by Davis Ashura
They had all been mistaken.
Mother Lienna had found them. She had not been pleased with their betrayal. The Queen had shredded their illusions of safety, pouring down from the skies as an avenging storm of fury and might. She had torn the Baels apart.
The cries of his brothers echoed in Li-Choke’s mind, and he wondered why Mother had left him alive. Even now, She hovered above him, a whirlwind cloud of lightning and chaos. But Choke stood before Her, swaying on his feet and refusing to bend knee as he awaited his fate.
“Bow before your Queen,” Mother said. Her voice, usually a screaming cacophony of bones snapped to pieces, was now soft and measured. Even the lightning and swirling clouds of her whirlwind seemed calm in comparison to their usual appearance. “You need not fear me, Li-Choke.”
Her composed pronunciation of his name was almost more fearful than what She had done moments ago to his fellow Baels. Li-Choke swallowed back his fear, wondering how Mother was maintaining Her sanity. He had been there when the Queen had first discovered the betrayal of Her commanders, the Baels. She had screamed out Her anger and somehow poured Her madness down into the rest of the Chimeras of the Eastern Plague. The Queen’s insanity had set Her so-called children to murdering one another with vicious abandon. So crazed had they been with Mother’s fury and bloodlust that they would have killed one another unto the last. As a result, the Queen had been forced to retrieve much of Her madness, but still She had retained enough sanity to turn Her dread glare upon SarpanKum Li-Dirge, and the rest of the Baels. She had obliterated him and most of his command with a thunderous blow, flattening the earth upon which they had stood for hundreds of yards around.
Until today, it had been the last time Li-Choke had seen Mother. As time passed, his link with Her had faded, and he had hoped She had forgotten them, thinking all the Baels of the Eastern Plague were dead.
Obviously not.
“I have need of your service and worship once more,” Mother said, speaking again in calm, cool tones. “Hearken unto My words and learn wisdom.”
Li-Choke was frozen in fear, but it wasn’t for his own life. He was more concerned about Mother’s state of mind. How was She maintaining Her sanity? Where was Her madness? Were Her Chimeras even now tearing one another apart? The world was doomed if She had found a way to rid Herself of Her insanity.
“I will not serve You,” Li-Choke managed to get out past his terror.
“You will,” Mother replied. “Else all the Baels of this world will be ended. Thus far, only those who served the Eastern Plague of Continent Ember have been killed. Should you defy Me, I will spread My reach far wider. I will destroy them all, every Bael from every Plague — both here on Ember as well as those on Continent Catalyst — will be utterly purged. And I know the rest of your brethren may be every bit as traitorous as those I killed from the Eastern Plague. Consider well your decision to serve. This will be your only chance to save the Baels.”
“If You believe them traitors, You’ll kill them anyway.” Choke couldn’t believe he was arguing with Mother. A year ago, such a possibility would never have crossed his mind. No Bael in history had ever dared speak to the Queen in such a manner.
“The Baels will live if you serve,” Mother promised. “They can be returned to the path of righteousness. Even you.”
Li-Choke didn’t believe Her. Once She had Her use of him, She would kill him and all the other Baels anyway. “Why did you choose me?” he asked, prolonging the inevitable.
“I keep what is Mine.” She paused. “Will you serve Me, Li-Choke, or will you witness the death of all your brothers?”
Li-Choke considered Mother’s words, trying to reason past his hatred. What She had done to the Baels, tinkering with Devesh’s creation and birthing killers and murderers … it was an unforgivable sin. All beings who could reason should be brothers, and yet Humanity and the Baels, the only such creatures who could do so, were mortal enemies. And it was Mother’s doing. This being of lightning and storm was a plague upon all of existence.
Still, if his actions could keep the Baels alive for a while longer; if he could find a way to thwart Mother’s plans — he had to try. In the end, there was no choice. Choke fell to his knees and began canting the Prayer of Gratitude.
By Her grace are we born
By Her love are we made
By Her desire are we shorn
By Her passion are we unmade
And are reborn once more
Mother’s triumphant laughter was a rumble of thunder.
