Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  Lieutenant Plamen looked through the window and watched as another pulse of green light shot out from a point on the ground – creating another bright flash of light visible to everyone in the wheelhouse – and started yet another fire.

  Judith also watched and recorded this into her book.

  “This may not be a strategic venue. I suppose we’ll have to choose the alternate location. Captain, chart a course for Cinder Valley,” Lieutenant Plamen said.

  “Right away,” Captain Ibriy said. He drank anew of the waters of the Atrejan Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to listen to the sounds of the stars. He concentrated to learn their paths and positions and used the information to chart a course. He steered the Cypress Advantage westward through the air until it was hovering above a safe point on a river below. From there, he pulled levers to lower the ship onto the river.

  “Do you know how these rivers flow, Captain?” Lieutenant Plamen asked.

  “I have maps of the continent’s interior, including the rivers,” Captain Ibriy said. He opened an atlas on his table and turned it to a page depicting the river networks of eastern Waderav. “I can adjust as we go,” he said. Captain Ibriy sailed the Cypress Advantage westward along the river toward the interior of Waderav, where Cinder Valley was located.

  Judith copied the maps from Captain Ibriy’s atlas into her own book, along with notes about the pulses of green light starting the fires in the field and the conversation between the captain and the lieutenant.

  ~~~

  The farmers kept working in the fields around the Fertile Fields Sixteen. They had no orders to deliver any crops to the ship, or to accept any deliveries from it. The stonecutters did not look up from their work in the quarries, either.

  While standing on deck, Kastor, Erikkos and Captain Eulalia watched and waited.

  “They are not attacking or approaching us. No one has notified the Baron of our arrival. If he has noticed us, he is slow to respond. Now is the opportunity, Erikkos. Let these peasants hear your commanding voice,” Kastor said.

  Erikkos began to sing:

  The only true virtues are greed and swift might.

  We cannot gain wealth by fair business dealing.

  Abundance only comes to those who can fight.

  The warrior’s victory is by killing and stealing.

  Don’t be satisfied to exist in poverty.

  Seize all the treasures. Be demanding and bold.

  Don’t settle for less than a life of luxury.

  Take all the gems and the coins you can hold.

  (Refrain)

  Only in battle can great fortunes be found.

  Let someone else toil to enrich your tomorrows.

  The victims are waiting for you to surround.

  Your prosperity is built from their burdens and sorrows.

  Dominion shall be mine, ruling over every land.

  I never grow tired or lose sight of my prize.

  Become my soldiers. Kill my enemies on command.

  Forget peace and gentleness. To this challenge you will rise.

  Their quarries and farmlands will become the battlefields.

  We will strike our targets before they can prepare.

  They have peasant worker’s tools. We have swords and shields.

  From their harvest we will now take the greatest share.

  (Refrain)

  Never deny the cruel truth of your lives.

  You have limited days during which to achieve.

  The servant who steals becomes the master who thrives.

  Only by violence can you hope to receive.

  Look not on the weak with mercy or love.

  If they had any worth, they would have a defender.

  They rank below and you rank far above.

  If they wish to survive, they must surrender.

  (Refrain)

  The five thousand eight hundred (5800) farmers and three hundred seventy-two (372) stonecutters heard the song and were mesmerized. They walked away from their work and approached the ship.

  “We have them, Erikkos. Now, it is time to take what we came for,” Kastor said.

  “We have to take it quickly. Where do I send them?” Erikkos asked.

  “Have the farmers follow us. Send the stonecutters back to the quarries. Have them make weapons, to defend our position and our prize,” Kastor said and pointed toward the quarry.

  “Remain here until we return and give further orders, Captain,” Kastor said.

  “Yes, Inspector,” Captain Eulalia said.

  ~~~

  Kastor walked down the boarding ramp onto the field and Erikkos followed closely behind.

  After Kastor and Erikkos led the stonecutters – followed by the farmers – down into the quarry, Kastor said: “Now, extract stones and make daggers and short swords and lightweight shields. Craft enough weapons for each of you and for the farmers.”

