Al Moreno And the Crystal of Gosia

by Mason J Schneider

“It is true I may not be as sharp as I once was, but my faith in our Lord will never waver! Come now boy, you say you have the Crystal of Gosia- well let me see it!”

  Alfred reached into his pocket and removed the crystal, holding it up for the Gazer to see and asking, “I take it you’re Wardriff then?”

  “Glimmering Galaxies Barnin! The boy has brought with him the crystal, you know what this means!” Wardriff shuffled over to stand nearer to the others.

  “It means nothing you imbecile. We have no god, he turned his back on us when we needed his guidance the most.” Barnin lectured.

  Alfred’s mind sparked with the tiniest inkling of hope as he asked, “What does it mean? I can save Hemphion, can’t I?”

  “You? Hardly I’d say...to create an entirely new sun and remove the one set to explode is a feat only for gods. But the crystal- you are aware it works as a gateway into the godly realms?”

  By now both Lux and Lats were radiating a brilliant silver glow onto the stone floor.

  “I only knew that it could work as a passageway to Gosia. So this Hashish, you say he’s turned his back on Hemphion? Well if it’s true that I can speak to him, you must tell me how- it might be the only chance we have.”

  “I will have no part in this, you are all ignorant naive fools who cling to false hope.” snorted Barnin who began to walk back into his room.

  “Nevermind him. That Blade- it must mean you are indeed a Rift Resolver, a man who serves to correct the wrongdoings of others in protection of the Universe. Come now, you must hurry to the center while Lax and Luts lights continue to illuminate their gemstones.”

  Alfred, having no other choice, decided to trust the strange Gazer. He ran quickly to the center of the floor and Wardriff and Gummly followed and stood nearby.

  Alfred crouched on the painting in the innermost circle. The gemstones in each image of the moons were now reflecting brightly with the same silver color of Lux and Lat’s beams.

  “What now?” he looked frantically to Wardriff who stood hunched over his cane.

  “You know better than I do! Open the gateway- set that crystal between the gemstones and do whatever it is you must do! Come now boy, hurry before the light passes out of the skylight!”

  Alfred fumbled with the crystal in his hands, setting it on floor between the shimmering stones. He quickly pulled his Rift Blade from his belt and crouched on both knees, raising it high above his head before slamming the tip into the heart of Gosia’s golden crystal. Just as the blade tapped the surface of the crystal, the moons’ light seemed to flash with a brightness that filled up the entire temple and forced Alfred to close his eyes for fear he’d go blind. He felt the same odd sensation as before. It was as if his soul had leaped against his body- thrusting him into the bright light he was trying desperately to shield his eyes from. He felt himself being pulled into it and just before everything went black he heard Gummly’s voice calling out loudly.

  “Good luck lad!”

  10 The father of two moons

  This time was different. There was no wonderfully painted tunnel of colors. Alfred saw nothing but black, but he could feel that he was being sucked violently through the void. His body lurched and swung as if he were limp, and the terrible sensation of his soul lurching against his body was now becoming almost unbearable.

  Suddenly a circle of light appeared, no Alfred realized, there were two of them. The horrifying sensation of his body fighting to keep in his soul had stopped and he now found himself to be standing. He looked down at his feet which seemed be standing on the darkness that encircled everything but the light of the two circles. Frantically, he patted his inner jacket pocket and let out a sigh of relief when he felt Henry. He pulled him out and held him in his palm.

  “Henry- are you alright?” he asked the A.I.

  There was no response, and no indications of lights or anything else flashing on the golden egg.

  “Henry, you there? C’mon buddy I’m going to need your help.” Al was beginning to panic, something wasn’t right.

  “His kind cannot gain entry to this realm.” one circle of light spoke.

  “Who is that, who’s talking? What’ve you done with Henry?” Alfred demanded- shouting at the circles of light. He noticed that one was slightly smaller than the other.

  “You...you’re Lux and Lats. Hemphion’s moons.”

  “Ah an intelligent human, how nice.” Lats replied in a higher pitched voice than his brother.

