by Jeremy Dwyer
“You seem confused. How does the song make you feel? Do you feel threatened by it or drawn to it?” Romana asked Emerond.
“I think I feel drawn to it, but I shouldn’t be,” Emerond said.
“Why not?” Romana asked.
“Because it might have been a dream,” Emerond said.
“If it was a dream, perhaps it was born of something within you – a desire for something you feel is missing from your life,” Daven said.
“Or it might have been a reality – and you realized you had desire for something that is missing from your life,” Romana said.
“Wait! A moment ago you were trying to convince me that the song was a seduction attempt by someone seeking power over me through having my offspring. Now you’re suggesting that this may be just what I need! What do you believe?” Emerond asked, confused.
“I believe you need to seek the truth, and be ever on your guard against deception, as well as against the damage you may do to yourself if your life is incomplete. You already said you’re so preoccupied with your duties that you don’t have time for a relationship. That sounds as if you’re admitting there’s something wrong. It’s not healthy to work to the exclusion of having a strong personal relationship,” Romana said.
“You’re the same age as I am. Are you in a relationship?” Emerond asked.
“No. Too many men I’ve met were empty inside, with decadent values, and no good relationship to God, or were altogether atheistic,” Romana said.
“Why is that important? Belief in a deity is a personal decision that a person has to make for themselves,” Emerond asked.
“The values that a disbelieving father might instill in his children, and how he might raise them, would make them have a low regard for ethics in their decisions. A child with no belief in God might not heed laws of personal responsibility, but look for the easy way instead. They wouldn’t have fear of God’s ultimate Watchfulness and Judgment and they wouldn’t trust Him or obey His Laws,” Romana said.
“You say it’s unhealthy for me to not have a relationship because of my responsibilities, but you let yours get in the way of your own relationships,” Emerond say.
“That’s not the same priority. The importance of a relationship with God outranks all other concerns. Then, the importance of a relationship to another person outranks all work and material things. I am subordinating the lesser to the greater. You are giving up the greater for the lesser,” Romana said.
“So, God first, then relationships, then work, is what you’re saying?” Emerond asked.
“Yes. That’s right. If you have the wrong permutation of priorities, you will make decisions that are inferior to what they could have been – sometimes disastrously so,” Romana said.
“So then I should…?” Emerond asked.
“Pray for the answer,” Romana said.
“Pray? That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it?” Emerond asked.
“You don’t believe?” Romana asked.
“I believe that the God who created us gave us the capacity to take action to find answers,” Emerond said.
“I agree. Prayer is the first step. Not the only one. You must also be willing to accept the answer to the prayer and act upon it. If you are receptive, it will come to you,” Romana said.
Judith wrote down all of this conversation in her book. She considered her own loneliness, yet accepted that it may be a part of the Chronicler’s Oath, rather than any sort of religious gap in the men she had met. She had felt desire for men, and even having children, at times. Yet, the drive to see all that she could and learn the ways of the world always kept her in motion, when many men just wanted to establish themselves in a single place for their occupation.
She also remembered that the few men she met who did travel usually did so for a business and their courses were set toward profit, so they did not have the freedom to travel about as she did to follow the course of history, so they parted ways, as well. It’s not that she had more freedom – she was just pulled in different directions, as the Oath demanded that she go where the most significant historical events were taking place. Men still looked her way, and she still looked back, but the prospects were never very good for a lasting relationship, and yet another disappointment would just be disheartening.
Judith’s long life meant that she would outlive most men, anyway, making for unneeded sadness when they died. Yet, that long life was a gift from God, and she was grateful for it. Still, living for twelve hundred forty-two (1242) years had its own difficulties, as she had learned by living them. The few men who drank the same Ursegan Ocean waters that Judith did, and thereby had a similarly long life, were usually either Chroniclers – who rarely made good companions, because they would be taken in different directions by world events – or they were simply very cautious and unwilling to take risks so as to keep their lives long and healthy. They couldn’t travel into the dangerous world events with her, because the Guardian Angels of the Oath usually only protected the lives of Oath-keeping Chroniclers, not just anyone who lived long years. And then there was that long-lived fool named Alistair – he was older than her, and he caused so much trouble that he was like a world event unto himself, and certainly not the sort of man she wanted to have intimate relations or a family with.
Ovid also wrote down the conversation of Emerond, Romana and Daven in his book. He reflected on his own personal relationships, and how he had several that didn’t last. He traveled, and the women he befriended often did not follow. The few who did follow either became tired of his endless voyages and gave up or he simply outlived them because of the long life that was given to him by the Ursegan Ocean waters he drank.
~~~
Lavakara had been spying on them from the spirit world and he wondered just who this woman was who sang the song My Future Is to Emerond. He believed that this singer held considerable sway over Emerond – more than the Jenaldej Prince wanted to explicitly admit, though he already implicitly admitted it – and she could be used to control him. He began making plans to manipulate them both. Lavakara cared nothing for personal relationships, love or begetting offspring – he sought only his own glory and immortality. It’s not that he hadn’t had relationships. In fact, with all of the youthful warriors he had possessed over the millennia, he had relations with several concubines to satisfy the primal urges in the warrior bodies which he inhabited. He abandoned the women shortly thereafter, when the carnal urges had been satisfied. They meant nothing to him emotionally, nor did any offspring who might have resulted.