*****
Hours earlier Chak-Soon had felt Mother’s call. He had left the encampment of the Eastern Plague and made haste to a nearby rocky knoll. He knelt to receive Her blessings, intoning the Prayer of Gratitude.
Stretched out before his bent head was the Eastern Plague. They bivouacked just north of the Hunters Flats, an area bordered by a rise of ice-rimmed rocky prominences, stretching north and south of the Fan Lor Kum encampment. It was a few hours before dawn, and the air was chill. Snow blanketed the ground, and a wind cut through the valley, carrying with it the freezing air from the heights of the Privation Mountains to the north. Cook fires burned as the Chimeras readied themselves for the coming day. It was one of the few areas wherein the Eastern Plague managed to maintain a semblance of order.
Without the leadership of the Baels, Mother’s warriors had fallen to fighting amongst themselves, killing one another over the slightest of insults. It was Ur-Fels battling Braids and both breeds baiting and ambushing the dull, stupid Balants. And the Tigons, striving to bring order to the chaos, but more often than not, adding to it. Their natural inclination was to solve disputes with tooth-and-claw, and it led to either an escalation of the problem or put a bloody, but unsatisfactory, end to it. The only members of the Fan Lor Kum unaffected were the Bovars, but they were just dumb beasts of burden.
Strangely, some of the Bovars had recently birthed a few Baels. Why Mother would allow such conceptions to take place remained a mystery. It made no sense, especially considering Her complete eradication of the former commanders of the Eastern Plague months prior. But having no instructions on what was to be done with the infant Baels, the Tigons had decided to let them live. There was no one to teach the young ones, though, and Chak-Soon wondered at their fate. Perhaps with this meeting, he would have a chance to ask Mother Her desire on the matter.
“Rise, Chak-Soon and serve your Queen,” Mother said, arriving as a gentle breeze. “I give you a purpose.”
Chak-Soon lifted himself off his knees and rose to his feet, trembling with suppressed fervor. Today was the second time he had been granted an audience with Mother. It was two conversations more than he had ever expected to have. Until last summer, when the Queen had eradicated the Baels, it had been long understood that only the bull-like Chimeras would ever have the honor and privilege of hearing Mother’s words spoken aloud. As the old saying went: ‘From Her voice and through the Baels’ lips was the Queen’s will known’.
Everything was changed now, but Chak-Soon didn’t believe it was necessarily for the better; not with the convulsions tearing apart the Eastern Plague.
“I know My children suffer without the Baels to lead them,” Mother said, echoing Chak-Soon’s thoughts.
The Tigon was momentarily taken aback but quickly realized he shouldn’t have been. He was a child of Mother. Who better to know his unspoken thoughts than Her?
“I bring you glad tidings: that error will be soon corrected,” the Queen continued. “Even now, one comes. The last Bael of the Eastern Plague. The only one who remained true to Me. Greet him, for he will lead you and several other holy warriors on an urgent mission.”
“It will be as You command,” Chak-Soon said, his head bowed in reverence. To be personally tasked by Mother … it was the most fervent dream of all Tigons, maybe all Chimeras, including the dastardly Ur-Fels. But even through his passion, Chak-Soon wondered about Mother’s transformation. The manner in which She spoke had been
like a Bael: calm and sure. It was so different from the first time he had met the Queen. Then, Her voice had been edged with raging thunder. Even Her appearance now was changed. The chaotic tumble of lighting and swirling clouds was still present, but they seemed more sedate.
“The Bael who comes is named Li-Choke. Serve him as you would serve Me. Here is what you must do: gather a claw of Tigons as well as two traps of Braids and three Balants. Await My Bael’s arrival. Li-Choke will explain much, but here is all you need know: you hunt the Human who killed your brothers in the Privation Mountains. The creature is Hume. Only he possesses the skill to murder so many of My children with such arrogant impunity. And after the performance of his infamous deeds, he hies to Hammer, seeking to escape My just punishment within the safety of that wicked city’s Oasis.”
