Regrets and Arrogance (26)

During my meditative semblance of sleep, I visited the temple at the centre of nothingness where I was born and raised. I walked around the stone structure reading the words that had pushed me as a child to swear oaths to the beings that lived now as nothing but a single column of light. I rounded the building toward the doors as they open on their own slowly to let me enter into the central room. The high pitch buzzing of their voices rose as I approached the pillar of light central in this great hall of stone.

“Stop speaking all at once!” I screamed at it. I resisted the urge to cover my ears as the sound receded to a low background buzz around me. “Why do all the higher being plan interfering with them as they are doing?” I grumbled. “Leading them time and time again down the path of self destruction?” I muttered.

The buzzing rose to deafening levels around me as all the Ley'ä'Luna spoke together to explain and comfort me. I fell to my knees covering my ears in vain as they spoke louder to me. The memories of being here distraught from Elyria's death as she saved me from mine surfaced in my mind. The feeling of abandoning my oaths to them after having recapture all that had escaped from that dreaded asylum including the monster that had caused my wife to die. I had placed them all within a specially created jail of my own design. A single box that held multiple cells holding each of the engineered diluvian race with it's genetic base Ann'Anka Anccilar trapped before I finally came to this temple. I spent thousand years or more in that place grieving for my lost love as the Lights of Life spoke words of condolence to me.

I had place the prison box upon a lower plane to be guarded by those know as the Faiths. I underestimated how Ann'Anka could pervert them while still being imprisoned. She trick one of their children to open the box sealing the destiny of that plane. I roused from my grief as a felt the seal on the multigate rupture releasing all of them once more. My anger for those pitiful beings had no bounds like my level of power and it blinded me as the grief still burned brightly in my soul. None had escaped the wraith of Universe's son as I shredded that lower plane from existence. It was not until my actions were completed that my mind understood what I had done.

I returned to the temple of light believing they would cast me out for such a dark and vile deed. I fell to my knees before the pillar of light begging for the mercy of death for my actions. I received words of sympathy and understanding from the Ley'ä'Luna instead of scorn and rejection. I knelt with my face against the cold stone then as I did today asking for forgiveness or death for my actions of destruction. All I felt and heard from them was understanding and acceptance. They told me that my actions were right and noble since they knew my true heart and saw my true soul's mind. I listen prostrated before them hearing the words of hundred different voices speaking to me like in my childhood. They told me I had been chosen because I would do what ever was needed to protect the Fallen Ones that would inherit the universe outside the void completely. Powerless, as the Fallen Ones appeared, was to remove from them the arrogance powers breed into all other races.

My head rose slowly to glare at the pillar of light that was their entire race. A new thought formed in my head which I screamed at them causing silence within the chamber. I would be the most arrogant of all of them because I had unlimited abilities and powers. I slowly rose to my feet soothed by the sudden absolute silence that reigned here at my thought. A whispered “Yes.” floated through my mind before the buzzing returned. I turned leaving them to debate my point nearly laughing as I walked away to return to my earthly form.

“But your arrogance is for them, not against them.” the Ken commented in my mind. “More reason for they who created all from the void chose you as their protector.” it added in a purr. I opened my eyes slowly to spot the Ken sitting in the room watching me with its dull red eye.

“What do you know of the creature I destroyed?” I mentally asked it.

“Once in control, it would have made the humans hunt my kind to take our third eye from us.” it answered. “The Fallen Ones have their own arrogance to face that include stealing powers from others to control them.” it added vehemently.

“And if they cannot control the power they steal?” I returned in a whisper.

“Less of them for you to protect but at least those ones left will be the smarter ones.” it chirped back merrily.

“Everything is simpler for others than the one sworn to protect them.” I chuckled back. “Best you run and hide little one, morning will be upon us soon.” I stated softly. I bowed my head to the Ken before it scurried away disappearing into a mouse hole. I sat on the bed waiting for Sert or Meli to fetch me for the departure in silent contemplation. I could not seem to remove the small smirk I wore at having for once gained silence from those I truly served. “Proof of my arrogance.” I added to myself. A unseen rooster crowed outside as I waited quietly smiling to myself.