CHAPTER 28: Ravaged by the Power of Tigers
A portal opened and the Tidal Sovereign appeared on the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean. Victoria looked out onto the waters and saw many ships around her. The tiara had been recently expended, so it needed to be renewed. She also needed renewal, by rest.
Victoria retired into her quarters and her light scouts and dark scouts stood guard outside. Victoria slept and dreamed.
Her dream was of three (3) men appearing and turning water into fire and using it against her. She dreamt of arrows and blades piercing her. Then, she dreamt of the waters disobeying her commands, as if she were no longer their queen.
Victoria awoke, screaming.
Her guards heard her and entered the room.
Victoria then said to them: “I dreamt of three (3) men appearing and turning water into fire. I dreamt of arrows and swords piercing me. Then, I dreamt that the water no longer obeyed my commands.”
One light scout looked around the room and out the cabin window and said to her: “I see no fire, either hiding here in the darkness, or out in the distance.”
One dark scout said to her: “I see no one with arrow or sword nearby masked by illusion or concealed by false light.”
The voice of the demon, Matatirot, spoke to Victoria, saying: “The tiger’s strength cannot be tamed. With speed it strikes and the mighty are killed. After the tiger this ocean is named. Bring to it the tempest so th
at blood may be spilled.”
Victoria then left her quarters and stood on the deck of the Tidal Sovereign where she held out her arms, and the blue diamonds of the tiara once again glowed bright.
The still air turned to a breeze, and then to a strong wind and then to a dangerous gale. The calm waters began to ripple and then waves of water began to rise. The waves rose high and moved very quickly and with great strength toward the distant shores. The speed and strength of the waves and wind were greater this time – like the power of a tiger. The tiara was now channeling the power of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean, which gave speed and strength to its drinkers and were often referred to as the “tiger waters.”
Her light scouts looked out into the distance and saw the death and destruction.
One light scout said: “To the south, the waters are striking at Waderav, and the bodies of the enemies are being carried out to sea. Over three million seven hundred thousand (3700000) of them have been drowned in the tempest.”
A second light scout said: “To the north, the waters are striking at Volaraden, and the corpses are being carried out to sea. Over four million two hundred thousand (4200000) of them have been brought to their end by the storm.”
A third light scout said: “To the west, the waters are striking at the Bazavadoran Isthmus and three hundred twenty thousand (320000) have been drowned.”
A fourth light scout said: “To the east, the waters are striking at the Uplifter’s Trail and thirty thousand (30000) have met their end.”
A fifth light scout said: “To the northwest, the waters have pummeled the Colossal March Warpath, and sixty-four thousand (64000) have been swept out to sea by the storm.”
A sixth light scout said: “Around us, five thousand two hundred (5200) ships have been sunk by the tempest, and no less than one million four hundred thousand (1400000) of the enemy crew have been drowned.”
~~~
In the continent of Volaraden, in its western desert region, was a mining town owned and operated by the Jenaldej Empire. Its administration was assigned to Baron Ottokar, who was responsible for proper management of its resources, properly paying the workers, and organizing the shipments of diamonds back to Revod. He was also responsible for governing local matters, including the appointment of judges to settle any cases that might occur.
The land in Volaraden was rich in resources – mostly diamonds and other gems – and the Jenaldej Empire didn’t advertise the fact, although others certainly knew, including various nomadic tribes that wandered the desert, whose numbers were now substantially reduced by the violence of the tempest. In fact, the great castle that had appeared in the desert more than three (3) years prior, under the command of Prince Octavian of the Ihalik Empire, was constructed with the very purpose of stealing the mined diamonds, so Ottokar always had to be on his guard for signs of attack. Since then, several legions of Jenaldej army troops were kept immediately on hand, directly reporting to Baron Ottokar. These could handle pirates, nomadic tribes and other thieves who might attempt to steal the hard-earned wealth.
Baron Ottokar was not easily frightened and was quite competent. He had available to him two (2) large fleets of Jenaldej Empire ships – consisting of five hundred (500) ships each – off of the northern and southern coasts of Volaraden, so as to defend from foreign invasion. Additionally, one hundred twenty (120) lookout towers were stationed to each of the north and south compass points and thirty (30) lookout towers to the northeast and southwest compass points. These towers were occupied by light scouts – drinkers of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean – who thereby had the power to bend light and thus see for many miles out over the ocean and have advance warning of threats. They could give warning to Ottokar through the power to generate light and reflect it off of mirrors to inland relay towers.
When waves of water from the tempest crashed onto the southern and southwestern shores of Volaraden, they utterly annihilated the fleet, killing over one hundred fifty thousand (150000) crew.
