Revenge: The Gray-Matter Chrolicles: Book 1 (The Matter Chronicles 4)

by P. G. Thomas

  Logan looked at the strange being, “What happened to the Bastards?”

  “So much was happening that all were distracted with Mother’s infliction, including Sister. While we were never able to determine what happened to them or why, much like Mother’s forest, from the landscape they all vanished.”

  “Do you know where the sword and armor are?” asked Eric. “Or where Aaro and Bor are?”

  “All should be at Ironhouse. The dwarves are less reliant on Mother, speaking to her seldom.”

  “They say Aaro and Bor took both to the Bright Coast. Something to do with an award or ceremony.”

  Tranquil took a step back, “In your thoughts, I saw the armor and sword, but I assumed your desire was to see if I could gift them purpose, which I could. They are missing? I have no idea on what has transpired, but these lands are less for that loss.”

  She then turned to Gor, Grax, and Amber. “I also see your thoughts, and they are filled with a precious dwarf currency, but its value is without worth if you make the wrong deposit. In the past, dwarves in granite carved their first words, adding many more over the years, but one is still absent from your language, and it is my hope that it remains absent from your future.”

  Steve, his mind a blank, saw Tranquil turn her gaze to him. “You, I could learn to like. I am sure that if I were in your lands, I would be amazed at what I found there, and be as confused as you are here now. In your heart, I can see two questions. Yes, there are beings like me on other worlds, including yours. As for the second, I sense the path that you now walk heads in the desired direction.” Then she scanned the group, “The last question that all are thinking? How did I know of your return? Sister, her words of the Bastard I heard on the winds. Your magic passed over the First Forest, so I intercepted your journey and brought you here. If you had taken another path, returning to the Bright Coast, we would have never met.” Tranquil walked back to her invisible chair and sat down.

  “What happened here?” asked Lauren.

  “If I were to plant one tree every time I asked myself that same question, the Newlands would be the greatest forest in all of Calicon. My brother, his lessons acquired, was able to leave the sword, which in turn also released me. However, there was no time to think, only to act.” Tranquil sighed, “I told you what to do, but you changed it.”

  Lauren looked up, “What?”

  Tranquil stood, and for a brief second her dress and hair turned black, her eyes turned red, her passive face now showed anger. “I do not know because it is no longer here!” Then, just as quick, she reverted back to normal, lowering herself into the unseen chair, taking a drink from a cup that had magically appeared in her hand. The others also started to take a drink, but when Tranquil shook her head, the mug with the hot liquid disappeared, and a crystal goblet with a pale, yellow liquid replaced it. The others, now holding the same, also took a drink.

  “Look, when that damn war was over,” began Lauren, “I issued an Earth Bond for peace, and I think you told me to do that. You had it, so if something else happened, don’t blame us!”

  “You have seen the lands, the people. Is this what you wanted?”

  “What I wanted? Now you ask me what I wanted? Who ever said I wanted any of this. One day I’m riding the bus, going to school, just an average day. Suddenly, I’m here in your world with no idea about what’s happening. I didn’t want the damn job, but this world shackled it to me without a choice, and you just said that we were never supposed to be here. What I wanted? You have some nerve!” Lauren stood, “I remember your image from the sword, and you wanted peace more than I did. You had it.” She threw her goblet at Tranquil, but it disappeared into nothing, and when she sat back down, another was resting on the arm of the chair.

  “Peace. We have that, yet the land and people suffocate under its weight. What this is, I have no idea, but it is not what I wanted, and not what I told you to do!”

  There had always been two Laurens in this world: the one who never wished to be an Earth Mother, and the second who fought harder than the rest for Mother’s children, and she was speaking now, as the fire and passion was burning in her eyes. “What the Hell did you tell me to do?”

