Part IV. Air and Sea
On Wednesday morning April was rested and ready to implement her plan. This
was going to be a long Shift and April wanted to do it just right. The Venar had
thoughtfully provided a paint set. She painted the beach of the island of Alais
with all its yellows and greens.
For her Stark transfer point she went the Hope Street Cathedral, where Father
Raul worked. She might be able to get a quick word with him. He was not only a
Catholic priest but also a Sentinal Ministrum. He once explained to her that
protecting the Balance and worshipping God was not mutually exclusive.
The place had been trashed, with the glass broken, garbage strewn around, and
"Voltec" spray-painted on the pews. There was no sign of Father Raul. The
Vanguard was attacking openly now. Hope Street had lost its last hope. She
quickly focused on the painting and Shifted to Alais. Then she piped to Crow to
bring him to the island.
Alais was as beautiful as ever. She descended into a cave she had found where the
Maerum and Alatiens used to live together and were starting to again, thanks to
some peacemaking on her part.
As she came down she heard loud shouts and squabbling among three Alatiens
on the shore and two Maerum in the water.
"Waterstiller," called the nearest Maerum to her. "The Wingdemons are eating
all of the fish!"
"Windbringer," an Alatien said angrily, "The Wettails are taking the glowing
tanyenn plants to their own lairs instead of leaving them here to attract fish for
all!"
"Why should we leave the tanyenn here when they get all the fish?"
"Why don't they leave the tanyenn alone until there are enough fish gathered for
us all?"
"Hold on," said April, "Talk to each other and you can settle things. Don't talk to
me."
"But the prophecy said the Waterstiller would deliver us from strife."
"The prophecy said the Windbringer would bring us a new and happier age."
"Yeah, but I never promised you a tanyenn garden. Your two species have been at
war for decades. You're not going to get harmony instantly. And cool it with the
racial slurs. It's Maerum and Alatiens, not Wettails and Wingdemons."
"Yes, Waterstiller."
"Yes, Windbringer."
"I have to talk to your sleeping god again to see if I can hitch another ride with
the Dark People," said April to the Maerum.
Once again April descended to the depths of the Sea of Songs. The
water-breathing polyp the Maerum had given her was still working well. She
entered the presence of the Blue of the Kin. The enormous eye was tight shut.
"Wake up! I need to talk with you!"
The eye opened and glared at her.
"I wish to sleep until the Day of Ascension, when we and the Maerum and the
Alatiens will leave this place," rumbled the giant Draic Kin. "Go away, noisy
little one."
"I know now what I am," said April. "As your Kin, I ask your help."
"You know nothing of what you are. You must accept to truly know."
"Yeah, when I first heard I was a Draic Kin I didn't want to face it. I thought it
would be good to check out of the world for a thousand years. That's like what
you're doing, sleeping down here all the time. Don't you care about anyone but
yourself?"
"It is too painful to involve myself with humans."
"Sure, it can be painful sometimes, but I won't hide my head in the sand like
you!"
"Leave me alone to sleep!"
"Not until you call the Dark People to give me a ride in their flying ship to
Baksheva. I must get the Silver Spear of Gorimon."
"The Spear! It is a cursed thing that kills Draic Kin."
"It's the only thing that will help win the War of the Balance and save the worlds
from Chaos."
"On your head be it! Go back to the island and a ship will come for you."
-----------
April's Diary: August 10, 2209 Wednesday evening
Me and my big mouth! This is SO not hospitable. The flight has taken hours and
no one has spoken to me the whole time. This isn't the same ship as the one I was
in last time and they aren't nearly as friendly, if you can call last time friendly. I
guess they all know Blue disapproves of this trip. I've had to huddle in one place
the whole time with shadows all around.
On the plus side, I talked more with the Alatiens while I was waiting and heard
more of their stories. I also heard that Neema and Isam are betrothed now, and
that Sa'ena is going to school more and is helping the other students instead of
having to play by herself all the time. I'm glad.
I asked the Maerum about how they got air into the Breathing House where they
took captives from the surface. It turns out they used the same blue polyps that
let me breathe under water. The polyps take in water and turn it to air. I asked if
they would patch the wrecked ship as best they could and put a lot of polyps in
there. I don't know if it'll work, but maybe we can raise the ship. I owe it to
Captain Nebevey to try.
