Mowriz’s blue soul entered the dragon. It stopped. The beast seemed to be reborn, as if it were gaining substance, and returned to the world of the living.
“Róganok!” the beast howled.
Then, Balthazar understood the genius of what Mother intended.
***
Balthazar returned to his body little by little, noticing the vibrations of awareness. He did not open his eyes. It saddened him to come back to the material world and be separated from Mother. She had withdrawn, leaving the trace of her soul in the shape of nature. He opened his eyes. Sitting on the rocky surface of the high mountains, he stared at the stars.
The cold, pure air entered his lungs and he felt complete, filled with Mother’s essence. The forces of the cosmos were moving, the balance between destruction and construction was tilting in favor of good, but there was still work to be done.
Balthazar broke into a run, free. For two decades he had been the prisoner of his sins, but Mother, in her goodness, had forgiven him. His bare feet took him along the rough paths of the heights, the freezing wind brought him the breath of the Wild Land. He smiled. He wept. Above, among the distant stars, a dragon had just awoken. Behind him, many other beings would be summoned.
Chapter VI – The Promise
Manchego was waiting in the observatory. The sun had not yet risen, and the moon shone with its silver light. He had enjoyed many sunrises since he had come back to San San-Tera, but there could never be too many of them. He wished he could hold those moments in a vial and carry them with him.
He was grateful to be alone on the estate, surrounded by the natural world, during his final evening. He longed to come back soon, but he knew that a cataclysm might be unleashed as in the Times of Chaos so that he would be away for months, even years. And he still had to find out how to stop Mórgomiel. The idea sounded easier than what would be involved in putting it into practice. The God of Chaos would certainly have been getting ready, regaining his strength, and now the fight would be harder than when he had fought hand to hand with the sacristan Argbralius.
Every time he recalled that fight he bit his lips, regretting the fact that he had not seized the chance to put an end to him.
Footsteps behind him made him turn around. He made out her silhouette, her hair. She was so beautiful. He would carry her image engraved in his soul. His heart began to gallop uncontrollably. He realized how much he loved her, how much he would miss her. His doubts vanished: he would never find anyone like her on this or any other planet.
Luchy sat down beside him in silence. There was no need for them to utter a word. They put their arms around each other to feel one another’s presence, and the girl shivered. The young god covered her with a wing to shelter her.
“The moment’s come,” Manchego said after a long silence.
“I know, silly. And that’s why I hate you, but I love you as well. You’re going to fight for all of us. I’m going to miss you, you know that, you dodo? I’ve asked Lulita to teach me how to knit. I’ll need some kind of distraction when you’re not here. I think I’ll make you a cashmere sweater.”
They both lowered their heads. The silence hung heavier.
“Don’t die… Don’t die…”
“I promise I’ll do everything I possibly can to come back safe and sound.”
“Don’t die, because I love you.”
“I’d—I’d like—Would you…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Well, I’d like—I mean, would you give me—would you do me—Marry me!”
Luchy stared at him with her mouth hanging open, her eyes bright. Tears flowed like butterflies in spring. Manchego swallowed nervously. He felt clumsy, he had not wanted to say it like that, and besides, what was he supposed to do now?
“Look Luchy, all I’m saying is that—”
“You’re an idiot!” she managed to say before she burst out sobbing.
Manchego was suddenly frightened. He hugged her, not understanding the reason for so much pain. He decided to wait for her to calm down.
“It’s just that you’re leaving, and you don’t even know whether you’re coming back.”
“I’m going to come back. For you.”
“Then I’ll say yes. I’d really like to spend the rest of my life with you. Manchego… We’ll do it when you come back.”
Manchego remembered Teitú’s idea of giving her a ring as a symbol of their promise. Out of thin air, he materialized his shield that had gems encrusted in it. These were not simply gems like any other but tiny spheres of energy. He pulled one out, more easily than he had thought, and another appeared in its place.
“Here, take this. It’s a ring, a gem that—”
When he handed it to Luchy something improbable happened. The gem lost some of its brightness, only perceptible if it was examined very closely.
Every time you’re close to Manchego it will shine more intensely, Teitú said in their minds.
“Unbelievable…” they both said at the same time.
Luchy took a gold ring of her mother’s with an encased amethyst from her finger.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking… this… out.” She took a small stone and began to strike the amethyst until it came loose. “There it is!”
She put the amethyst in her pocket and inserted the gem of energy. Using the same stone, she folded the gold brackets around the gem of light. She would have to take the jewel to a smith for it to be finished off properly. She slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.
“Isn’t it lovely! So according to what Teitú said, the light will let me know whether…”
“If I die, it’ll stop shining,” Manchego whispered painfully. “If I’m near—”
“Then it’ll shine more brightly.”
“I’m going to be the only one in the village with an engagement ring,” Luchy said with a smile. She put her arms around her beloved.
“It’s also so you know I’m all right. Look, it’s here already.”
The sun was scratching the ceiling of the sky. The God of Light spread his wings and with his eyes closed and drank in that moment.