  “You’ve got to let me see Hashish.” Alfred insisted.

  “You hear that brother? A human actually wants to see father! And to think we thought no one liked him anymore.”

  “Yes well I assume he has his reasons Lats. Very well Alfred Moreno, but don’t blame us when you feel the wrath of our father’s temper. He can be quite...how would you describe him brother?”

  “Oh father? Yes well he can get a bit heated sometimes one might say.” Lats snickered as he finished speaking.

  Lux laughed at his brother’s comment and then commanded the man before them.

  “One step forward Rift Resolver. Only one. Any farther and you will burn up before you utter a single word!”

  “Burn up?” Alfred asked, but he was once again surrounded in complete darkness. The moons had disappeared.

  “One step it is I guess.” and he took it.

  An incredible flare of heat scorched through Alfred’s body. He screamed in agony and reached his hands to his face, which felt as if it were beginning to melt off his skull. Then just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. Now rid of the horrendous pain he looked around him. In front of him was an enormous red ball comprised of bubbling magma and fire. Everything else was black. Wait no, Alfred thought, there are the slightest glimmers of stars hidden amongst the darkness.

  “Where am I?” he said aloud.

  Something was moving on the blazing ball of light, it appeared that there was a giant stream of fire that was rushing directly at Alfred. He made as if to run away but then remembered that Lux had said to take only one step. So he did all he could to force his body from running away as the flames rushed at him in a tornado of fire. Alfred closed his eyes tight, clenching every muscle in his body. He expected death. But the moment had passed when the flames should have annihilated him, so slowly he opened his eyes.

  It had become hotter than it was a moment before. At first there was too much blinding light to make out anything at all. Then Al’s eyes adjusted and he saw a man in front of him with a body comprised of fire. What’s more, the man had no legs but rather just a head and torso of flames that combined into the tornado of fire leading back to the burning ball of light. Alfred was able to see his eyes for just a moment. There was no mistaking the hostility within them.

  Then pain. Excruciating, tormenting pain that Alfred thought was surely about to kill him. But yet again it stopped and he remained standing.

  “Please.” Alfred began, but was yet again radiated with the skin-melting misery.

  Alfred, surviving still, coughed madly- feeling as if his throat had been doused in gasoline with a match thrown in as a chaser.

  “What is this? Why have you not died? I demand to know- who is he that thinks himself worthy enough to be in the presence of Hashish The Sun?”

  “Sun…? You mean you’re the sun?” Alfred was beginning to understand- the ball of burning light in front of him must be Hemphion’s Sun. And this man, this fire-man, must be Hashish. The god who the Gazers claimed to have abandoned them. They were one.

  “What a foolish question to ask! I am Hashish The Sun, I have just told you this. Tell me, what are you and why does your soul not utterly incinerate when I blast you with unbearable heat?” Hashish replied, glaring suspiciously at Alfred.

  Alfred coughed in an attempt to sooth his burning throat, and then answered.

  “My name is Al Moreno. I’m a Rift Resolver. Why my soul isn’t incinerating- that I’m not really sure of. I don’t even understand how my body’s not compl
ete ash by now, but I’m definitely okay with it.”

  “You have no body. Bodies are not able to pass through the gate and so they are left behind while the soul comes alone. As for why your soul does not perish from my power- this I do not know. Why is it you have come here?” Hashish explained, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Alfred.

  That must be why Henry couldn’t come through- he must not have a soul, Alfred thought.

  “So then Hashish, seeing as you are the sun, won’t you be blowing up here soon? Like tomorrow soon?”

  “This! This wretched ignorance, this blatant disrespect, I cannot tolerate this! It infuriates me, and they wonder why I turn my back! They turned theirs first!” the fire that made up the god’s body grew taller and burned hotter as he spoke in rage.

  “What do you mean this ignorance?” Alfred asked, puzzled.

  “This lie, this blasphemy! To think that I, Hashish The Sun, would explode? Never I say- not until the Universe forces me. And even then I’ll put up a fight.”

