Thank you for reading my first draft. I am very proud of what I've accomplished, but I know there is still a lot of work to be done. Please give feedback, especially suggestions for improvements, information about what you disliked, or inconsistencies.
Mobi and ePub format (in a zip) are available here. Pdf is available here.
Thank you again, I hope you enjoy or enjoyed my novel.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Chapter 48
Rain felt something push her as she was about to close the wound. It probably wouldn't have done anything at all, had she not been concentrating so much of her available power onto the rift. It pushed on her and it pushed her through. Hard. Hard enough to tar her from her body and send her through the gate.
There was pain and panic like she had never felt before. Worse than when she had lost consciousness when trying to practice shaping haze. And this time she couldn't lose consciousness, even if she wanted to – her consciousness was all she was now, freed from her body.
In desperation, or perhaps some subconscious desire to finish what she had started. Or even more likely, urged by Garon, she help onto the golden rope as she was catapulted through.
But she didn't fly into another realm. The rope she had created wrapped that entire arm of Cennon. That arm that was overextended came off, was ripped away from both of the worldspheres.
The recoil sent it flying into her, and she was racked by a renewed onslaught of pain as this realm entered her body, crashed into that well of power within her. That well of power, she realised, which felt a lot like this realm did, and they struggled against one another inside her. Her golden rope against the silver ring which had come from Cennon.
Eventually they reached equilibrium, and she felt the silver opening up to her. She had consumed that realm and now it lived within her. It was part of her. She suddenly had access to a wealth of experiences she knew were not hers. Information about the life of Cennon. Memories of conflicts of worldspheres in this realm she found herself in. How to grow new realms, or consume others. This was a dangerous place she was in, but it was possible to survive; very few of the worldspheres were malign.
Against the black backdrop studded with innumerable different shapes and colours, she saw the sphere that was Cennon fleeing Garon, something silver and bloody leaking out behind it. That predatory ball would not be back.
Whispering to her in a voice increasingly distant was Garon.
stant was Garon.
Daughter. Helped. Thank You.
Another whisper.
Rain. Daughter. Now. Birth.
There was pain and panic like she had never felt before. Worse than when she had lost consciousness when trying to practice shaping haze. And this time she couldn't lose consciousness, even if she wanted to – her consciousness was all she was now, freed from her body.
In desperation, or perhaps some subconscious desire to finish what she had started. Or even more likely, urged by Garon, she help onto the golden rope as she was catapulted through.
But she didn't fly into another realm. The rope she had created wrapped that entire arm of Cennon. That arm that was overextended came off, was ripped away from both of the worldspheres.
The recoil sent it flying into her, and she was racked by a renewed onslaught of pain as this realm entered her body, crashed into that well of power within her. That well of power, she realised, which felt a lot like this realm did, and they struggled against one another inside her. Her golden rope against the silver ring which had come from Cennon.
Eventually they reached equilibrium, and she felt the silver opening up to her. She had consumed that realm and now it lived within her. It was part of her. She suddenly had access to a wealth of experiences she knew were not hers. Information about the life of Cennon. Memories of conflicts of worldspheres in this realm she found herself in. How to grow new realms, or consume others. This was a dangerous place she was in, but it was possible to survive; very few of the worldspheres were malign.
Against the black backdrop studded with innumerable different shapes and colours, she saw the sphere that was Cennon fleeing Garon, something silver and bloody leaking out behind it. That predatory ball would not be back.
Whispering to her in a voice increasingly distant was Garon.
stant was Garon.
Daughter. Helped. Thank You.
Another whisper.
Rain. Daughter. Now. Birth.
Chapter 47
When Hammer heard that long, drawn-out clarion call that was the horn, that brassy, yet pure, note signalling the attack of the enemy, he dropped the buckets he was carrying and ran back to the barracks to retrieve his sword and shield.
Fuelled by excitement, yet worried about the danger, he snatched up his gear as Rajin came bounding into the room. Some kind of bond meant she seemed to know where he was. They seldom talked, but it felt like they didn't need to. In practice, they had become a team working together as one. If Hammer could see through Rajin's eyes, he would have known that was how she thought of the situation. Two bodies working as one. Filling the gaps in each other's defences,striking together or one defending while the other attacked – sword or claw lashing out while shield blocked or rapid movement distracted. Three or four opponents could not defeat them, unless they were of the old guard, but that was to be expected. Still, a single one of those experienced, battle-forged warriors would still have trouble mock-stabbing them in their combat training.
They were assembling out the front of the barracks and being split into four groups. One would fight for eight hours, two more would relieve them over the twenty four hours of the day. The final group would act as a backup, either running messages, working as reinforcements or supplying those fighting. This was the most difficult job because it was constant hard work and sleep had to be caught in snatches. On the other hand, it was less dangerous as they were farther removed from the fighting. Thus is was made up of the worst warriors. They knew it and resented it. For some reason, the worst were also those who most wanted to be recognised.
Hammer and Rajin were not in that quarter. They were in the first set to fight. Their task, to defend the pushers was important. If they could hold the enemy back now, there was a possibility of closing the gate before it had fully opened. At least, that was how Hammer saw it.
The quarter was made up of primarily of close-combat fighters, but there was a smattering of those who had strange abilities that he considered somewhat magical and fantastic. Some could shoot rays of fire, burning the air to a crisp and striking enemies. Other black shadows could throw what were apparently balls of darkness impressive distances, seeming to negate anything they touched – like an incredibly strong acid that left no residue. These artillery troops were to be at the back, defended by the front lines, while also providing cover for them and watching for any similar things that the enemy would bring against them.
The final type of troop were called skirmishers by the original watchers. They rushed in and out, killing one or two enemies, then retreating to regroup and do the whole thing again. The idea was that they would lose very few soldiers in this group, but they had to be agile.
Hammer was in the section with the heaviest armour; the close-combat fighters. They were geared up with heavy armour. Even Rajin had been fitted with wooden slats that would provide some protection while still allowing her to move freely – it was good to be protected but it was even better to not get hit at all.
They charged down the valley, not well trained enough to march, but as the quarter was split into groups, they managed to maintain their loose formation well enough for each segment to stay together.
They approached the invading enemy, slowing as they lost their breath. Each was identical, and they worked together as if part of a giant body, some insect-like hive mind coordinating them. Each had six legs for movement and two arms, with a body that sat flat above the ground and curled upwards to a tapered head, atop which sat a single eye. A large too-wide mouth sat like a wrinkle at a point that seemed too low on what Hammer assumed was the torso. Thick, stiff hairs hung from all over its body, providing some sort of insulation, or possibly armour.
Hammer attacked.
***
Rajin saw Hammer draw his sword, glowing with the energy of life. He sliced through through the first of the creatures which emitted chaotic, poisonous energies – she would have to do her best to avoid those; they may corrupt her – and the sword glowed brighter, dispelling those chains of argent as simply as waving away silver smoke. The next one swung a powerful limb at Hammer, knocking him to the ground. Rajin jumped at that one, swinging her claws like like daggers, slicing through the thing's hairs like a knife through hot butter. She continued slashing as it reeled, unable to defend against her speed. Then she had cut all the way through it. The entire creature was made of those translucent tubes. Its chaotic energy had stained her hands. She could feel it eating into her. She shoved her hands into the ground, allowing it to seep away.
An inverted black pyramid slammed down into one of the creatures just to her right. She followed the pyramid up and saw it was the tip of an enormous leg of a towering insect. Insect-like thing anyway. It continued forwards, crushing others it encountered, some sort of reaper's blade affixed to the end of arms sprouting from its top scything through invaders.
She saw that silver energy sticking to the thing. Dissolving it slowly. It continued on, even though its legs were quickly shortening. It must have been summoned by one of the hazeshapers, instructed to continue to fight. Her feathers bristled. She would not have fought against her will!
Looking around, she saw there were others of these things, in all different sizes and each having a slightly different configuration of limbs, eyes and body shapes, hundreds of them swarming down upon the aliens. There was no way that these creatures could actually survive or have evolved in this form. They were constructed. Were they doing so badly that the hazeshapers needed to create things to fight?
Looking around, she saw that there was nothing nearby to fight – those enemies nearest had been taken care of already. Hammer was standing now, which was good. They had not been as prepared as she had thought if he could get knocked over so easily.
She pulled her head around to gaze at the gigantic sheet that was the face of the would which faced her. A golden cord was wrapped around it, biting into it sharply, but growing at the same time. She stood transfixed, unable to look away. So much energy!
***
She was preoccupied, wrapping that cord around the intrusion, squeezing it back out. She was powerful, yes, but she couldn't be trusted. She killed him once and she would again.
The cord had thickened into rope, the edges touching. The other hazeshapers had stopped their tasks and were looking in amazement, eyes full of wonder. Torion saw that Rain was fully occupied with the pushing. This was his chance to be rid of her.
The breach had been transmuted to a pillar of gold, infinitely high, but steadily shrinking in width. Where it fell back, the ground was deadened, crackling with a white, reflective light. As it shrunk to a single vertical line, Torion fashioned something of his own. Quickly, he snared Rain and, as the intrusion was pushed out, he pushed on her, sending her through with it.
Light of all colours raced from her body, tearing holes in her skin as it raced towards the wound and into it. He thought he heard her begin to scream but she died in the time it took the signal to travel from brain to mouth.
Horrified, the others turned to him.
He jumped, or tried to. They had already caught him.
Traitor!
Why hadn't he thought this through properly?
Blades of haze lashed at him. He tried to fight them off, but there were too many, and they came from all directions, burning through his shields. He couldn't tunnel out, they help him there. They were killing him.
This time, he knew, he wouldn't make it out of the Lethe.
***
Hammer saw the column wink out, an arc of light flying from the watch tower over to and into the last glimmer of gold. Then there was the sound of a man screaming on the tower. The insect creatures had disappeared with the intrusion, no longer needed, he assumed, and the intruding army now stood motionless, as if all will and motivation had been drained from them.
Sharing smiles with their comrades, he and Rajin turned together and began the ascent back to the village for celebration.
The journey back to the barracks made took them near the monastery, which was oddly quiet.
We should go there. Rajin told him. Rain is gone. I can't feel her.
Chilled, he turned away from the rest of his quarter, walked toward the tower. Above it hung a palpable air of gloom, muffling his footfalls as he approached quiet the crowd. They gave way as he made his sojourn to the stairs. At the top was assembled those he recognised as the core cohort of the pushers. The most powerful of the haze shaping portion of the army.
They huddled around two bodies, one flayed from the outside in - it wasn't anyone Hammer recognised. The other looked as if something inside had tried to escape, or as if a thousand tine explosions had occurred within it. This one was too mangled and bloodied to be recognisable, but he saw the clothes.
“Rain,” he whispered, his limbs going suddenly cold and face flushing. He felt a green sensation in his jaw, a tingling in the muscles at that hinge which held the lower and upper parts together. He turned away and leant over the side of the platform. He puked.
Rajin nuzzled his side, fluffy snout softly bumping his ribs, offering what comfort she could. He had forgotten she was there. She had changed a lot since her arrival.
They all had.
Fuelled by excitement, yet worried about the danger, he snatched up his gear as Rajin came bounding into the room. Some kind of bond meant she seemed to know where he was. They seldom talked, but it felt like they didn't need to. In practice, they had become a team working together as one. If Hammer could see through Rajin's eyes, he would have known that was how she thought of the situation. Two bodies working as one. Filling the gaps in each other's defences,striking together or one defending while the other attacked – sword or claw lashing out while shield blocked or rapid movement distracted. Three or four opponents could not defeat them, unless they were of the old guard, but that was to be expected. Still, a single one of those experienced, battle-forged warriors would still have trouble mock-stabbing them in their combat training.
They were assembling out the front of the barracks and being split into four groups. One would fight for eight hours, two more would relieve them over the twenty four hours of the day. The final group would act as a backup, either running messages, working as reinforcements or supplying those fighting. This was the most difficult job because it was constant hard work and sleep had to be caught in snatches. On the other hand, it was less dangerous as they were farther removed from the fighting. Thus is was made up of the worst warriors. They knew it and resented it. For some reason, the worst were also those who most wanted to be recognised.
Hammer and Rajin were not in that quarter. They were in the first set to fight. Their task, to defend the pushers was important. If they could hold the enemy back now, there was a possibility of closing the gate before it had fully opened. At least, that was how Hammer saw it.
The quarter was made up of primarily of close-combat fighters, but there was a smattering of those who had strange abilities that he considered somewhat magical and fantastic. Some could shoot rays of fire, burning the air to a crisp and striking enemies. Other black shadows could throw what were apparently balls of darkness impressive distances, seeming to negate anything they touched – like an incredibly strong acid that left no residue. These artillery troops were to be at the back, defended by the front lines, while also providing cover for them and watching for any similar things that the enemy would bring against them.
The final type of troop were called skirmishers by the original watchers. They rushed in and out, killing one or two enemies, then retreating to regroup and do the whole thing again. The idea was that they would lose very few soldiers in this group, but they had to be agile.
Hammer was in the section with the heaviest armour; the close-combat fighters. They were geared up with heavy armour. Even Rajin had been fitted with wooden slats that would provide some protection while still allowing her to move freely – it was good to be protected but it was even better to not get hit at all.
They charged down the valley, not well trained enough to march, but as the quarter was split into groups, they managed to maintain their loose formation well enough for each segment to stay together.
They approached the invading enemy, slowing as they lost their breath. Each was identical, and they worked together as if part of a giant body, some insect-like hive mind coordinating them. Each had six legs for movement and two arms, with a body that sat flat above the ground and curled upwards to a tapered head, atop which sat a single eye. A large too-wide mouth sat like a wrinkle at a point that seemed too low on what Hammer assumed was the torso. Thick, stiff hairs hung from all over its body, providing some sort of insulation, or possibly armour.
Hammer attacked.
***
Rajin saw Hammer draw his sword, glowing with the energy of life. He sliced through through the first of the creatures which emitted chaotic, poisonous energies – she would have to do her best to avoid those; they may corrupt her – and the sword glowed brighter, dispelling those chains of argent as simply as waving away silver smoke. The next one swung a powerful limb at Hammer, knocking him to the ground. Rajin jumped at that one, swinging her claws like like daggers, slicing through the thing's hairs like a knife through hot butter. She continued slashing as it reeled, unable to defend against her speed. Then she had cut all the way through it. The entire creature was made of those translucent tubes. Its chaotic energy had stained her hands. She could feel it eating into her. She shoved her hands into the ground, allowing it to seep away.
An inverted black pyramid slammed down into one of the creatures just to her right. She followed the pyramid up and saw it was the tip of an enormous leg of a towering insect. Insect-like thing anyway. It continued forwards, crushing others it encountered, some sort of reaper's blade affixed to the end of arms sprouting from its top scything through invaders.
She saw that silver energy sticking to the thing. Dissolving it slowly. It continued on, even though its legs were quickly shortening. It must have been summoned by one of the hazeshapers, instructed to continue to fight. Her feathers bristled. She would not have fought against her will!
Looking around, she saw there were others of these things, in all different sizes and each having a slightly different configuration of limbs, eyes and body shapes, hundreds of them swarming down upon the aliens. There was no way that these creatures could actually survive or have evolved in this form. They were constructed. Were they doing so badly that the hazeshapers needed to create things to fight?
Looking around, she saw that there was nothing nearby to fight – those enemies nearest had been taken care of already. Hammer was standing now, which was good. They had not been as prepared as she had thought if he could get knocked over so easily.
She pulled her head around to gaze at the gigantic sheet that was the face of the would which faced her. A golden cord was wrapped around it, biting into it sharply, but growing at the same time. She stood transfixed, unable to look away. So much energy!
***
She was preoccupied, wrapping that cord around the intrusion, squeezing it back out. She was powerful, yes, but she couldn't be trusted. She killed him once and she would again.
The cord had thickened into rope, the edges touching. The other hazeshapers had stopped their tasks and were looking in amazement, eyes full of wonder. Torion saw that Rain was fully occupied with the pushing. This was his chance to be rid of her.
The breach had been transmuted to a pillar of gold, infinitely high, but steadily shrinking in width. Where it fell back, the ground was deadened, crackling with a white, reflective light. As it shrunk to a single vertical line, Torion fashioned something of his own. Quickly, he snared Rain and, as the intrusion was pushed out, he pushed on her, sending her through with it.
Light of all colours raced from her body, tearing holes in her skin as it raced towards the wound and into it. He thought he heard her begin to scream but she died in the time it took the signal to travel from brain to mouth.
Horrified, the others turned to him.
He jumped, or tried to. They had already caught him.
Traitor!
Why hadn't he thought this through properly?
Blades of haze lashed at him. He tried to fight them off, but there were too many, and they came from all directions, burning through his shields. He couldn't tunnel out, they help him there. They were killing him.
This time, he knew, he wouldn't make it out of the Lethe.
***
Hammer saw the column wink out, an arc of light flying from the watch tower over to and into the last glimmer of gold. Then there was the sound of a man screaming on the tower. The insect creatures had disappeared with the intrusion, no longer needed, he assumed, and the intruding army now stood motionless, as if all will and motivation had been drained from them.
Sharing smiles with their comrades, he and Rajin turned together and began the ascent back to the village for celebration.
The journey back to the barracks made took them near the monastery, which was oddly quiet.
We should go there. Rajin told him. Rain is gone. I can't feel her.
Chilled, he turned away from the rest of his quarter, walked toward the tower. Above it hung a palpable air of gloom, muffling his footfalls as he approached quiet the crowd. They gave way as he made his sojourn to the stairs. At the top was assembled those he recognised as the core cohort of the pushers. The most powerful of the haze shaping portion of the army.
They huddled around two bodies, one flayed from the outside in - it wasn't anyone Hammer recognised. The other looked as if something inside had tried to escape, or as if a thousand tine explosions had occurred within it. This one was too mangled and bloodied to be recognisable, but he saw the clothes.
“Rain,” he whispered, his limbs going suddenly cold and face flushing. He felt a green sensation in his jaw, a tingling in the muscles at that hinge which held the lower and upper parts together. He turned away and leant over the side of the platform. He puked.
Rajin nuzzled his side, fluffy snout softly bumping his ribs, offering what comfort she could. He had forgotten she was there. She had changed a lot since her arrival.
They all had.
Chapter 46
Three weeks had passed since they arrived. Hammer had begun to replace fat with muscle, and his strength and agility had increased with the difficult training. As his body changed shape, his hardened skin had stretched painfully at points where his muscles grew or buckled where fat shrunk away. Somehow whatever was in his skin had reshaped itself to accommodate the changes.
Even though the time had passed quickly, he felt he was getting the rudiments of sword fighting in place. Unlike the preferred weapons of most of the other people – longswords and greatswords – the shortsword was suitable for closer fighting and faster movement, rather than the slow and exhausting swings employed by the others. Not quite as fast as what the dagger-wielders had, but more powerful, and he could use a shield. He felt that he had the happy medium.