  Tranquil’s image changed from white to the color of angry storm clouds. “Yes, I wanted peace, told you that! But there was something else.” She pointed to John, “You both did something, which is the missing piece, and forty years later, it is still absent!” No longer living up to her name, her body was now a swirling mass of dark anger, “It is like a white image painted on a white background, there but unseen.” She turned her focus back to Lauren, “As soon as you spoke the words I cannot recall, in that brief second, I saw what was going to happen. Then like your words—the image was gone!”

  Lauren drained her drink, set it down, and again the goblet was full. “Then you should have been more precise with your words. Maybe you should have said something different. If I was the instrument, then you were the musician, so don’t blame me if a note wasn’t in key.”

  Tranquil’s image started to change back to white, “If it were nothing more than a song—”

  “It might not be my place,” Eric began, wanting to break the tension, “but I think we would all like to know what happened here.”

  “For eight years, all was it should have been. Then Mother felt the sudden arrival of three Earth Mothers, and sent Earth Guards to find them, but fail her they did: a first for them.”

  Lauren reached for Ryan, “Our daughters!”

  Tranquil turned her gaze to Logan, “Brother of Earth Mother, Bastard, it would appear your title has taken on a new meaning.” Then she looked back to Lauren and Ryan, “Mother took ill and slowly began to weaken. At first, she hid if from us, but soon it became too obvious. Year after year, her great strength diminished as did her voice. Her forests withered under her will, failing to respond to Sisters gift of nourishment, no matter how much it rained. As she was no longer able to bring forward her gifts, the Earth Mothers returned to their old ways, being unable to hear her thoughts. The children’s prayers unanswered, shriveled like her forests. Then the darkest of days; three Earth Mothers used her own magic to Curse her.” Tranquil’s cold stare intensified when she looked at Lauren, “Being weak already, she was unable to defeat the offensive magic. For a month straight, Curses filled her ears, as the magic that had done so much good was turned against her. Failing to understand, it only sought to satisfy the request. At the end of the month, Mother was silent, and her words were no more. Since that day, I have been unable to leave this place. Six years later, an act unheard of happened. An Earth Bond issued by three to worship another, one called Zymse Darpac. With Mother quiet, none could smite the words or those that issued them, and I am uncertain if she is still with us or forever gone.” Once again, she stared at the group, “Why have you returned?”

  Lauren was about to speak, but John quickly cut her off. “Mirtza was working on my machine, there was a storm. I think it was hit by a lightning bolt, providing the power, and it accidently brought us here.”

  “That isn’t entirely correct,” said Lauren. “Somebody here used John’s machine to steal my daughters. They’re here somewhere in your world, and we don’t know where to find them. Can you help?”

  “I am unable to leave the First Forest, and what is beyond I cannot hear or see.” Then Tranquil paused, “A mother looking for her children; children looking for their mother. An arrangement we can strike: if you can help heal Mother from her inflictions, when she regains her strength, we can then help with your plight.”

  Lauren repeated her question, “I asked if you could help?”

  “The Peace Bond that crushes the life from the children, the Curses uttered, and the last Earth Bond: the damage may be too great.”

  “Damn it, you’re as bad as John, but at least, his answers are shorter. Can you help?”

  “If I were not absent of your history, I would think that Father selected you because you do have his
fire. I am but a raindrop in a storm compared to the power of Mother. Even though I am capable of more, it pales in comparison to her. Her powers sustain my life, and so long as she sleeps, I remain trapped here. The answer to your question is simple; can you help her children find their Mother?”

  “That isn’t an answer!”

  Tranquil slammed her hand down on the invisible chair, “Yes, I can help, but only if you help Mother first!”

  “Good, now we’re getting somewhere,” replied Lauren, “I think,”

  “What do we have to do?” asked Ryan.

