want us here. So, either prepare to coexist, or prepare to be leveled to dust. It’s your choice. If you have been watching us, you know what we are capable of,” I respond.
“We do know what you’re capable of, and that’s why you must end this, Orrin.”
“You know I can’t do that. You’re asking us to purposely lose to these people and wipe out eons of our history. How can you expect me to agree with that, especially if you have been watching us?”
“I don’t expect you to, not right away. It will take a lot of convincing. So, before you return to the native people of this world, I ask you one favor. You are a reasonable man, Orrin. You can grant us this one request and you will never hear from us again. We will not interfere,” it says as the other two spriggans back away.
“If you have been watching us, you clearly have better technology than we do, and you know that you could destroy us. Maybe it’s because you know just how good we are at surviving, and can’t risk the losses. Whatever the case may be, sure, I will grant you a favor. Name it.”
“Return to the cave with Aya. Go deeper within. Go as far as you possibly can. Walk through the hallucinations and traps that are put there as fail-safes. Make it to the end of the trials of the cave, and you will find the truth about you, and your people.”
“What could a cave of a planet we just arrived at teach me about my people?” I ask.
“Don’t forget to bring your suit.” The spriggan stretches out its vine-like hand and points behind me.
I spot my suit neatly laid out on the meadow. I dash towards it and begin putting it on as I slide the helmet over my face. The brief second it takes for the metal to cross my eyes changes the scenery around me. I am back at that cave, standing in front of it, and the spriggans are nowhere to be found.
Two guards are standing in front of the cave and lose all of the color in their faces upon seeing me. They seemed just as shocked that I’m here, as I am.
I dive between them into the cave, grabbing their calves as I go. The two men are pulled in with me and begin scrambling to get away. I pull them both by their legs closer to me and punch them both in the back of the head. As they lay there, unconscious, I use their own primitive clothing to tie them up and gag them. They didn’t mind me being naked for all to see, now they can try it.
I will keep my word to the spriggans, and I will find Aya. If there are traps within the cave, s
he may be unaware of them. She is the only being of their race that has bothered to help me in any way, so I owe it to her to help her.
I also have to admit to myself that I am at least a little curious about what waits for me at the end of the cave, and seeing Aya isn’t only about rescuing her. If I am being honest with myself, she is definitely not bad to look at.
This is what spending your entire life on a sexless ship does to a guy.
Am I that horrible for being interested in a non-human, in that way? It goes against everything we are here for, and would dilute our race, and maybe I’m getting ahead of myself, altogether. I mean, if this doesn’t work out, I have to destroy her entire race, which isn’t a good way to start a relationship, I’d assume. Plus, she might not even be interested in me. Though, I can’t help but feel like something was there. I could be wrong, and this could all be very embarrassing.
None of it matters, though, if we can’t reach an understanding between our races, and the spriggans seem convinced that it’s impossible. So, here I go. Back down into a death cave instead of just leaving and meeting up with my team to report what’s happened.
I am the captain, I know our laws. What I am doing is tantamount to treason, but I have to know why the spriggans saved me, and why they want us to lose.
I begin walking, shedding the doubt as I go. Maybe Aya can help me make sense of this. Surely, she has met the spriggans before, or knows something about this. After all, she went willingly into the cave. Perhaps she knows something I don’t.
Chapter 10
Aya
The opening to the cave is still in sight as I slide down the far wall. The all-too-familiar blood stains remind me of the stay that I have willingly subjected myself to.
“I had no choice,” saying to no-one, “I had no choice.”
With my head between my knees, I pull my legs closer as I try to comprehend what is about to happen. My people are willing to sacrifice so many to fight a fight they cannot win. I am left with nothing more than an unheard plea for surrender and peace. Why would I want such a thing for people that are so willing to die and let others die for them? I tried to talk to them, but there is nothing more to be said after my father has stated his plan. The Elite have always done what is best for our people, made the right decisions, and brought together failing armies. This time I know they are wrong.
“Aya,” my name is whispered through the wind as I try to tap into the strength I gained during my last stay. The howling screams that would normally drive a person to their worst, remain unheard other than what sounds like my name.
My entire existence has been based on the love for the land and the peace within. Now, I have come to the one place that the Vaklarn fear most and I take solace in being locked away from the others.
There is one that I do wish for more information from. Orrin was a man of few words. I saw no threat in him, but he was stronger than he was allowing me to see. I know I didn’t have to help him, but I wanted to. It was the right thing to…
“Aya,” the cave echoes with the calling of my name. I look to the opening to find two guards taking post, but neither of them are of the voice that I heard. My vision begins to blur as I look to the lighted entrance. Standing, in hopes that I am just succumbing to exhaustion, I try to move away from the darkness behind me with no success
Knowing what I have to do, I face the draw to the shadows in hopes for survival. If I don’t survive, I hope there is someone to stop this, someone who has more to offer and strength to spare.
Taking steps backwards, my vision returns to normal. I repeat my steps forward only to lose clarity and be halted by the voice once again.
“No.”
Unable to move in the direction that I wanted to, I am forced back to the depths of the cave. My body is betraying me as I become lightheaded. I am barely touching the ground as the dust whips around, guiding me to the darkness. The deeper I go, the rocks begin to glow, guiding me on my way to where they believe I belong. I have learned not to fight the cave, it will always win.