“Come back quickly,” the girl said as she put her arms around him.
“The universe is in danger, and I’ll do everything I can to save it. And now I have the best reason of all for winning: you.”
***
Before his departure, he went to what remained of Ramancia’s house to consult the mirror of the Black Queen of the Morelia Abyss. He went there on foot so as not to draw attention at that hour of the evening when the streets were crowded with people. The walk would also allow him to enjoy the landscapes he had known as a child. The Avenue of the Farmers was beginning to recover, and flowers and trees were already growing on both sides of it. At the outer sentry post, the reconstruction work was centered on the lookouts. The soldiers from the house of Dargos of Vásufeld were tall and robust.
In the village, the peddlers cried their wares and stopped passers-by. Manchego was stopped on his way by two greengrocers, one with carrots and the other with lettuce. He felt his heart leap at being in the midst of the happy bustle of the village, the way it had always been.
In front of the ruins of Ramancia’s house, several men were arguing about what to do with that wooden skeleton. Manchego skirted the house and went into it through the back by the hole he had found so long ago when he had fled from Mowriz.
It’s time to go into the Interim, my faithful warrior.
So it is, Alac. Let’s be on our way.
***
In front of the mirror, Alac saw a young man with angular features and a serious expression, clean and well-dressed. He was wearing a cotton shirt that his grandmother had sewn for him and on top of it, his beloved woolen vest. It was well-worn, but he would never get rid of it. In its fibers, this vest carried the sweetest memories of his past.
He concentrated to summon the oracle. His image began to fade. Shadows appeared, twisting and
turning.
“You’ve come back at a good moment, my dear Alac. Mórgomiel has found his breastplate and has now gone after his helmet. He’s not far now from being as powerful as you are yourself, my dear God of Light. You need to hurry.”
The mirror showed him a red world with the God of Chaos setting foot on it and murdering the king. He saw Mórgomiel tear out the chest of the fallen one and then renew his journey through space, riding a black dragon of shadows.
“His name is Górgometh, he is Mórgomiel’s firstborn. He is very powerful, evil, and cunning. He is as fearsome as his master; he possesses the essence of pure evil and the full ability to summon the Black Arts. You will have to defeat him too. I know you have come with other plans, my dear God of Light, that you want to go to the Old World, to Flamonia and Tutonticám. That journey is full of obstacles. Flamonia suffered greatly during the War of One Lament when the goddess Eolidálidá was brutally murdered by one of the emissaries of evil. You will find ruins and sadness. Tutonticám, too, is in ruins. During the War of One Lament, a volcano destroyed everything. Teitú was one of the few Naevas Aedán who managed to survive. The war also destroyed Thórlimás. Several gods fell. Ramancia found the Teitú nut and kept it for decades. Alac, you will gain nothing by going to the Old World. Your heart wants to help your faithful warrior, but you must know the risks. I cannot predict the future, but I can offer you my advice and my intuition. Concentrate on your mission against evil and forget the Old World. There you will only find pain.”
Alac was not expecting anything like this.
“Who was the one responsible for so much misfortune?”
“The same evil that now assails the universe. So it will happen over and over again until the cosmos falls once and for all.”
“What do I have to do to stop the evil?”
“Summon the other gods and reunite your forces as in the Times of Chaos. The problem is that the Gods of Good, or those who are not servants of Mórgomiel, have dispersed and are not aware of what is happening. Evil is more organized than good is. You must know that the five deities Flamonia worshipped still exist. They are you, Alac, Mythlium, ArD’Buror, Gordbaklala, and D’Santhes Nathor. Each one of you has a dragon.”
Alac was not sure whether he had heard right.
“Does that mean that—?”
“Yes, you own a dragon, and one owns you. When you are together, you will increase your power many times over. Thus the Old Gods agreed when they created you, the New Gods.”
“I have a dragon?”
“You do.”
“I have a dragon! But I’ve never seen one, except his spirit.”
“But you have seen wyverns, which are like dragons’ cousins. They do not possess their magical qualities, but there are similarities. As we speak, your dragon is searching for you.”
Alac’s mind was swirling.
“Where can I find him?”
“Ask Teitú. He knows the answer,” the Black Queen replied in a strange tone of voice.
“Why hasn’t he told me?”
“That is a problem you will have to solve with him. Now, do what you must and do not delay any more. Talking will not save the world. When good allows evil to rule, they are equally guilty. Remember, do not go to the Old World. Farewell.”
The spiraling shadow vanished and once again Alac found himself in front of his reflection. Teitú was beside him.
“Where’s my dragon?” he asked him aloud. He tended to do this when he was angry with him.
Well…
“How long have you been hiding it from me?”
Only a day. He communicated with me yesterday.
“Teitú! Why?”
It’s just that I was afraid you’d want to go to him and that we wouldn’t go to Tutonticám. You promised to take me! You have to take me!
“Didn’t you hear what the Black Queen said? We have nothing to gain in the Old World, only everything to lose.”