He had become more accustomed to Rajin, and they had begun to work as a sort of team. Despite Rajin clearly being a better fighter – she had the instincts and the speed – she insisted on staying with him in his beginner's squad. He thought that the organisation of people into groups based on their experience was not a good idea because it meant that knowledge wasn't shared as well, but he kept his mouth shut – what did he know about these things? At any rate, Rajin refused to leave his side, and ignored those higher up the ranks. Perhaps it was that she felt safer with him – she had always been a jumpy one. That was probably why she was so aggressive – she feared being attacked so pre-empted others. It had quickly become apparent that if they wanted Rajin in their army, it would be at his side, and for that he was grateful, even though if you had asked him originally he would have laughed at the idea.
He was seeing less and less of Rain, which saddened him lately. Having worked with someone closely for so many years and then to see them drift away was mildly heartbreaking, but she had her new friends to share time with. He still saw her occasionally.
***
Rain had not seen Torion again. She was not even sure that she had seen him the first time. It could have been a dream, brought on by the stress of the recent events. It wasn't possible for him to be here. He was dead and his corpse had been destroyed, consumed by that creature she had created. She went to see Hammer and Rajin on a daily basis, and was beginning to get to know the other Pushers, although they were still distant. Hammer and Rajin were growing closer, she could tell that easily enough, while growing further from her. Soon, she expected, Hammer would be a stranger – he was spending too much time wrapped up in his new soldiering world to spend much time with her. They both were spending too much time working. Still, she missed him, and she had grown to like Rajin too. That was why she went to see them.
On the twenty second day after arrival, she shuddered uncontrollably, felt a squeezing pressure on her mind which passed in a second. Moments later, a loud horn echoed over the war camp, the call to arms. It had begun.
She rushed to the platform, but by the time she arrived, it was already full. Those at the top were murmuring, then went silent. She looked towards the breach anyway, but this time there was not a single column; there were three columns stretching infinitely high, tearing a jagged gap in the clouds above, making the ground seethe and melt where they touched it, liquefying and refreezing from moment to moment, as the rules holding this place together were broken down in that area.
The columns formed an equilateral triangle, with sides around one hundred paces long, and they sent out tendrils; thin tentacles which touched and formed a wall. Or a gate of some sort. This was a gateway like the ones she made between realms, but this was different; this was a gateway between spheres of realms. Between that set which made up Garon and that which made up Cennon. As the gateway manifested itself, hardening into something real, the pushers above her began their work at trying to drive it back, fencing it off with shields of Haze, driving them in towards it. Its progress slowed as it was covered in plates, bars and cords that tangled it up, trying to crush it. It slowed but did not stop, and soon the strange shapes and phantasmal lights which had become visible within began to pour out.
The pushers on the tower were not enough! She steeled herself, and reached for the Haze, drawing power from the void. It was difficult to reach, like trying to see something through thick fog, but once she had it, something helped her. This wasn't painful; it was almost pleasurable. She felt like she was doing what she was made for. She threw back her head and laughed, lost in the moment. Haze flowed into her, Haze, Shar and some other energy she hadn't felt before. Something coming from... where? From inside her? Wherever it came from, she fashioned all three together to create the insects she had created before, those she had come to regard as her signature creatures. Just like before, but this time she made them different sizes, from the size she had created on the ferry all those weeks ago to the colossal, knees reaching five or six storeys into the air, swordblade arms stretching up higher.
They shimmered in form somewhere, already racing towards the rift, cutting down anything that got in their way. This was incredible! She felt so alive. And she could still do more!
Grinning maniacally, she pulled more haze through. She couldn't use Shar for this. She didn't know how she knew that, but she knew it for truth. She couldn't use Shar, but that other force, she could use that.
She mixed it with Haze, and formed it into a long rope, coiling it around the pillar where realities bled into each other, wrapped it around and around, stretching it heavenwards and down into the earth. Further up and further down, and eventually the ends touched. Somehow, going far enough in one direction brought her back to the start.
She pushed more power into the coil, strengthening it.
Then she squeezed.
Even though the time had passed quickly, he felt he was getting the rudiments of sword fighting in place. Unlike the preferred weapons of most of the other people – longswords and greatswords – the shortsword was suitable for closer fighting and faster movement, rather than the slow and exhausting swings employed by the others. Not quite as fast as what the dagger-wielders had, but more powerful, and he could use a shield. He felt that he had the happy medium.
He had become more accustomed to Rajin, and they had begun to work as a sort of team. Despite Rajin clearly being a better fighter – she had the instincts and the speed – she insisted on staying with him in his beginner's squad. He thought that the organisation of people into groups based on their experience was not a good idea because it meant that knowledge wasn't shared as well, but he kept his mouth shut – what did he know about these things? At any rate, Rajin refused to leave his side, and ignored those higher up the ranks. Perhaps it was that she felt safer with him – she had always been a jumpy one. That was probably why she was so aggressive – she feared being attacked so pre-empted others. It had quickly become apparent that if they wanted Rajin in their army, it would be at his side, and for that he was grateful, even though if you had asked him originally he would have laughed at the idea.
He was seeing less and less of Rain, which saddened him lately. Having worked with someone closely for so many years and then to see them drift away was mildly heartbreaking, but she had her new friends to share time with. He still saw her occasionally.
***
Rain had not seen Torion again. She was not even sure that she had seen him the first time. It could have been a dream, brought on by the stress of the recent events. It wasn't possible for him to be here. He was dead and his corpse had been destroyed, consumed by that creature she had created. She went to see Hammer and Rajin on a daily basis, and was beginning to get to know the other Pushers, although they were still distant. Hammer and Rajin were growing closer, she could tell that easily enough, while growing further from her. Soon, she expected, Hammer would be a stranger – he was spending too much time wrapped up in his new soldiering world to spend much time with her. They both were spending too much time working. Still, she missed him, and she had grown to like Rajin too. That was why she went to see them.
On the twenty second day after arrival, she shuddered uncontrollably, felt a squeezing pressure on her mind which passed in a second. Moments later, a loud horn echoed over the war camp, the call to arms. It had begun.
She rushed to the platform, but by the time she arrived, it was already full. Those at the top were murmuring, then went silent. She looked towards the breach anyway, but this time there was not a single column; there were three columns stretching infinitely high, tearing a jagged gap in the clouds above, making the ground seethe and melt where they touched it, liquefying and refreezing from moment to moment, as the rules holding this place together were broken down in that area.
The columns formed an equilateral triangle, with sides around one hundred paces long, and they sent out tendrils; thin tentacles which touched and formed a wall. Or a gate of some sort. This was a gateway like the ones she made between realms, but this was different; this was a gateway between spheres of realms. Between that set which made up Garon and that which made up Cennon. As the gateway manifested itself, hardening into something real, the pushers above her began their work at trying to drive it back, fencing it off with shields of Haze, driving them in towards it. Its progress slowed as it was covered in plates, bars and cords that tangled it up, trying to crush it. It slowed but did not stop, and soon the strange shapes and phantasmal lights which had become visible within began to pour out.
The pushers on the tower were not enough! She steeled herself, and reached for the Haze, drawing power from the void. It was difficult to reach, like trying to see something through thick fog, but once she had it, something helped her. This wasn't painful; it was almost pleasurable. She felt like she was doing what she was made for. She threw back her head and laughed, lost in the moment. Haze flowed into her, Haze, Shar and some other energy she hadn't felt before. Something coming from... where? From inside her? Wherever it came from, she fashioned all three together to create the insects she had created before, those she had come to regard as her signature creatures. Just like before, but this time she made them different sizes, from the size she had created on the ferry all those weeks ago to the colossal, knees reaching five or six storeys into the air, swordblade arms stretching up higher.
They shimmered in form somewhere, already racing towards the rift, cutting down anything that got in their way. This was incredible! She felt so alive. And she could still do more!
Grinning maniacally, she pulled more haze through. She couldn't use Shar for this. She didn't know how she knew that, but she knew it for truth. She couldn't use Shar, but that other force, she could use that.
She mixed it with Haze, and formed it into a long rope, coiling it around the pillar where realities bled into each other, wrapped it around and around, stretching it heavenwards and down into the earth. Further up and further down, and eventually the ends touched. Somehow, going far enough in one direction brought her back to the start.
She pushed more power into the coil, strengthening it.
Then she squeezed.
Chapter 45
Torion walked into the dormitory, full of pathetic sleeping aspirants. These people from his home world were pathetic. They could barely touch the Hazewall at all, and the largest hole most of them could create was too small to do anything with. Sure, there were a lot of them, but even working together, they were unlikely to be equal to more than one regular hazeshaper.
His footsteps must have woken someone sleeping in the bedroom. That someone stood and saw him, their face turning deathly pale. Did he recognise this person? He couldn't tell for certain. Then suddenly, it struck him, like a hammer to the face. It was Rain!
He stood motionless for a second, unsure what to do. Should he attack? Would she attack? She was standing similarly motionless, no doubt wandering how he had risen. This was a perfect opportunity. He raised his hands and unleashed a torrent of burning Haze. At least, he tried to. He couldn't touch the Hazewall. He had been using it all day, but now he could do nothing! He tried again, but something blocked him. Something almost physical, that felt like his own work. Frustrated and worried, he fled the room.
What had that been? He tried again outside the room where Rain was, just to draw forth a little Haze. Enough for a drop of water. He had no problems doing that, he filled his cupped palms with water just to be sure. Yes, it was fine.
His blood ran cold. Had Rain stopped him from channelling the Haze? He had never thought of that before, but she was incredibly powerful. Had he underestimated her experience? He would have to watch out. She could kill him at any time, again, but if she was so powerful and she had wanted to she would have done so by now. Still, it wasn't worth trying to sleep there. He went off to find somewhere else to rest his head.
When he eventually decided that he should just leave, regardless of what Marrow Tend had said, he found that block in the way again. Sick with worry for his life and with worry that the power he had depended on all this time was failing, he was unable to sleep very well at all that night.
His footsteps must have woken someone sleeping in the bedroom. That someone stood and saw him, their face turning deathly pale. Did he recognise this person? He couldn't tell for certain. Then suddenly, it struck him, like a hammer to the face. It was Rain!
He stood motionless for a second, unsure what to do. Should he attack? Would she attack? She was standing similarly motionless, no doubt wandering how he had risen. This was a perfect opportunity. He raised his hands and unleashed a torrent of burning Haze. At least, he tried to. He couldn't touch the Hazewall. He had been using it all day, but now he could do nothing! He tried again, but something blocked him. Something almost physical, that felt like his own work. Frustrated and worried, he fled the room.
What had that been? He tried again outside the room where Rain was, just to draw forth a little Haze. Enough for a drop of water. He had no problems doing that, he filled his cupped palms with water just to be sure. Yes, it was fine.
His blood ran cold. Had Rain stopped him from channelling the Haze? He had never thought of that before, but she was incredibly powerful. Had he underestimated her experience? He would have to watch out. She could kill him at any time, again, but if she was so powerful and she had wanted to she would have done so by now. Still, it wasn't worth trying to sleep there. He went off to find somewhere else to rest his head.
When he eventually decided that he should just leave, regardless of what Marrow Tend had said, he found that block in the way again. Sick with worry for his life and with worry that the power he had depended on all this time was failing, he was unable to sleep very well at all that night.
Chapter 44
Rajin loped after Hammer and Avan Nerovast as the proceeded further into the village. She had tried to be as submissive as possible to Hammer, though it was understandable he was still annoyed. She was grateful he hadn't tried to kill her and didn't seem likely, but she had to stay alert just in case. She was similarly baffled by Avan Nerovast. Why did he not try to retaliate from what should have been a killing blow? Should she ask him? Was it something to do with this cooperation that they did in these other places? He hadn't killed her yet.
She directed a thought to both of them. Why haven't you killed me yet?
They both stopped simultaneously, though perhaps Avan was slightly faster.
Hammer was the first to speak.
“I don't enjoy killing. The idea sickens me.”
Avan followed up.
“Killing unnecessarily is a waste. Also, killing something sentient is generally avoided, most places have a golden rule that you shouldn't do something to others that they wouldn't want you to. This includes killing them, and applies even if the other party doesn't abide by that rule. There are, of course, exceptions, but you aren't threatening enough for either of us to worry about.”
Avan resumed walking, and they followed as if drawn magnetically. Rajin didn't know what else to do. Intrigued by this idea of considering others' needs, she asked the next question that occurred to her.
What about killing for food?
Without turning, Avan replied.
“Would you like to be killed for food? I can oblige if you like. There are plenty of hungry mouths here.”
That shut Rajin up. If she had been level with Hammer, she would have seen a slight grin on his face at that.
***
Hammer was annoyed at Rajin. Why hadn't he killed it yet? Because Rain had asked for temperance, that was why. Possibly also because he thought the sword would object to that. He didn't know why or how, but that lump of wood seemed to have a mind of its own. He had killed those priests in the temple, and although it seemed ages ago, it was only a little while. He was shaken up by the event, but didn't think he handled it too poorly. He could do it again if necessary.
They arrived at what appeared to be a barracks, and Avan hailed down a main in full plate mail armour, made of bronze, rather than steel as Hammer sort of expected. His sword and shield were similarly coloured, without a hint of green to mark oxidation – he kept his equipment well oiled.
“Kamron,” Avan said, “two new recruits.”
The man looked up, face covered in scars and pock marks.
“Are they better than the last mob?”
Avan paused, considering. “Slightly. They have some minor experience. Hammer here has at least killed, and you'll find him resistant do damage, provided you keep him well fed. Rajin is quick and may have some minor ability to work with Haze.”
Kamron grunted. “Which is which?”
“Hammer is the humanoid, Rajin is the Sauroid.”
“Well, let's take a look at you.”
Kamron looked them up and down, and prodded Hammer's skin in curiosity. “What's with your skin? It's glassy.”
“I'm not sure, sir. Something Avan did.” He behaved like the thought people in the army were supposed to. It seemed to work because Kamron moved to Rajin then.
“Swift he said?”
He swung his scabbarded sword at Rajin, who ducked it easily, then, reflexes kicking in, she lunged at Kamron, bowling him over. She raised a claw to strike, but stopped it a hairsbreadth from his throat.
All that Hammer saw was a blur. The sword had been difficult to track, but Rajin was insanely fast. Both he and Kamron were staring at Rajin.
“Avan was right,” Kamron said, “you're no Sharok, but you're still quick.”
A half second passed, then Kamron spoke again. Rajin must have spoken directly to him.
“Because I could see what you were doing, that's how I know you aren't as fast!” Kamron had laughter in his eyes.
“It's interesting that Sharok and Jason are both missing, and you two arrive, together, with similar, if lesser, abilities.” He mused. “Ah, well. Let's get you fitted with armour. We'll begin training in the morning.”
They were measured and sent off to sleep. Rajin preferred to sleep outside, so that's where she went. Hammer was given a simple sheath for his sword; two flat pieces of wood were placed on either side of the blade, then the whole thing as bound with twine. Finally, a hot black substance was poured onto the outside of the twine, which he was told would harden overnight. He was told to leave his sword sheathed until morning.
She directed a thought to both of them. Why haven't you killed me yet?
They both stopped simultaneously, though perhaps Avan was slightly faster.
Hammer was the first to speak.
“I don't enjoy killing. The idea sickens me.”
Avan followed up.
“Killing unnecessarily is a waste. Also, killing something sentient is generally avoided, most places have a golden rule that you shouldn't do something to others that they wouldn't want you to. This includes killing them, and applies even if the other party doesn't abide by that rule. There are, of course, exceptions, but you aren't threatening enough for either of us to worry about.”
Avan resumed walking, and they followed as if drawn magnetically. Rajin didn't know what else to do. Intrigued by this idea of considering others' needs, she asked the next question that occurred to her.
What about killing for food?
Without turning, Avan replied.
“Would you like to be killed for food? I can oblige if you like. There are plenty of hungry mouths here.”
That shut Rajin up. If she had been level with Hammer, she would have seen a slight grin on his face at that.
***
Hammer was annoyed at Rajin. Why hadn't he killed it yet? Because Rain had asked for temperance, that was why. Possibly also because he thought the sword would object to that. He didn't know why or how, but that lump of wood seemed to have a mind of its own. He had killed those priests in the temple, and although it seemed ages ago, it was only a little while. He was shaken up by the event, but didn't think he handled it too poorly. He could do it again if necessary.
They arrived at what appeared to be a barracks, and Avan hailed down a main in full plate mail armour, made of bronze, rather than steel as Hammer sort of expected. His sword and shield were similarly coloured, without a hint of green to mark oxidation – he kept his equipment well oiled.
“Kamron,” Avan said, “two new recruits.”
The man looked up, face covered in scars and pock marks.
“Are they better than the last mob?”
Avan paused, considering. “Slightly. They have some minor experience. Hammer here has at least killed, and you'll find him resistant do damage, provided you keep him well fed. Rajin is quick and may have some minor ability to work with Haze.”
Kamron grunted. “Which is which?”
“Hammer is the humanoid, Rajin is the Sauroid.”
“Well, let's take a look at you.”
Kamron looked them up and down, and prodded Hammer's skin in curiosity. “What's with your skin? It's glassy.”
“I'm not sure, sir. Something Avan did.” He behaved like the thought people in the army were supposed to. It seemed to work because Kamron moved to Rajin then.
“Swift he said?”
He swung his scabbarded sword at Rajin, who ducked it easily, then, reflexes kicking in, she lunged at Kamron, bowling him over. She raised a claw to strike, but stopped it a hairsbreadth from his throat.
All that Hammer saw was a blur. The sword had been difficult to track, but Rajin was insanely fast. Both he and Kamron were staring at Rajin.
“Avan was right,” Kamron said, “you're no Sharok, but you're still quick.”
A half second passed, then Kamron spoke again. Rajin must have spoken directly to him.
“Because I could see what you were doing, that's how I know you aren't as fast!” Kamron had laughter in his eyes.
“It's interesting that Sharok and Jason are both missing, and you two arrive, together, with similar, if lesser, abilities.” He mused. “Ah, well. Let's get you fitted with armour. We'll begin training in the morning.”
They were measured and sent off to sleep. Rajin preferred to sleep outside, so that's where she went. Hammer was given a simple sheath for his sword; two flat pieces of wood were placed on either side of the blade, then the whole thing as bound with twine. Finally, a hot black substance was poured onto the outside of the twine, which he was told would harden overnight. He was told to leave his sword sheathed until morning.
Chapter 43
Rain was suspicious of Avan's intentions. Was he trying to rope her into another fish-brained scheme to “save the world” or some such? Most likely. It would also most likely put her and Hammer's life at risk again.