  The stonecutters each drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from their vials to be energized with the power to mold crystals and stones. They removed sandstone from the quarry and forged a mixture of daggers and short swords totaling six thousand one hundred seventy-two (6172) bladed weapons. They passed these around until all the farmers and stonecutters were armed. The stonecutters continued extracting stones and forged just as many small shields. These were also passed around until all of the workers were protected.

  “Now, make cups with handles, enough for each of the farmers to hold, and with hooks they can place onto their belts, and with lids that can be snapped in place,” Kastor said.

  The stonecutters then used their powers to extract more sandstone and form it into five thousand eight hundred (5800) cups with handles, hooks and snapping lids. They handed these out to the farmers as they were finished.

  “Now, follow me,” Kastor said. He walked around the boulders and along the carved pathways of the quarry until reaching a sealed archway – six (6) feet wide and high – in a sidewall.

  “Open this archway,” Kastor said.

  Two (2) of the stonecutters approached the archway and molded the low-level structure of the stone until it gave way, revealing an inner chamber.

  “Is that the vault with the seeds?” Erikkos asked.

  “Yes. But don’t dare go in. The stones bend time and will trap you for ages. Let me handle this,” Kastor said. He drank anew of the waters of the Ursegan Ocean from his vial to be energized with the power to slow the passage of time. He exercised this power and walked through the unsealed archway to enter the revealed chamber. Inside, he was able to approach the many shelves and remove small bags. He brought these out – one (1) by one (1) – until fifty-eight (58) bags had been removed.

  “Open these bags and take the seeds. Plant them in the fields and accelerate their growth until they produce sap. Then, extract the sap into the cups you have been given.

  The farmers each drank anew of the waters of the Gradaken Ocean from their vials to be energized with the power to influence plant and animal life. They opened the fifty-eight (58) bags and divided the seeds found within them.

  Kastor and Erikkos, along with the stonecutters, followed the farmers as they walked out of the quarry and planted the seeds in the fields. The farmers uprooted wheat and barley and other crops to make room in the fields for planting the new seeds. Then, they worked to accelerate the growth of the trees that sprouted, but it took several days.

  ~~~

  Captain Ibriy sailed the Cypress Advantage westward along the river network according to his maps and the star positions and paths he knew. He followed the tributaries between the mountains that bordered Cinder Valley and these led into a large gray-blue lake.

  Judith paid close attention to the course that was followed and recorded it into her book.

  Lieutenant Plamen looked out the window and saw the vast lake and then said: “Move the ship out! Onto the dry ground! Now!”

  Captain Ibriy pulled levers to pivot the masts and the sails to the sides o
f the ship and elevated it to thirty-five (35) feet. He then steered the vessel away from the lake and lowered it onto a safe spot on the ground nearby. Lava flows crisscrossed the fifty-two (52) mile wide valley. Fallen, rotten trees and dead grass colored the land black, brown and dull green. Hundreds of warships were docked on the dry ground surrounding them.

  “What’s wrong with the lake?” Captain Ibriy asked.

  “That lake is filled with a corrosive liquid. I could see something wrong with the color of it which caused me to question it. That’s when I realized the true problem. The size and speed of the river should be causing such a relatively small lake to overflow. The reason it doesn’t is that the liquid is burning downward into the bedrock. The hull of the ship may already be damaged. Lower the boarding ramp and then follow me. Have your crew inspect the vessel closely,” Lieutenant Plamen said.

  “It’s not safe to stay here! Those are warships out there!” Captain Ibriy said, while pointing to the hundreds of vessels nearby.

  “I know what they are, Captain. If they wanted to attack us, they had their chance. We have to inspect and repair this ship before we can complete our mission,” Lieutenant Plamen said.

  “Your mission?” Captain Ibriy asked.

  “That’s none of your concern, Captain. You have you orders,” Lieutenant Plamen said.

  Captain Ibriy pulled a lever to lower the boarding ramp. He then followed Lieutenant Plamen and his guard as they walked out on deck. Judith followed all of them as they gathered the sailors – along with additional soldiers and archers – and walked down the boarding ramp to inspect the Cypress Advantage.

  “You, oversee the inspection. No one goes anywhere without my orders. Those other ships could attack at any time. We need to be ready to evade,” Lieutenant Plamen said to three (3) of his most experienced archers and soldiers. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a crystal through which he looked and counted the other vessels: three hundred eighty-four (384) warships, with full crew, just waiting.

  Volcanic ash wafted through the air on a chill breeze as it blew through Cinder Valley. Judith felt the sickening strength of the wind gust and it was more than enough to make her both uncomfortable and anxious. She was confident that there was no danger to her wellbeing, but she longed to be far away from the acrid air. For a moment, she even wished she had a boyfriend to hold her close, but dismissed the thought as pointless. As a Chronicler, she had a job to do. Besides, this valley was the very picture of death and was certainly no place to be affectionate or to experience intimacy. She drew sketches of the poison lake, the fallen trees and the web of lava rivers that crisscrossed the valley floor into her book. She also did her best to render accurate drawings of the three hundred eighty-four (384) nearby warships – and of the visibly damaged hull of the Cypress Advantage – onto the following pages, along with a record of all of the conversations and the inspection activity.

