by BC Powell
“Balt’s organizing them,” I say. “I was hiding in a gully and heard the Murkovin talking about it. This was all Balt’s plan. We have to find him and kill him.”
“We’ll talk about it later. Right now, we both need sleep.”
Sash presses her body to mine and holds me in her arms. I try to stay awake, desperately wanting to talk more about Balt, but it’s impossible for me to battle against sleep any longer.
Chapter 25
I open my eyes, groggy much in the way I felt emerging from sedation after brain surgery. The golden crystal ceiling slowly comes into focus. When I turn my head, I see Sash sitting at the table and smiling at me.
“How long have I been asleep?” I ask.
“Almost two morrows,” she replies. “How are you feeling?”
“A little out of it, but I’m better. Thank you, Sash. I don’t know how you found me, but I’m sure glad you did.”
“I am too,” she says. After standing from the table, she crosses to our bed and kneels on the mattress. “The nectar should be out of your blood now. Is your mind clear?”
“I think so,” I answer.
“Larn wants us to meet with the Disciples and the other Travelers. We can discuss what happened.”
“Good,” I say. “The sooner the better.”
“After the meeting is Storytelling. I think you’ll have a better understanding of where you were when you hear the story of The Beginning.”
“It was a total head trip,” I reply. “That means it really messed with my mind.”
“You weren’t prepared for what you were exposed to, and nectar interferes with rational thought.”
She leans down to kiss my forehead before helping me out of bed. Once I’m seated at the table, my thirst doesn’t subside until I finish six cups of sap. With fresh energy invigorating my muscles, I undress, walk to the other cavern, and step into the fall.
While standing under the water for at least half an hour, I gradually feel my mind clear. Strength has returned to my body, but I can’t get the image of Beck’s dead body out of my eyes. By the time I leave the fall and finish dressing, I’m no longer certain about my purpose in Krymzyn.
Sash and I travel to Sanctuary and stop in front of Larn, the other five Travelers, and the Disciples.
“Have you recovered?” Larn asks.
“I think so,” I say, focusing my eyes on his. “I’ve decided that I shouldn’t be a Traveler.”
“Why would you say such a thing?” he asks in a chastising tone.
“I’m a jinx . . . a misfortune for Travelers. I’ve been on three trips to the Mount, and two Travelers have died during them. I can’t be responsible for any more deaths.”
“You’re not responsible.”
“Balt wants to kill Sash, and he also wants to kill me. But he can’t get to us in the Delta, so he’s going after me in the Barrens. No one is safe with me outside the Delta.”
Larn thoughtfully holds my gaze before replying, “Look at the other Travelers around you. What do you notice about them, Chase?”
As my eyes move from person to person in the semicircle of blue-haired Travelers, I have the same realization I had once before regarding their appearances.
“None of them are very old . . . tall,” I answer.
“Correct,” Larn says. “For every one non-Traveler who meets death in Krymzyn, five Travelers die. This is how it’s always been and always will be. Some die at the hands of Murkovin while traveling the Barrens. Others from carelessness that leads to an accident. You’ve already experienced both of those risks. It’s the Traveler’s fate, Chase, and all of us who stand here accept it.”
I glance again from Traveler to Traveler. Each of them holds my eyes for a moment with a combination of empathy and determination anchored on their faces. When I look at Tela, her eyes fill with compassion.
“It is the way it is,” she says.
“When Miel met death,” Sash says to me, “they were targeting me, not you, Chase. You can’t blame yourself for that.”
I look down at the ground but don’t say anything.
“Did Beck challenge you to a race?” Larn asks.
“Yeah,” I answer quietly, still staring at the grass. “He did.”
“The blockade may have been intended for you,” he says, “but the fact remains—Beck was reckless. He often became possessed by his own speed and ignored common sense. He never should have encouraged an Apprentice to race against him. I warned you that those hills are blind on both sides, and he knew that as well as anyone. We all use caution near them. Beck was of great value to the Delta, but his death was his own fault. Not yours.”
When Eval takes a step forward, I look up from the ground to her eyes.
“The Tree of Vision revealed your purpose,” she says. “It showed what’s inside you. You’re a Traveler of Krymzyn now, and you always will be. You’ve never struck me as the type to give up so easily.”
“I’m not,” I reply firmly. “But I don’t want to endanger other people’s lives.”
“You won’t,” Larn says. “Due to recent events, we’ll take much greater precautions than we have in the past. I believe this group of Travelers is as strong as any we’ve ever had in Krymzyn, and I expect us all to grow very tall together.”
“Agreed,” Tela says.
One by one, each of the Travelers repeats, “Agreed.” After the last person speaks, they all turn their eyes to me. I’ve never given up on anything in life, and I won’t start now.
“Agreed,” I finally say.
Larn nods his head to me. “Knowing the Murkovin are targeting us, when we transport items to or from the Mount, six Travelers will go together on every trip. Two will lead the way and enter the Barrens at blind spots to check for traps in the road. The two in the center of the caravan will transport items or children, and the two in the rear will protect from behind. One Traveler will stay in the Delta in case something is needed here while the others make trips to the Mount.