  The setting abruptly changed, and they were no longer sitting in a semicircle, but instead they found themselves in front of a colossal tree with its base measuring more than a hundred feet from side to side. Its powerful roots corrupting the soil, being ten feet tall above the ground, before they began their long journey to the depths, bringing forth the required nourishment. Tranquil stood in front of the massive tree, looking like an ant against the backdrop of weathered bark and exaggerated roots. She picked up a large branch, forty feet long, ten inches thick, which was twisted and covered with large bulbous burls. The bark was old, thick, with deep ruts. She looked at Lauren, “Mother’s magic is still present, and command it you can, but I fear more help you will need.” Holding the branch level to the ground, extending her arms as far as she could, she slowly began to bring them together. As she did, it began to shrink in both length and diameter. When done, her hands were side by side, and the branch measured five-and-a-half feet long but only a few inches in diameter. She looked back to the tree, wiped away a tear, and then floated over to the group.

  Accepting it, the weight almost pulled Lauren forward. She examined the gray bark that looked like aged skin, and in numerous spots, exposed white wood had the appearance of an ancient entombed bone.

  Tranquil floated away, turned, “I have no idea if anything can fix that which is broken, but that may help. Be cautious, Earth Mother, your last staff drank from the lands and replenished itself. This one does not, and even though its magic may be without limits, the contents are not. If you deplete it, brittle and dry it will become, breaking easily.”

  With both hands, Lauren held the deceptively heavy staff level with the ground, “What type of wood is it? What will it do?”

  “Your last staff was crafted from trees of three. Sage Wood was Mother’s knowledge. Core Wood her power, and Iron Wood her strength. This one has no name, but if it were to be named, in your words it would be called God Wood—because it is Mother that you now hold in your hands.” The group all looked at the staff before slowly turning their glance to the massive tree, which was so large that they were unable to see its entirety. Tranquil looked at the group, “Yes, you stand in the presence of Mother. Thousands of years ago, this is where elf took cover from a band of orcs. Hearing their words, she saw their thoughts and found purpose. Back then, she was much smaller, but over time, her size and range grew until she cared for all of the lands and children. Working silently, changing events as Father directed the children to fight, she announced her presence after a thousand years. That is when most turned from Father to find Mother, but we gather not for a history lesson. Earth Mother, your last staff was but a splinter of Mother’s magic, and in your hands now, you hold all of her glory and power. I will warn you again that my gift to you is both limitless and limited. I will let the Unchosen explain that, as while I can see it in my mind, the right words I do not know.”

  “How do I help Mother with plants and insects?” asked Lauren.

  “Even though Mother was pleased that you found her, your questions she failed to anticipate. The last time, you asked more questions than three times all of the stars in the night sky. She provided you with support, both with friends and power, and directed you. She was so amazed in your actions that you even surprised her. Do that which you do Earth Mother, be all of that, nothing less.”

  Tranquil may have spoken the words, but it was Panry’s voice that Lauren heard. She shook her head, “When it is done? If it does not end well, will you blame me again?”

  Tranquil began to vanish, but her words would haunt Lauren for days to come, “If it does not end well, then it just ends.”

  Wanting to get out of the First Forest, after John pulled off his backpack, he retrieved the box with the Ironhouse envelope. Pulling out the largest stone, replacing the box in the backpack, he looked at the small group who stared in amazement at the large tree—at Mother. When he coughed, they turned to face him, “Back to Ironhouse?” When nobody said anything, he dropped the rock through the bracelet, which caused a shimmering ring to form and stabilize. Inside of it, an image of Ironhouse, and John walked forward, stepped through, followed by the rest.

  Chapter 14

  As the war ponies had been bedded down for the night, the stables were quiet when they entered. Retrieving a torch from a nearby wall, Amber led them through the twisting tunnels until they arrived at the dimly lit main level. John was unsure how long they had spent with Tranquil, but the huge crystal that illuminated the grand hall during the day only contained starlight now. Not wanting to cause a disruption in the normal activities of the mine, they went swiftly up to their quarters. As Amber went to find Fen, Gor and Grax went in search of liquids worthy of the story that was about to be told.