Of those one hundred fifty (150) lookout towers facing south and southwest, one hundred thirty-nine (139) were destroyed by the rising waters of the tempest that came crashing down on them. Both light scouts in each of those towers were violently killed. The remaining eleven (11) of those towers still stood, and their light scouts frantically signaled with the powers of light that the Lujladia Ocean waters gave to them. These lights reached into the inland relay towers and the message reached the captain of the guard around the castle of Baron Ottokar.
The captain of the guard entered into the castle that was occupied by Baron Ottokar and said: “Baron: We have lost the southern fleet in a sudden and extremely violent storm. We have lost all but eleven (11) of the southern and southwestern lookout towers.”
“Have the waves of water come this far inland?” Baron Ottokar asked. He had suspicions that they soon would.
“Not yet, Baron. Only two (2) miles into the coast, according to the signal from the lookouts,” the captain of the guard said.
“Only two (2) miles? Since when does such a powerful storm strike the coast so suddenly without warning? These waters are not known for that rapid a shift from calm to storm. I know much of the seas, from my reading and my travels, and this is most unnatural. No, captain, this is not a storm. I believe this to be the fulfillment of the warning we received regarding the Ahitan woman and her power over the oceans. Order a retreat, toward the north, of the entire population of the city. Dispatch your troops at once. Move with greatest haste,” Baron Ottokar said.
“We have sandships and light scout ships. However, this city has a population of over two million (2000000) now. We can only carry four thousand (4000) at a time in the transportation we have,” the captain of the guard said.
Baron Ottokar considered the simple mathematics: it would require fifty (50) trips to move all of the people given those numbers. Each trip would take nearly two (2) hours. The first forty-nine (49) trips would be round trips, the last would be only a single trip, saving a scant two (2) hours. This was minimal. However, what could be done was something that could slow the approach of the storm.
“Take the sandships and light scout ships airborne and travel in a path from south to northwest, and return again, repeatedly, so as to create a canal in the desert sands. Reinforce it and pack it tightly. This can be done by having the crystal benders drink anew of their Kazofen Ocean waters and use the powers to crystallize the sand into sturdy walls. These may hold against the water flow and redirect it away from the city so long as the canal itself is southwest of the city. Take half of the ships to do this, and the other half for transportation. I accept that some may perish; yet, to do nothing is to accept that all may perish,” Baron Ottokar said. He was a thoughtful man – not given to violence or passion, but strategy and logic. The fifty-five (55) year old baron was a drinker of the waters of the Medathero Ocean – they enhanced logical thinking by assisting with organization and connection of thoughts, and by providing a certain calm in the face of adversity and danger that would help keep one’s thoughts clear.
“Yes, Baron,” the captain of the guard said. He left and relayed these orders to the various ship captains and crystal benders in the city. They began to implement Baron Ottokar’s plan.
Ottokar’s wife Elsa, who was a kind and gentle woman of the same age, had overheard these things and was filled with fear. She knew her husband to be a wise man, and she approached him and asked: “What is to become of us? Are we to die in this storm? Can this city be saved?”
“With speed and wit, perhaps it can be saved,” Ottokar said.
She had to rely on him, and took comfort in his words and his experience. Yet, his tone was frightening, and gave her less reassurance than she was used to receiving.
~~~
Also in the continent of Volaraden, but in the eastern jungle region, the waters struck violently and killed many people, several miles inland. Primitive tribes and mining colonies existed in the jungles and were w
iped out quickly by the strong and fast-moving waters of the tempest.
In that jungle, Jaguar saw and heard the crashing sounds of the water, and saw and heard trees fall in the distance.
“A mighty storm has struck! The wrath of Havatissa has come upon us!” he shouted.
The archeologist, Professor Desmond, was also with him, having spent his time studying the cave where the statue of Havatissa was found. Desmond didn’t believe in deities or statues of deities having any power. Rather, he believed them to be superstitions brought about by misunderstandings of the powers of the world. The waters were, indeed, potent in their ability to grant great powers to those who drank of them. Some people possessed far more innate potential to use the powers, and could seem like deities to people with more primitive minds. However, those same primitive minds may still make their own use of the waters. Jaguar was a drinker of the Nabavodel Ocean waters, as Desmond was well aware. Thus, by the powers of that water, Jaguar was truly a quick and powerful warrior. Angering him would be unwise, so Desmond decided to speak carefully.
“What evil has been perpetrated against the will of Havatissa?” Desmond asked him.
“Someone revealed the secrets of the temple! We will all die,” Jaguar said.
“What if the outsiders kept the secret? Would Havatissa have some other reason for anger? Or could there be another enemy?” Desmond asked.
“Havatissa is so great, all of his enemies are dead!” Jaguar said.
“What if this is a lesser being – not a deity, but a mortal enemy of the jungle, too small for Havatissa to regard as an enemy, but great enough to strike here?” Desmond asked.
The waves of water were getting closer and faster, and more trees were now falling. Desmond and Jaguar both started walking away at a brisk pace, looking over their shoulders at it.
“What enemy might this be?” Jaguar asked.
“The woman we were warned about,” Desmond said. He found it strange to believe, but the warning did come from the sages of the city of Emeth, so there had to be some veracity to it: they were not known to be mistaken or dishonest, even if their statements could have multiple valid interpretations.