  “But if you’re not going to explode that means Hemphion is saved! Wait, no this- this was all plotted by--”

  “Sham-Bon.” Hashish said the word as if it were the most wicked name he had ever uttered.

  “But why do you say that your people have abandoned you? I was just with a Gazer, a man who still believed and defended you!”

  “A Gazer? There are no Gazers left, only cowardice fools who slandered my name by turning away those who sought my guidance and wisdom. Listening to a creature like that, a horrid soul, like Sham-Bon. Failing to protect the ways I set down for them so long ago. And now they bend at his will, do anything he says- as if he is their god. The people have lost their faith in me as a result of the Gazers’ ignorance.”

  “But not all of them have lost their faith, I’ve been to an entire village where the people praise you still. They continue to stand against the Huck Family and Sham-Bon.”

  Hashish’s face twisted up for a moment and Alfred thought he was about to get scorched again. But then the flames of his face came back in a smile followed by cackling laughter.

  “One village, you say? Half of the planet will have by now put their faith in that of one individual- that despicable man. Can’t you see I can do nothing to stop it either? My light has by now begun to shine all across the Western Hemisphere and they will all be celebrating in Sham-Bon, believing that he has saved the planet from my destruction. And yet, what could I do? If I never shined my light again, they would all perish. I must admit I toyed with the idea of it for awhile, but I came to decide that I’d rather have the people be alive than prove one man to be a fake.”

  “Then you do care, you have not abandoned your people- you did all that you could to protect them, even at the cost of them losing their faith in you.”

  For the first time the fiery god seemed not to know what to say. The look of despise had been replaced with a wistful gaze. The god grunted and then dipped his head at Alfred. The Rift Resolver was taken aback at the sign of respect from the god, and even more so when Hashish began to speak again.

  “The Universe decided well in allowing you to join the ranks of the Rift Society. Then again, as much as I hate to say it, the Universe is never truly wrong- we all just act a part in its long-premeditated script. Now, Al Moreno, it is time for you to go back. Occurences in your realm are in need of your participation.”

  Hashish looked as if he were about to send Al back to the waking world, but the Rift Resolver spoke up quickly.

  “Wait! If I manage to stop Sham-Bon it would restore the people’s faith in you! You have only to do one thing, reopen communications with the Gazers and tell them that you are Hashish The Sun, and that you will not be exploding and have not turned your back on your people. I’ll take care of the Huck Family.”

  Hashish rolled his eyes and Alfred noticed for the first time that his appearance was modeled after a younger looking man.

  “Ugh, those guys? They’re so boring at times, but I suppose you’re right. That might do the trick. Alright, now you better return before it’s too late. As I said, there are events tugging for your presence back on Hemphion. One step backwards, try hard not to do the opposite!” he laughed and looked as if he were about to absorb back into the sun but turned around one more time.

  “Oh and it’ll be hard to kill Sham-Bon, but that is the only way to assure this all works. Take my word as a god, he is a man who has done things that deserve punishments far worse than death. Then again, you’re not human either so I suppose it may be a fair fight! May the best win, good-luck Moreno- I’m rooting for you!” and with that Hashish opened his mouth and blew a great flame that forced Alfred to stumble back.

  The moment his foot landed on the dark ground behind him he felt himself drop and fall down through the darkness. He thought he could hear the laughter of Hashish in the direction of the sun as he fell away from it. He felt as if he were falling faster than a spacecraft in hyper-speed. Suddenly he saw two great discs of light, realizing that it must be Lux and Lats. They seemed to glow at him with a new curiosity, but said nothing as he fell further down past them. Alfred was now beginning to make out the fast-approaching surface of Hemphion. Faster and faster his soul flew towards the face of the planet.

  Alfred paid no attention to the fact that he would soon be rushing back into his body at insane speeds, his mind was focused on one thing. Hashish had said “You’re not human either” and had been unable to burn up his soul after many attempts. It had hurt like a bitch, he thought, but it hadn’t killed him.