The illuminated path glows brighter as I pass, and fades with my absence. Bright sparks begin to crackle and diminish just ahead of me. Watching as the walls begin to move, I smile at the insanity that I have entered. I have to be losing my mind, the cave has finally won.
Gently, my toes touch the dirt floor, allowing me to regain my footing. Circling the room, I notice the ceiling begin to swirl, opening up to the bright sky. The massive rock that I saw from the meadow comes into view. Smaller pieces fall from it like they did as I watched and waited. This time I am seeing things different; I am closer than I was before. Blinking through the images before me, I am confused by the visions. For the first time that I entered the cave, fear rushes through me as I watch the smaller pieces of fallen objects open up, revealing… Orrin?
He steps on to the greenery, staring at my land in awe as he looks around for the others. His helmet is covering his face, but I know it is him. He carries himself in a manner fitting an Elite, leaving me to admit that there may be truth in what my father has implied. A few other men join him on the meadow, but they seem less intrigued by the beauty that surrounds them. Just before the darkness is replaced with fog and dust, I see Orrin catch a spear with his hand. Someone was attacking him and based on the spear, I can only assume it was my people.
Sorrow washes over me as I attempt to understand why a war is necessary and why no-one will listen to either of us.
Flickering light brings forth the opening to the cave. Orrin is inside as I had found him, free of clothes and attacked by the guards. He surrenders to them, although they choose to fight. Pained by the way he must feel about our kind, I turn away from the sight of what he has endured.
“Please… stop,” my request is delivered softly, so as not to offend the reason behind this.
“You have been shown what is necessary, my dear.”
I recognize her gentle tone. “Mother?”
“Aya, look at me,” her voice stills my thoughts. Turning back to the vision, my tears that fall are inevitable. She is as beautiful as I remember her to be, but before I can tell her, she continues, “You are meant for great things, Aya. Please, listen very carefully as I don’t have much time. You may not trust him, as he will not trust you but your heart has already softened. Don’t fear him for his differences, but help him understand yours. You need him, as he does you. Find him.”
Her image fades with the twinkling stars in the now night sky shown above. Watching as the sparkling wonders disappear one at a time, I close my eyes and hope for all of this to make sense. I have to find him, trust him and help him. I have no idea where to begin.
The room has returned to normal, with the exception of the blue strands within the rock wall and the man standing in the entrance. Expecting Garret, I am relieved when I am met with the yellow eyes that I was told to trust.
“Orrin, what are you doing in here?” The air stands still between us. There is no need to look for him as he has found me.
“That is a long story,” he answers without moving any closer.
I take the first steps towards him with my hands to my side in surrender. “I hope you know that I mean you no harm.”
The slits of his eyes narrow. “Why not? I mean, you may as well be afraid of me. Every time I come in contact with one of you, I end up beaten and naked. That isn’t the best way to say hello.”
The things that my people have done to him are unforgivable, but I need him to understand why. “They do not fear you, they fear the future of your kind.” Moving towards him the rocks dim in color, darkening the room. I continue, “You are from the stars, are you not?”
With a heavy sigh, I can sense the inner struggle to tell me too much, “I am. I am from a place called Earth. Well, more accurately, I am from a ship that is from a place called Earth.” He leans against the opening of the room, crossing one arm over the other. He does not trust me.
“What do you want with Redisia? This is
our home, my home,” I say as I raise my hands closer to the wall in hopes to brighten the room; it works. His features have darkened and I feel my heart begin to beat rapidly.
“I was sent here by my people. Your home is the one of the few places that we have found to have suitable living conditions.” I can sense his frustration. I am sure he has been asked many times.
He is not ready to talk, and I am exhausted. I should find my way out of the darkness and back to the entrance before it is too late, I have feigned sleep for too long.
As he is blocking my exit, I retreat to a far wall in hopes that I will not cause him any more of a threat. I truly mean no harm to him. With nothing more than time and solitude, I hope I can make true on the words of my mother. Trust him.
The residual glow of the stones is all that remains in my wake as I cross the room.
“How do you do that?” He reaches out to the wall, testing the illuminating branches. The reaction that he is looking for does not come.
Sliding down the wall, the brightness is to my back. I can feel the hum of the cave as if it were alive. The stones warm to my touch. “I don’t know. It just… happened.”
“There is a lot of stuff that ‘just happens’ on this planet,” he says with a deep chuckle.
I watch as Orrin continues to follow the fading lines through the room until he stands beside me. There is a moment that I wish for him to talk to me, to tell me what he is thinking, but I refuse to push him to find comfort in my presence. My only hope is that he will.
“To answer your first question, I don’t know why I am here,” Orrin breaks the uncomfortable silence, “I should be on my way back to my ship. I was born to accomplish a single task. Just one, and here I am, willingly imprisoning myself in a cave of death with you. Think about it, doesn’t make any fucking sense, does it?”
His choice of words is new to me, but they are translated well through his helmet. I smile, not because of the words that he used, but because he chose to be in the cave with me and not on his way to prepare for war with his people. He made a choice that goes against his own people, as I did. We are more the same than he knows.