“When we take a child to the Infinite Expanse, one will carry the child and two others will accompany them. No other Travelers will make trips outside the Delta while those three are in the Barrens.
“The new protocol may require an increased number of Mount journeys since so many of us will be involved in each trip. More of our time each morrow may be needed to properly fulfill our purpose as Travelers, but our safety and the needs of Krymzyn must come before all else. We will not let the actions of the Murkovin disrupt our service to Krymzyn.”
While his eyes move across the Travelers, we all nod our agreement.
“Chase,” Eval says, “with the death of Beck, your Apprenticeship will end. You’re now asked to fulfill your purpose as a Traveler of Krymzyn.”
I drop to one knee and bow my head. “I’m honored to serve my purpose for the balance of Krymzyn.”
“I know that to be true,” Eval replies. “Before you can fulfill your purpose, however, as is the case with each child of Krymzyn, you must travel to the Infinite Expanse to conquer your fears.”
“I’d like to do it as soon as I can,” I say, standing.
“On the morrow,” Eval says, “when you first awaken, meet with the other Travelers. If Krymzyn hasn’t already given it to you, ask for the sign. After you receive it, as is the way of Krymzyn, another Traveler will be given the sign to serve as your guide.”
“We’ll all meet on the Traveling Hill,” Larn says.
“I’ll be there, but we have to do something about Balt. He’s organizing the Murkovin against us.”
“What would you suggest we do?” Eval asks.
“Hunt the entire Barrens until we find him,” I say.
Eval looks out over the hills of the Delta for a moment and then returns her eyes to mine. “I’ve hidden a single grain of red stone somewhere in the grass of the Delta. Would you please find it for me?”
Staring into her eyes, I try to understand the logic behind her analogy. “A person is a lot eas
ier to find than a speck of stone.”
“There are forty billion square miles of Barrens in Krymzyn,” she replies. “I’m not sure you can fathom that number. The wasteland is covered by hills and ravines. Underground caverns are everywhere. Even with the speed of Travelers crossing the terrain, finding one individual in that much space would be a futile task.”
“Then what can we do?” I ask.
“As Larn has explained,” Tork says, interjecting into the conversation for the first time, “greater precaution will be taken by the Travelers. The Watchers will spend additional time each morrow searching the banks of the river to ensure the Delta is safe. Until Balt reveals himself or we become aware of his location by chance, there’s little else we can do. The Delta has provided safe haven from the Murkovin for millions of Eras, and I’m sure it will do the same in the future.”
“Considering how violent he is,” I complain, “there has to be something more we can do.”
“Earlier this morrow,” Eval replies, “I visited the Reflecting Pool to ask that very question of the waters.”
“What were you shown?” I ask.
“The Pool would not give me an answer to the question regarding Balt’s location. It will only answer questions that pertain directly to the person asking the question. I was shown something I’ve been shown in the past but cannot share with anyone else. Suffice it to say, it reassured me that the balance of Krymzyn will be maintained. In the interim, all each of us can do is serve our purpose to the fullest of our abilities.”
“I’ll do my best,” I say.
“As we all will,” Eval replies. “And now, the time for Storytelling has arrived.”
I look down at her hands. Pure white light glows from her palms. When I glance at my own and at those of the people around me, I see the same colorless light around our hands. I don’t need to be told that it’s the sign for Storytelling.
Everyone bows to each other before walking to the south. Sash and I separate from the others, circling around a hill on the side of the Tree of Vision.
“I’m furious about the whole Balt thing,” I say.
“You can’t control what he does,” she adamantly replies. “Only what you do.”
“Don’t people care that he killed Beck?”
“Of course they care, but what would you suggest we do?”
“We should track him down. You and I could do it.”
She shakes her head. “It’s impossible, Chase. Eval is right. You and I would grow to the height of death before we covered one percent of the Barrens.”
“Well, I’m sure keeping my eyes open for him any time I’m outside the Delta.”
“As you should,” she says. “But let it go now, Chase. What’s already happened is behind us, and we know to be more alert in the future. Please try to calm down and enjoy Storytelling. I’m excited for you to hear the story of The Beginning.”
“I am too,” I say. I smile at her, but it’s a feigned smile. The desire for revenge against Balt is eating away inside me.
After crossing over a hill south of the Tree of Vision, we reach a small meadow. The low hills surrounding the field give it an intimate feel, much like being inside a tiny outdoor amphitheater. A dozen people are already scattered across the side of one hill, sitting in the crimson grass.
An enormous black boulder stands in the center of the flat grassy meadow. About my height and equally as wide, the rock has an almost flat top. On the front face of the boulder are three curved bumps that form a triangle, each about six inches wide and looking almost sculpted on the granite.
Sash and I sit on the edge of the field about thirty feet in front the boulder and lay our spears on the grass at our sides. My mood calms as I watch the people arrive, genuinely wanting to enjoy my first public event since returning to Krymzyn.
Almost everyone from the Delta seems to be here, and I also recognize several faces from the Mount. The people all sit in the grass of the gently sloping hill around and behind us. The Keepers are the last to arrive, the children walking by their sides. The golden-haired adults lead the six children to an empty space close to where Sash and I are sitting. When Maya sees me, she walks to us and plops down beside me.