Chak-Soon nodded, hiding his dismay. Everyone knew of the legendary Hume. He was the Human nightmare, the unstoppable killer of Chimeras. He was the fearful specter of the dark who snatched up traitorous Tigons and slayed them in a horrific fashion. He was also dead, as was his city, Hammer. How could the Queen not know this? Worse was the cursed city’s reputation. No Chimera ever ventured near Hammer. The animals living nearby hunted Mother’s children with an unreasoning vengeance, taking mortal blows in order to kill any Chimeras that crossed their path. It was for a good reason that Hammer was called ‘The Bone Place’.
“Child, do you not wish to speak and tell Me your thoughts?” Mother asked. Her voice was gentle.
Chak-Soon’s mouth gaped in shock. Mother wished to hear his opinion? He ducked his head, overwhelmed with emotion. “To know I have been considered worthy of Your trust is all a Tigon could ever hope to achieve in this life.”
Mother laughed, like a soft, spring rain, but shortly it turned into a thunderclap of cacophonous din, pealing on and on and on. “If only My Baels could have served me so loyally, I would have already leveled Hume’s cursed home.” Her voice lifted, rising to the raging whirlwind of noise it had been the first time Chak-Soon had been in Her presence. “But with Li-Choke to lead, and with you to follow, Hume will die, and after him, Hammer. And then will I slay the hidden city of the mountains, the place of the cursed ghrinas, the sister city to Ashoka.” She laughed again, a cackle of hideous sound, and in it there was unreasoning madness.
Chak-Soon cowered in fear, falling to his knees, his head pressed to the ground. What had just happened? Mother had seemed so reasonable and loving only moments before. Now She sounded utterly mad, raving on about dead cities and mythical people.
An idea rose from the recesses of his mind, one he immediately tried to stifle. Despite his best efforts, though, the notion made its way to the forefront of his thoughts. Was Mother insane, and was this why the Baels had turned traitor? Chak-Soon clutched his head, trying to throttle the treasonous notions. It was sacrilege!
Over and over again, Chak-Soon took to intoning the Prayer of Gratitude, trying to rid himself of his blasphemy.
*****
Lienna sped westward across the darkening skies. Her mission took Her to the setting sun, toward the Western Plague’s winter encampment along the northern shores of Lake Nest. As She outraced the wind, the Queen reveled in the silence of Her mind. Gone were Mother and Father. Their hectoring voices were stilled. Even more wonderful was the absence of Mistress Arisa. Her harping ugliness was nowhere to be heard.
Lienna laughed. Once, simply thinking about Mistress would have brought about Her fearsome presence, but not any more, not since Lienna had learned how to tame Her madness. The Queen knew that if She were to empty Her rage and anguish down into a single Plague, Her Chimeras would take to killing one another, ripping and rending like rabid animals. But if Lienna was careful and doled out Her madness amongst two Plagues, Her Chimeras simply went catatonic. They lay down as if asleep, unable to harm one another. Of course, they also couldn’t defend themselves. Predators and scavengers had been known to attack the helpless Chimeras. Some of Her children had even stopped breathing if they were left holding Lienna’s madness for too long a period of time. So Lienna had to be mindful of Her children, never keeping them asleep for too long a period of time. Luckily, on Continent Catalyst, there were three Plagues. She could rotate Her insanity amongst them and not cause Her Chimeras any lasting harm.
It wasn’t a perfect arrangement, not by any means. Right now, there were still times when Lienna slipped into old habits; old ways of thinking; when Mother, Father, or worse, Mistress Arisa, came to Her, whipping Her with whispers of hatred and ill will; times when Lienna became confused and the past and the present merged; when truths and lies became indistinguishable. But Lienna knew if She could spread Her terrible rage amongst even more of Her children, She could forever banish Mother, Father, and Mistress Arisa from Her mind. It was for this exact reason that the Queen was making Her way west.
The Eastern Plague of Continent Ember was falling apart. The Tigons simply couldn’t lead. Their version of discipline was the simple solution of death for any who supposedly disobeyed their incomprehensible orders. They were mindless killers, good for nothing more than to lead a charge into battle.
Much as Lienna hated to admit it, She needed the Baels. After discovering their betrayal in the east, there had been a moment when the Queen had almost killed all Her bull-like commanders. Luckily, fate had stayed Her hand. Mother had allowed the rest of the Baels to live. Had She not, then all Her children would be suffering in much the same way as the Eastern Plague.
