The Mystery of the Ancient Text
"I'm telling you Bowman, there was some other lost society that lived besides the ancient Hoffmaneese," stated Keith Klassner.
Bowman looked shocked at what his friend had just told him. The Ancient Text that Celine, Rena, and Claude had found in Cross Cave was proof that Heraldry had been given to the Hoffmaneese—the ancestors of the sorcerers of Mars Village—by another race that they'd encountered. It was the end to a debate on the origins of Heraldry that had gone on for hundreds of years. That was just one of the many theories that had been presented to the historians.
Keith continued, "It says here that 2,000 years ago, this 'spaceship' crashed on Hoffman isle, and befriended the Hoffmaneese. They used a special spell to aid the natives in understanding their language, but it ended up creating a new language that crossed the two—Ancient Labarre, which in their original language meant alliance. In the millennia that followed, the new race taught the Hoffmaneese Attack and Offensive Heraldry. But then, 1,000 years ago, monsters invaded the island. The Hoffmaneese escaped with the children of this society and one of their adults, while the majority of them sacrificed themselves to buy them time." He gave the book to Bowman, and told him to bring it, and the translation, back to Rena, Claude, and Celine.
* * *
A few days later, Bowman entered the Shingo Forest, where the Nedians had made their makeshift society. It wasn't that fancy—just houses built around trees in several floors—but they'd be leaving soon. Reema had cannibalized her spaceship, as well as what remained of Opera's and Ernest's, and had begun to construct one that would hold all the Nedian race. Once finished, they were all going to leave Expel and head for Earth in order to find a place to live permanently.
"Hey guys," he called, "I'm back from picking up the texts that Kieth was translating. You're all in for a big surprise."
Rena and Claude ran out of their house instantly. Each of the twelve heroes lived in one of seven trees that surrounded a big one in the middle of the forest. The middle tree—which was also the biggest—was where Narl housed, as he was the leader. On the floor level of the seven other trees was a big community center as well as many of the businesses. But at the canopy level of the trees was the heroes' housing. Each of the five couples lived in one (well, Precis's dad lived with her and Ashton, but still), while Bowman and Nineh had another, and Leon and his parents were in the third. All the other trees had several houses on several floors for ordinary civilians.
"What's up?" asked Claude.
"Get everyone out here this minute," exclaimed Bowman, "I have something important to show you all. It's about the Ancient Text."
* * *
It didn't take too long to get all the heroes together. Precis had to be pulled away from one of her machines, but everyone else was willing—especially once they heard what was going on. They met in Narl's office, as Bowman seemed to want to include the mayor in his discovery. Reema also was in attendance—ancient texts dealing with Heraldry was one of her fortes.
"I want you all to look at this," exclaimed Bowman. He passed around the translation that Keith had made—having written out twelve copies while on the boat ride home. Everyone began to read the text. Bowman could tell when they'd finished, as they had a surprised look on their face.
Rena was the first to speak. "This says that the race that brought Heraldry to the Hoffmaneese race was a group of Nedians who were lost in time. They were the crew of the third ship that escaped the doomed research facility. After they left the time warp, they wandered for 3,000 years until they found Expel, and the gravity took their battered ship in."
"This explains a lot," said Leon, "If you look closely, several Expelians seem to have ears like Nedians. Since the document says that the youths who weren't ready to stop their aging left with a veteran of the race and the Hoffmaneese, those people must be their descendants."
"And none of them ever took their life oaths because the man who left was chosen for his ability in battle, not the ability to perform the Heraldic ceremony," exclaimed Claude.
Reema took a look at the original document. Indeed, it was written in the Nedians' original language. The writer seemed to be fearful for the future of his race, so he left in order to help the survivors. Since these children grew up far removed from Nede, they didn't know the principles of their race—being exposed to Hoffmaneese values—and were to be told upon taking their oaths—as was the tradition of Nedians in a foreign society. So he'd written the history of the race as well as their situation down, and had given it to them. But they'd apparently hidden it for some reason or another.
Celine stated, "Why this story seems similar to the teachings of the Heraldic Gods."
Everyone stared at her. Those who were raised on Expel knew that the citizens of Mars followed a religion that had to deal with the very principals of Heraldry, as well as a strange prophecy. But no outsider had ever heard the tales, so they pressed her to explain.
"Long ago," she began, " The Expelians lived with the gods in the heavens. But then, they began to harm the god messengers—the angels—who did the gods' bidding. Thus they were banished and forced to roam the very fabric of time and space, until Tria himself took pity on them and landed them on a remote planet. That was a million years ago. Some time later, a group of angels came down from the heavens. They shared their knowledge with the ancestors of my people out of goodwill. But when the demons attacked, they sent one of their own along with their children and my people's ancestors. Then, they took the demons into the heavens, and destroyed them. The children were made mortals, and told to guard Expel until the time was right. Then, he left them with this holy book, which contained the Expelian and angel history, as well as an ancient prophecy."
"What's the prophecy?" asked the others.
Celine looked around, figuring it would be ok to tell just a few people. "It has been kept secret by my people for a thousand years. But I think it has already—at least most of the way—come to pass."
- - - -
So what is this prophecy? And what exactly does—or did—it mean? Well, I'll tell you all next time. Did any of you notice how some of the Expelians had pointed ears? If it was only the base sprites, I wouldn't have noticed. But Mayor Regis had them too, and he didn't have a base sprite. And if you ever see the Bowman Alone ending, Keith says there was an ancient race that wrote it, and Bowman asks if it was the Nedians. Then, Keith says yes. You could take it as if Expel was once part of the Nedian Empire, but I like this theory. Besides, I don't think Expel would be that primitive if they were that old.