One Last Mystery (25)

As my eyes crossed the table, I examined this shy looking girl closely as I focused on her mother's words now being mumbled in the room. The prayers she repeated was a grouping of six. Two to Mars, their god of war, for the soldiers trapped in Troy and the rest to Helios and Minerva to cure her precious little girl. The girl had barely looked up or even made a sound which could explain my not noticing her at the table. I slowly stretched out my mind to gently touch hers earning me a stunned glance from her. It was just for a moment then her eyes returned to study her plate in that unearthly silence. I whispered to her mind receiving nothing back from the child.

“She has a mind problem.” the Ken informed me mentally.

“Does she have the ability to hear mind speech?” I whispered back. “Or sense the gifted around her when they reach out to her?” I added quickly.

“Unknown to me Oldest of All.” the Ken replied with a mental chirp. “A sickness resides in her brain that makes her not truly a Fallen One slowly.” it added. I felt the mental shudder from the little creature.

“Your daughter is very quiet.” I remarked in feigned casualness. He nodded back slowly and sadly. She did not move at my words. “If she is ill, I must mention that my daughter-in-law is a very talented healer,” I hazarded softly. The wife's eyes turned to Meli as I sense the wife's desperate mental pleas she muttered to all the deities she knew.

“She is second in skill only to her two teachers.” Sert said proudly.

“I am not sure that it is an illness or simple stubbornness on her part but ...” the farmer left it hanging there incomplete. His wife's eyes turned from Meli to me. I knew that Meli felt the same pleading this woman showed clearly in her eyes.

“I can examine her and see what might be wrong with her.” Meli suggested. The child's mother's hands were at her mouth as the litany turned into a murmured thanks to all the divine forces for sending us to them.

“I will assist her though my skills are less than hers.” I continued quickly. The Ken's words rang in my head that this was beyond an easily cured malady. “A second set of hands is always good to have ready.” I added.

“Please help her.” the wife whispered. I felt the chains of my duty to the Fallen Ones tighten around my neck like a choking collar. I made the oath to the Ley'ä'Luna long ago no older than this girl after seeing myself sunder the last member of that race before she could step into the light pillar joining the rest of her noble race. My hand trembled as the memories washed through my mind as I felt the shackles I accepted to bear for this last race.

I barely noticed my mouth forming the words “I must and will” as I nodded to the wife. My mind refocused on the girl's mind at a cellular level like surgeons of the far future would learn to do. I hide the shudder caused by what my examination reveal to me. The central core of her mind was structured like a much older race slowly eating away at her human mind. Tendrils wove their way outward ending in small buds of foreign matter laced through the child's consumed mind. I linked mentally to Meli warning her to remain silent before showing her my findings.

The corners of Meli's eyes contracted at the sight. Sert glanced at our faces that appeared serene to these strangers. He remained silent as Meli was being as she studied the infection we faced. I could feel her mind pushing back the revulsion as her analytical half created and dismissed multiple solutions to remove this mass from the girl's mind. It would be known as cancer and feared as the great killer of many in the far future. I could indirectly use future techniques to cure the girl but could not be assured that her mind would heal itself. Removal was impossible since it had spread too far and would render the girl's mind useless to her.

I sensed that Meli had come to the same conclusions but was not ready to give up. I saw the thought forming in her about using her earthen abilities to regrow the brain matter as the removal occurred but it would trap them here for days and leave Meli exhausted and too weaken to complete this voyage. I knew that they had found this disease in Atlantis and could cure it safely using this technique but we were far from Atlantis and I doubted the mother would allow us to remove the child from them even if we could heal her fully.

I reached once more to touch the girl's mind to explain it to her. Her head snapped up glaring wide eyed at me as her mouth moved soundlessly. The family stared in shock at her as I read the words from her lips. “I have died to rise anew.” it told me. The language was older than the progenitors of the Old Ones and Ancient Ones causing my protective nature to rise against it. I ignored the confused glance Meli levelled at me as I could now see that this mass had sentience which normal cancer lacked. It was not ingesting her mind but slowly converting into its natural form which may not stop simply at the child's mind or soul.

I remained silent while contemplating how this path leading me to this challenge had been placed upon us. Something had interfered to bring me here to witness and face this possessive infection that attacked the Fallen Ones. My oaths to the Ley'ä'Luna made me the champion for this last race and forced me to act with all of my powers and abilities. The whispers from those dark recesses of my own mind now screamed for me to act.