  ~~~

  On board the Greatest Future, Perikles, Arisha, Nikon, Klemens and Fotini watched and waited inside the wheelhouse as the new arrivals moved around on the valley floor.

  Klemens probed their thoughts and said: “Captain Ibriy and his crew are conscripts. Lieutenant Plamen is the leader, who was cut off from his own chain of command in the Dark Platinum Road. He intends to find and recover a green stellar core that he believes is buried in this valley. He found another core in the Duchy of Yutaka in the east, but it was incendiary, so he decided to retrieve the one hidden here. He expects to find the solar remnant encased in quartz crystal. The lieutenant is a Kazofen drinker, and he plans on altering the casing to release the stellar energy as a weapon.”

  “If the stellar core really is here – and if he can find it and control it – it’s a weapon he might just decide to test on us. Send me undercover and I can kill him,” Arisha said.

  “They can’t see this ship. It’s still concealed by the cloaking crystals. They can’t hear us, either, because of the sound dampening crystals,” Perikles said.

  “What about the other ships? They’re not cloaked, are they?” Nikon asked.

  “No. Lieutenant Plamen sees all three hundred eighty-four (384) of the warships, but he doesn’t know why they’re not attacking yet, if they will attack, or whom they serve. His first concern is repairing the hull of the commandeered cargo ship after the damage done by the poison lake,” Klemens said.

  “Are we safe? Should we just leave or call for reinforcements?” Fotini asked.

  “We’re in no danger. Besides, I’ve developed a new use for the constructor. I altered the control crystal, so we can use it to protect this valley, and our ships,” Perikles said.

  “The warships visibly outnumber Lieutenant Plamen’s forces and he knows it. Also, I trust Perikles’ ability to keep this ship well-hidden. There’s no need to be anxious,” Klemens said.

  “We don’t have a problem…yet. So now is our chance to prevent a problem. I can go dark, then get close and take out the lieutenant,” Arisha said.