Rain remembered that Garon had asked her for help. That tangled ball of realms interacting in such a way as to send a message to her, showing her that they were under attack. How would they stop that? Was she just an agent of Garon? A single cell in a huge organism floating through some shadowy void? It was beginning to seem that way.
She followed Rajin through the tunnel, who was eager on Avan's heels. Hammer followed behind all of them, still grasping that shiny wooden sword, still with that pained looked of hunger on his face. Did he really have a craving for sand?
The first thing she noticed as they stepped out was how this place seemed warped. There was the regular directional pull that she noticed earlier, as if a slight but insistent wind blew across the landscape, apply just that little bit of force to make everything pull westwards, but that wasn't what drew her immediate attention.
There was a pillar of damaged reality rising up from the ground into the infinity of space above. It wouldn't be visible to anyone who couldn't shape haze, but it had the look of a fresh cut, the knife having just been removed and the blood only just beginning to scab over. A wound that was beginning to heal. This had a different feel to the one that Tera had caused. That one had felt like a hole. The comparison was the difference between being bitten by a mosquito and being cut by Hammer's sword. The blade, or whatever had intruded had been withdrawn, or pushed back, more likely. Avan was right and this was what Garon had shown her. And she had to fix it.
She turned to Hammer. The look on her face, wide-eyed, torn, must have prompted him.
“We're going to do it, aren't we.” It was a statement, not a question, but she nodded anyway. Beside them Avan smiled sadly.
“I'm sorry to have to show you this, but I hope you can see why. I think that being forced to trap Tera and find someone to release him was part of the lead up to this.”
What did he mean by that? Did Garon force people to do things? Or was Garon the product of all its constituent parts? She didn't understand.
“What, exactly, is Garon?” She was still looking at the point of the breach, unsettled, but she could feel Hammer watching her and see Rajin's tail swaying slowly from side to side as she looked at different things in the camp they had arrived at.
“That's an interesting question, and the short answer is 'I don't know.' Though I have some theories.”
She turned to look at the ancient man and kept staring until he continued.
“At first I thought of Garon as an ant colony. Ant colonies have thousands of ants which work together to get things done. They can accomplish some pretty intelligent things by cooperating, as I'm sure you know. No ant is smart enough to understand everything that's happening on the ant colony, but they all follow simple instructions, instinctual behaviours, to achieve their goals.
“Slowly I came to the realisation that some ants – yes, here I'm using ants as a metaphor for people, please excuse the comparison – some ants were occasionally pushed to do things they usually wouldn't. These things typically are very important, I expect you would have experienced a lot of this over the past few days. This leads me to believe that there is some central will somewhere which is augmented with the interplay between the rest of the, for want of better terminology, body.
“But that is still inaccurate, because Garon seems to also act through the ants, for example, mounting defences again invading colonies.
“There is another reason the ant metaphor is poor is that if you took all the people on one planet, such as yours, you would have sufficient people for a whole bunch of ant colonies. But then look at your realm. How many planets are there in there? You'll never be able to see them all, and many of them have life of their own living on them. I know because I've been there. There are even bubbles of what could be termed life living in the fires of stars. Then consider how many individual realms there are. Granted, some of them are smaller than yours, others larger, but there are dozens of core realms, and then countless child realms.
“The ant colony metaphor doesn't describe the sheer computing power that Garon has.
“Then there are beings like Cennon. I only discovered that they could exist when it attacked! I don't know how to get rid of it for good. Imagine if it is like Garon, which is probably is. Does the interaction of Garon and Cennon contribute to the mind of some greater being?
“What is Garon? I don't know, but what I do know is that if Garon dies, so do we.”
She was a little taken aback at Avan's seeming anger. It was clearly not directed at her, rather at his own frustration with his understanding and lack of knowledge. He had clearly mulled over this for a long time, to no avail. From the sounds of things, he understood the workings of a great many things.
“Okay, I can't speak for Rajin, but I guess we have to help. I should never have come to look.”
“I'll take care of Rajin. Rain, could you go to the monastery, over there. Ask someone to help you out when you get there; I'm not sure who's in charge. Hammer and Rajin, could you come with me?”
She watched the three walking off. Hammer gave her a small wave and an uncertain smile. Suddenly, she was alone in an unfamiliar place, and she felt it.
She made her way to the monastery. It was about five hundred metres from the village proper, where they had arrived, and she used a funny looking tower, which Avan had pointed to, as her guide. She assumed that was her target.
Wood smoke filled her nostrils and she almost pleasant scent of herbivorous animal dung. Almost pleasant in the sense that it was not as disgusting as a carnivore's dung. There were creatures a work hauling logs around to construct some kind of fence or wall. They were like the one Avan had shown her – Furgin, if she remembered correctly. What had he called them? Mules, that was the word. These things were mules.
She walked further in. For what appeared to be the makings of a war camp, security looked rather lax.
She took a closer look at the people working here. They all appeared a little odd. This one was a little elongated, thin with limbs that were slightly too long and a face resembling that of these mule things. Perhaps it was part mule. The thought made her giggle a little. Another one had an extra pair of arms. She saw that some of the creatures she had taken for animals before were actually helping out just as much the more humanoid there. Like Rajin, she mused, these creatures have come from somewhere else. Perhaps all of these people have come from elsewhere to help push back Cennon. Were they all like her? Could they all shape haze?
What appeared to be a solidified shadow popped into existence beside the monastery, nearby shadows deepening in response for a heartbeat. Vaguely humanoid, but difficult to focus on. Arms hung down almost to the feet, and curved slightly inwards. Rain could tell the fingers ended in hard, straight claw-like nails. The shadows flickered again, and the thing was suddenly facing towards her, but she didn't see it turn, and the cloak it wore was perfectly still. A second later it was right in front of her, within talking distance. And she nearly jumped out of her skin.
“I am Cado.” It said bluntly in a metallic, yet clearly feminine voice. “Who are you?”
She was a little taken aback by the rude quality of this stranger's tone. After a second she realised the perhaps that was just how this particular sort of creature was. It was waiting for a response.
“Rain,” she said when she realised. A little flustered, she continued, “sorry, I'm new.”
“Don't apologise. Your newness is obvious. Come.” Cado floated away in a succession of jumps, sending shadows skittering around the clearing surrounding the monastery.
Rain had to remind herself that this creature probably didn't understand the customs and mores she was used to. Still, she bristled with annoyance. She hoped this person would be put in charge of her. Actually, she hoped no-one would be put in charge of her. Although she didn't have a problem with authority, that didn't mean she liked being told what to do. Hammer didn't mind, be she preferred to make up her own mind.
How was Cado moving? She clearly wasn't walking, and she seemed to be moving those many tiny distances as an affordance to Rain, but it would be nice to know how she did that. In fact, maybe that was the only way Cado could move. Perhaps it was as natural as walking was to her. Were those longer jumps similar to running? Was that why her voice sounded artificial? It was created by digital movements, rather than the smooth analogue movements that she was used to?
She wondered if she could do that too. Perhaps she would try it some time, for now she hurried off after the dark apparition.
Cado led her into the monastery proper, which, to her eyes accustomed to buildings of colossal scale seemed rather modest in size. Beyond the entrance hall was the cloister, and it was to the watch tower she had seen earlier that she was guided.
The tower stood in one corner of the cloister, and measured ten by ten meters, reaching four storeys high, and was constructed entirely of wood. Stacked tree trunks made up the walls, sliced in half longwise and held together an inner framework of crossed diagonal beams. It was clearly newer than the rest of the monastery, which, despite well maintained, showed signs of having been built in the distant past.
The staircase lead to the top, which was little more than a covered timber platform, the roof angled so that water would flow off. It was sealed with a black tarry substance which could have once been another colour.
On the platform was a group large enough to almost fill it. Rain realised that the platform was slanted slightly so that if everyone was the same height, they could stand shoulder to shoulder and behind each other to get a good view of the column she had seen earlier.
“These are the new Pushers,” Cado told her softly, “a Pusher's task is to push back on Cennon when it tries to enter. Last time Cennon attacked, we pushed hard enough to drive it back. It has taken Cennon hundred of thousands of years to catch up again. We have a higher number of defenders now, but we don't know if Cennon will push harder having been rebuffed. It's already tested the waters, but was driven back by Plarit, who is now in a deep sleep, exhausted. Plarit is the de-facto leader of the Pushers, but I am filling in until he recovers.”
Rain was paying close attention. She had been right about what she needed to do. Push Cennon back. But how?
“How do we push?”
“You push by gathering Haze and forming a sort of a shield. Then you use that shield to push Cennon back. It's possible to do that from anywhere, but this is where Cennon is closest, so most find it easier to focus on that line. Even for the more experienced of us, that is more effective because less Haze is wasted traversing the distance.
“Cennon will try to stop us from pushing back and will send creatures in to attack us. Our job is not to stop them; that's the warriors' job. A few of us are designated to drive the creatures off should they get too close, but generally we focus on the breach.”
“So, you'll be pushing also?”
“Definitely. Now I must go.”
“Wait! What should I do?”
Cado winked out of existence without voicing a response, the shadows responding to her passing with a flurry of movement.
The sky was beginning to grow dark, the glow from those clouds fading slowly, and Rain was not in the mood to meet people. She went back downstairs to the monastery proper, and searched around for somewhere to sleep.
She stumbled across a large dormitory laid out with beds. Those nearest the door were a little messed up and most had items on them, staking a claim. She hadn't thought to bring anything of her own, not even something to eat. She had been planning on looking then leaving. She found an unclaimed bed near the back of the room and slept.
Rain remembered that Garon had asked her for help. That tangled ball of realms interacting in such a way as to send a message to her, showing her that they were under attack. How would they stop that? Was she just an agent of Garon? A single cell in a huge organism floating through some shadowy void? It was beginning to seem that way.
She followed Rajin through the tunnel, who was eager on Avan's heels. Hammer followed behind all of them, still grasping that shiny wooden sword, still with that pained looked of hunger on his face. Did he really have a craving for sand?
The first thing she noticed as they stepped out was how this place seemed warped. There was the regular directional pull that she noticed earlier, as if a slight but insistent wind blew across the landscape, apply just that little bit of force to make everything pull westwards, but that wasn't what drew her immediate attention.
There was a pillar of damaged reality rising up from the ground into the infinity of space above. It wouldn't be visible to anyone who couldn't shape haze, but it had the look of a fresh cut, the knife having just been removed and the blood only just beginning to scab over. A wound that was beginning to heal. This had a different feel to the one that Tera had caused. That one had felt like a hole. The comparison was the difference between being bitten by a mosquito and being cut by Hammer's sword. The blade, or whatever had intruded had been withdrawn, or pushed back, more likely. Avan was right and this was what Garon had shown her. And she had to fix it.
She turned to Hammer. The look on her face, wide-eyed, torn, must have prompted him.
“We're going to do it, aren't we.” It was a statement, not a question, but she nodded anyway. Beside them Avan smiled sadly.
“I'm sorry to have to show you this, but I hope you can see why. I think that being forced to trap Tera and find someone to release him was part of the lead up to this.”
What did he mean by that? Did Garon force people to do things? Or was Garon the product of all its constituent parts? She didn't understand.
“What, exactly, is Garon?” She was still looking at the point of the breach, unsettled, but she could feel Hammer watching her and see Rajin's tail swaying slowly from side to side as she looked at different things in the camp they had arrived at.
“That's an interesting question, and the short answer is 'I don't know.' Though I have some theories.”
She turned to look at the ancient man and kept staring until he continued.
“At first I thought of Garon as an ant colony. Ant colonies have thousands of ants which work together to get things done. They can accomplish some pretty intelligent things by cooperating, as I'm sure you know. No ant is smart enough to understand everything that's happening on the ant colony, but they all follow simple instructions, instinctual behaviours, to achieve their goals.
“Slowly I came to the realisation that some ants – yes, here I'm using ants as a metaphor for people, please excuse the comparison – some ants were occasionally pushed to do things they usually wouldn't. These things typically are very important, I expect you would have experienced a lot of this over the past few days. This leads me to believe that there is some central will somewhere which is augmented with the interplay between the rest of the, for want of better terminology, body.
“But that is still inaccurate, because Garon seems to also act through the ants, for example, mounting defences again invading colonies.
“There is another reason the ant metaphor is poor is that if you took all the people on one planet, such as yours, you would have sufficient people for a whole bunch of ant colonies. But then look at your realm. How many planets are there in there? You'll never be able to see them all, and many of them have life of their own living on them. I know because I've been there. There are even bubbles of what could be termed life living in the fires of stars. Then consider how many individual realms there are. Granted, some of them are smaller than yours, others larger, but there are dozens of core realms, and then countless child realms.
“The ant colony metaphor doesn't describe the sheer computing power that Garon has.
“Then there are beings like Cennon. I only discovered that they could exist when it attacked! I don't know how to get rid of it for good. Imagine if it is like Garon, which is probably is. Does the interaction of Garon and Cennon contribute to the mind of some greater being?
“What is Garon? I don't know, but what I do know is that if Garon dies, so do we.”
She was a little taken aback at Avan's seeming anger. It was clearly not directed at her, rather at his own frustration with his understanding and lack of knowledge. He had clearly mulled over this for a long time, to no avail. From the sounds of things, he understood the workings of a great many things.
“Okay, I can't speak for Rajin, but I guess we have to help. I should never have come to look.”
“I'll take care of Rajin. Rain, could you go to the monastery, over there. Ask someone to help you out when you get there; I'm not sure who's in charge. Hammer and Rajin, could you come with me?”
She watched the three walking off. Hammer gave her a small wave and an uncertain smile. Suddenly, she was alone in an unfamiliar place, and she felt it.
She made her way to the monastery. It was about five hundred metres from the village proper, where they had arrived, and she used a funny looking tower, which Avan had pointed to, as her guide. She assumed that was her target.
Wood smoke filled her nostrils and she almost pleasant scent of herbivorous animal dung. Almost pleasant in the sense that it was not as disgusting as a carnivore's dung. There were creatures a work hauling logs around to construct some kind of fence or wall. They were like the one Avan had shown her – Furgin, if she remembered correctly. What had he called them? Mules, that was the word. These things were mules.
She walked further in. For what appeared to be the makings of a war camp, security looked rather lax.
She took a closer look at the people working here. They all appeared a little odd. This one was a little elongated, thin with limbs that were slightly too long and a face resembling that of these mule things. Perhaps it was part mule. The thought made her giggle a little. Another one had an extra pair of arms. She saw that some of the creatures she had taken for animals before were actually helping out just as much the more humanoid there. Like Rajin, she mused, these creatures have come from somewhere else. Perhaps all of these people have come from elsewhere to help push back Cennon. Were they all like her? Could they all shape haze?
What appeared to be a solidified shadow popped into existence beside the monastery, nearby shadows deepening in response for a heartbeat. Vaguely humanoid, but difficult to focus on. Arms hung down almost to the feet, and curved slightly inwards. Rain could tell the fingers ended in hard, straight claw-like nails. The shadows flickered again, and the thing was suddenly facing towards her, but she didn't see it turn, and the cloak it wore was perfectly still. A second later it was right in front of her, within talking distance. And she nearly jumped out of her skin.
“I am Cado.” It said bluntly in a metallic, yet clearly feminine voice. “Who are you?”
She was a little taken aback by the rude quality of this stranger's tone. After a second she realised the perhaps that was just how this particular sort of creature was. It was waiting for a response.
“Rain,” she said when she realised. A little flustered, she continued, “sorry, I'm new.”
“Don't apologise. Your newness is obvious. Come.” Cado floated away in a succession of jumps, sending shadows skittering around the clearing surrounding the monastery.
Rain had to remind herself that this creature probably didn't understand the customs and mores she was used to. Still, she bristled with annoyance. She hoped this person would be put in charge of her. Actually, she hoped no-one would be put in charge of her. Although she didn't have a problem with authority, that didn't mean she liked being told what to do. Hammer didn't mind, be she preferred to make up her own mind.
How was Cado moving? She clearly wasn't walking, and she seemed to be moving those many tiny distances as an affordance to Rain, but it would be nice to know how she did that. In fact, maybe that was the only way Cado could move. Perhaps it was as natural as walking was to her. Were those longer jumps similar to running? Was that why her voice sounded artificial? It was created by digital movements, rather than the smooth analogue movements that she was used to?
She wondered if she could do that too. Perhaps she would try it some time, for now she hurried off after the dark apparition.
Cado led her into the monastery proper, which, to her eyes accustomed to buildings of colossal scale seemed rather modest in size. Beyond the entrance hall was the cloister, and it was to the watch tower she had seen earlier that she was guided.
The tower stood in one corner of the cloister, and measured ten by ten meters, reaching four storeys high, and was constructed entirely of wood. Stacked tree trunks made up the walls, sliced in half longwise and held together an inner framework of crossed diagonal beams. It was clearly newer than the rest of the monastery, which, despite well maintained, showed signs of having been built in the distant past.
The staircase lead to the top, which was little more than a covered timber platform, the roof angled so that water would flow off. It was sealed with a black tarry substance which could have once been another colour.
On the platform was a group large enough to almost fill it. Rain realised that the platform was slanted slightly so that if everyone was the same height, they could stand shoulder to shoulder and behind each other to get a good view of the column she had seen earlier.
“These are the new Pushers,” Cado told her softly, “a Pusher's task is to push back on Cennon when it tries to enter. Last time Cennon attacked, we pushed hard enough to drive it back. It has taken Cennon hundred of thousands of years to catch up again. We have a higher number of defenders now, but we don't know if Cennon will push harder having been rebuffed. It's already tested the waters, but was driven back by Plarit, who is now in a deep sleep, exhausted. Plarit is the de-facto leader of the Pushers, but I am filling in until he recovers.”
Rain was paying close attention. She had been right about what she needed to do. Push Cennon back. But how?
“How do we push?”
“You push by gathering Haze and forming a sort of a shield. Then you use that shield to push Cennon back. It's possible to do that from anywhere, but this is where Cennon is closest, so most find it easier to focus on that line. Even for the more experienced of us, that is more effective because less Haze is wasted traversing the distance.
“Cennon will try to stop us from pushing back and will send creatures in to attack us. Our job is not to stop them; that's the warriors' job. A few of us are designated to drive the creatures off should they get too close, but generally we focus on the breach.”
“So, you'll be pushing also?”
“Definitely. Now I must go.”
“Wait! What should I do?”
Cado winked out of existence without voicing a response, the shadows responding to her passing with a flurry of movement.
The sky was beginning to grow dark, the glow from those clouds fading slowly, and Rain was not in the mood to meet people. She went back downstairs to the monastery proper, and searched around for somewhere to sleep.
She stumbled across a large dormitory laid out with beds. Those nearest the door were a little messed up and most had items on them, staking a claim. She hadn't thought to bring anything of her own, not even something to eat. She had been planning on looking then leaving. She found an unclaimed bed near the back of the room and slept.