-----------
On Wednesday morning April was rested and ready to implement her plan. This
was going to be a long Shift and April wanted to do it just right. The Venar had
thoughtfully provided a paint set. She painted the beach of the island of Alais
with all its yellows and greens.
For her Stark transfer point she went the Hope Street Cathedral, where Father
Raul worked. She might be able to get a quick word with him. He was not only a
Catholic priest but also a Sentinal Ministrum. He once explained to her that
protecting the Balance and worshipping God was not mutually exclusive.
The place had been trashed, with the glass broken, garbage strewn around, and
"Voltec" spray-painted on the pews. There was no sign of Father Raul. The
Vanguard was attacking openly now. Hope Street had lost its last hope. She
quickly focused on the painting and Shifted to Alais. Then she piped to Crow to
bring him to the island.
Alais was as beautiful as ever. She descended into a cave she had found where the
Maerum and Alatiens used to live together and were starting to again, thanks to
some peacemaking on her part.
As she came down she heard loud shouts and squabbling among three Alatiens
on the shore and two Maerum in the water.
"Waterstiller," called the nearest Maerum to her. "The Wingdemons are eating
all of the fish!"
"Windbringer," an Alatien said angrily, "The Wettails are taking the glowing
tanyenn plants to their own lairs instead of leaving them here to attract fish for
all!"
"Why should we leave the tanyenn here when they get all the fish?"
"Why don't they leave the tanyenn alone until there are enough fish gathered for
us all?"
"Hold on," said April, "Talk to each other and you can settle things. Don't talk to
me."
"But the prophecy said the Waterstiller would deliver us from strife."
"The prophecy said the Windbringer would bring us a new and happier age."
"Yeah, but I never promised you a tanyenn garden. Your two species have been at
war for decades. You're not going to get harmony instantly. And cool it with the
racial slurs. It's Maerum and Alatiens, not Wettails and Wingdemons."
"Yes, Waterstiller."
"Yes, Windbringer."
"I have to talk to your sleeping god again to see if I can hitch another ride with
the Dark People," said April to the Maerum.
Once again April descended to the depths of the Sea of Songs. The
water-breathing polyp the Maerum had given her was still working well. She
entered the presence of the Blue of the Kin. The enormous eye was tight shut.
"Wake up! I need to talk with you!"
The eye opened and glared at her.
"I wish to sleep until the Day of Ascension, when we and the Maerum and the
Alatiens will leave this place," rumbled the giant Draic Kin. "Go away, noisy
little one."
"I know now what I am," said April. "As your Kin, I ask your help."
"You know nothing of what you are. You must accept to truly know."
"Yeah, when I first heard I was a Draic Kin I didn't want to face it. I thought it
would be good to check out of the world for a thousand years. That's like what
you're doing, sleeping down here all the time. Don't you care about anyone but
yourself?"
"It is too painful to involve myself with humans."
"Sure, it can be painful sometimes, but I won't hide my head in the sand like
you!"
"Leave me alone to sleep!"
"Not until you call the Dark People to give me a ride in their flying ship to
Baksheva. I must get the Silver Spear of Gorimon."
"The Spear! It is a cursed thing that kills Draic Kin."
"It's the only thing that will help win the War of the Balance and save the worlds
from Chaos."
"On your head be it! Go back to the island and a ship will come for you."
-----------
April's Diary: August 10, 2209 Wednesday evening
Me and my big mouth! This is SO not hospitable. The flight has taken hours and
no one has spoken to me the whole time. This isn't the same ship as the one I was
in last time and they aren't nearly as friendly, if you can call last time friendly. I
guess they all know Blue disapproves of this trip. I've had to huddle in one place
the whole time with shadows all around.
On the plus side, I talked more with the Alatiens while I was waiting and heard
more of their stories. I also heard that Neema and Isam are betrothed now, and
that Sa'ena is going to school more and is helping the other students instead of
having to play by herself all the time. I'm glad.
I asked the Maerum about how they got air into the Breathing House where they
took captives from the surface. It turns out they used the same blue polyps that
let me breathe under water. The polyps take in water and turn it to air. I asked if
they would patch the wrecked ship as best they could and put a lot of polyps in
there. I don't know if it'll work, but maybe we can raise the ship. I owe it to
Captain Nebevey to try.
-----------