The images flashed, and now a man in a formal suit sitting behind a desk spoke to them all very gravely. “The worldwide catastrophes continue to mount up in what many are calling Armageddon, the day of reckoning. The very planet itself seems to have turned against humanity. In the central plains, all the way from the Bay of Beskin and across the border into Marithesia massive tornadoes have smashed through twenty of the major cities. Reports of strange machines falling from the sky just before the tornadoes have been confirmed in five of the devastated cities in the interior. No one is claiming responsibility for these attacks.
“Reports are coming in from around the planet of ... oh my god, this just in.” The man visibly swallowed and looked pale. “The global cities of Boresthene, Xing Po, Hondurm, and New Petersburg have all been devastated in what looks to like a simultaneous nuclear attack. We-”
The man was cut off, and the room went blank for a moment before the image was replaced with what looked like the most perfect map they had ever seen.
A satellite image, the thought sprang up from somewhere in the back of Wayran’s mind.
“What are we seeing?” High Queen Echinni asked.
“It’s a–” Jachem and Wayran started to explain at the same time, but Wayran let Jachem have it, “satellite image. We are seeing most of the continent where we now live, most of Salucia is in the northern hemisphere there.” Jachem pointed to a part of the image. “Though much of the coastline seems to be changed from the maps here in the Red Tower. The Jendar used to have machines flying around the planet which could look down upon the surface from up among the stars.”
Jachem cut off, and they all gasped within the room as multiple dots burst to life across an expanse that looked vaguely like the Wastes. Lights which had been dotting the curve of the planet still in darkness suddenly began winking out in massive swathes.
“Strategy - successful. National grids offline, commencing with tactical strikes,” a horribly mechanical voice intoned.
Hundreds of thousands of detonations blossomed across the globe in fiery flashes. The satellite images flashed from one part of the world to another, all showing similar pictures of devastation.
“Have they found us yet?” A deep voice asked.
The hairs on Wayran’s arms stood on end, and a chill went down his spine as he spoke the words for the observers in the room.
“That is the voice of Robert Mannford,” Wayran added. The same voice he had heard from the ghost-like blue image in the Jendar complex.
“Not yet, anti-incursion software is performing well. Most nations have not yet been able to purge their systems of our first-strike viruses. The synchronised physical attack on their infrastructure and energy grids has proven effective,” the mechanical voice answered.
“Good. Begin storm-cell seeding. Detonate tsunami mines in all sites in the southern hemisphere.” Mannford’s voice ordered, and Wayran spoke the long-dead words in their language.
“Portable device networks have been penetrated. We are in control.”
“Faster than expected,” Mannford said. “Send overload spike, and just to make sure, order a second strike on back-up server facilities. Inform me of any complications. I’ll be in the observation room.”
“Yes, sir,” the mechanical voice said.
The images stopped as Naira took her hand off the wires. “I can’t hold it any longer,” she gasped, looking quite exhausted. Wayran saw tear lines down her cheeks.
The room was silent for a long moment.
“I asked you all here because most of us are somehow connected to the next convergence, the next phase of Kali’s judgement. Though I think there are some people missing still. But if what I have read is true, events will be twisting around them somewhere in the world,” Wayran explained. “In my dreams and visions, I saw scenes like the one we just saw, but it was happening to New Toeron and other cities I recognised from our time. Not from our past. I saw the same devastation coming to our world.”
“What can we do?” High Queen Echinni asked with a certain heat in her words. “How do we stop this?”
“The keys,” Adel said. She was squinting as if trying to remember something. “In the tunnels when I was fighting Thannis, when I thought I was going to die, I thought I heard a voice telling me that–”
“Three keys were needed,” Yuna finished. The big woman met Adel’s eyes and nodded. “I have heard it as well.”
Wayran’s eyes went wide. “Yes! That’s it. Kali needs the keys brought to her. How did you know?”
Yuna shifted and unstrapped the giant sword from her back and drew it slowly from its sheath. “This ... I think, is one of the keys you speak of.”
Wayran gasped. Yes, he had seen this in his dreams too. “Yes! You’re right. I should have seen it before. A golden sword.” He turned to Adel. “A black sword, and ...” He closed his eyes, trying to remember the rest.
“Where is this Kali?” John Stonebridge asked.
“The Wastes,” Matoh answered. “Which is why you are here, Uncle. We need you to find the tower again. Kali was there. Wayran and I saw Mannford’s great machine deep within the complex but had no idea what it was. She sits there, waiting for us.”
“Yet we do not have all of the keys,” High Queen Echinni said. “If what you say is true, we need to find the third.” She closed her eyes and listened to something it seemed only she could hear. “We have to respond to the Kutsal aggression. We cannot lose Kenz, they are a pillar of the Nine Nations. Whenever I think about this foreign army, the Will seems to be pulling me towards it. Possibly it is this Tiden Raika you spoke of, Wayran. If there is a connection to the events of the world and this convergence, then it seems to follow that the Kutsal Empire has something to do with it. They appeared just as the storm wall seemed to fall, their war and aggression must be important to all of this.”