“It might be best to allow my daughter-in-law to examine her closer.” I hazarded. The mother was on her feet leading the girl by her shoulder's into a back room as the husband ushered us forward.

“I will wait here speaking with the boys.” Sert commented. I nodded back to him in silence as I followed. The farmer and wife left us in the back room with their daughter sitting on the edge of a simple bed. As the sound of the door closing at our backs rung in the room, I froze Meli in time as I attempted dealing with the infection verbally.

“You have great powers.” the girl mouthed silently in that older tongue.

“And I will remove you if you continue harming this child.” I replied mentally. The child's eyes widened in fear and dismay at my projected thoughts. “You do not control her completely yet so there is still a chance to save her.” I mentally whispered. “And save yourself.” I added with a vicious smile. I felt the defiance of the creature while watching its tendrils wrap tighter around parts of the girl's brain to cause the most damage if forcibly ejected by normal means.

“I have died to return anew.” it stated again in silence. “I will not be removed by a lesser being.” it added. The girl bared her teeth at me in a vicious and sickly sneer. A predatory smile bloomed on my face as my eyes shifted into pairs of spinning twin stars in utter liquid blackness. In the reflection of the girl's eyes, I saw my skin slide translucent showing slow moving stars on their heavenly path crossing my face.

“You are my lesser, whelp!” I missed into the creature's mind. “Now will you withdraw or shall I become very serious with you?” I asked under my breath.

“I fear no being older or younger since I have already died to return anew.” it mouthed back defiantly. It's sudden silent screams twisted the girl's face into a livid grimace of anger and fear. Microscopic black holes ripped away at the tendrils from within them removing their threat to the child's damaged mind. I awake Meli partially putting her to work using my energy to regrow the parts of the girl's mind now emptied by my actions. I heard the mental screams soften to an injured moaning as I forced him back until only it's central core remained.

“You still do not fear Universe's child?” I mentally heckled him. As no answer come more pin-points of destruction formed withing the mass. I controlled them with finite precision to slowly shred the creature from existence while Meli refilled the space with the girl's normal brain. It screamed at me in vain as it disappeared into true death at the hands of humanity's champion. All Meli would remember would be her rebuilding the child's mind as I removed the cancer using one of my cosmic abilities without knowing something died before her.

“Easy Meli.” I chided. “Do not improve upon her mind.” I cautioned as she worked. “Just stimulate the regrowth of her natural tissues.” I add in a whisper. The girl suddenly shrieked before glancing around the room seemingly lost. The farmer and his wife stood in the doorway staring in awe at their girls acting once more like a child.

“It will take some patients on your part as she relearns to be a child.” we cautioned them in unison. The girl smiled at her parents as she calmed looking from Meli to myself. Her mouth moved but no sound escaped her lips. I scanned at her mind once more to see if something had gone wrong but nothing mental hindered her ability to speak. The parents stared worriedly at us as I shrugged my ignorance back to them.

“She may have to relearn words since I believe those memories have been damaged during the brain fever she has suffered.” Meli suddenly stated. The mother hugged her daughter tightly as she thanked Meli and her deities for sending her to them.

“It would be best for all of us to rest.” I stated from my end of the room. “It was draining to heal her this quickly.” I added softer. I feigned holding myself up against the wall. Meli stared confused since she had been using my limitless strength without draining her own reserves. The farmer showed me to my room and Meli and Sert to their room for this night. I sat heavily on the offered bed to let myself slip into a deep meditative state for the night.

Talk of War (24)

“Since most of the land seem to be grasslands, I am confused at the source of the fruits and vegetables of your farm.” I mentioned as we reached the house. I hoped that this would not slip passed his mind like the comments about the odd cart. “I am never at my best when confused.” I added but too no avail.

“Not over but under the ground the crops grow.” whispered the Ken's high pitch voice whispered in my mind. I waited to see the reaction on our host who still appeared deft to my words.

“Very curious.” Meli whispered after they left. “No fruit or vegetable growth exist on the land around the farm except for the vegetation in the cavern system below us.” she explained. I nodded to her in silent contemplation.

“The fruits and vegetables look too healthy to be grown underground in the darkness.” Sert interjected. I still remained silent as I placed the events we had witness in proper order in my mind before speaking.

