Grim then reached the edge of the battle and bellowed. “Soldiers! Lend me your ears!”
His voice reached everywhere. Maybe even outside the forest. Boy was he loud.
“Soldiers! I can understand your dedication to the Valantian Imperium and this continent. But your efforts here are futile… I assume all of you are familiar with the swords of legend?”
There was silence. I wasn’t sure where the man was going with all this. I waited as well. Then the captain of the entire battalion spoke. “Yes we are. What of it?”
Grim boomed. “After more than a millennium, more than one of those swords has entered a battle. We currently hold three of the seven.” He lifted his short sword, my daggers and the spear.
There was still silence. I was stunned. And from the looks of it, Elbir was as well. I had no idea my family heirlooms were the swords of legend. My lineage was extremely distinguished after all.
Grim continued. “Obviously you are not convinced. Rightly so. Let me show you.”
He dropped my swords and Elbir’s spear sword as well.
“This little sword is known as the Varta blade. It gives its wielder unnaturally long life, along with what looks like immortality.” With that, he raised the sword and brought it down on his chest, slashing it. There was a big gash—we could see he had torn his chest through to his bones. But before I could even blink, he started healing. Within a moment, it was as if his skin had never even touched a sword. There was a collective gasp from the soldiers and the villagers. It looked like the villagers didn’t know either.
He dropped his sword and picked up mine. “These are the twin swords. They are more powerful than the Varta blade. They can help their wielder jump to any spot in an instant.” Saying that, he just flicked both the swords in the air and appeared on the other side of the field. I was unable to take my eyes off him. He knew how to use my swords. In fact, he seemed to know far more. I started to believe him.
I was the owner of one of the swords of legend. But I felt stupid for having swung my arms around like a classical dancer every time I wanted to teleport. I didn’t even know their name. He shouted to all who were looking around for him. “I am here everyone.”
Now, you could see fear in everyone’s eyes. They were getting more and more convinced.
“Lastly,” continued Grim, “this is the Spear of Destiny. It will hit any target you desire. Its path can never be altered. No one can escape its wrath. To show you, I am going to hit a board in the line closest to the village, which has four other boards before it.”
He then threw the spear straight, while the board was to its complete right. The spear curved, penetrated through four boards and hit the fifth one right at its center. Grim used the twin swords to jump to where the spear was, picked it up and returned it to us. Elbir managed a “Wow” when he got back his spear, looking at it with reverence. I was too overwhelmed to speak.
Grim then looked at the soldiers. “Each one of us can kill all of you ten times over. Do you really want to fight us? Think of it this way as well. Would you trust the Imperium that has sent you to die? Or the people who have, through mysterious working of forces beyond us, got their hands on the swords of legend? Ayasiddh had said this—when these swords come together, no force in the world can prevent their wielders from getting what they want. You all know the legend. These swords indicate who the true rulers of this world should be.
We hold three of these swords. We will have the rest. The world you know will change. You have the option right now—come join the change that will bring balance to the world, or be the first ones to be crushed by it.”
Everyone believed him. All the soldiers dropped their weapons and surrendered to the holders of the swords of legend. It was surreal. Suddenly I was no longer the thief who broke into the Imperium Chambers. I was one who would be changing the course of the world.
Chapter 42: The land of darkness
Kazena continues to wander through the new land, hoping to survive…
I worked my way around multiple streets in the coming days. I almost had a routine set. I would wander a few kilometers every day, trying to create a map of the area. I managed to steal some paper and some ink. I used the paper to take notes, and create a layout of the area around me. I would steal food whenever I was hungry. But there were a couple of constraints.
I didn’t understand the language. So, even if I could steal some money, I didn’t know what to tell people, for food and accommodation. The implication of it was that I still had to sleep on the street. And there lay the second issue – this place as a whole, never slept. There was only one place in the entire area I had explored, that was always empty. I had to return to the depressing burnt buildings every night. This prevented me from exploring too far out.
I could solve my problems in this land by learning the language. I slowly started to follow a specific set of people around, trying to note down the sounds they made when they spoke the language and the consequences of each sound pattern, which would be a word. Following different people helped me account for accent, frequency and pitch based differences in pronunciations.
I followed a large man, who was always impeccably dressed. He always seemed disgusted with the people around him. He used a word over and over again in his conversations.
I followed a kind old man who was always helping a particular set of people around him. I was a little surprised that there was a pattern in his generosity and that it was always based on the way people were dressed. But I heard the old man repeat the same word as the large man when he was addressing a cute little dog. That’s how I figured out my first word, “Shvan,” which meant dog.
Slowly, over a few weeks, I picked up enough words to carry out a conversation. I went back to the man who first refused me food. It would have been difficult for him to recognize me after all this time, given my clothes and appearance had completely changed. I had my hair tied into a bun as I hadn’t been able to take care of it at all. I was dressed in one continuous piece of clothing which twisted around me to drape my whole body. It was a different and interesting experience, as I had never worn anything other than trousers plus shirt or the occasional dress.