  “There’s no need, Arisha. Not yet, anyway. I want to see what he finds, if anything,” Klemens said.

  ~~~

  Baron Irsushin swung back and forth, ten (10) feet above the floor, suspended by the shackles around his arms. The shackles were attached to chains looped over a system of pulleys that were hanging from the throne room ceiling, ten (10) feet above his head.

  Two hundred twenty (220) soldiers stood on the floor in a circle around the dangling baron. Two (2) of these soldiers held the other ends of the chains that hoisted the baron into position.

  Standing outside that circle of soldiers was a woman with long, flowing black-and-red hair and daggers tattooed on her face. The thirty-five (35) year old woman wore robes of purple, white and black velvet, woven into disturbing and hypnotic swirling patterns. “Do you know why you are hanging by chains from your own ceiling, Baron?” she asked.

  “No,” Baron Irsushin said in a strained voice.

  “It is because I did not like your chandelier. With you hanging in its place, the throne room looks much better already. We just need to adjust the height. Higher. Just a little bit higher,” she said.

  “Yes, Lady Yarina,” the two (2) soldiers holding the chains said. They pulled on those chains gently, raising the baron another six (6) inches.

  “Almost perfect. Two (2) more inches,” the woman with the dagger facial tattoos – Lady Yarina – said.

  The two (2) soldiers pulled again, even more gently, raising the baron slightly.

  “That will do. Now, Baron Irsushin, you make a fine ceiling fixture. Every castle needs one. However, you are not particularly luminescent. I did plan for that, of course. That belt buckle is made of diamond that will reflect the stored sunlight soon enough. I know this because I gave it to you last year, when we first met at the banquet you hosted and invited me to attend,” Lady Yarina said.

  “I invited you?” Baron Irsushin asked, still straining.

  “Yes, you did. When you invited my friends, you invited me,” Lady Yarina said.

  “What friends? Who are you talking about?” Baron Irsushin asked, straining and tiring.

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is how you mistreated me. After I gave you the gifts – the diamond belt buckle, the cufflinks, the bracelet – you didn’t offer to marry me. When I asked, you refused. How could you do such a thing?” Lady Yarina asked.

  “I’m not going to marry someone I just met. I don’t know you,” Baron Irsushin said, straining and tiring.

  “You knew I was generous,” Lady Yarina said.

  “You can’t buy my companionship. It has to develop over time,” Baron Irsushin said, straining and struggling to speak.

  “You’re almost out of time. I’ll ask you again, Baron Irsushin. Will you marry me?” Lady Yarina asked.

  “If you put me down, yes, I will marry you,” Baron Irsushin said, straining to even breathe.

  “Lower him,” Lady Yarina said.

  The two (2) soldiers holdin
g the chains slackened them to lower Baron Irsushin to the floor.

  Lady Yarina approached Baron Irsushin – who was still shackled – and asked: “Do you see me as beautiful?”

  “Yes,” Baron Irsushin said, hoping not to be hoisted back up.

  “How could you? I’m hideous. I know I’m hideous. You’re lying to pacify me. Lift him back up!” Lady Yarina said.

  The two (2) solders pulled on the chains again and lifted Baron Irsushin off the floor again.

  “No! What do you want? I’m trying to give you what you want!” Baron Irsushin said. There was more strength in his voice, if only from a moment’s relief.

  “I want you to see me as hideous and marry me anyway. I don’t want you to love me for my appearance. I want you to love me for my personality. Do you like my personality?” Lady Yarina asked.

  “I don’t really know you. Let me spend some time together with you and talk to you,” Baron Irsushin said, straining to speak again.

  “There you go again with asking for more time. A simple yes or no would do. But you refuse to give me a straightforward answer. I don’t like your personality. I no longer want to marry you,” Lady Yarina said. She reached under her dress and removed four (4) daggers from her belt, then placed these on the floor under the hanging baron. The daggers stood on their hilts, pointing their blades upward.

  “Kill him!” Lady Yarina said.

  The two (2) soldiers lowered the chains, bringing the baron only eight (8) inches above the daggers.

  “No! Wait! I love your personality,” Baron Irsushin said, straining but with renewed strength in his voice born of desperation.

  “You’re lying to get out of trouble,” Lady Yarina said.

  “No. You know what you want and you demand it. I love that about you. You’re very assertive. You want me. I find that attractive. I can’t say no. Yes, I will marry you. I love you for your personality. Despite the fact that you are truly hideous,” Baron Irsushin said, straining but finding enough strength to speak clearly and quickly.

  “No. I am beautiful. Just in a different way,” Lady Yarina said.