"I'm telling you Bowman, there was some other lost society that lived besides the ancient Hoffmaneese," stated Keith Klassner.
Bowman looked shocked at what his friend had just told him. The Ancient Text that Celine, Rena, and Claude had found in Cross Cave was proof that Heraldry had been given to the Hoffmaneese—the ancestors of the sorcerers of Mars Village—by another race that they'd encountered. It was the end to a debate on the origins of Heraldry that had gone on for hundreds of years. That was just one of the many theories that had been presented to the historians.
Keith continued, "It says here that 2,000 years ago, this 'spaceship' crashed on Hoffman isle, and befriended the Hoffmaneese. They used a special spell to aid the natives in understanding their language, but it ended up creating a new language that crossed the two—Ancient Labarre, which in their original language meant alliance. In the millennia that followed, the new race taught the Hoffmaneese Attack and Offensive Heraldry. But then, 1,000 years ago, monsters invaded the island. The Hoffmaneese escaped with the children of this society and one of their adults, while the majority of them sacrificed themselves to buy them time." He gave the book to Bowman, and told him to bring it, and the translation, back to Rena, Claude, and Celine.
* * *
A few days later, Bowman entered the Shingo Forest, where the Nedians had made their makeshift society. It wasn't that fancy—just houses built around trees in several floors—but they'd be leaving soon. Reema had cannibalized her spaceship, as well as what remained of Opera's and Ernest's, and had begun to construct one that would hold all the Nedian race. Once finished, they were all going to leave Expel and head for Earth in order to find a place to live permanently.
"Hey guys," he called, "I'm back from picking up the texts that Kieth was translating. You're all in for a big surprise."
Rena and Claude ran out of their house instantly. Each of the twelve heroes lived in one of seven trees that surrounded a big one in the middle of the forest. The middle tree—which was also the biggest—was where Narl housed, as he was the leader. On the floor level of the seven other trees was a big community center as well as many of the businesses. But at the canopy level of the trees was the heroes' housing. Each of the five couples lived in one (well, Precis's dad lived with her and Ashton, but still), while Bowman and Nineh had another, and Leon and his parents were in the third. All the other trees had several houses on several floors for ordinary civilians.
"What's up?" asked Claude.
"Get everyone out here this minute," exclaimed Bowman, "I have something important to show you all. It's about the Ancient Text."
* * *
It didn't take too long to get all the heroes together. Precis had to be pulled away from one of her machines, but everyone else was willing—especially once they heard what was going on. They met in Narl's office, as Bowman seemed to want to include the mayor in his discovery. Reema also was in attendance—ancient texts dealing with Heraldry was one of her fortes.
"I want you all to look at this," exclaimed Bowman. He passed around the translation that Keith had made—having written out twelve copies while on the boat ride home. Everyone began to read the text. Bowman could tell when they'd finished, as they had a surprised look on their face.
Rena was the first to speak. "This says that the race that brought Heraldry to the Hoffmaneese race was a group of Nedians who were lost in time. They were the crew of the third ship that escaped the doomed research facility. After they left the time warp, they wandered for 3,000 years until they found Expel, and the gravity took their battered ship in."
"This explains a lot," said Leon, "If you look closely, several Expelians seem to have ears like Nedians. Since the document says that the youths who weren't ready to stop their aging left with a veteran of the race and the Hoffmaneese, those people must be their descendants."
"And none of them ever took their life oaths because the man who left was chosen for his ability in battle, not the ability to perform the Heraldic ceremony," exclaimed Claude.
Reema took a look at the original document. Indeed, it was written in the Nedians' original language. The writer seemed to be fearful for the future of his race, so he left in order to help the survivors. Since these children grew up far removed from Nede, they didn't know the principles of their race—being exposed to Hoffmaneese values—and were to be told upon taking their oaths—as was the tradition of Nedians in a foreign society. So he'd written the history of the race as well as their situation down, and had given it to them. But they'd apparently hidden it for some reason or another.
Celine stated, "Why this story seems similar to the teachings of the Heraldic Gods."
Everyone stared at her. Those who were raised on Expel knew that the citizens of Mars followed a religion that had to deal with the very principals of Heraldry, as well as a strange prophecy. But no outsider had ever heard the tales, so they pressed her to explain.
"Long ago," she began, " The Expelians lived with the gods in the heavens. But then, they began to harm the god messengers—the angels—who did the gods' bidding. Thus they were banished and forced to roam the very fabric of time and space, until Tria himself took pity on them and landed them on a remote planet. That was a million years ago. Some time later, a group of angels came down from the heavens. They shared their knowledge with the ancestors of my people out of goodwill. But when the demons attacked, they sent one of their own along with their children and my people's ancestors. Then, they took the demons into the heavens, and destroyed them. The children were made mortals, and told to guard Expel until the time was right. Then, he left them with this holy book, which contained the Expelian and angel history, as well as an ancient prophecy."
"What's the prophecy?" asked the others.
Celine looked around, figuring it would be ok to tell just a few people. "It has been kept secret by my people for a thousand years. But I think it has already—at least most of the way—come to pass."
- - - -
So what is this prophecy? And what exactly does—or did—it mean? Well, I'll tell you all next time. Did any of you notice how some of the Expelians had pointed ears? If it was only the base sprites, I wouldn't have noticed. But Mayor Regis had them too, and he didn't have a base sprite. And if you ever see the Bowman Alone ending, Keith says there was an ancient race that wrote it, and Bowman asks if it was the Nedians. Then, Keith says yes. You could take it as if Expel was once part of the Nedian Empire, but I like this theory. Besides, I don't think Expel would be that primitive if they were that old.