“Yes,” Matoh agreed. “We have to do everything in our power to defend the Union of the Nine Nations. We have to get rid of this threat and regain the peace we once had.”
“Careful, lad,” John Stonebridge warned. “I’ve heard words like that before, during the Border Wars, and it was from both sides. Kenz wanted to purify itself of all the Xinnish influence, and the Xinnish responded in kind. Both were trying to stop integration of cultures and change.” John sighed and shook his head. “In the end, all that was accomplished was the deaths of thousands of people on both sides followed by decades of hatred, racism and suspicion. The Union Wars weren’t much different other than everyone agreed on who they hated. Not all those heroes you grew up idolising were as shiny as you might think they are. I’m sure the High Queen can attest to the many demons her father had to deal with. My hands and my soul will never be clean from what I did during those years, and I’m sure the High King would have said the same. So, don’t go beating the drums of war without knowing that both sides will bear the cost, young man.”
Matoh looked troubled by the senior prefect’s words and didn’t say anymore.
High Queen Echinni put up a calming hand. “The Kutsal Empire is not the only threat we face from more traditional sources. My father was killed, and it was the second attempt to take the throne, as both Matoh and Adel were present at the first attempt under Lady Buika’s forces. The paper’s recovered after Matoh ended the riots do seem to prove what Prince Thannis was suggesting, that his father had been plotting for a long time and that it was not just Nothavre involved, Xin Ya was heavily implicated, as were other nations.” Echinni turned to Matoh with compassion in her eyes. “Our Union is not as strong as any of us would like I’m afraid, my Captain.”
“So, we need repel an invading empire, uncover any further traitors within the Union, and find the third key so we can stop this Kali machine,” Naira said, trying to cut down to the root of their problems. “Does that about sum it up?” Her arms were crossed as she looked at them each in turn.
“Seems that way,” John Stonebridge said nodding in appreciation to Naira for getting
them back on task.
“The Kutsal Empire and further machinations against the throne are things I will have to devise a strategy for, but where do we start looking for this last key?” Echinni asked as she looked around the room for inspiration.
“West,” Adel and Yuna said in unison.
“You’re sure?” Echinni asked, hoping to feel something from the Will to confirm their own intuition.
“Yes,” Yuna said, looking to Adel for confirmation, who nodded back in turn.
Adel explained, “Once you said there was a third key, it was as if I had always known where it was and only now realised what the sensation was. Yuna and I felt something like this before, in the throne room the day Lady Buika attacked us.”
“Towards the Kutsal Empire,” Matoh said as a sad determination settled into his eyes. “They have it, don’t they?”
Yuna and Adel slowly began to nod.
“Yes,” Adel said, closing her eyes and trying to feel and listen to the faint pulse within her sword she now knew for the connection to the third key. “I think they do.”
“This changes things,” Wayran said, looking at Yuna and Adel in wonder. “If we can track the keys, we can use the airship to get us there.
“Senior Prefect,” Echinni began, looking at John Stonebridge and not quite sure if she should continue. She had been briefed on the senior prefect’s past and the stories surrounding his time on the Kenzian front as well as his exploits at Vestgard. She knew her request would dredge up ghosts from the man’s past he had tried hard to bury, but she had to continue. Her father had trusted this man, she hoped she could too. “I believe your unique experiences in the last two wars would be ideally suited to leading the team to find this final key. Do you agree?”
John rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes before meeting Echinni’s. He took a deep breath but knew he didn’t really have a choice. The thought of more young men and women depending on him to not to get them killed was the last thing he wanted, yet he could not refuse. “Yes, Your Highness, I stand ready, though at the moment that’s about all I can do.”
“We shall have to formulate a plan and start preparations,” Echinni said. “Captain Koslov, your airship and assistance will be required.” She held up a hand before the Paleschurian could object and gave the man an icy glare. “You will be more than adequately compensated. Do not make me simply take the airship.”
The threat was made perfectly, and no one doubted she meant every word.
Wayran was happy to see his aunt step forward and take Uncle Aaron’s arm in hers with purpose. “We will be more than happy to help, High Queen,” Aunt Sandra said as she too glared at her husband.
“I could use Ms O’Bannon’s brain,” John added. “She was the one who helped point us at Thannis, her instincts are good, and she has street smarts. I was going to petition to have her transferred to the prefect programme if this meeting had gone differently.”
Echinni nodded as she heard the hum of the Will within her. “I believe this mission is why we are here, all of us must go,” Echinni said in wonder, knowing it to be true. “We will each have a part to play.”
Yuna looked like she wanted to throw the table through the ceiling, and Echinni knew she would get an earful later, but Yuna stifled her objections in front of the crowd.
“I don’t want to go on an airship!” Jachem blurted out, having no such compunctions.
Kai had been shocked by all these revelations as well. “I, uh…” he tried to speak but was so overwhelmed by everything that he couldn’t put a coherent thought together. He had been listening quietly to all these important people deciding the fate of the very world and couldn’t quite believe that they were talking to him. “Me?” Kai pointed at himself.
“Yes,” Echinni said softly, knowing she wanted Kai beside her more than anyone in the world, but also knew it was for selfish reasons.