  Once in the guest quarters, they proceeded to the meeting room. Sitting down, Lauren balanced the heavy gnarled staff on her legs, and on her face, confusion. “Ryan, did we do something wrong last time? Is this our fault?”

  “At this point, I think it would be like trying to place blame in a forty-car pileup on a foggy day. Everybody gets a bit, wouldn’t you agree, John?”

  Before walking over to the table, he had been staring out the terrace door. “Father, Mother, Tranquil, Fury, even Sister. Everybody including myself, I guess. This is like one of those insane puzzles with printed images on both sides, but one’s rotated ninety degrees. Pieces look like they should fit, but because they’re the wrong shape, they don’t, and you can’t look at both sides at the same time. The night before the Earth Mother went to her tree, she told me my prophecy, or so I thought, but I later found out that I shared the same with Zack and Ryan, and she said that Mother was trying to mold the future to her vision.” As Gor came into the meeting room with a large cask, Grax carried a case of mugs. When they tapped the cask, John poured himself a drink. “Honey ale.” He waited for the rest to get a drink and then raised his glass, “To Zack: may the golden liquid that gifted him insight now do the same for us.” After joining them for the toast, Logan had filled a second before heading to the corner of the room, sitting with his back to the group.

  Lauren nudged Ryan, who walked over to check on Logan, but returned just as quick. “He wants to be left alone. Said he needs to think.” Even though it seemed like an unusual request, they did as asked.

  After a long drink, John started, “Did we do something wrong? Is this our fault? This isn’t a sanctioned sporting event, like golf or soccer, where there are books of rules. Nobody told us what to do, where to go, how to get there. For crying out loud, we weren’t even supposed to be here and now they blame us? That fails to make any sense.”

  Eric set down his mug. “It isn’t working, John. I think you need more beer. My smart friend is overthinking the issue, and what should have happened is simple. Think of a football team that has thirty plus players, but only eleven are on the field at any given time. If they’re all running the same plays, they keep getting first downs and scoring points. When they don’t communicate, too many people calling the plays, they lose. Quarterbacks get sacked, yards are lost, interceptions, fumbles. Pretty soon, your opponents are scoring on you, and that’s what happened here. Because they had separate game plans, Mother and Father were giving conflicting signals, and then they called us in like a special team. All they said was go out there and win, and even then, I don’t think they really knew what was happening. Look at Zack and Ryan, which this world healed
, and they just let them into the game. Then you, John, they had to realize that you would be more than a bystander cheering for us. As far as I’m concerned, we won the game because the coaching staff really didn’t call out the plays, we did. In the end, there was peace in the lands, and that’s what Mother and Tranquil both wanted. Maybe they never understood what war or peace were, but you don’t blame the players for losing the season. Especially when we left, what, forty odd years ago. That’s a crock of shit because they had peace and lost it. Somebody here should have done something, and from the sounds of it, they had plenty of signs that something was wrong again, but they didn’t do anything. So what happened? From the sounds of it, this Zymse character bamboozles them, and now they want to blame us? If winter comes early this year, are they going to blame us? It was bad management, lack of vision, poor decisions, and insufficient communications.” Eric picked up his mug and took a long drink.

  Gor and Grax, sharing the same confused look from the unknown references, walked over to the keg for a refill.

  “Crap, Eric has Zack’s old mug,” replied John. “So then what do we do?”

  Everybody’s focus was on Eric, “Not sure, but this time, it’s our game. Management has lost their voice, and based on their recent track record, if they do say something, we should do the opposite. Back at Alron, you said you had a plan to fix the machine to reset the game clock. From our talk with Tranquil, if we can find a way to heal Mother, maybe she can do something, so we work on running those two plays.”

  Fen, Fodu, and Amber were standing in the doorway. Fen spoke first, “From Ironhouse, what do you need?”

  “Fodu, Mirtza spent a long time in prison while in Darkpaye, and his mind is fading. Even though he helped assemble the machine, dwarves built most of the components. Can you return to the Bright Coast with me? For a short time?” asked John