I spoke my first line in this weird language, asking him the same thing. “Shakya tvan makhyan panem dadishyase?” which meant “Can you give me some food?”
The man looked up at me. “Tvan khin ichhakhe?” which meant “What do you want?”
It was perfect! I had mastered this strange land’s tongue.
“Ahan na jyanaame. Tvan kim panem soovikhamase?” I continued in this language.
The man smiled and offered me some of his bread and soup. It was good and I paid him in full, but the focus of my discussion wasn’t the food.
“These are great! Thanks for picking them.”
The man smiled again. “Of course. It is my job.”
“That’s true. But I am sure many people don’t really put in the effort in their jobs.”
The man nodded. “I agree. There are many lazy men and women who don’t care enough. I make great food at low prices. Many make bad food and charge the pulse.”
I barely understood his words. I didn’t know how someone could charge the pulse. Only later I understood he said “Nabha,” which meant “sky,” but I heard it as “Nabhi,” which meant pulse. Well, I didn’t really care about our conversation so I let this confusion slide. I had to get him to tell me what I wanted to know.
“Fair enough. My sense is men of your age know more about the value of a job than younger men. But I must say, even people of your age don’t have such good work ethic, which reflects in your food.”
The man beamed again. “You have made my day, madam. Thank you so much.”
I smiled. “Of course,” and then suddenly changed my expression to one of worry. “Talking to you, I forgot completely. I forget the date today and I am in a bit of a hurry.”
The man wasn’t suspicious of the question, thankfully. I was good at ch
arming people, even in this strange place.
“It is the 11th day of Setilis.” That lifted my spirits. According to my calculations, it was exactly three months from the time I left my home, which was on May 11th.
“Oh, how time flies, doesn’t it? How days, months and years fly by,” hoping he would tell me the year I was in. I hoped that I hadn’t somehow travelled in time. It seemed impossible that anyone could do that, but maybe the swords could travel through space and time.
“It’s true. Just last week I was thinking, it’s already 1931! I have spent 30 years of my life getting by with this food cart! I have nothing to show for it. But then, you know, you need to look at your family. That’s what helps center me—whenever I get these thoughts, I look at them. I see the reason I am doing this.”
And there it was. My worst fears had come true. I lived in the year 1628 after the formation of Azmoqshthaal, and it seemed I was currently 303 years in the future!
I managed a weak nod and smile, before I hurried back to the burnt buildings. My whole life had changed. I had somehow destroyed all that I had built. I had been alone all my life, but now, now I was truly alone. Everyone I knew was long dead. I was in the future, trapped, alone. My swords, while trying to save the life they had helped me build, had changed it forever.
I spent the next few days wallowing in misery. I didn’t know what to do with my life. I was in a strange land in the future. A land where dark clouds shrouded the land all the time. A land where everyone dressed strangely. A land with a strange new language that I barely understood. A land where I was going to spend the rest of my life. A land surrounded by darkness.
As I looked down, after days of barely existing, I saw my swords. These saviors of mine, these beautiful swords had changed my life. Maybe they could change it back! If they could help me travel forward in time, maybe I could travel back. I had to understand how these could help me travel in time, just I had figured out how I could travel in space.
This gave me hope. It gave me purpose.
I had the ideal space as well. These burnt buildings were completely unoccupied. I could test my swords without fear of interruption or discovery. I was determined to succeed.
But it was easier said than done. I knew how space travel worked—I thought of the place I needed to go to and then I ended up there. I had no idea how I managed to travel time. I remember thinking of Welehölla and then suddenly this place, this dark alley came to my mind and then after some time, I was here. I didn’t know how this place came to me.
I spent the next few weeks trying to figure out how I could travel in time. I tried doing it the same way I did space travel. I imagined a point in time and location I wanted to travel to. I tried to mark the time noting the position of the shadow created by the sun. It was useless. I was always able to travel in space, never forward or backward in time.
I also used the time to get to understand the place a little better and get back to what I did best— “borrow” items I liked and move up the social ladder. It was a good challenge—I was happy to see that I was up for it even 300 years into the future. I was fluent in the language within the next few months. I started to dress as I pleased– taking the best silk garments from the top garment stores. I continued to chat up the old man with the food cart. I soon learned the name of the place I was in. I was in the Tvis district of Ayas state. The city was called Thimhir.
I soon gained enough money to find a place to rent. It was in an upscale place. It was surprising that in the future there were no papers needed, no registration, nothing. I just needed the money and I was good. I restarted living the good life after spending months in the middle of burnt buildings. Comforts returned to my life. I met new people, made new friends. But I wasn’t happy. I knew what I wanted—to succeed in my ultimate challenge. Returning to my time.
Section VII:
The dawn of A new age
Chapter 43: Sarvadrishya, two years later
After the battle in Villasboro, the three sages meet again…
Sarvadrishya was usually abandoned, despite its beauty. It was primarily due to the difficulty and risk associated with scaling it. No one had scaled the mountain for the last two years. Now, the same three people who had come two years ago, were there again.