Chapter 42
When Avan awoke, he did not seek out Marrow Tend. There was no point in saying goodbye; they understood each other well enough. He had told two of the Nul about what was happening. They would each tell two others who did not know, until all of them had been notified.
Feeling refreshed, he returned to Lor-Neron Alarast so he could send his new followers through to Image Valley.
Most were waiting for him, jittery with nerves. Some had fled, or were perhaps still gathering equipment. Those who fled would spread the word, perhaps shaking from the cracks any hazeshapers who heard.
“Is this everyone who is willing?” He asked the nearest priest. Soldier. They weren't priests any longer.
“My Lord, no. There are others still gathering supplies.”
“What are you going then? Go help them!” He looked around the room. There wasn't much in the way of supplies. It was likely that most of their supplies had vanished into the ravenous mouths of the sinistrals. “Wait. A better idea is to get them to stop and come back! Things are getting urgent!”
Those in the room clambered up, stumbling over each other in the mixed fear, obligation and eagerness that made up their devotion.
Avan opened a tunnel to the town of image in Image Valley. He pieced together a rudimentary wagon to carry the goods. He would need something to pull it. He considered piecing together a mulish animal, but he remembered he had one already - Furgin! He opened a second tunnel to wherever the beast was located. Still the mudflats, he hadn't wandered far then. He pulled the stupid animal through. It was chewing on a crab, of all things, the scratching sound of teeth on shell like nails on a chalkboard. Well, he would be finished soon.
He hitched Furgin up to the wagon and began loading it with the supplies. Not long after he started loading the wagon, the soldiers began reappearing. A few helped load the wagon, but most hung back, unsure what to do. There wasn't enough room for a chain of people between the pile and the wagon.
They made quick work of the goods, all piled on. A few people looked at the mule and wagon, wondering how they had been brought inside. Most were starting into the tunnel.
“Is this everyone?” Avan asked.
Murmured agreement. He took that as a yes.
Furgin began pulling the wagon towards the tunnel. Avan forced it open a little wider to accommodate the wagon's width.
“Follow me!”
They followed him into the tunnel, not without some trepidation.
There were murmurings of wonder as they went through. The most similar thing any of them had done was extract the painfree elixir or, for a few, tear a Jinrae across from Vinidan Same. But this was different. This was a tunnel between worlds!
They emerged into an unusual village. Clearly emptied of its usual residents, it had been transformed into a sort of war camp. The Watchers had taken no time in beginning preparations. It was not known what would come out of the rift this time, what transformations would be forced onto the people and creatures of the land. A wooden wall was being constructed, surrounding the village. A separate, smaller construction had begun around the monastery, and it was clear that a path was being intentionally cleared between them.
If any of the ex-priests wondered why a keep that stood on the cliffs overlooking the valley was not being used they didn't voice their question. There would be some reason.
Soldiers immediately came up to lead the mule and wagon away, presumably to unload their meagre supplies. The new recruits didn't know whether to feel like fighters or refugees.
Once they were all through, the tunnel closed off again and Avan turned to address them.
“Thank you for committing to this. Those of you who will fight or work with medicine should head to the centre of the village and wait for one of the Brade brothers. Pushers should go to the monastery in that direction and just speak to anyone there. It's hard to miss.” He pointed it out. “ I'm not sure who is in charge of the Pushers yet – that type likes to self-organise. The intrusion seems to have been pushed back, but we can expect another attempt soon.”
They shuffled away, the import of their decision only now dawning on them. There was, quite literally, no going back now.
Avan was left standing alone. The Watchers knew what needed doing, he would most likely only get in the way if he tried to help. He still needed to contact Rain, she would help out. He hoped. He would use this opportunity to contact Rain.
He opened another tunnel, setting the other end to fall in Rain's rooms; that was where she was most likely to be.
As he journeyed through the tunnel, he remarked to himself at the turnout the other Nul had produced. In just the few hours since he had begun sending word, the size of the army had more than tripled to over one hundred people, and these were not normal people. With the exception of his ex-priests, each member was in their own right a force to be reckoned with. He could expect quite a boost in numbers in the future. Given the shortness of time available on a cosmic scale, Garon had prepared himself for Cennon's second strike.
Avan emerged from the tunnel to see the door of Rain's rooms closing. He concentrated for a second and jumped through the wall, leaving a purplish shadow behind which followed a second after. He could draw on sufficient willpower, experience, and energy to cross the physical wall without hurting himself.
He knocked Rajin over. In a blur, the beast righted itself and swung a long arm around, taloned hand embedding deeply in Avan's chest, straight into his heart. Avan threw Rajin against the wall with a burst of Haze, the almost physical bludgeon dazing the animal for a second. Avan allowed the Shar running through him to heal the damage to his chest. He could recover effortlessly from much worse.
Rain and Hammer were still processing the information that something had entered the corridor between them. Avan hated to think how they would cope if that creature turned on them. Then again, they weren't without defences, and it seemed somehow protective of them.
Rajin was ready to pounce again, but checked herself when she saw that her friends recognised this newcomer. Avan had only surprised her, not actually hurt her, which was good. He saw and evaluated this within a split second, then turned to Rain and Hammer.
Rain beat him to it. “If you're asking for help again, I don't like your chances.”
Avan grimaced. “I was going to ask for help again. Why are my chances bad?”
“I am exhausted. I want to go back to living my life.”
“That's not going to happen. You have changed. Your abilities mean things will never be the same again. For any of you.” That last was directed at Hammer and Rajin. “Additionally, the world has changed. Electronics will no longer work. Most of the culture you are used to will disappear. The economy will need to be rebuilt. People will have to figure out how to use Shar, the use of which has been historically regarded by many as magic.”
Rain smiled faintly at this for some reason he couldn't understand. “I want to help with that process of recovery.”
An honourable goal, Avan credited her that, but ultimately useless if she wouldn't help fend off Cennon.
“That's not going to be any use. If Cennon isn't beaten off, then Garon will die. These coupled realms – Neron Alarast – will be the first to be destroyed.”
“That's a bit of a coincidence – that it's my home world.”
“Not really. That's the anthropic theory at work – if it had been somewhere else, I'd be asking someone else, and they'd be making that accusation.”
“Accusation! I wasn't accusing you of anything!”
“Weren't you?”
“Well, perhaps.”
“How about you come and see what's going on, then make a judgement.”
Rain turned to Hammer, “What do you think?”
“Hmm, I don't think our research is headed anywhere any longer. I'm happy to look. That can't hurt, can it?”
Avan was not inconsiderate. “What about, uh.. this?” He gestured to Rajin and was surprised to receive a reply directly into his head.
Rajin. Yes. I will come.
“Ah, good.” This Rajin creature could possibly make a good warrior or a pusher. Those in this realm generally weren't capable of direct mind communication, but he shouldn't be surprised; this thing really did not fit in in this world. Avan could not really account for that thing's presence. It must have come through when Tera was freed. Was it, in fact, Tera? It was possible. He didn't know where Tera had gone, but this thing didn't feel like Tera. He would have to keep an eye on it nonetheless.
“Shall we go take a look then?” Avan was impatient and really did need more rest. He had been working non-stop for a while, and though Shar kept him moving, he still needed regular sleep.
Rain nodded curtly. She was clearly the leader of this band. The others would follow what she did, out of loyalty, or possibly just the unwillingness to make a decision for themselves. Some people were like that. Avan understood, in his own way; he was as much a prisoner of Garon as these people were, and if Garon worked through them that way, it wasn't for him to judge.
He led them back through to Neron Alarast.
Feeling refreshed, he returned to Lor-Neron Alarast so he could send his new followers through to Image Valley.
Most were waiting for him, jittery with nerves. Some had fled, or were perhaps still gathering equipment. Those who fled would spread the word, perhaps shaking from the cracks any hazeshapers who heard.
“Is this everyone who is willing?” He asked the nearest priest. Soldier. They weren't priests any longer.
“My Lord, no. There are others still gathering supplies.”
“What are you going then? Go help them!” He looked around the room. There wasn't much in the way of supplies. It was likely that most of their supplies had vanished into the ravenous mouths of the sinistrals. “Wait. A better idea is to get them to stop and come back! Things are getting urgent!”
Those in the room clambered up, stumbling over each other in the mixed fear, obligation and eagerness that made up their devotion.
Avan opened a tunnel to the town of image in Image Valley. He pieced together a rudimentary wagon to carry the goods. He would need something to pull it. He considered piecing together a mulish animal, but he remembered he had one already - Furgin! He opened a second tunnel to wherever the beast was located. Still the mudflats, he hadn't wandered far then. He pulled the stupid animal through. It was chewing on a crab, of all things, the scratching sound of teeth on shell like nails on a chalkboard. Well, he would be finished soon.
He hitched Furgin up to the wagon and began loading it with the supplies. Not long after he started loading the wagon, the soldiers began reappearing. A few helped load the wagon, but most hung back, unsure what to do. There wasn't enough room for a chain of people between the pile and the wagon.
They made quick work of the goods, all piled on. A few people looked at the mule and wagon, wondering how they had been brought inside. Most were starting into the tunnel.
“Is this everyone?” Avan asked.
Murmured agreement. He took that as a yes.
Furgin began pulling the wagon towards the tunnel. Avan forced it open a little wider to accommodate the wagon's width.
“Follow me!”
They followed him into the tunnel, not without some trepidation.
There were murmurings of wonder as they went through. The most similar thing any of them had done was extract the painfree elixir or, for a few, tear a Jinrae across from Vinidan Same. But this was different. This was a tunnel between worlds!
They emerged into an unusual village. Clearly emptied of its usual residents, it had been transformed into a sort of war camp. The Watchers had taken no time in beginning preparations. It was not known what would come out of the rift this time, what transformations would be forced onto the people and creatures of the land. A wooden wall was being constructed, surrounding the village. A separate, smaller construction had begun around the monastery, and it was clear that a path was being intentionally cleared between them.
If any of the ex-priests wondered why a keep that stood on the cliffs overlooking the valley was not being used they didn't voice their question. There would be some reason.
Soldiers immediately came up to lead the mule and wagon away, presumably to unload their meagre supplies. The new recruits didn't know whether to feel like fighters or refugees.
Once they were all through, the tunnel closed off again and Avan turned to address them.
“Thank you for committing to this. Those of you who will fight or work with medicine should head to the centre of the village and wait for one of the Brade brothers. Pushers should go to the monastery in that direction and just speak to anyone there. It's hard to miss.” He pointed it out. “ I'm not sure who is in charge of the Pushers yet – that type likes to self-organise. The intrusion seems to have been pushed back, but we can expect another attempt soon.”
They shuffled away, the import of their decision only now dawning on them. There was, quite literally, no going back now.
Avan was left standing alone. The Watchers knew what needed doing, he would most likely only get in the way if he tried to help. He still needed to contact Rain, she would help out. He hoped. He would use this opportunity to contact Rain.
He opened another tunnel, setting the other end to fall in Rain's rooms; that was where she was most likely to be.
As he journeyed through the tunnel, he remarked to himself at the turnout the other Nul had produced. In just the few hours since he had begun sending word, the size of the army had more than tripled to over one hundred people, and these were not normal people. With the exception of his ex-priests, each member was in their own right a force to be reckoned with. He could expect quite a boost in numbers in the future. Given the shortness of time available on a cosmic scale, Garon had prepared himself for Cennon's second strike.
Avan emerged from the tunnel to see the door of Rain's rooms closing. He concentrated for a second and jumped through the wall, leaving a purplish shadow behind which followed a second after. He could draw on sufficient willpower, experience, and energy to cross the physical wall without hurting himself.
He knocked Rajin over. In a blur, the beast righted itself and swung a long arm around, taloned hand embedding deeply in Avan's chest, straight into his heart. Avan threw Rajin against the wall with a burst of Haze, the almost physical bludgeon dazing the animal for a second. Avan allowed the Shar running through him to heal the damage to his chest. He could recover effortlessly from much worse.
Rain and Hammer were still processing the information that something had entered the corridor between them. Avan hated to think how they would cope if that creature turned on them. Then again, they weren't without defences, and it seemed somehow protective of them.
Rajin was ready to pounce again, but checked herself when she saw that her friends recognised this newcomer. Avan had only surprised her, not actually hurt her, which was good. He saw and evaluated this within a split second, then turned to Rain and Hammer.
Rain beat him to it. “If you're asking for help again, I don't like your chances.”
Avan grimaced. “I was going to ask for help again. Why are my chances bad?”
“I am exhausted. I want to go back to living my life.”
“That's not going to happen. You have changed. Your abilities mean things will never be the same again. For any of you.” That last was directed at Hammer and Rajin. “Additionally, the world has changed. Electronics will no longer work. Most of the culture you are used to will disappear. The economy will need to be rebuilt. People will have to figure out how to use Shar, the use of which has been historically regarded by many as magic.”
Rain smiled faintly at this for some reason he couldn't understand. “I want to help with that process of recovery.”
An honourable goal, Avan credited her that, but ultimately useless if she wouldn't help fend off Cennon.
“That's not going to be any use. If Cennon isn't beaten off, then Garon will die. These coupled realms – Neron Alarast – will be the first to be destroyed.”
“That's a bit of a coincidence – that it's my home world.”
“Not really. That's the anthropic theory at work – if it had been somewhere else, I'd be asking someone else, and they'd be making that accusation.”
“Accusation! I wasn't accusing you of anything!”
“Weren't you?”
“Well, perhaps.”
“How about you come and see what's going on, then make a judgement.”
Rain turned to Hammer, “What do you think?”
“Hmm, I don't think our research is headed anywhere any longer. I'm happy to look. That can't hurt, can it?”
Avan was not inconsiderate. “What about, uh.. this?” He gestured to Rajin and was surprised to receive a reply directly into his head.
Rajin. Yes. I will come.
“Ah, good.” This Rajin creature could possibly make a good warrior or a pusher. Those in this realm generally weren't capable of direct mind communication, but he shouldn't be surprised; this thing really did not fit in in this world. Avan could not really account for that thing's presence. It must have come through when Tera was freed. Was it, in fact, Tera? It was possible. He didn't know where Tera had gone, but this thing didn't feel like Tera. He would have to keep an eye on it nonetheless.
“Shall we go take a look then?” Avan was impatient and really did need more rest. He had been working non-stop for a while, and though Shar kept him moving, he still needed regular sleep.
Rain nodded curtly. She was clearly the leader of this band. The others would follow what she did, out of loyalty, or possibly just the unwillingness to make a decision for themselves. Some people were like that. Avan understood, in his own way; he was as much a prisoner of Garon as these people were, and if Garon worked through them that way, it wasn't for him to judge.
He led them back through to Neron Alarast.
Chapter 41
Torion had come to a conclusion. He would get out. He knew he could do it. He must be able to. He had come from another world. He could go back to another world.
He closed his eyes and focussed, wishing really hard that he was somewhere else. Back home, wherever that was. He opened his eyes. Nothing. Just the same stark room.
How had he done it before? Was he deluding himself? Something about opening a gateway. Forming a tunnel. Yes! That's what it was.
He reached out with his mind, pushing on the fabric of the universe. He pushed a little harder. Pain blossomed in his skull. He remembered the pain. Pain was like that. You always remembered it occurred, but never how bad it was. Pain was the great educator, but if you could push through it, you could achieve anything. He remembered that. He pushed some more, until the bulge he had created started to split.
Just a little more.
Something blocked him, closed up the tear he had created.
He let out a gurgle of frustration, spit sticking in his throat.
A second later Marrow Tend was beside him.
“You don't want to go to the Lethe, trust me.”
Furious, he shouted back. “I want to leave! This place is awful! I can't remember anything here!”
“It isn't this place, it's that your memories have leaked out of you in the Lethe. You need to rebuild them. Leaving won't help that.”
“How?”
“Through concentration and effort. Through time. Through commitment.”
“It hasn't gotten better! I've been trying!”
“It's only been three days.”
Three days? Is that really all it had been? He didn't know; he couldn't remember properly.
“I think you're lying. I can have new thoughts, new memories, I just can't recall them.”
“That's correct. Your mind is leaky.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Torion felt defeated. Nothing was working. He didn't know whether to trust or despise this man, but he was the only one who paid him much regard at all.
“There is, in fact. In a realm you are probably familiar with, Neron Alarast, a war is beginning.”
At the name Neron Alarast, his mind conjured images of lush forests and valleys, impossibly tall, snow capped mountains, endless mudflats and verdant fields. He gasped. He knew this place. He was familiar with it.
“Go on,” he said.
“I have certain restrictions placed on me, which I took on when I became steward of this realm. If you help me, I will become able to help you. If you agree to help us in this war, I can help plug those gaps. You're unlikely to be able to recover everything immediately, but the rest should, eventually, come.”
Marrow Tend must be ridiculously stupid. He expected him to believe this? That he could help all along but just wanted to get him to fight? This was probably all his doing anyway. He would agree, get his memories, then escape.
“What does it involve?”
“You'll be working to prevent Garon, who we are all a part of, from being destroyed. It's not really a difficult choice – if you do this, you will be working towards preventing yourself from dying. And I mean truly dying. Not in the form you are in here, not a death like the lost souls floating in the realm of forgetfulness. A true death. That realm will be consumed. This realm will be consumed. Anything and everything you have touched, everything you achieved will be gone. All your ho9pes and dreams – nothing.”
Had Marrow Tend been taking orangeweed? This was crazy. Though, he had demonstrated a not insubstantial amount of power. Perhaps he should believe him. Maybe he would fight after all.
He could always make up his mind later. The important thing was to regain his self. And escape, of course.
“Okay, I'll do it.”
“Great! I was hoping you'd say that. Suitable people are difficult to find. I think someone keeps killing them. Shall we get started?”
“I don't see the point in waiting.”
Without any further warning, Marrow Tend began to waver slightly, his skin rippling like water in a pond. The ripples snaked out as bands of multihued colour, coruscating in fluorescent bands. Other ripples appeared around the room, gravitating towards the larger ones coming from Marrow's body like a swarm of minute worms. They coalesced onto the the large tubes, which reached towards him, touched his face, passed through skin and bone. They embedded themselves in his brain, wrapping around the nodes and sinking in between the folds.
He could remember! All he had accumulated. The wealth of experience flooding back to him. He had always regarded his possessions as the most valuable thing he had obtained, overlooking his memories, which were the tools he took for granted. Who had done this to him? That upstart girl. Rain. He didn't know how he knew the name, but that was it. He would get his revenge. But how? She was so powerful! He would have to be smarter, rely on her inexperience.
“That's the best I can do. The memories will sink in properly when Garon is free again. My powers in that area are somewhat limited. Unfortunately, if you try to run from the war, my weaving will unravel.”
Torion did not like the sound of that.
“What would happen then?”
“Oh, you'd most likely end up back here. I'm not sure how damaged you'd be.”