They had grown very close in the past few days since the ordeal at Keef’s. He had been a quiet and solid foundation of comfort and kindness. Never assuming too much and speaking to her the truth as he saw it. He had been a shoulder to cry on in private when at all other times, she had to show the world the face of a queen.
“I believe you are only beginning to find your strength with this new form of Presence you have tapped into.”
“Jachem is important as well,” Wayran added quickly. “His genius with Jendar relics is going to be invaluable.”
“You are talking about flying, I repeat, flying, into a war-zone so we can steal some key from an invading army. To then fly into the Wastes so we can find a vanishing stronghold of the man who orchestrated the end of the world so we can convince some god-machine not to kill us all! Is that what you are saying?” Jachem looked at Wayran and then to Kai in sudden panic.
“Did I mention the airship has a Jendar hull, and the giant tower is full of the best Jendar technology ever created,” Wayran said trying to calm the eccentric genius.
“I suppose I can just stay below deck until we get there. I think I saw something in the Artificium called an oscillating fan, so maybe if I could hook up a small santsi device then ...” Jachem trailed off as he once again went back into the world of his unique mind.
“Well, we have a tentative plan it would seem,” Echinni said, trying to sound brave. She just hoped the others couldn’t see her hand trembling. “If there is nothing else I suggest we make all haste and begin preparations. Thank you, Wayran, for bringing us together. May Halom watch over us all and guide us true.”
The meeting concluded, and each of the attendees walked away lost in thought not quite sure they believed what they had just committed to.
51 - Birds in Caves
This is it. Wunjo and I are linked. They are trying to get into my laboratory, but I have set up stasis frequency emitters at every point of entry. They will find a way in, but by then it will be too late, and they will have their sibling back ... in a sense.
What will I be after this? Memory? Code? A dataset of electron-superpositions carried within my friend’s nanite structure? Something more, something less? Or just the dried-out husk of an old man sitting in his chair looking at his monitors for the last time?
Did it ever really matter? For I have done something wrong, an error I did not anticipate, and I must try to fix it. Whatever the cost.
Can you upload madness? Gods, I hope not.
If anyone ever reads this, know that I tried to fix the error. If I survive this, know that I will continue to try to fix it.
Goodbye.
- Journal of Robert Mannford, Day 180 Year 69, (Final Entry)
Wunjo
A cave on the island of Nothavre, near Orlane
Shocked eyes sprung open; the lids pulled back until they were close to being lost. The body on the cold stone floor contracted and curled, but only darkness greeted the screaming irises.
Confusion and fear were all-consuming for the struggling form of the man on the cave floor, two emotions which would be quite foreign to one such as this man.
The thought made Wunjo giggle, for it was quite a mad machine. Machine? It thought to itself. No not quite machine, but not a man. No, it had been a very long time since it had been a man.
Wunjo giggled again, and this time out loud. The sound was a strange metallic rasping. It tried to remember how long ago it was since it had felt its belly heaving back and forth with a laugh, but the feeling of it was so far gone from its experience all it could remember were video files of its old human form doing it.
Its red eyes whirled their circular dance as they watched the man writhe for a bit longer on the cave floor and it cocked its head.
“I hear you, whatever you are,” the man said, already shaking off the sedative Wunjo had given him. The man was alert and ready to strike like an uncoiling snake.
A part of Wunjo’s mind marvelled at the incredible new form of life it was witnessing. A true predator, and now in multiple senses of the word.
“This one�
�s name is Wunjo,” it said. “Worry not, if we had wished you harm we would have let you fall.”
“What are you?” the man named Thannis asked. “Why would you save me?”
Wunjo laughed out loud at that, making the man shift defensively. “Saved you, have I? That is far from certain. As to what I am, that is a too long of an explanation. I am your greatest advocate, your guardian angel, your will-o-the-wisp. I am an ancient relic and a present conundrum. I am a watcher, but now also a changer. I am an errant child and a clairvoyant sage. The others call themselves sentinels, though once they were just NREs. This one, however, Wunjo is unique, and very mad I’m afraid, and in the end, doesn’t know what it is.”
A deep rumbling warble echoed from the other side of the cave.
“What in the nine hells!” Thannis was on his feet now, hands ready to attack, and Wunjo’s sensors detected the drop in the air temperature as the man began to siphon an incredible amount of energy from the air around him. The strange symbiotic life form brought into being only today began to shimmer and glow slightly as it fed on the flow of energy.
“Remarkable,” The old saying of the long-dead man Wunjo had once been echoed through its voice modulator before it knew it was speaking. Some remnant of scientific curiosity resonated still within the crystalline matrices of its mind, and Wunjo had an urge to take this man back to the tower complex and the ancient laboratories within its antiquated halls. No, it told itself, no more tinkering, and then in an old rage, NO MORE PLAYING GOD!
The warble sounded again, and what had looked like part of the cave wall shifted to reveal Wunjo’s old friend, Ash, the great roc.
“That is a roc!” Thannis snarled, the pulsing glow within his chest grew in intensity. “Well, you’ll find I’m no easy meal.” There was a feral glint to the man’s eyes as he readied himself to attack.
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