They hugged each other and got started with their discussion. Arundhati kicked things off. “Well, Anirved, what do you have to say for yourself?”
Anirved took the tone of a young kid getting punished while his friend, who had committed the same crime, wasn’t being punished.
“Me? What about Rishyadh and his attachment to that village?”
Arundhati was stern with Rishyadh as well. “I was getting to that too. Rishyadh—Why, oh why have you started to interfere as well?”
Rishyadh replied stoically. “I have… I have had a long life. I took a decision long ago, never to interfere with the world, again. It is a decision I have regretted many times in the last millennia. The world was changing and I did nothing. But this village, it is perfect. The people, their society, the surroundings, they are all ideal. I… I couldn’t stand by while it was destroyed… I really couldn’t….”
Arundhati seemed resigned. “Well, that… is… an explanation.” Then, in an extremely tired voice said, “But an extremely lame one. I can’t believe you would violate the neutrality that you have maintained for a millennium. You are supposed to be the wisest of our order. How could you… anyway… we will come to you. What about you Anirved? What is your explanation?”
Anirved said simply. “My answer is the same as Rishyadh’s… Replace Villasboro in all that he said… with ‘the world.’ The world is an ideal place. I don’t want it to be destroyed because of the inevitable turmoil.”
Arundhati exhaled. She felt like a mother who was so far managing an extremely naughty son, and had come to realize that her older son, who she thought was extremely level headed, had also suddenly become naughty.
“Rishyadh, Anirved. What are we going to do? You know our mandate, and the reason for it. You both have violated it. What does that tell the order? Should we tell everyone to start interfering in the daily happenings of the world? We are sitting on a power to upset the balance in the world and both of you have been careless with that power. So I ask again, what do we do?”
Rishyadh went first. “I apologize for allowing this to happen. But it has. I agree it cannot go any further. I commit to this group, especially you Arundhati that my interference in the world will never extend beyond Villasboro. Even my interference with the village will not extend beyond mental support to more than five select villagers. And it will only be if the village is in danger.”
Arundhati looked at Rishyadh curiously. She couldn’t understand his fascination for this village. But he had made a commitment to her, which she was sure he wouldn’t break. His commitment to limit his interference to such a small geography was heartening. There was an important question he had to answer.
“Let’s say, heaven’s forbid, something happens to the village. What will you do then?”
It looked like the question physically hurt Rishyadh. Steeling himself to answer, he spoke after a while, as the cold mountain winds blew all around them. It was a miracle that the three hadn’t frozen at that altitude, given the sort of clothes they were wearing. But then again, they were the sages of silence.
“If something happens to the village…” Rishyadh exhaled. “I promise not to interfere in any other aspect of the world.”
Arundhati, satisfied with Rishyadh’s response, turned to Anirved. “Thanks for that Rishyadh. I know that was difficult for you, but it is necessary for the continued neutrality of the order. I think the conditions set by you are alright. What about you Anirved… what are you going to do?”
Anirved said, “I don’t see how the conditions I have set are any different than his. In fact, I have spoken only to one person. So compared to Rishyadh, who has asked for influence over five, my condition was to contact one person.�
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Arundhati tried to interrupt, but Anirved raised his hand. “Before you interrupt, I know what you are going to say. That one person is the head of the Valantian Imperium, the uncontested ruler of the entire continent.” He snorted.
“I know. But as I said it, I treat this world the same way he treats the village. I will continue to only talk to him. That I will not stop. But I do promise, I will not interact with more than two other people across the globe. And unlike Rishyadh, I will not use any of my powers to assist anyone. I will only talk. To three people. Nothing else. It wouldn’t even matter whether they follow my advice or not.”
Arundhati felt hopeless. This Anirved was ridiculously stubborn. But, his argument, distorted as it was, made sense. Having allowed Rishyadh the opportunity to influence five, she had to allow Anirved to just talk to three. He promised not to use his power at all, which was a significant concession. Although he had always said he wouldn’t use his power, his commitment to it went a long way.
She exhaled. “Fine. Those are your concessions. But there will be no other concessions to the neutrality. And the order at large will not be allowed to participate in any of these concessions. Nor will it be communicated to them.”
Both of them nodded. Rishyadh was happy. He could still help Villasboro, the one thing he felt passionate about, after a thousand years of dispassionate observation. Anirved was happy. His ploy to get the other two to agree to allow him further interaction had worked. There were two more people he could talk to. And he knew exactly who those two were.
Arundhati was happy too. For reasons the other two did not understand.
Chapter 44: The Joyous reunion
I was exhausted.
But it was over. We had won. Grim was safe and so were most of the villagers.
Grim towered over the captured soldiers, looking at every man’s face at once.
“You have agreed to join us. Know what that means. For the foreseeable future, you will not be able to leave this village. The only way into this village is the path you have taken, and we are going to lay traps through the path so that no one can enter or leave. The forest is impenetrable, and the hills are covered on the other side by the White Destroyer. No man could cross it.”
Age of Azmoq_The Valantian Imperium Page 45