He mentally cursed. This was not right. He was supposed to be free! Well, this Garon would have to be saved, somehow. Besides, if that meant he would get his memories back for good, he could then work on his revenge. Both against Marrow Tend and against Rain. He'd send them both to the Lethe, that would serve them right for putting him in this situation.
“I should go now. Get started on this war.”
“Very well. Good luck!”
He closed his eyes and focussed, wishing really hard that he was somewhere else. Back home, wherever that was. He opened his eyes. Nothing. Just the same stark room.
How had he done it before? Was he deluding himself? Something about opening a gateway. Forming a tunnel. Yes! That's what it was.
He reached out with his mind, pushing on the fabric of the universe. He pushed a little harder. Pain blossomed in his skull. He remembered the pain. Pain was like that. You always remembered it occurred, but never how bad it was. Pain was the great educator, but if you could push through it, you could achieve anything. He remembered that. He pushed some more, until the bulge he had created started to split.
Just a little more.
Something blocked him, closed up the tear he had created.
He let out a gurgle of frustration, spit sticking in his throat.
A second later Marrow Tend was beside him.
“You don't want to go to the Lethe, trust me.”
Furious, he shouted back. “I want to leave! This place is awful! I can't remember anything here!”
“It isn't this place, it's that your memories have leaked out of you in the Lethe. You need to rebuild them. Leaving won't help that.”
“How?”
“Through concentration and effort. Through time. Through commitment.”
“It hasn't gotten better! I've been trying!”
“It's only been three days.”
Three days? Is that really all it had been? He didn't know; he couldn't remember properly.
“I think you're lying. I can have new thoughts, new memories, I just can't recall them.”
“That's correct. Your mind is leaky.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Torion felt defeated. Nothing was working. He didn't know whether to trust or despise this man, but he was the only one who paid him much regard at all.
“There is, in fact. In a realm you are probably familiar with, Neron Alarast, a war is beginning.”
At the name Neron Alarast, his mind conjured images of lush forests and valleys, impossibly tall, snow capped mountains, endless mudflats and verdant fields. He gasped. He knew this place. He was familiar with it.
“Go on,” he said.
“I have certain restrictions placed on me, which I took on when I became steward of this realm. If you help me, I will become able to help you. If you agree to help us in this war, I can help plug those gaps. You're unlikely to be able to recover everything immediately, but the rest should, eventually, come.”
Marrow Tend must be ridiculously stupid. He expected him to believe this? That he could help all along but just wanted to get him to fight? This was probably all his doing anyway. He would agree, get his memories, then escape.
“What does it involve?”
“You'll be working to prevent Garon, who we are all a part of, from being destroyed. It's not really a difficult choice – if you do this, you will be working towards preventing yourself from dying. And I mean truly dying. Not in the form you are in here, not a death like the lost souls floating in the realm of forgetfulness. A true death. That realm will be consumed. This realm will be consumed. Anything and everything you have touched, everything you achieved will be gone. All your ho9pes and dreams – nothing.”
Had Marrow Tend been taking orangeweed? This was crazy. Though, he had demonstrated a not insubstantial amount of power. Perhaps he should believe him. Maybe he would fight after all.
He could always make up his mind later. The important thing was to regain his self. And escape, of course.
“Okay, I'll do it.”
“Great! I was hoping you'd say that. Suitable people are difficult to find. I think someone keeps killing them. Shall we get started?”
“I don't see the point in waiting.”
Without any further warning, Marrow Tend began to waver slightly, his skin rippling like water in a pond. The ripples snaked out as bands of multihued colour, coruscating in fluorescent bands. Other ripples appeared around the room, gravitating towards the larger ones coming from Marrow's body like a swarm of minute worms. They coalesced onto the the large tubes, which reached towards him, touched his face, passed through skin and bone. They embedded themselves in his brain, wrapping around the nodes and sinking in between the folds.
He could remember! All he had accumulated. The wealth of experience flooding back to him. He had always regarded his possessions as the most valuable thing he had obtained, overlooking his memories, which were the tools he took for granted. Who had done this to him? That upstart girl. Rain. He didn't know how he knew the name, but that was it. He would get his revenge. But how? She was so powerful! He would have to be smarter, rely on her inexperience.
“That's the best I can do. The memories will sink in properly when Garon is free again. My powers in that area are somewhat limited. Unfortunately, if you try to run from the war, my weaving will unravel.”
Torion did not like the sound of that.
“What would happen then?”
“Oh, you'd most likely end up back here. I'm not sure how damaged you'd be.”
He mentally cursed. This was not right. He was supposed to be free! Well, this Garon would have to be saved, somehow. Besides, if that meant he would get his memories back for good, he could then work on his revenge. Both against Marrow Tend and against Rain. He'd send them both to the Lethe, that would serve them right for putting him in this situation.
“I should go now. Get started on this war.”
“Very well. Good luck!”
Chapter 40
It took a few minutes to reach Rain's rooms and they made introductions on the way. The priest's name was Wave. When they arrived, he instantly asked, surprised, “what happened here? I can smell something off.”
“Oh, that's just how Rain smells.” That was Hammer, being a smart arse. She gave him a quick, cross look, with just a hint of amusement.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments.
“I didn't mean an odour. It's difficult t describe, but I can sense the residue of people playing with the forces that grant life. That's one of the things we get training in.”
“I was attacked,” said Rain, “someone came through a hole and started attacking me.” They got training in hazeshaping? She didn't know that it was something that could be learnt. “Does your training allow you to manipulate this life force?”
“Not really, though some of us, such as myself, have some natural talent in this area. I notice a mixture of different scents. There was more than one attacker? It seems like there were three flavours of energy in play.”
“Well, Avan had summoned a... I don't know what it was, but it looked like a salamander most of the time. It could do strange things. Avan summoned this salamander thing to help me. Its name was Leptep.”
The priest's eyes lit up. “Avan? Avan Nerovast? He is real?”
Rain was a little cautious. “Yes...”
“And he is working with you?”
“Yes...”
“You must be something indeed! To be working with a legend such as Avan.” Wave was still a little on edge. “Be careful. Our myths tell of strange happenings when he is involved.”
“Everyone's fairy tales feature someone by that name. It's a standard name.”
“Oh, I know, but you don't understand. He is a very central figure in our religion, but he has always been assumed to be a metaphor. His actions set up situations in our history, the parables that follow each give guidance to the believer on the right course of action in a moral dilemma. If these are true stories, perhaps these parables aren't intended to have lessons, or perhaps our interpretation of them is incorrect!”
Hammer looked a little disbelieving. “Histories? Legends? Yours is a new religion.”
“We have been secret for a long time. Well, not secret, but we moved here from Amn. We're a few thousand years old. We've kept low because that is what our tenets say. That policy was introduced when we were hunted long ago. I had always assumed that the name Avan Nerovast was written over a set of other names in the stories that were not parables, during some reformation.”
“So, you take a pragmatic view of belief?” That was Rain.
“Yes, everything must be questioned. That is one of the core tenets.”
“Any others?”
“'Always carry a weapon to defend yourself' is another. ”
“Oh, you have a weapon?”
Wave drew a dagger from somewhere, it sprung into existence as if from nothing. He flourished it once before making it vanish again. “It's also important to know how to use it.”
Rain spoke again. “Let's get back to it. How long have the Fold been able to use Shar?”
“Shar?”
“What you called the life force. I've been able to, knowingly, manipulate it for less than a week.”
“But you're so powerful!”
“Weird isn't it. How long?”
Wave was sweating a little. He was in stranger's home, under the interrogator's knife. He had a weapon, but expected it would not be useful should these people decided to turn him into a memory. “As long as the religion has been around. Our powers had been growing weaker lately. As they weakened, we became more evangelistic; for some that is the way faith is shored up. Overnight our abilities returned – last night!”
Rain looked at Hammer. “That probably has something to do with freeing Tera.”
Hammer nodded, his attention on Rajin who was investigating the various object in the place. She seemed a lot calmer than she had earlier.
Wave was interested in this Tera character, but knew enough not to ask too many questions. He wanted to ask one though. “How can you work with Shar so easily?”
Rain fixed her gaze upon him again. “I don't know. Avan did something and now I can. Sometimes it happens without me meaning to do it at all. I can only work with it when I also use Haze, and doing that hurts.”
“That's interesting. I've never heard of this Haze thing, but then I'd never heard the term 'Shar' either. At any rate, working with it is not painful. It's pleasurable even.”
“Tell me about the way you use it with technology. How does it work?”
“Ah, that. When you add it to something inanimate, it's like pouring life into it. It gets a rudimentary will, which is usually aligned to its purpose, and it seems to be able to just... do... things.”
“But–”
Wave cut Rain off. “For example, a door supplied with Shar will open. Something more complex, like a notepad, when supplied with it will do something depending on how it has been typically used. You might be able to use it to talk to someone, but the messages would go straight into their brains, not to another notepad. Or it might open doors, except it will open any door, because all that electronic authentication we used to use doesn't work any longer. Maybe you could invest an authenticator and make the lock start working again, I don't know, we're still learning. We haven't been able to do anything other than the most rudimentary of things in years.”
“Rudimentary things? Like what?”
“Hmm. If something is alive, you can strengthen its life force – give it Shar – and that will help it in general. Plants will grow, wounds will heal, fatigue will dissipate.”
“Can you pull Shar out of something? What happens then?”
“I don't know if that's possible. I certainly wouldn't feel right doing it, especially as anything with Shar in it naturally is alive. I thought that everything living had to have some Shar in it, but that reptilian bird thing doesn't. What is that thing?”
“That's Rajin.”
Rajin looked up at her name, then continued her investigations.
“She comes from somewhere else. We think.”
Yes, from the world of energy. Very different to here.
“Ah, she does come from somewhere else. Another realm, which I think is the same one that Tera came from.”
“Surely you don't mean Tera the god? The one the Panity worship?”
“Worshipped, and yes, that's who I mean. We released him. Sort of.”
“So he's real too? I can hardly believe this! Think of all the doctrine that will have to be rewritten!”
“Well, his existence didn't make him a god in truth. And he's not around any longer, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.”
“Oh. That's what you meant by sort of.” Who were there people? They killed something so powerful that a whole religion had sprung up around it?
“Yes, that's what I meant.” She had not meant to let the “sort of” slip out, but done was done. She wondered if she could take the past few seconds of memory from Wave's brain... No. She wouldn't even think about that. What a horrible thought!
“I should get back to answering questions to the crowd outside. Do you mind if I call in some time?”
“Um. Not at all. I doubt I'll be here though, I've been having trouble controlling where I spend my time.”
Hammer chuckled.
Rain continued. “I'll come find you if I have any more questions.”
Wave nodded and left.
“Well, that was interesting.” Hammer pushed himself off the wall on which he had been leaning and walked over to Rain.
“There's a lot to think about. I think there is more to this than just the Tera and Avan thing.”
“I agree, but what?”
“I don't know.”
Rajin continued to pad around and look at things, tongue flicking in and out, claws making a soft clicking on the floor.
“Oh, that's just how Rain smells.” That was Hammer, being a smart arse. She gave him a quick, cross look, with just a hint of amusement.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments.
“I didn't mean an odour. It's difficult t describe, but I can sense the residue of people playing with the forces that grant life. That's one of the things we get training in.”
“I was attacked,” said Rain, “someone came through a hole and started attacking me.” They got training in hazeshaping? She didn't know that it was something that could be learnt. “Does your training allow you to manipulate this life force?”
“Not really, though some of us, such as myself, have some natural talent in this area. I notice a mixture of different scents. There was more than one attacker? It seems like there were three flavours of energy in play.”
“Well, Avan had summoned a... I don't know what it was, but it looked like a salamander most of the time. It could do strange things. Avan summoned this salamander thing to help me. Its name was Leptep.”
The priest's eyes lit up. “Avan? Avan Nerovast? He is real?”
Rain was a little cautious. “Yes...”
“And he is working with you?”
“Yes...”
“You must be something indeed! To be working with a legend such as Avan.” Wave was still a little on edge. “Be careful. Our myths tell of strange happenings when he is involved.”
“Everyone's fairy tales feature someone by that name. It's a standard name.”
“Oh, I know, but you don't understand. He is a very central figure in our religion, but he has always been assumed to be a metaphor. His actions set up situations in our history, the parables that follow each give guidance to the believer on the right course of action in a moral dilemma. If these are true stories, perhaps these parables aren't intended to have lessons, or perhaps our interpretation of them is incorrect!”
Hammer looked a little disbelieving. “Histories? Legends? Yours is a new religion.”
“We have been secret for a long time. Well, not secret, but we moved here from Amn. We're a few thousand years old. We've kept low because that is what our tenets say. That policy was introduced when we were hunted long ago. I had always assumed that the name Avan Nerovast was written over a set of other names in the stories that were not parables, during some reformation.”
“So, you take a pragmatic view of belief?” That was Rain.
“Yes, everything must be questioned. That is one of the core tenets.”
“Any others?”
“'Always carry a weapon to defend yourself' is another. ”
“Oh, you have a weapon?”
Wave drew a dagger from somewhere, it sprung into existence as if from nothing. He flourished it once before making it vanish again. “It's also important to know how to use it.”
Rain spoke again. “Let's get back to it. How long have the Fold been able to use Shar?”
“Shar?”
“What you called the life force. I've been able to, knowingly, manipulate it for less than a week.”
“But you're so powerful!”
“Weird isn't it. How long?”
Wave was sweating a little. He was in stranger's home, under the interrogator's knife. He had a weapon, but expected it would not be useful should these people decided to turn him into a memory. “As long as the religion has been around. Our powers had been growing weaker lately. As they weakened, we became more evangelistic; for some that is the way faith is shored up. Overnight our abilities returned – last night!”
Rain looked at Hammer. “That probably has something to do with freeing Tera.”
Hammer nodded, his attention on Rajin who was investigating the various object in the place. She seemed a lot calmer than she had earlier.
Wave was interested in this Tera character, but knew enough not to ask too many questions. He wanted to ask one though. “How can you work with Shar so easily?”
Rain fixed her gaze upon him again. “I don't know. Avan did something and now I can. Sometimes it happens without me meaning to do it at all. I can only work with it when I also use Haze, and doing that hurts.”
“That's interesting. I've never heard of this Haze thing, but then I'd never heard the term 'Shar' either. At any rate, working with it is not painful. It's pleasurable even.”
“Tell me about the way you use it with technology. How does it work?”
“Ah, that. When you add it to something inanimate, it's like pouring life into it. It gets a rudimentary will, which is usually aligned to its purpose, and it seems to be able to just... do... things.”
“But–”
Wave cut Rain off. “For example, a door supplied with Shar will open. Something more complex, like a notepad, when supplied with it will do something depending on how it has been typically used. You might be able to use it to talk to someone, but the messages would go straight into their brains, not to another notepad. Or it might open doors, except it will open any door, because all that electronic authentication we used to use doesn't work any longer. Maybe you could invest an authenticator and make the lock start working again, I don't know, we're still learning. We haven't been able to do anything other than the most rudimentary of things in years.”
“Rudimentary things? Like what?”
“Hmm. If something is alive, you can strengthen its life force – give it Shar – and that will help it in general. Plants will grow, wounds will heal, fatigue will dissipate.”
“Can you pull Shar out of something? What happens then?”
“I don't know if that's possible. I certainly wouldn't feel right doing it, especially as anything with Shar in it naturally is alive. I thought that everything living had to have some Shar in it, but that reptilian bird thing doesn't. What is that thing?”
“That's Rajin.”
Rajin looked up at her name, then continued her investigations.
“She comes from somewhere else. We think.”
Yes, from the world of energy. Very different to here.
“Ah, she does come from somewhere else. Another realm, which I think is the same one that Tera came from.”
“Surely you don't mean Tera the god? The one the Panity worship?”
“Worshipped, and yes, that's who I mean. We released him. Sort of.”
“So he's real too? I can hardly believe this! Think of all the doctrine that will have to be rewritten!”
“Well, his existence didn't make him a god in truth. And he's not around any longer, so I wouldn't worry too much about it.”
“Oh. That's what you meant by sort of.” Who were there people? They killed something so powerful that a whole religion had sprung up around it?
“Yes, that's what I meant.” She had not meant to let the “sort of” slip out, but done was done. She wondered if she could take the past few seconds of memory from Wave's brain... No. She wouldn't even think about that. What a horrible thought!
“I should get back to answering questions to the crowd outside. Do you mind if I call in some time?”
“Um. Not at all. I doubt I'll be here though, I've been having trouble controlling where I spend my time.”
Hammer chuckled.
Rain continued. “I'll come find you if I have any more questions.”
Wave nodded and left.
“Well, that was interesting.” Hammer pushed himself off the wall on which he had been leaning and walked over to Rain.
“There's a lot to think about. I think there is more to this than just the Tera and Avan thing.”
“I agree, but what?”
“I don't know.”
Rajin continued to pad around and look at things, tongue flicking in and out, claws making a soft clicking on the floor.
Chapter 39
Busy, so busy! Avan had a lot on his mind, but this was usual. He had been to see his counterpart Demun Adanred in the realm of Demman Dorinad, the Negative Realm, sometimes called the Realm That Is Not. Demun Adanred had little to say in the way of helping him; he had found warriors or hazeshapers, and those he had were unavailable; through unwillingness to cooperate, incapacitation or death. That was the way of that realm – the denizens excelled at hiding and those that could be found seldom proved willing to help. Not to mention that the way things worked in that place was... strange. Avan could not fully understand the goings-on there, even when he was translated into a compatible state when he ventured there. Demun had, no doubt figured out how to work his way around, but that place was, in a sense, the counterpart to Avan's homeland. Well, he wished they had found someone from there; they were often incredibly powerful, with unique skills. His observations were that rarity and power went hand in hand.
Now he was travelling a tunnel to Torren Maildun. Some of the dead may have been recovered from the Lethe, that plague of oblivion that hung over the memories of those whose souls had passed down the most ancient of paths. The most ancient path that souls still travelled, at any rate.
He opened the other end of the tunnel into the realm of the dead and allowed the tunnel to collapse behind him as he stepped through. He deliberately avoided focussing on where it would take him; he would be drawn to Marrow Tend like a donkey to a carrot. He stepped out into a large town square, surrounded on three sides by squat sandstone buildings with doorways which lacked hinged doors, instead with heavy, colourful blankets hung over them. The fourth side was a comprised entirely of a wide staircase which stretched up to a row of columns made from the same material as everything else.
The square was busy, people bustled along as they would in any market, for that is what it was; a bazaar. Yet is was a bizarre bazaar. All the stores were inside. Numerous peoples live in this land, not all of them having swept along the currents of death. Long ago, people had settled here, when Avan was younger, just after the Nul had split. Those had been interesting times. Unfortunate, but certainly not boring.