  “What am I?” he said and then quickly turned his words into a scream as he realized he was flying through the skylight in the Gazer’s temple back into his body. His body that was currently struggling to be lifted off of the stone floor by three old men and a little golden egg.

  11 RACE TO THE VILLAGE

  Alfred felt his soul crash into his body, forcing him to open his eyes and begin taking in refreshing gulps of air.

  “Sir, you’re alive!” Henry cheered from where he sat on the ground beside him.

  Alfred looked up at the three shocked old men and proclaimed, “Well, put me down already will ya?” they subsequently dropped him roughly onto the floor.

  “It’s impossible!” announced Barnin, who had come back into the center of the temple when he saw the bright flash of light.

  “You’ve seen Hashish then, what has he to say- are we saved?” Wardriff questioned.

  “You need know nothing more than this.” Alfred sat up off the ground and tucked Henry and the Crystal of Gosia back into his jacket pocket. “Your god has not abandoned you, or at least he hasn’t anymore- and the sun was never going to explode! It’s all been a part of Sham-Bon’s plan to bring power back to the Huck Family. How he managed to pull of such a rumor that the sun was going to explode, that I don’t know. But by doing so he cleared out Parliament, and by ‘saving’ Hemphion he’ll gain the trust of all its people.”

  Barnin looked to be profoundly flabbergasted at the very idea that their god had in fact not abandoned them, but that this was all a giant lie formulated by a greedy man. Gummly reached out and poked a wrinkled finger into Alfred’s side, as if he weren’t convinced the man was actually alive. Alfred flinched away at his touch and shot him an annoyed look.

  “You had no pulse. No sign of breathing. No oxygen to the brain for damn near twenty minutes! And you’re perfectly fine…” he seemed beyond confused.

  “Yes, well it’s a good thing I am. Look I’ve got to go now and return to Bratvia, I fear Sham-Bon is going to have it destroyed since it’s the last village who stands against him.”

  Bang!

  The noise of an energy gun sounded from outside the temple’s main doors.

  “Gazers, open this door! By order of the Royal Huck Military you must be taken into protective custody immediately.”

  “Quick, you three get out of here. Run and don’t let them find you. Then, if I can pull this off, you must onc
e again accept the omens and spread the word of Hashish amongst your people.”

  Wardriff’s lips softened into a warm smile and he looked at Alfred gratefully. The hunched over man was oddly the most well put together during those quick minutes before two of Sham-Bon’s men swung open the heavy stone door. He quickly ushered a speechless Barnin and a muttering Gummly over to the side of the temple wall. Alfred watched in amazement as the old man tapped his cane twice on the ground, and the rock under where they stood rose up until it came to a stop outside one of the higher-up rooms in the temple. Alfred had no time to ask how Wardriff had done it, and as the doors began to open he directed Henry to remain on the ground. Then, pulling his energy revolver out, he dove just to the left side of the door and stood flat against the wall. The ground that Wardriff had forced to rise up had now sunken back to perfect level within the floor.

  “Hey! Where is everybody, what’s going on?” one of the men yelled into the room, his voice echoing around the empty space.

  “Look, there in the center! Is that gold?” the other man began to run towards Henry in excitement.

  “Wait no! It might be a--” the first man never finished what he was about to say.

  Instead, two things happened almost simultaneously. The guard who ran eagerly towards Henry tried to stop himself, but before he could the golden egg blasted small beam of light that went into his forehead, all the way through his brain, and out the backside. He dropped to the floor- dead.

  At the same time, Alfred had run up from behind the man’s companion and put his gun to his head. While pulling the trigger he finished the first guard’s warning, “A trap?”

  “Go on then boy- waste no more time!” Wardriff called from the room high up near the temple ceiling.

  Alfred looked up and nodded, then grabbed Henry and ran out the temple doors.

  “They must have had a vehicle- yes there! Henry can you start it?” Alfred asked hurriedly as he saw the covered four-wheel vehicle in front of him. It was still quite small and looked as if it only sat two people side by side, but appeared to have tires that could crawl over rough terrain.