“Greetings, Chase,” she says in a soft voice.
“Hey, Maya. It’s good to see you.”
“I’m very sorry for how much pain you felt. It was fortunate that Sash found you.”
“Thank you,” I say. “Without your help, who knows what would have happened.”
“It was my honor to provide aid in any way I could.”
I study her solemn face for a moment. The more I see her, the more I notice the aura of insight and wisdom that seems to surround her. Despite her former displays of shyness and insecurity, I decide there really is something very special about this little girl.
“Greetings, people of Krymzyn!” Eval’s voice calls out.
“Greetings, Eval!” I shout, but I blush when no one else says anything.
Looking around me, I see that everyone is simply nodding to Eval. I shake my head at my own blunder, wishing I could hide behind the rock. When I glance at Sash, her lips are tightly clamped together, trying to hide a smile. I nudge her with my elbow.
“As we are all aware,” Eval announces, her eyes falling on me, “a first has occurred in Krymzyn. A being from another plane of existence has proven to have a purpose here.”
Now I really wish I was behind the rock. I’ve never liked the spotlight. Much of my life has been spent alone in a studio, painting or working at my computer. I was often by myself for hours at a time while running long distances in my world. I think of myself as a solitary person, partially by nature and partially due to the events that shaped my life. Flush with embarrassment, I’m hoping I’m not expected to say anything.
“I want the people of Krymzyn to know,” Eval continues, “that while none of us may fully understand why this has occurred, the Traveler Chase has already proven that he’ll make great sacrifices, including his own life, to serve and protect all that is sacred to us. So although he’s not a child of Krymzyn, we should all feel the same honor by his presence that we would from any person born of this plane. In Krymzyn, we are all one.
“Now,” she says, extending one hand to the rock, “so that the Traveler Chase may know how this plane came to exist, I present the Disciple Tork. He will share with us the story of The Beginning.”
After Eval crosses to the far side of the field and sits beside the other Disciples, the scarlet rays of light overhead recede into the edges of the clouds. I quickly reach for my spear, but Sash grabs my arm.
“Darkness isn’t falling,” she says. “Watch the rock.”
I look up at the clouds as the light around us fades to almost pitch black, but they never swirl into motion and rain doesn’t fall. When I return my eyes to the granite boulder, the entire surface shimmers with soft amber light radiating from its center. From behind the rock, Tork leaps onto the top. Spreading his arms wide, he looks up to the sky, his face dimly illuminated by a solitary ray from the clouds. With the lone natural spotlight shining straight down on him, he slowly lowers his face to the crowd.
“For eternity,” he bellows, “three points of light wove around one another in the center of an endless void.”
In each of the three bumps on the front of the rock, tiny pinpoints of white light appear. Floating away from the stone, they rise into the air in front of Tork until they’re slightly above his head. Zooming and weaving around each other, the points go faster and faster, like a diagram of an atom in motion.
“Until, for no reason,” Tork says softly then raises his voice to a shout, “the three points of light collided!” The three orbs in front of Tork slam into one another, triggering an explosion of color. “The Beginning of time, dimension, and the infinite plane of Krymzyn.”
As the spectrum recedes, a flat plane of light, like an enormous three-dimensional hologram, slowly rotates in front of Tork.
&nb
sp; “After the plane was formed, the energy from The Source carved the Eternal Canyon into the ground. While The Source spread from the Canyon through the land, the terrain was filled with energy. The other two lights shot out from the plane and rose above, waiting for their time in this world.
“An enormous hill rose from the dirt while giant boulders tumbled down its sides. Bubbling from a crater at the top of the hill, the waters of the Springs spilled down the slopes. Beautiful, calm pools were created on the side of the hill until the waters flowing through them blended into a river at the bottom.”
Like watching computer animation in tones of golden light, a hill rises from the flat plane of the hologram. From the top of the hill, downward from pool to pool, silvery blue water streams over the slope. The images of light continue to simulate The Beginning with every word Tork speaks.
* * *
Casting torrents of spray into the air, turbulent waters cut a winding path through the hilly terrain. After one hundred thousand miles of slicing deep into the ground, the river suddenly split in two. Ferociously rejoining farther to the south, the separate forks of water left an immense Delta in their center.
At the widest points of the Delta, two enormous hills spiked up from the ground. The Tall Hill, the highest point of land in the Delta, towered from the westernmost edge. On the eastern side sprung the Traveling Hill, its crest almost as tall as the first.
From the flats at the northern tip of the Delta all the way to the southern apex, rolling hills elevated from the dirt. Water seeped under the Delta, carving an intricate series of caverns and waterfalls beneath the hills. The richness of the water soaked into the land, fertilizing the soil between the river’s forks.
Etching down the wasteland for another one hundred thousand miles, the violent waters finally reached a towering cliff. Furiously spilling over the edge of the bluff, the water crashed to the ground a mile below. Through the mist created by the Great Falls, brilliant rainbows arced through the air.