The dead could only feel pain or discomfort, or pleasure, or anything really, to a degree that correlated to how strongly the existed. The majority of those that escaped the Lethe managed to retain only a smattering of their former selves. Sure, some of it could sometimes be recovered, but generally that happened only in the rarest of cases. They floated around, lost spirits one and all. Those that retained more of themselves fared better, usually eking out an existence either as some ghastly revenant haunting an area or as some benevolent pseudo god, providing advice and the occasional blessing, pouring out some of whatever power they had managed to gather. The third type was what he was hoping Marrow Tend had found some of. They were the ones who remembered who they were, events, places, a few emotions. Those whose will was too strong to be devoured by the caustic nature of forgetfulness. Those for whom merely existing provided such an anchor to Garon's thoughts that they refused to be forgotten. Those who saw the pointlessness of allowing themselves to fade away. Those who walked in Daret Nul's own footsteps.
He could sense Marrow Tend. A split soul always pulled on itself, attempting to reassemble into its parts. He allowed that automatic urge to tug on his unconsciousness, and he wandered aimlessly. Within a few minutes he had found his other self. Avan had intended this, but Marrow did not expect it and turned with an expression on his face a mixture of concern and curiosity. Marrow spoke first.
“Garon is troubled.”
“Yes. Cennon has attacked again.”
“I have no-one to send.”
“I don't understand. No-one seems to. It's like Garon has all but given up. It's like we have all but given up.”
“I know, but I certainly haven't lost the will to fight.”
Wordlessly, they reached a consensus. The two stood in silence for a full hour. Two tall, gaunt people, one pale from dwelling in the gloomy realm of Sorrow, the other's skin burnished bronze from the continual sun. Each thinking exactly the same thoughts, a single soul in subliminal communication with itself, sharing experiences that had occurred over the ages since they had last needed to have this sort of deep communication. It took a lot of energy and was not without risk. They had to straddle the fine line between merging completely and sharing too little, and they were vulnerable in this state, unable to quickly react to their environment. To their good fortune, Marrow Tend had too much of a reputation for power for anyone here to attack him, even if what he was doing seemed even more odd than usual.
They came apart, both agreeing they had shared enough of their histories. Not everything could be shared this way and returns diminished over time.
“So, only Torion?”
Marrow nodded. “It has not been easy. The Lethe has been... vicious.”
“Will he come?”
“It's hard to say. Perhaps I can strike a deal.”
Avan smiled. “Yes, I think that would work.”
He needed a short rest.
“Do you mind if I rest here for a short while? Any old place will do.”
“That's fine. I'll find somewhere for you.”
“Thank you.” Later he would have to see about getting Rain and Hammer's help. Oh, and his priests, he had forgotten about them. Marrow would contact the other Nul.
Now he was travelling a tunnel to Torren Maildun. Some of the dead may have been recovered from the Lethe, that plague of oblivion that hung over the memories of those whose souls had passed down the most ancient of paths. The most ancient path that souls still travelled, at any rate.
He opened the other end of the tunnel into the realm of the dead and allowed the tunnel to collapse behind him as he stepped through. He deliberately avoided focussing on where it would take him; he would be drawn to Marrow Tend like a donkey to a carrot. He stepped out into a large town square, surrounded on three sides by squat sandstone buildings with doorways which lacked hinged doors, instead with heavy, colourful blankets hung over them. The fourth side was a comprised entirely of a wide staircase which stretched up to a row of columns made from the same material as everything else.
The square was busy, people bustled along as they would in any market, for that is what it was; a bazaar. Yet is was a bizarre bazaar. All the stores were inside. Numerous peoples live in this land, not all of them having swept along the currents of death. Long ago, people had settled here, when Avan was younger, just after the Nul had split. Those had been interesting times. Unfortunate, but certainly not boring.
The dead could only feel pain or discomfort, or pleasure, or anything really, to a degree that correlated to how strongly the existed. The majority of those that escaped the Lethe managed to retain only a smattering of their former selves. Sure, some of it could sometimes be recovered, but generally that happened only in the rarest of cases. They floated around, lost spirits one and all. Those that retained more of themselves fared better, usually eking out an existence either as some ghastly revenant haunting an area or as some benevolent pseudo god, providing advice and the occasional blessing, pouring out some of whatever power they had managed to gather. The third type was what he was hoping Marrow Tend had found some of. They were the ones who remembered who they were, events, places, a few emotions. Those whose will was too strong to be devoured by the caustic nature of forgetfulness. Those for whom merely existing provided such an anchor to Garon's thoughts that they refused to be forgotten. Those who saw the pointlessness of allowing themselves to fade away. Those who walked in Daret Nul's own footsteps.
He could sense Marrow Tend. A split soul always pulled on itself, attempting to reassemble into its parts. He allowed that automatic urge to tug on his unconsciousness, and he wandered aimlessly. Within a few minutes he had found his other self. Avan had intended this, but Marrow did not expect it and turned with an expression on his face a mixture of concern and curiosity. Marrow spoke first.
“Garon is troubled.”
“Yes. Cennon has attacked again.”
“I have no-one to send.”
“I don't understand. No-one seems to. It's like Garon has all but given up. It's like we have all but given up.”
“I know, but I certainly haven't lost the will to fight.”
Wordlessly, they reached a consensus. The two stood in silence for a full hour. Two tall, gaunt people, one pale from dwelling in the gloomy realm of Sorrow, the other's skin burnished bronze from the continual sun. Each thinking exactly the same thoughts, a single soul in subliminal communication with itself, sharing experiences that had occurred over the ages since they had last needed to have this sort of deep communication. It took a lot of energy and was not without risk. They had to straddle the fine line between merging completely and sharing too little, and they were vulnerable in this state, unable to quickly react to their environment. To their good fortune, Marrow Tend had too much of a reputation for power for anyone here to attack him, even if what he was doing seemed even more odd than usual.
They came apart, both agreeing they had shared enough of their histories. Not everything could be shared this way and returns diminished over time.
“So, only Torion?”
Marrow nodded. “It has not been easy. The Lethe has been... vicious.”
“Will he come?”
“It's hard to say. Perhaps I can strike a deal.”
Avan smiled. “Yes, I think that would work.”
He needed a short rest.
“Do you mind if I rest here for a short while? Any old place will do.”
“That's fine. I'll find somewhere for you.”
“Thank you.” Later he would have to see about getting Rain and Hammer's help. Oh, and his priests, he had forgotten about them. Marrow would contact the other Nul.
Chapter 38
Plarit pushed on the intrusion, straining with effort and pain. The intrusion had to be pushed out so the wound could be healed. Cennon would be weakened again, unable to attack for a while, how long depended on how hard they pushed back.
The breach wasn't at any particular point on the line. Like a ship's hull cutting through the waves, it roughed its way into Neron Alarast, forging a path of its own. Technically, Plarit could just push anywhere and focus on his goal. Practically, seeing the line helped, it gave him something he could look at and think this is what I'm pushing against.
Soon, there would be enough of a connection for assimilation to begin; this realm would become more and more like one compatible with Cennon, eventually becoming part of that monstrosity. Then it would break off from Garon. Garon would be weakened, disoriented, and the process would start again, faster this time.
Then Cado was beside him, lending her strength to his, like a bonfire beside a torch. Plarit's skill at manipulating haze was minimal. Were they pushing or building a shield to squeeze Cennon out? Somewhere in between, perhaps.
The line vanished suddenly. This was a tester, sent out by whoever their counterparts were on the other side. They would come again, stronger. For now, Plarit wanted to sleep. He was so tired; the haze shaping really took it out of him.
His eyes drifted slowly closed, Cado jumped towards him to catch his fall, gently, so gently. He slipped away into oblivion. Pushing back was something that required more than a couple of people to do.
He would not wake for a while.
The breach wasn't at any particular point on the line. Like a ship's hull cutting through the waves, it roughed its way into Neron Alarast, forging a path of its own. Technically, Plarit could just push anywhere and focus on his goal. Practically, seeing the line helped, it gave him something he could look at and think this is what I'm pushing against.
Soon, there would be enough of a connection for assimilation to begin; this realm would become more and more like one compatible with Cennon, eventually becoming part of that monstrosity. Then it would break off from Garon. Garon would be weakened, disoriented, and the process would start again, faster this time.
Then Cado was beside him, lending her strength to his, like a bonfire beside a torch. Plarit's skill at manipulating haze was minimal. Were they pushing or building a shield to squeeze Cennon out? Somewhere in between, perhaps.
The line vanished suddenly. This was a tester, sent out by whoever their counterparts were on the other side. They would come again, stronger. For now, Plarit wanted to sleep. He was so tired; the haze shaping really took it out of him.
His eyes drifted slowly closed, Cado jumped towards him to catch his fall, gently, so gently. He slipped away into oblivion. Pushing back was something that required more than a couple of people to do.
He would not wake for a while.
Chapter 37
Once Cado had left, Avan just stood, unspeaking. It was so soon! They had had time to prepare, but finding useful people was difficult. They had a tendency to cause more harm to Garon than they were worth, and as a consequence, they tended to die. People were greedy for power. That was the problem.
He turned to the congregated priests again. He had decided it was easier to talk to them all together than to propose his intentions individually. He preferred the more personal touch, but he felt rushed. Now he understood why.
“I assume you heard all that?”
Nods from the room.
“Did you understand it all?”
One responded, “What was that thing? It looked evil.”
“It wasn't evil. It was, however, very different to what you experience here. That was a creature from another realm, whose species fills a similar niche as humans do here. Your old god, Tera, was a similar being but from a different world again.”
“What were you going to ask us to do?”
“Well, I need you to use the powers Tera gave you to stop this reality being devoured by another reality. In the cosmic battle, our world is one of many in a universe that is one of many, all working together to make up a being named Garon. Through frequent exposure to Tera, some of you have managed to reach into other realms and pull or push things across, manipulating it how you wished or even pulling entire creatures across. Those of you who can do this, I would like to join up with a cadre of similarly gifted people – called hazeshapers – and work to push back the predatious Cennon – another being of Garon's ilk. The others will need to play a supporting role, either through defending the pushers – that's the hazeshapers' title for this job – or by tending to those who are wounded in battle.”
The priests were suspicious.
“Why should we trust you?”
Avan had been expecting this, “I have demonstrated my power – I have even done for you that which Tera, your god was unwilling or unable to do. You know that the majority of what I say is true, because you have seen it.” Avan's gaze fell on the one who had spoken, he was quite young. “Perhaps you personally have not seen all that I claim, you can ask your seniors to verify it, but you are still needed! You can run messages, deliver supplies, take care of injuries. Every person is needed!” As he said this there was a murmur from some of the older priests, and one of them spoke up now.
“What he says is true. Those closest to Tera who had been here the longest were often capable of summoning demons of fire, sparks, and light. They were never easy to control, but we summoned them when circumstances grew dire. We summoned one when that blue-skinned warrior attacked us, but it turned on us and fled. We lost too many priests to that man.” Voices in the room rose in volume, the noise of that murmur rising like a solid thing, pushing on Avan's confidence. How would he break the news to them. Oh hell. He would have to rely on Garon's will sometimes. There was no easy way around this.
“I wasn't sure what was in here. I sent that man to ensure that Rain was protected when freeing Tera. From what I can understand, there was some misunderstanding and he attacked you. I apologies for this.”
“Misunderstanding! He killed Maran!”
“Would any of you have hesitated ensuring the Reliever was freed? Would you have done the same to protect her?”
No reply. They would not have hesitated. They would have done the same.
“Are you sure some of you didn't attack first?”
Shame. They may have attacked first. There had been so much confusion.
“This doesn't make it right, but it does remove your right to object.”Avan didn't actually care about right at wrong at this point in time. He was under too much pressure.
“If I can, I am going to get him, and Rain, who you call the reliever, to assist you in your endeavours.” Without realising it, they had signed up. He had assumed their help and they would follow. Garon was desperate, and their objections were being smoothed over, thousands of small things coming together to prevent conflict. A moth landing on the nose of someone about to voice complaint. A breeze cooling the air to calm people. Something falling outside causing people who had lost attention to snap alert. Perhaps they had a chance after all. Who was he kidding? Of course he had a chance. He had fought off this predator before. He could do it again!
“You will stand beside those legends whose names have percolated down through history. Tarim Brade, Ellen Samon, Terevin Nanako, Emeb Norsen, Sharok Tasliem. These are real people and they had been sleeping, waiting for this moment. Watching for Cennon. Your names will be added to theirs. Are you with us?”
There was a heartfelt cry of agreement, particularly from the older members of the crowd. Avan had been expecting it to be the other way around, but this made more sense as he thought about it. The elders had had more exposure to Tera, had seen more things. Was this good or bad? Would he rather have the elders leading in their wisdom and stronger concentrations of haze shaping, or have the youths leading with their vibrant energy and lust for glory? They would mostly be split along age lines anyway, and the youths would believe soon enough. He thought for a second it was perhaps too soon for them to see a battle like that to come, but reminded himself that these were a people who had endured great pain and suffering. It had, in practice, been a requirement for entry into the religion. What pain-free person would worship a god whose sole promise was the relief of pain?
Avan sighed at that thought. He didn't know if there were true gods, or just powerful beings such as himself. Or was that all that a god was? He had heard of, but never encountered, beings that came into existence as the result of the cumulative consciousness of a world. Perhaps they were gods. That he had never encountered one did not bode well for that theory; there weren't many parts of Garon that he was unfamiliar with. Sometimes someone created another realm within Garon, a Tahis. If a god was a creator of a universe, perhaps they were real. But then he would be a god, and he didn't consider himself such. There were certainly some strange things in Neron Alarast. Beings worshipped under many names, or many worshipped under one, but were they gods purely by virtue of being worshipped? Worship could be performed in so many ways. There were those who worshipped money, or another person. There were those who pursued some ideal, devoting themselves to it. Some were so selfish they gave glory to themselves, but did any of that make the object of worship a god? What was godhood? It was something he had pondered on many occasions, and he expected to continue to do so indefinitely, or until he reached a satisfactory conclusion.
Anyway, he could pass for a god when necessary. Now was not the time for such philosophising.
“Please separate yourselves into three groups. Those who can perform some level of hazeshaping and are willing to use it to save their lives, those who are willing to fight, and those who are unwilling or incapable of either.”
“What about those who can use haze and want to fight?”
“That's a good point. I don't expect there to be many of those; you'll mostly be too old to fight or too young to draw on haze. If there is anyone who falls into both categories, hop into a fourth group.”
He waited while they assembled, noticing no-one joined the fourth group. The made little noise in the process; a sombre atmosphere had descended on them as they realised the importance of what they were to do. The rustle of clothing and clonking of feet seemed overly loud in the otherwise silent room. Once they had organised themselves, he spoke again.
“Take a look at those around you. It's important you remember their faces, what they sound like, and as much about them as you can. I don't know what we'll come up against this time, but they may try to pass themselves off as people you know. Those of you who will fight, go and find a weapon and armour, if you can. If you can't find anything, that's okay. Everyone else collect whatever supplies you can. You'll primarily need food, water and clothing. Oh, and we'll also need medical supplies! They are very important. We'll travel to a place in another realm called Rift Valley. It's also called Image Valley, depending on who you ask. Now, I need to go. I'll be back in a few hours. Gather what you can!”
He opened a tunnel. He needed to contact the other Nul.
He turned to the congregated priests again. He had decided it was easier to talk to them all together than to propose his intentions individually. He preferred the more personal touch, but he felt rushed. Now he understood why.
“I assume you heard all that?”
Nods from the room.
“Did you understand it all?”
One responded, “What was that thing? It looked evil.”
“It wasn't evil. It was, however, very different to what you experience here. That was a creature from another realm, whose species fills a similar niche as humans do here. Your old god, Tera, was a similar being but from a different world again.”
“What were you going to ask us to do?”
“Well, I need you to use the powers Tera gave you to stop this reality being devoured by another reality. In the cosmic battle, our world is one of many in a universe that is one of many, all working together to make up a being named Garon. Through frequent exposure to Tera, some of you have managed to reach into other realms and pull or push things across, manipulating it how you wished or even pulling entire creatures across. Those of you who can do this, I would like to join up with a cadre of similarly gifted people – called hazeshapers – and work to push back the predatious Cennon – another being of Garon's ilk. The others will need to play a supporting role, either through defending the pushers – that's the hazeshapers' title for this job – or by tending to those who are wounded in battle.”
The priests were suspicious.
“Why should we trust you?”
Avan had been expecting this, “I have demonstrated my power – I have even done for you that which Tera, your god was unwilling or unable to do. You know that the majority of what I say is true, because you have seen it.” Avan's gaze fell on the one who had spoken, he was quite young. “Perhaps you personally have not seen all that I claim, you can ask your seniors to verify it, but you are still needed! You can run messages, deliver supplies, take care of injuries. Every person is needed!” As he said this there was a murmur from some of the older priests, and one of them spoke up now.
“What he says is true. Those closest to Tera who had been here the longest were often capable of summoning demons of fire, sparks, and light. They were never easy to control, but we summoned them when circumstances grew dire. We summoned one when that blue-skinned warrior attacked us, but it turned on us and fled. We lost too many priests to that man.” Voices in the room rose in volume, the noise of that murmur rising like a solid thing, pushing on Avan's confidence. How would he break the news to them. Oh hell. He would have to rely on Garon's will sometimes. There was no easy way around this.
“I wasn't sure what was in here. I sent that man to ensure that Rain was protected when freeing Tera. From what I can understand, there was some misunderstanding and he attacked you. I apologies for this.”
“Misunderstanding! He killed Maran!”
“Would any of you have hesitated ensuring the Reliever was freed? Would you have done the same to protect her?”
No reply. They would not have hesitated. They would have done the same.
“Are you sure some of you didn't attack first?”
Shame. They may have attacked first. There had been so much confusion.
“This doesn't make it right, but it does remove your right to object.”Avan didn't actually care about right at wrong at this point in time. He was under too much pressure.
“If I can, I am going to get him, and Rain, who you call the reliever, to assist you in your endeavours.” Without realising it, they had signed up. He had assumed their help and they would follow. Garon was desperate, and their objections were being smoothed over, thousands of small things coming together to prevent conflict. A moth landing on the nose of someone about to voice complaint. A breeze cooling the air to calm people. Something falling outside causing people who had lost attention to snap alert. Perhaps they had a chance after all. Who was he kidding? Of course he had a chance. He had fought off this predator before. He could do it again!
“You will stand beside those legends whose names have percolated down through history. Tarim Brade, Ellen Samon, Terevin Nanako, Emeb Norsen, Sharok Tasliem. These are real people and they had been sleeping, waiting for this moment. Watching for Cennon. Your names will be added to theirs. Are you with us?”