“We have more than one simple mystery here.” I began slowly. We stood before the farm house in a tight triangle. “Do you mind if I explain what we have found so far without shedding light on these mysteries?” I asked softly to them. They nodded back to me.

“We have a nearly indestructible cart with a repair kit specifically for us to purchase.” I began slowly. “We have a very special technology for growing fruits and vegetables going on a very primitive looking farm.” I continued. I started pacing as my mind twisted possibilities hidden away from it. “We have a rare and unknown race living here while shying away from the farm folks.” I listed. I held four fingers toward them. “And finally any time we speak of two of those, the farmer and family seems to not hear our words.” I concluded. I stopped my pacing to face both once more in a tight triangle before the farmhouse. “Ideas or comments?” I added staring at them.

“Mental conditioning or tampering?” Meli replied. I shook my head as I tapped at my temple.

“I would notice it Meli.” I disagreed with a shrug.

“They are intentionally hiding the information from us?” Sert hazarded.

“Once more, I would have noticed it and not considered it as problem.” I returned calmly.

“Our little Ken friend's doing?” Meli commented. A loud derisive snort of giggling was heard from a nearby shadow. I chuckled to hide the sound as my mind attempted to chain the events into an acceptable line of events.

“Three absolutely random events occurring along our path?” Sert commented suddenly. I looked at him as my own mind kept screaming this at me already.

“And the fact that the farm family seems deft when we speak of two of these events.” I retorted softly.

“The Ken would be a separate mystery which I doubt he will explain himself to us.” Meli surmised. “But the farmer and family's blank when we speak of the crops or the cart seems tied together somehow.” she agreed. “If the seller had set the cart in our path without letting the farmer know of his actions, it would make it an irrelevant event?” she added. I nodded slowly in passive agreement to her words.

“But what of the underground farming?” Sert remarked. I was torn between letting this mystery evade them since I knew how this trick could be accomplished but not on the scale of a farm. I looked at my companions knowing they questioned whether to stay and solve this oddity or move on. I shared in part their curiosity but feared getting them embroiled in something much bigger than they were prepared for.

“We leave in the morning with or without a solution?” I asked softly. I wished they would have a chance to select their own path in the world. The people we meet would see them as adult even if the Atlantian society simply saw them as children for many more decades. I could read their possible solution to these events but, after a moment, they nodded their silent agreement. I smiled at them before we entered the house to join the farmer's family at the table.

Supper was filling even if it was simple by Atlantian standards. A very small amount of meat had been placed aside for the meal but much bread and potatoes helped make up with the selected variety of vegetables. Meli only had a bit of meat leaving more, as Sert attempted, for the farmer's family. Sert's failure came as it was noted that he was a family man and need more to be in good form. I chuckled as I selected the lesser cooked portions that both my companions avoided.

I did find the meat a little tasteless though very tender. A spicier mix would have been more fitting for the pork but it was more to my taste than the over cooked fish I normally found on Atlantis. The thought of meat had me thinking of trapping a brace of rabbits to make a stew. It would be wonderful surprise for my companions to taste something that only the Royal Guards may have eaten: free game. Meli would easily find the right herbs I needed to spice it properly and Sert would enjoy learning to trap as I taught him how to set snares.

A long shrill squawk echoed outside make all turn toward the small window reminding me that my smaller name sake was still watching over us. I knew he would adore hunting with us but would remove the chance for Sert to prove another quickly learned skill to Meli. But all of this must be accomplished before arriving on Circe's Island. Not all the beast that roamed there were animals in truth which brought another possible problem to me. I had to explain to them that Circe used the same curse that the Usurper used upon the Royal Guards to a more fuller extent. Circe turned those she found as without honour fully into beast to teach them a lesson which would not sit well with my companions.

“What brings you and your family this way?” the farmer asked. They were midway through the meal and it came as a good chance to attempt once more to glean information from them. I knew without looking that Sert glared at Meli for a kick under the table at his shins that had passed unnoticed by our host.

“A return to my ancestral home that I have not seen in many decades.” I answered. The farmer's wife gave me a look of concern but said nothing.

“Ah, so you are originally from Rome?” the farmer pursued ignoring his wife. She was silently wording prays to the Roman deities as we spoke. I pretended not to notice but knew with but a mental touch that my companions split their attention between her and the farmer's children.