Lienna was thankful for Her good fortune.
She had the opportunity to move a number of Baels from the west to the east. It would spread Her commanders thin, and they wouldn’t be able to lead either Plague very well, but the Baels should at least be able to maintain order. It was all She needed for now. In another ten years, She could easily breed up the Baels so their numbers were large enough for them to once again effectively command both Plagues on Continent Ember.
And then Lienna could spread Her madness amongst three or more Plagues at a time. With Her sanity intact, She could make lucid plans and decisions, ones where falsehoods couldn’t lead her astray. She could finally kill Humanity for all time.
It was the driving dream of Her entire existence, the impetus that had once led a daughter to callously and without regret murder Her Amma and Nanna.
Lienna smiled at the thought of a world freed of Humanity’s evil, their noisome nature, their wicked activities, and their grotesque sights and horrific stenches. She imagined a world made pure and clean.
*****
Li-Shard, the SarpanKum of the Western Plague grew rigid with fear as he felt Mother approach. She would arrive in minutes. He and the three senior-most commanders of the Western Plague stood alone upon a lonely hill, facing out into Hammer Bay. Miles to the east, on the Creosote Plains, the broad flatlands south of the Bone Place, encamped the rest of the Western Plague, including all the other Baels. But Mother had called for only the four currently present. There had to be a reason for it. It was likely one Shard wouldn’t like.
“Control your alarm,” Li-Brind, the SarpanKi, advised.
Li-Shard nodded to the older Bael. Brind had survived many seasons and even more battles in his illustrious life. He was wise with age and not easily rattled. Shard trusted him implicitly. Brind had served as SarpanKi for ten years now, including to Shard’s direct predecessor, the older Bael’s crèche brother. Typically, the title of SarpanKi was bestowed upon the most trusted brother of the SarpanKum, but all from Shard’s crèche had died long ago. As a result, Brind had been the logical choice to continue on in the position he had already held for so long.
Shard was grateful for the older Bael’s presence. Given his own youth — he was younger than many of the Vorsans and even a few of the Levners — having someone as experienced as Brind had been an invaluable aid. The SarpanKi was a pillar of knowledge and insight, helping to keep the young SarpanKum from making too many mistakes. In fact, Brind would have made a fine SarpanKum in h
is own right. Shard often thought the older Bael should have been the one elevated to leadership of the Western Plague, but instead, their brother Baels had chosen Li-Shard. It hadn’t been because of his great intellect and certainly not for his experience. It had been because of his devotion to the teachings of Hume, a piety unmatched by any except perhaps Li-Dirge, the former SarpanKum of the Eastern Plague.
“Did She give any indication of what She desires?” Li-Chig, one of the Sarpans asked.
Li-Sturg, Chig’s crèche brother and fellow Sarpan, stroked the feathers of his rank. It was a nervous habit. “After what Mother did to Li-Dirge and our brothers in the east, frankly I am stunned She has not come for us earlier. I was certain She would.”
Li-Shard shook his head in negation. “She made no comment other than to command our presence.” He glanced at Sturg. “But I, too, was shocked that Mother hasn’t ended our existence.”
“She should have if we are to believe Li-Choke’s messenger, the young Bael he sent to us,” said Li-Chig. “And why has She called for just the four of us?”
“Calm yourselves,” Li-Brind advised again. “We will know shortly.”
Shard knew the SarpanKi was correct. There was nothing to be done about it but await Mother’s will. He dropped to his knees and indicated for the others to follow his lead. They chanted the Prayer of Gratitude, and Li-Shard focused on the words, settling his mind and burying his nervousness.
The Queen hated when any of the Chimeras demonstrated the slightest hint of fear toward Her.
Shortly, She arrived, and as always, Mother was a maelstrom of lightning and chaotically racing thunderclouds. Shard sensed a difference, though. There was a focus, a rational pattern to Her swiftly changing form. But it was when She spoke that Shard truly recognized the change. It terrified him. Mother was lucid.