There was a heartfelt cry of agreement, particularly from the older members of the crowd. Avan had been expecting it to be the other way around, but this made more sense as he thought about it. The elders had had more exposure to Tera, had seen more things. Was this good or bad? Would he rather have the elders leading in their wisdom and stronger concentrations of haze shaping, or have the youths leading with their vibrant energy and lust for glory? They would mostly be split along age lines anyway, and the youths would believe soon enough. He thought for a second it was perhaps too soon for them to see a battle like that to come, but reminded himself that these were a people who had endured great pain and suffering. It had, in practice, been a requirement for entry into the religion. What pain-free person would worship a god whose sole promise was the relief of pain?
Avan sighed at that thought. He didn't know if there were true gods, or just powerful beings such as himself. Or was that all that a god was? He had heard of, but never encountered, beings that came into existence as the result of the cumulative consciousness of a world. Perhaps they were gods. That he had never encountered one did not bode well for that theory; there weren't many parts of Garon that he was unfamiliar with. Sometimes someone created another realm within Garon, a Tahis. If a god was a creator of a universe, perhaps they were real. But then he would be a god, and he didn't consider himself such. There were certainly some strange things in Neron Alarast. Beings worshipped under many names, or many worshipped under one, but were they gods purely by virtue of being worshipped? Worship could be performed in so many ways. There were those who worshipped money, or another person. There were those who pursued some ideal, devoting themselves to it. Some were so selfish they gave glory to themselves, but did any of that make the object of worship a god? What was godhood? It was something he had pondered on many occasions, and he expected to continue to do so indefinitely, or until he reached a satisfactory conclusion.
Anyway, he could pass for a god when necessary. Now was not the time for such philosophising.
“Please separate yourselves into three groups. Those who can perform some level of hazeshaping and are willing to use it to save their lives, those who are willing to fight, and those who are unwilling or incapable of either.”
“What about those who can use haze and want to fight?”
“That's a good point. I don't expect there to be many of those; you'll mostly be too old to fight or too young to draw on haze. If there is anyone who falls into both categories, hop into a fourth group.”
He waited while they assembled, noticing no-one joined the fourth group. The made little noise in the process; a sombre atmosphere had descended on them as they realised the importance of what they were to do. The rustle of clothing and clonking of feet seemed overly loud in the otherwise silent room. Once they had organised themselves, he spoke again.
“Take a look at those around you. It's important you remember their faces, what they sound like, and as much about them as you can. I don't know what we'll come up against this time, but they may try to pass themselves off as people you know. Those of you who will fight, go and find a weapon and armour, if you can. If you can't find anything, that's okay. Everyone else collect whatever supplies you can. You'll primarily need food, water and clothing. Oh, and we'll also need medical supplies! They are very important. We'll travel to a place in another realm called Rift Valley. It's also called Image Valley, depending on who you ask. Now, I need to go. I'll be back in a few hours. Gather what you can!”
He opened a tunnel. He needed to contact the other Nul.
Chapter 36
In the core of Tera's temple, a few black beetle-like things – sinistrals – had consumed the remains of the painfree elixir. A transformation had taken place, the void wrapping itself around their greedy hearts. Haze flowing freely into heir bodies. They feasted on the writhing masses that were the other, lesser sinistrals, their skin turning oily and slick, their bodies growing engorged and enlarged. These would become known as darklings. Born in the darkness, with bodies a colour to shame even the depths of a starless midnight. If not intelligent, they were certainly more so than their smaller cousins from which they had sprung. They were creatures who belonged more in the Otherlands, which shadowy creatures such as Cado and Blucks called home, or even in Sorrow, with its corrupted denizens.
The darklings hunted the sinistrals. Catching them in fine nets of Haze. Reeling them in to make a meal. Eventually eating enough to split off another darkling, wriggling its tortuous path through skin and flopping onto the ground to search for prey.
They welled up and out of the temple like an oil slick, devouring all they encountered. Snatching up everything the sinistrals had missed,either from their stupidity or because it had been out of reach. Sometimes swallowing sinistrals whole when they could find them.
The sinistrals had learned enough to know that there was a new danger now. Something more dangerous than what had begun hunting them earlier. They managed to communicate in some way the darkling had no access to. Perhaps the dropping of pheromones, or maybe they tugged on some net of Shar that connected them all. Whatever the means, they all now knew to flee these darker versions of themselves.
The darklings were not ready for the surface. If the sinistrals avoided the light, the darklings despised it, shunning it entirely. They scuttled back into their nooks and crannies before most creatures would realise the sun was near rising, burrowing into the sandy earth if nowhere was available, which was more and more frequent as they spread like a bacterial growth across the desert.
It was during the day that those predators created by Avan hunted these lovers of the dark, snapping jaws at them in their alcoves and fissures. At night they attempted to ambush the darklings, being the smartest of the three species. If they failed in their ambush and were detected before they could get a killing blow in, the darkling would usually realise, snaring them in a haze web.
The first of the sinistrals arrived at Ironcore more than a day before the first darklings. Unable to break into the residents' storehouses or hydroponic growth systems, they swarmed into the underground city. For a while they were viewed as nothing more than pests, but they were too destructive for that to continue. The city banded together to fight them off, realising that these things behaved like a virus, moving to one place, consuming resources as quickly as possible, then moving on. A sense of urgency about their simple movements, something like a frenetic panic hinted they were on the run, but from what?
Ironcore was populated by the Kulus. A whole city of human-robot hybrids, grown gigantic from their perfect nutrition and keeping themselves secret from the rest of humanity to avoid being threatened by war. They had long ago learnt the secrets of hiding electronics from the immune system; coating fine electrodes in synthetic organic cells, surface proteins entirely encasing the metal and matching the body's own. They had to be tailored individually, but that was the price paid.
With the loss of electricity from the world, the gigantic hybrids were surprised that their implants continued to work, albeit not in the way they were necessarily designed. Antennae allowed them to communicate directly with one another still, or to assert some level of control over simple beasts. Enhanced eyes allowed them to spy out living creatures, even through some solid materials, provided said materials were not overly thick.
Is was the use of the Shar field that allowed this, and though they had never encountered it before, these scientific people were quick to begin reasoning about it, proposing theories of what had happened and what would happen. There was discussion of mysticism, legends told of people who had the abilities the entire Kulus civilisation seemed to have gained, and more abilities besides!
Within a few days of the old technology failing, they had begun to set up new systems for food production, sanitisation, water purification and the other things necessary for civilised living. They were quick to grasp that life was the key. They were quick to realise that the sinistrals had unaccountably large levels of this visible life force and that the darklings seemed to have none, but were sustained by some other force that was similar to Shar in the same way it was similar to the electricity that Shar had replaced.
Plans were begun to harness this other force. Darklings were captured, experiments performed, even as they and the smaller sinistrals were fended off.
When the sinistrals that had been modified by Avan arrived, they were dubbed dextrals as they seemed to be in opposition to the sinistrals. They did not have destructive tendencies and appeared willing to interact with the Kulus. Movements were made to train and domesticate them. Breeding would be a problem; they reproduced asexually and genetic technology was no longer available, at least, it was unavailable to the best of their knowledge. Still, get enough of them and expose them to some sort of radiation – Shar might have the useful properties, who knew? - and they should begin evolving different traits.
The Kulus debated where these things would have come from. They reached a majority consensus – over 75%, which defined a major majority – that these new species were somehow related to the failing of electricity, but could not reach anything more than a 20% consensus on any theories as to how they were related, which was 5% lower than that required for a minor consensus, which was in turn required before a course of action could be committed to and even then only if there were no other theories with minor consensus. This system was designed so that progress could be made, even in uncertain climates.
The Kulus had depended very much on the use of enhanced animals, typically enhanced through a combination of genetic modification and electronic implants. Some of the more heavily implanted animals had trouble now, their life forces apparently being insufficient to power all their robotic equipment. On the flip side, batteries appeared to no longer be necessary, and most broken electronics continued to work, even when severely damaged. It was as if the electronics had become part of the body.
The first big breakthrough came when it was realised that their bodies would slowly heal the implants if damaged. The animals were often sent to do the more dangerous tasks; it was one of the reasons they were created after all; and when one's reinforced arm was crushed, the Kulus decided it may have to be put down. Subsequent investigations revealed it was not as wounded as originally expected, and examinations performed even later revealed that the wound was completely healed, including the damage to the steel carapace. Further experiments were formed before a near-100% consensus was formed that implants could heal themselves. Bodies now accepted, rather than rejected extensions.
Other experiments confirmed that darklings could not be improved upon using implants, but that sinistrals and dextrals could. A brain interface for a dextral would save on training, while body implants could make up for breeding. Sinistrals were just too simple. They could be put to work in the same way cockroaches were – converting detritus to soil – but did not need to be enhanced for that purpose. They were good enough at that in their natural state.
That all three species made good and nourishing food – particularly the sinistrals – was the next big breakthrough. It cut down on food processing costs by over 8% as fewer steps were now needed to be taken to produce protein from garbage.
The final breakthrough was discovered when someone tried to talk to a dextral over their antenna. The creature obeyed their command. Again they tried, and again it obeyed. This mind control was discovered to work for both sinistrals and dextrals, and would form the basis of the new machine workers in Ironcore, working as extensions of their masters' bodies.
The darklings hunted the sinistrals. Catching them in fine nets of Haze. Reeling them in to make a meal. Eventually eating enough to split off another darkling, wriggling its tortuous path through skin and flopping onto the ground to search for prey.
They welled up and out of the temple like an oil slick, devouring all they encountered. Snatching up everything the sinistrals had missed,either from their stupidity or because it had been out of reach. Sometimes swallowing sinistrals whole when they could find them.
The sinistrals had learned enough to know that there was a new danger now. Something more dangerous than what had begun hunting them earlier. They managed to communicate in some way the darkling had no access to. Perhaps the dropping of pheromones, or maybe they tugged on some net of Shar that connected them all. Whatever the means, they all now knew to flee these darker versions of themselves.
The darklings were not ready for the surface. If the sinistrals avoided the light, the darklings despised it, shunning it entirely. They scuttled back into their nooks and crannies before most creatures would realise the sun was near rising, burrowing into the sandy earth if nowhere was available, which was more and more frequent as they spread like a bacterial growth across the desert.
It was during the day that those predators created by Avan hunted these lovers of the dark, snapping jaws at them in their alcoves and fissures. At night they attempted to ambush the darklings, being the smartest of the three species. If they failed in their ambush and were detected before they could get a killing blow in, the darkling would usually realise, snaring them in a haze web.
The first of the sinistrals arrived at Ironcore more than a day before the first darklings. Unable to break into the residents' storehouses or hydroponic growth systems, they swarmed into the underground city. For a while they were viewed as nothing more than pests, but they were too destructive for that to continue. The city banded together to fight them off, realising that these things behaved like a virus, moving to one place, consuming resources as quickly as possible, then moving on. A sense of urgency about their simple movements, something like a frenetic panic hinted they were on the run, but from what?
Ironcore was populated by the Kulus. A whole city of human-robot hybrids, grown gigantic from their perfect nutrition and keeping themselves secret from the rest of humanity to avoid being threatened by war. They had long ago learnt the secrets of hiding electronics from the immune system; coating fine electrodes in synthetic organic cells, surface proteins entirely encasing the metal and matching the body's own. They had to be tailored individually, but that was the price paid.
With the loss of electricity from the world, the gigantic hybrids were surprised that their implants continued to work, albeit not in the way they were necessarily designed. Antennae allowed them to communicate directly with one another still, or to assert some level of control over simple beasts. Enhanced eyes allowed them to spy out living creatures, even through some solid materials, provided said materials were not overly thick.
Is was the use of the Shar field that allowed this, and though they had never encountered it before, these scientific people were quick to begin reasoning about it, proposing theories of what had happened and what would happen. There was discussion of mysticism, legends told of people who had the abilities the entire Kulus civilisation seemed to have gained, and more abilities besides!
Within a few days of the old technology failing, they had begun to set up new systems for food production, sanitisation, water purification and the other things necessary for civilised living. They were quick to grasp that life was the key. They were quick to realise that the sinistrals had unaccountably large levels of this visible life force and that the darklings seemed to have none, but were sustained by some other force that was similar to Shar in the same way it was similar to the electricity that Shar had replaced.
Plans were begun to harness this other force. Darklings were captured, experiments performed, even as they and the smaller sinistrals were fended off.
When the sinistrals that had been modified by Avan arrived, they were dubbed dextrals as they seemed to be in opposition to the sinistrals. They did not have destructive tendencies and appeared willing to interact with the Kulus. Movements were made to train and domesticate them. Breeding would be a problem; they reproduced asexually and genetic technology was no longer available, at least, it was unavailable to the best of their knowledge. Still, get enough of them and expose them to some sort of radiation – Shar might have the useful properties, who knew? - and they should begin evolving different traits.
The Kulus debated where these things would have come from. They reached a majority consensus – over 75%, which defined a major majority – that these new species were somehow related to the failing of electricity, but could not reach anything more than a 20% consensus on any theories as to how they were related, which was 5% lower than that required for a minor consensus, which was in turn required before a course of action could be committed to and even then only if there were no other theories with minor consensus. This system was designed so that progress could be made, even in uncertain climates.
The Kulus had depended very much on the use of enhanced animals, typically enhanced through a combination of genetic modification and electronic implants. Some of the more heavily implanted animals had trouble now, their life forces apparently being insufficient to power all their robotic equipment. On the flip side, batteries appeared to no longer be necessary, and most broken electronics continued to work, even when severely damaged. It was as if the electronics had become part of the body.
The first big breakthrough came when it was realised that their bodies would slowly heal the implants if damaged. The animals were often sent to do the more dangerous tasks; it was one of the reasons they were created after all; and when one's reinforced arm was crushed, the Kulus decided it may have to be put down. Subsequent investigations revealed it was not as wounded as originally expected, and examinations performed even later revealed that the wound was completely healed, including the damage to the steel carapace. Further experiments were formed before a near-100% consensus was formed that implants could heal themselves. Bodies now accepted, rather than rejected extensions.
Other experiments confirmed that darklings could not be improved upon using implants, but that sinistrals and dextrals could. A brain interface for a dextral would save on training, while body implants could make up for breeding. Sinistrals were just too simple. They could be put to work in the same way cockroaches were – converting detritus to soil – but did not need to be enhanced for that purpose. They were good enough at that in their natural state.
That all three species made good and nourishing food – particularly the sinistrals – was the next big breakthrough. It cut down on food processing costs by over 8% as fewer steps were now needed to be taken to produce protein from garbage.
The final breakthrough was discovered when someone tried to talk to a dextral over their antenna. The creature obeyed their command. Again they tried, and again it obeyed. This mind control was discovered to work for both sinistrals and dextrals, and would form the basis of the new machine workers in Ironcore, working as extensions of their masters' bodies.
Chapter 35
Cado sent out buoys, floating on the surface of the Void, listening for one of the Nul. Her kind were adept at riding the currents between the realms, the ripples that indicated various lives. Great waves signifying those such as the Nul. There were other great waves now, moving in their own particular patterns. Many she was used to were gone, dead, frozen (which was as good as dead), or just too far away for her to detect. Frustrated, she floated a few more sensors, hoping the extra information would catch something. Before they had finished opening, she had released them; she had felt the signature of a Nul. She couldn't tell which as they all sounded the same for some reason. She doubted they were a split soul; split souls divided their powers equally between fragments and there was no way that anything could grow so powerful as to be able to split a seemingly countless number of times and still be capable of so much. The Nul were titans amongst hazeshapers.
She stepped out of her passageway near Avan Nerovast. That wasn't surprising – he had been aspected to Alarast for as long as she could remember. Possibly as long as it had existed. Now there was a thought!
Avan was looking at her. Just looking. She realised that he stood before an audience. She had interrupted something. Probably something important. She didn't care, this was more important.
“Cennon has breached the wall. Plarit pushes back, alone for now.”
Avan's face went whiter than it already was. “Thank you Cado. Are you well?”
“Yes.”
“Can you help Plarit?”
“Yes.” She stepped back into the Void. Some were offended by the quick responses to their requests. Cado did not see a problem with it. When you had something to do, you got straight to it. That was why she had always got so much done. It was how she had learnt to excel at shaping. You could talk all you wanted, but that didn't mean you would get things done, including practice. Drawing didn't even hurt any longer – she had practised that much. Yes. She would be able to help Plarit.
She was wrenched back. Painfully.
“Ouch!”
Avan looked at her crossly. “Plarit can wait. We have other things to discuss first.”
“Oh.” She raised a shadowy arm to her head, causing dark patches to flow around the room for few seconds. The humans in the room stirred uneasily. Whatever Avan had been doing here, these were fragile things. She thought briefly about giving them a fright, but decided against it. Actions always had an effect, and that effect was either helping or harming. Scaring these fleshy things would likely fall on the harm side of that continuum.
“Please don't go until I give you the okay. I know how impatient you can be.”
Cado nodded. To Avan it would appear like a shifting of darkness in deep shade. He could perceive it, but she wouldn't give any more than that. Avan was being rude.
He sighed. “Sorry for snatching you back like that. This is urgent.”
She cheered up a little.
He continued. “I'd like the Watchers to resume their old roles. Defenders and Pushers, except with something extra. Those who excel at both fighting and pushing, Blucks for example, I'd like those to work as a sort of shock troop. Push Cennon out, but also keep an eye on the fighting. If it seems intense, jump in. If we can nip this in the bud we may fare better than last time. I still mourn the losses we endured, especially that of Jason Brade.”
Cado understood. Jason Brade was exceptional in his abilities. She also understood the idea of getting to the action quickly to avoid things becoming worse.
“Is that everything?”
“Not quite. I'm planning on sending these people here to help, if they are willing. They aren't strong, but every little bit counts. There are a couple of others I know of with useful talents. You can most likely also expect something from some of the other Nul.”
“I'll pass the messages along.”
“Thank you.”
Cado waited impatiently. After a few seconds Avan must have realised why she was waiting. “Go!” He commanded.
She left, shadows scurrying around the room once again.
She stepped out of her passageway near Avan Nerovast. That wasn't surprising – he had been aspected to Alarast for as long as she could remember. Possibly as long as it had existed. Now there was a thought!
Avan was looking at her. Just looking. She realised that he stood before an audience. She had interrupted something. Probably something important. She didn't care, this was more important.
“Cennon has breached the wall. Plarit pushes back, alone for now.”
Avan's face went whiter than it already was. “Thank you Cado. Are you well?”
“Yes.”
“Can you help Plarit?”
“Yes.” She stepped back into the Void. Some were offended by the quick responses to their requests. Cado did not see a problem with it. When you had something to do, you got straight to it. That was why she had always got so much done. It was how she had learnt to excel at shaping. You could talk all you wanted, but that didn't mean you would get things done, including practice. Drawing didn't even hurt any longer – she had practised that much. Yes. She would be able to help Plarit.
She was wrenched back. Painfully.
“Ouch!”
Avan looked at her crossly. “Plarit can wait. We have other things to discuss first.”