“Yes, my parents had a farm in the far northern reaches of Roman territories.” I answered calmly. “You may know it now as the shrine of Discordia.” I continued. The wife mouth stopped moving. “But so few speak of Her lately with war upon the land.” I added softly in the silent room. The three eldest sons began laughing at this only to receive a stern look from both parents.

“No one would dare attack Roman lands.” the farmer retorted. His wife's lips returned to their silent litany while the boys cast their eyes to their plate.

“Explain that to the Greek fleet laying siege to Troy presently.” I remarked with false casualness. The three eldest boys eyes rose to meet mine as I showed a sad expression on my face.

“We barely made it out of the area before the Greeks landed upon the shores of Troy.” Sert reported glumly. I did not look to see the concerned face Meli showed them as Sert showed disdain for being forced away from Troy.

“We were lucky that father-in-law told us to run before the fleet beached or our faith would have been sealed like the poor vessel that brought us there.” Meli commented. The farmer looked and felt annoyed by this revelation. His wife had turn white as her lips froze in mid litany as she gazed at her three sons. They glanced from one to the other nearly bolting from the table to rush into the teeth of the Greek army.

“I know this news may inspire you youth to perform great acts of honour.” I stated hard. This gained them focusing on me instead of rushing off. “But it would be foolish act meaning nothing more than the death of you at the hands of the Greek army surrounding your fair city.” I continued bluntly. Their face paled only slightly at my words as disbelief shone in their eyes.

“Wise word my honoured guest.” the farmer replied. “If what rumours from the north say is true. The largest fleet ever seen assembled is sailing the Greek standard.” he added quieter.

“From what we saw.” Sert commented back. “Three hundred soldiers or so per ship with at least fifty ships landing on the beaches of Troy.” he explained slowly. I could see in the minds of the farmer and his family the shock as they tabulated the size of the army they faced. “This does not suggest how many reinforcement ships are still upon the waters for Troy.” he added angrily. He glanced at me before shrugging his inability to argue my decision of running from the fleet.

“That would be about fifteen thousand soldiers already in place, correct?” Meli asked me openly. I nodded to her with a sigh while the sons stared at her in awe. The pale wife had returned to her litany mumbling the words quicker now as tears formed in her panic stricken eyes. I heard the farmer gulp making me turn to face him directly.

“I am proud that my son found such an intelligent wife that is also a great beauty.” I remarked to the farmer. The farmer slowly glance from one to the other of us before his gaze returned to meet mine in silence. His son now stared at their plates without even considering leaving the farm to join the war effort. The numbers Sert had quoted were incorrect but best to assure that the farmer would keep his sons safely away from an assured death in a futile war.

“She is truly what any father would wish for his son.” the farmer stated with a respectful nod. Meli blushed at his words. She hide it well enough that only Sert and myself noticed it. Sert showed great tact as he did not make it obvious to all gaining him shorter lecture from her once away from here. “But why return home when such evil is afoot?” the farmer remarked.

“We did not know at the time we departed.” I answer with a sigh. “We did not have a chance to rush to their aid with the troops bearing down upon the beach.” I explained slowly. I glanced at Sert before continuing. “If we had ran for Troy, the gates could not have been sealed before the Greek horde entered the city.” I stated with a calm but forceful voice. Sert sighed and nodded his grudging acceptance to my reasoning. I mental reminded to thank them for this familial show they had performed impeccably. As I turned, I could see the farmer nodding his agreement to my thoughts. “Best to run than endanger Troy in hopes to save ourselves.” I concluded with a shuddering sigh.

“I will warn the town militia so they may send a scout to see what can be done to aid Troy.” the farmer returned. The eldest son had started to rise to his feet but a glare from his father had him back in his seat. “It can wait until morning when I return to the market place.” he clarified to all of them. The three son nodded as one to their father without question.

The rest of the meal was spent in near silence while I attempted once more to speak about the location of the growing fields or the oddness of the cart. In their mind, my words did not even appear as I spoke them and no memories of them working the fields were present. I must have shown my frustration as Meli placed a hand on my elbow.

“Allow it to evade us Lord Kestrel.” she whispered in Atlantian. She tilted her head as if to point out something which I finally spotted in her mind. The one other female that did not speak at the farmer's table. “I think she is ill.” Meli whispered still using the Atlantian tongue. “The target of her mother's prayers.” she added softly in Roman.