Yes, I heard, but I don’t care! How would you have reacted if you’d been told the same thing when you were in Tempus Frontus, a long away from Luchy and Lulita? Wouldn’t you have worked miracles to get back to them? I’m in the same situation, Alac. I don’t know anything about my ancestors or where I’m from! Please! I must know! You promised!
Gently now, my dear friend of Light. Alac took a moment to meditate. He could feel his beloved friend’s grief, he understood his needs. Also, he had promised, and he had to keep his word.
All right, Teitú. But I don’t want you to hide any more information that might be useful to me—to either of us and the universe. I know what you’re going through, but don’t let your emotions get in the way of our work.
All right. I’m sorry I lied to you.
Good. As soon as we finish the journey, you’ll tell me where my dragon is, and we’ll go in search of him. Teitú, we have to summon the other gods and their dragons. It’s unbelievable, don’t you think?
Yes, it is incredible that you’re the one who’s going to summon the other gods.
The demigod was aware of Teitú’s bitterness, but he let it pass. He hoped that the journey to Tutonticám would soothe his soul and he would go back to being what he had been before.
***
Flying away at top speed did nothing to alleviate his sorrow. Manchego had just taken the leave of his loves, the beautiful estate of the Holy Comment, and old Rufus. Lulita had smothered him with kisses and hugs and had some words for him.
“You have a mission, a responsibility, my beloved Manchego. We’ll miss you, but if it weren’t for your courage, everything we have would be ashes and death. Here.” She gave him a woolen shirt. “With your vest, you look like your grandfather. So brave. I’m so proud of you.”
He said goodbye to Tomasa and gave her the responsibility of looking after his family.
And Luchy. It was enough for them just to look at each other, without any need for words. He turned and took off with a leap.
He was now sailing northward on his way to cross the Early Sea and reach the other side of the world where very few had ventured to explore.
Chapter VII – Seeking the Sea
The royal ship was a galley that had been handed down through the various dynasties that had occupied the throne. Mérdmerén gave orders for her to be made ready. He also wanted to give her a personal touch. He changed her name from Endless to Nabas to honor the village he remembered so warmly. He ordered the iron of the prow to be removed to install a fist with the face of a lion. After several arguments and some opposition on the part of the Háztatlon financiers, the carpenters had the fist ready for less than two thousand crowns.
Mérdmerén had not stopped to think about the adventure he was to set out on with his esquire Turi the Crafty. The butler and the counselors insisted that the idea would be suicide without at least another ship full of soldiers following them, but Mérdmerén thought that having a tail would only delay him. As a result, they agreed that only the Nabas would depart, but the appropriate company would be on board. In other words, a court of almost a hundred individuals, as befitted the highest representative of the Empire. Mérdmerén protested again, pointing out how inefficient a journey with so many people would be, and thus managed to have the court reduced to a cook, the two best maids for service, twenty soldiers for his security, ten sailors from Merromer, a captain to sail the ship, and ten women from local brothels to alleviate sexual tension.
After months without talking to the Baron, Mérdmerén, at last, managed to get an audience. As usual, his head was covered, and he was led blindly along the secret corridors of the sewers to the Baron’s new hiding place. The table was spread with a variety of freshly-made food such as turkey in the southern-style and caramelized onion. The thief who had been invited had not waited to start eating. From behind him came the Baron’s voice, calm but firm.
“It’s very good to see you again, Mérdmerén. Life treats you well. Or perhaps too well. I like your idea of establishing ties with othe
r nations, it’s something that hasn’t been done before. Your initiative shows your worth as King. A good ruler is ready to listen to his neighbors, to encourage peace, and establish beneficial alliances. I support you.”
“Baron, I was beginning to miss the smell of your sewers. I’ll never be able to thank you enough for rescuing me and giving me this chance, but—”
“You miss the freedom of movement,” the Baron finished for him.
From the tone of his voice, Mérdmerén understood that something similar was happening to the Faceless Baron. Far from palace protocol, the king forgot his manners, tore off a leg of the turkey, and started eating with his fingers. He did the same with a couple of onions and tomatoes. His beard was soaked in grease as much as in wine.
“How wonderful! Real food!” Mérdmerén enthused, remembering the manners of his time as a bandit.
“For my part, I agree with your plans and support them. Even though they’re based on personal motives, their aims concern us all. Economic prosperity is beginning to be felt, the people are full of hope. Your journey will inspire more trust in the inhabitants of the Empire. Of course, you’ll have to take a number of my thieves with you, unconditionally: experienced sailors and women who can’t be compared with the palace sluts. Our people know how to take care of themselves and look after their comrades. Do without the knights, Mérdmerén. The king’s personal garrison’s full of strangers who might be spies and kill you. My best thieves should go with you, including Greyson, who’s a first-class warrior and will know how to fend for himself at sea.”
“The king’s ship manned by a deserter and a gang of thieves,” Mérdmerén said ironically.
Soulseeker’s Descent Page 5