“Oh.” She raised a shadowy arm to her head, causing dark patches to flow around the room for few seconds. The humans in the room stirred uneasily. Whatever Avan had been doing here, these were fragile things. She thought briefly about giving them a fright, but decided against it. Actions always had an effect, and that effect was either helping or harming. Scaring these fleshy things would likely fall on the harm side of that continuum.
“Please don't go until I give you the okay. I know how impatient you can be.”
Cado nodded. To Avan it would appear like a shifting of darkness in deep shade. He could perceive it, but she wouldn't give any more than that. Avan was being rude.
He sighed. “Sorry for snatching you back like that. This is urgent.”
She cheered up a little.
He continued. “I'd like the Watchers to resume their old roles. Defenders and Pushers, except with something extra. Those who excel at both fighting and pushing, Blucks for example, I'd like those to work as a sort of shock troop. Push Cennon out, but also keep an eye on the fighting. If it seems intense, jump in. If we can nip this in the bud we may fare better than last time. I still mourn the losses we endured, especially that of Jason Brade.”
Cado understood. Jason Brade was exceptional in his abilities. She also understood the idea of getting to the action quickly to avoid things becoming worse.
“Is that everything?”
“Not quite. I'm planning on sending these people here to help, if they are willing. They aren't strong, but every little bit counts. There are a couple of others I know of with useful talents. You can most likely also expect something from some of the other Nul.”
“I'll pass the messages along.”
“Thank you.”
Cado waited impatiently. After a few seconds Avan must have realised why she was waiting. “Go!” He commanded.
She left, shadows scurrying around the room once again.
Chapter 34
“Keep an eye on the bird lizard,” she heard Hammer say. He really did not like Rajin, with good reason.
“Don't give us any trouble,” she told Rajin.
Never. Came the reply.
Rain thought that was an interesting response, but she trusted the creature for now. At any rate, it could not easily harm either of them.
They left Rain's rooms, headed out into the complex proper. The halls were dim and empty of human life. Being empty was normal, the halls were not the epitome of a social space, but the dimness and unearthly quiet put an edge on the atmosphere. The echoes of their footfalls seemed more pronounced; even Rajin seemed more alert than normal, though Rain was surprised that was possible.
Emerging into the daylight, their eyes took a few seconds to adjust. People sat around uncomfortably, their places of work being inaccessible with the ferries not working and entertainment sources unavailable as there was no power. Only the most necessary of shops were open.
Birds could be hear calling from over the wall, and monkeys screeching in response. For some reason, these things were noticed now, by all in the courtyard, where they had been never noticed before.
But the noticing passed over the trio's notice as they basked in the glory of a bright new day. There was something about this simplicity, the absence of technology, that calmed the soul. It was obvious that electronics would not suddenly begin working. If it was just a case of running low on power, then battery-powered devices would still function. This was clearly the new state of things, and though people knew they would have to find a new way of living, things seemed... right.
Rain was the first to move, stepping down the short set of stairs to ground level.
A black-clad Foldian was preaching his religion from a makeshift dais to her right, positioned in such a way that the view was blocked from those in her group still in the doorway. She almost scoffed, but then she noticed something strange about the man. He was radiating Shar. Not Haze, Shar. She hadn't realised before, but they were different things. Haze brought things into being, but Shar, did it grant things life?
That couldn't be right. The Foldian was doing something with a notepad, making it somewhat functional, Shar spurting from it in uncontrolled bursts. It screen was lit up, but she couldn't see much more than that. Impressed, she made her way over, Rajin and Hammer in tow.
Rajin drew eyes, and had some effect on the preacher; he paused for a full second, gaze resting on the birdish thing, before continuing with his sermon. Rain wasn't really paying attention to what he said. Instead, she focussed on Rajin. What was different about her? Something was different. For the first time, Rain realised that there was a similar field surrounding Rajin as surrounded that preacher. There was one surrounding all the people here, in fact. Different strengths, but all with the same quality. Except for Rajin. Rajin's was mercurial, moving quickly and violently, not the calm of the others'. Like a hammer to her head, it hit her. Rajin's aura was Shar mixed with electricity. Rajin came from Tera's realm. Somehow, she had dragged something across. A small space where the laws of Vinidan Same applied. Was this what the members of The Fold had seen everywhere? Had they foreseen the freeing of Tera? How?
She went up to talk to him.
“Excuse me!”
He didn't hear.
“Excuse me!” She called again louder. Hammer readied himself behind her, hand on sword. He was amused no-one had commented on that, though there were a a few gazes that quickly glanced away. Rajin crouched down on her hind legs, arms falling to rest on the floor in preparation for a mighty leap.
This time the priest heard. He turned their way. “I've been over this before, I can't answer everyone's questions individually. You'll have to wait your turn.”
She saw that there was some sort of order to the audience. One half clumped together, rapt in his words. The other formed a wavy line. That half didn't pay as close attention; they had their own questions.
Maybe it was the long night and short sleep. Perhaps it was hunger. There was a possibility that she was just in a bad mood. Whatever the reason, she lost her temper. She lashed together a framework of Shar and Haze, wincing a little. She made the framework out of equal parts of each and let it just hang there in the air.
The priest stood agape. “Not even the high priest...” He was speaking to himself.
Members of the crowd, oblivious to the event, looked quizzically at him as though he had lost his mind. The chances are that they afforded him that anyway. That was often tolerated, or even expected, from members of the clergy.
“Something has come to my attention.” The priest called out. “I should be back shortly.”
He got down from his platform, and bustled through the crowd, over to the three companions.
“Can we go inside somewhere?” He asked quietly.
“Yes, of course.” Rain replied, leading him back to her rooms, Hammer and Rajin following silently again.
“Don't give us any trouble,” she told Rajin.
Never. Came the reply.
Rain thought that was an interesting response, but she trusted the creature for now. At any rate, it could not easily harm either of them.
They left Rain's rooms, headed out into the complex proper. The halls were dim and empty of human life. Being empty was normal, the halls were not the epitome of a social space, but the dimness and unearthly quiet put an edge on the atmosphere. The echoes of their footfalls seemed more pronounced; even Rajin seemed more alert than normal, though Rain was surprised that was possible.
Emerging into the daylight, their eyes took a few seconds to adjust. People sat around uncomfortably, their places of work being inaccessible with the ferries not working and entertainment sources unavailable as there was no power. Only the most necessary of shops were open.
Birds could be hear calling from over the wall, and monkeys screeching in response. For some reason, these things were noticed now, by all in the courtyard, where they had been never noticed before.
But the noticing passed over the trio's notice as they basked in the glory of a bright new day. There was something about this simplicity, the absence of technology, that calmed the soul. It was obvious that electronics would not suddenly begin working. If it was just a case of running low on power, then battery-powered devices would still function. This was clearly the new state of things, and though people knew they would have to find a new way of living, things seemed... right.
Rain was the first to move, stepping down the short set of stairs to ground level.
A black-clad Foldian was preaching his religion from a makeshift dais to her right, positioned in such a way that the view was blocked from those in her group still in the doorway. She almost scoffed, but then she noticed something strange about the man. He was radiating Shar. Not Haze, Shar. She hadn't realised before, but they were different things. Haze brought things into being, but Shar, did it grant things life?
That couldn't be right. The Foldian was doing something with a notepad, making it somewhat functional, Shar spurting from it in uncontrolled bursts. It screen was lit up, but she couldn't see much more than that. Impressed, she made her way over, Rajin and Hammer in tow.
Rajin drew eyes, and had some effect on the preacher; he paused for a full second, gaze resting on the birdish thing, before continuing with his sermon. Rain wasn't really paying attention to what he said. Instead, she focussed on Rajin. What was different about her? Something was different. For the first time, Rain realised that there was a similar field surrounding Rajin as surrounded that preacher. There was one surrounding all the people here, in fact. Different strengths, but all with the same quality. Except for Rajin. Rajin's was mercurial, moving quickly and violently, not the calm of the others'. Like a hammer to her head, it hit her. Rajin's aura was Shar mixed with electricity. Rajin came from Tera's realm. Somehow, she had dragged something across. A small space where the laws of Vinidan Same applied. Was this what the members of The Fold had seen everywhere? Had they foreseen the freeing of Tera? How?
She went up to talk to him.
“Excuse me!”
He didn't hear.
“Excuse me!” She called again louder. Hammer readied himself behind her, hand on sword. He was amused no-one had commented on that, though there were a a few gazes that quickly glanced away. Rajin crouched down on her hind legs, arms falling to rest on the floor in preparation for a mighty leap.
This time the priest heard. He turned their way. “I've been over this before, I can't answer everyone's questions individually. You'll have to wait your turn.”
She saw that there was some sort of order to the audience. One half clumped together, rapt in his words. The other formed a wavy line. That half didn't pay as close attention; they had their own questions.
Maybe it was the long night and short sleep. Perhaps it was hunger. There was a possibility that she was just in a bad mood. Whatever the reason, she lost her temper. She lashed together a framework of Shar and Haze, wincing a little. She made the framework out of equal parts of each and let it just hang there in the air.
The priest stood agape. “Not even the high priest...” He was speaking to himself.
Members of the crowd, oblivious to the event, looked quizzically at him as though he had lost his mind. The chances are that they afforded him that anyway. That was often tolerated, or even expected, from members of the clergy.
“Something has come to my attention.” The priest called out. “I should be back shortly.”
He got down from his platform, and bustled through the crowd, over to the three companions.
“Can we go inside somewhere?” He asked quietly.
“Yes, of course.” Rain replied, leading him back to her rooms, Hammer and Rajin following silently again.
Chapter 33
Avan had allowed his followers to rest. It would take some time for many of them to learn to live the way they should. Many had strange ways of moving, which they had learnt over time would reduce their pain. These would have to be unlearned Never mind. It would take time, but it would happen.
Now he had to make these priests his offer. He expected most of them would accept; the vast majority had lost their purpose in life, and would cling to anything. Besides, what he needed their help with was important.
Tera actually had tried to help them, as it turned out. He had managed to grant some of them a rudimentary ability to shape haze, even to pull jinrae through from Vinidan Same, though that was probably more a curse than a blessing. Tera hadn't managed to grant anyone enough power to set him free, but enough had been granted to be useful to Avan. He still wasn't sure how Tera had done it, but enough time focussed on one thing – escape – could lead to interesting innovations. He would have to research that when this current crisis was over.
He would have the first conversation with Torpor. That kid seemed reliable.
***
“Torpor!” He had found him. The priest dutifully turned and walked over to Avan.
“Today I will ask people to help. It is an important task. More important than freeing Tera was.”
“I wish you luck. What is the task which you ask in exchange for healing us?”
“It's tricky to explain. Tera gave many of you abilities. I would ask that you use those abilities to push away someone that is a threat to everyone. Someone more powerful than me or Tera, and who wants to consume us all.”
“Interesting. We are obliged to help. Of course we will do what we can, just as you did for us.”
“I can't ask you to speak on behalf of the others, but thank you for your willingness to help.”
“It is owed. I know you had little respect for Tera, but I have been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“Tera promised that once he was freed, we would also be free. When he was eventually released, we were not cured, so we didn't believe. Now we have been, which means the prophecy was true!”
“Hold on a second! Tera didn't cure you. I did. He had nothing to do with it.”
“Nevertheless, it was exactly as he predicted!”
Avan just shook his head. Perhaps the priest was onto something, but it was more likely to be coincidence than future sight. There were no skills of that nature in Tera's realm. Unless he had stolen that from someone else, he would not have been able to see. And if he could, why would he allow himself to get trapped by Avan? Perhaps he had been compelled by Garon? Now there was an interesting thought. Compelled by Garon to endure over a hundred thousand years of excruciating agony. If Garon could compel someone to that, was he really worth fighting for? Perhaps people should just start shifting into Cennon and live out their days there. Sure, they would be corrupted by the alien realms, possibly more than moving realms within Garon, but maybe they would not suffer the same abuse. Then again, what did either of them care about individuals? And Garon could compel them to stay if truly necessary.
What a sticky situation!
He knew why he had these thoughts, of course. Garon's thoughts were the composite of the thoughts and communication between all his parts – including the Nul. Especially the Nul. In some ways they were core to Garon's existence – focal points of information transfer between realms, storehouses for ancient knowledge, moving hubs of activity – if Avan was having thoughts like this, then Garon was considering giving up, trying to save what he could of himself by merging with the predator. But very little would be saved that way.
The priest had begun wandering off. He could be relied on, at least. He had agreed out of a feeling of gratitude, without even knowing what would be required.
“Torion!”
The priest kept moving. Why had he used that name?
“Torpor!”
Torpor stopped, turned, came back. Not being the type to lord it over others, Avan also walked to him.
“You are very different to what Tera was.”
Avan chucked softly. “Yes, he and I are of different breeds, in more ways than one. In particular, I don't claim to be a god. Do you know what I'm asking of the priesthood yet?”
Torpor looked a little startled by the question. “Uh, not really. Worship I assumed, though Tera had an ulterior motive for the worship also. Besides, you claim not to be a god.” A wry smile.
“Well, I don't know if ulterior is the word. I'd say 'only motive' personally.”
“Ah. What then?”
“All that contact with Tera granted some of the priesthood certain gifts. I'm not sure how he managed it, but over half of you can do something called hazeshaping. Hazeshaping is, essentially, the process by which power is derived. A hazeshaper can draw power from the void between worlds, and shape it how they fancy. The hazeshaper can perform other tricks too, and its one of these which I would ask the priesthood's help in. Just as a hazeshaper can draw stuff in, I need you to push something back out.”
Through this speech Torpor had waited patiently. Once Avan was clearly finished, he spoke.
“I don't see how this changes things. I will still help if I can.”
Avan threw up his arms. “Don't you care that it could be dangerous? That it might change who you are as a person? Don't you care about the power hazeshaping will grant you? Most people care about these things.”
“No. I have lived a life of pain. I found a purpose to keep me alive. The purpose was gone and I still had the pain. I had no reason to live. Now the pain is gone and I have a new purpose.”
“Right. Is this how most of the priesthood feels then?”
“Largely.”
“Could you communicate my request to them?” Avan was tired of this. He things other than the needs of younglings on his mind. Let them take care of their own. He had done his part.
“As you wish.” Torpor bowed low and departed, shaved head glistening in the candle light.
Now he had to make these priests his offer. He expected most of them would accept; the vast majority had lost their purpose in life, and would cling to anything. Besides, what he needed their help with was important.
Tera actually had tried to help them, as it turned out. He had managed to grant some of them a rudimentary ability to shape haze, even to pull jinrae through from Vinidan Same, though that was probably more a curse than a blessing. Tera hadn't managed to grant anyone enough power to set him free, but enough had been granted to be useful to Avan. He still wasn't sure how Tera had done it, but enough time focussed on one thing – escape – could lead to interesting innovations. He would have to research that when this current crisis was over.
He would have the first conversation with Torpor. That kid seemed reliable.
***
“Torpor!” He had found him. The priest dutifully turned and walked over to Avan.
“Today I will ask people to help. It is an important task. More important than freeing Tera was.”
“I wish you luck. What is the task which you ask in exchange for healing us?”
“It's tricky to explain. Tera gave many of you abilities. I would ask that you use those abilities to push away someone that is a threat to everyone. Someone more powerful than me or Tera, and who wants to consume us all.”
“Interesting. We are obliged to help. Of course we will do what we can, just as you did for us.”
“I can't ask you to speak on behalf of the others, but thank you for your willingness to help.”
“It is owed. I know you had little respect for Tera, but I have been thinking.”
“Yes?”
“Tera promised that once he was freed, we would also be free. When he was eventually released, we were not cured, so we didn't believe. Now we have been, which means the prophecy was true!”
“Hold on a second! Tera didn't cure you. I did. He had nothing to do with it.”
“Nevertheless, it was exactly as he predicted!”
Avan just shook his head. Perhaps the priest was onto something, but it was more likely to be coincidence than future sight. There were no skills of that nature in Tera's realm. Unless he had stolen that from someone else, he would not have been able to see. And if he could, why would he allow himself to get trapped by Avan? Perhaps he had been compelled by Garon? Now there was an interesting thought. Compelled by Garon to endure over a hundred thousand years of excruciating agony. If Garon could compel someone to that, was he really worth fighting for? Perhaps people should just start shifting into Cennon and live out their days there. Sure, they would be corrupted by the alien realms, possibly more than moving realms within Garon, but maybe they would not suffer the same abuse. Then again, what did either of them care about individuals? And Garon could compel them to stay if truly necessary.
What a sticky situation!
He knew why he had these thoughts, of course. Garon's thoughts were the composite of the thoughts and communication between all his parts – including the Nul. Especially the Nul. In some ways they were core to Garon's existence – focal points of information transfer between realms, storehouses for ancient knowledge, moving hubs of activity – if Avan was having thoughts like this, then Garon was considering giving up, trying to save what he could of himself by merging with the predator. But very little would be saved that way.
The priest had begun wandering off. He could be relied on, at least. He had agreed out of a feeling of gratitude, without even knowing what would be required.
“Torion!”
The priest kept moving. Why had he used that name?
“Torpor!”
Torpor stopped, turned, came back. Not being the type to lord it over others, Avan also walked to him.
“You are very different to what Tera was.”
Avan chucked softly. “Yes, he and I are of different breeds, in more ways than one. In particular, I don't claim to be a god. Do you know what I'm asking of the priesthood yet?”
Torpor looked a little startled by the question. “Uh, not really. Worship I assumed, though Tera had an ulterior motive for the worship also. Besides, you claim not to be a god.” A wry smile.
“Well, I don't know if ulterior is the word. I'd say 'only motive' personally.”
“Ah. What then?”
“All that contact with Tera granted some of the priesthood certain gifts. I'm not sure how he managed it, but over half of you can do something called hazeshaping. Hazeshaping is, essentially, the process by which power is derived. A hazeshaper can draw power from the void between worlds, and shape it how they fancy. The hazeshaper can perform other tricks too, and its one of these which I would ask the priesthood's help in. Just as a hazeshaper can draw stuff in, I need you to push something back out.”
Through this speech Torpor had waited patiently. Once Avan was clearly finished, he spoke.
“I don't see how this changes things. I will still help if I can.”
Avan threw up his arms. “Don't you care that it could be dangerous? That it might change who you are as a person? Don't you care about the power hazeshaping will grant you? Most people care about these things.”
“No. I have lived a life of pain. I found a purpose to keep me alive. The purpose was gone and I still had the pain. I had no reason to live. Now the pain is gone and I have a new purpose.”
“Right. Is this how most of the priesthood feels then?”
“Largely.”
“Could you communicate my request to them?” Avan was tired of this. He things other than the needs of younglings on his mind. Let them take care of their own. He had done his part.
“As you wish.” Torpor bowed low and departed, shaved head glistening in the candle light.
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