Chapter 5 – To Ixa'Taka!
"I don't know how you talked me into this…" Ryne heard Leos call after him as he climbed up the main mast of the Gigas and began to work at the riggings, which were tangled up at the moment.
"I didn't talk you into this. The handsome reward talked you into this." Ryne said, barely above earshot. Leos looked up at him and grinned.
"Actually, yeah, that had a lot to do with it." He commented, then strode away to take his place back at the wheel. Ryne shook his head and went back to the tangled pulley system. He didn't know how Leos had managed this mess, and it didn't really matter anymore. All that mattered was getting it undone and making good time toward Ixa'Taka, where he hoped his grandfather was waiting for him.
The heavyset Nasrulian was in tow being them, working (most likely in vain) to repair his busted engine. He didn't say anything, but he knew Yaelmir's pride had been wounded by Leos's disbelief in his tale. The dark man had been avoiding all of them all morning.
Ryne finally wrenched the final knot out of the rigging and slid down the main mast to the deck below. Looking around him he saw the ropes that would hoist the sail. He took them and walked backward, careful not to let the wind whip them into a knot like the riggings most likely had been.
He felt the boat lurch forward as if the moons themselves had kicked it, because of the hard steady wind. Ryne smiled in satisfaction as the boat began to move, a little slower with the large merchant vessel in tow, but moving nonetheless. Ryne took the two ropes and tied them down to a knob on the deck with a sailor's knot and turned around to head back into the ship. The small ship had become familiar to him in the past couple of days, and in no time he was back in the bridge of the ship with Leos.
"Good job kid." Leos said as he heard him enter. "I don't know how long it would've taken if I'd tried to do it, but thanks." Ryne nodded.
"I've had a lot of experience with knots." He said quietly. "Dad always made me practice. He always said 'You have to know the ropes, Son. If you lose even one you could be stuck in the middle of the ocean.' " Leos smiled and shook his head at the less than heroic saying.
"Sounds like something my Dad would've said."
"Smart man." Ryne said simply, drawing another smile for the young man.
"Yeah… he was." Leos said softly, barely audible.
Ryne shifted on his feet uncomfortably, as something Jay had said earlier came back to mind. I know what it's like to lose a parent… Ryne hadn't let the full impact of the statement hit him then, but now that it had, it stung. He felt like he'd been tearing at someone else's barely healed wounds. The selfishness of his own loss had blinded him to the fact that he wasn't the only one with pain.
"Well… where do you need me?" Ry asked, trying to change the subject. Leos stared at him for a moment then jerked as if he'd been pulled back to reality.
"You can be the engineer." He said pointing at the empty station. "Jay hates that job, so she'll love you for taking over." He said, winking at him, back in his usual manner. "You know anything about it?"
"Yeah, I know a bit." Ryne said, though he knew little about engineering. He'd been too young to start learning captain's bridge responsibilities. Leos nodded, seeing that he didn't know quite as much as he'd hoped.
"It's simple really." He said walking him over to the panel of instruments. "All you have to do it watch the dials. If one of the needles starts dropping into the red, turn the knob beside it down a bit until it cools off." Ryne raised an eyebrow.
"What are they all for?" He asked, not understanding why all this had to be done. Leos sighed melodramatically.
"It's not important right now, and you'll probably figure it out by reading the labels."
Ryne felt his cheeks go red.
"Yeah, that might help…" he said, feeling rather timid at the moment.
Leos just shook his head and smiled, turning his attention back to the wheel. Ry heard the soft shuffling of feet from behind him and turned to see Jay walking up the three small steps that led to the bridge. He grinned weakly as she entered the room carrying a large rolled up piece of paper in her arms. She glanced over at him and smiled back, though he wasn't sure if it was for him or the fact that he'd taken her most hated duty.
Jay walked over to the small table sitting next to Ryne's station and unrolled the large sheet of paper, revealing a large map of Arcadia. Without words, she beckoned Ryne and Leos over to her.
"Ok, Sis, how are we getting to Ixa'Taka?" Leos asked, looking over her shoulder. Jay took a short flat pencil out from behind her ear, and traced a small line down from where Windmill Isle used to reside, south to Glacia, and then East over to the Ixa'Takan city of Horteka. Leos snorted in amusement.
"Wouldn't taking the South Ocean route be a little faster?" He asked, mocking his sibling's choice. Jay grinned up at him, knowing she had the upper hand in this battle.
"Of coarse it would." She said coyly, "It'll take us a day and a half to go my route." Leos raised an eyebrow, catching her tone.
"Ok, I give up. Why is your way the better way?" He asked after thinking for a minute. Jay smiled at her small victory.
"South Ocean is notorious for its fierce windstorms and weather, and trying to get through it with as little fuel as we have would not be the smartest thing to do. Glacia, on the other hand, is known to have fairly gentile weather this time of year. Plus the temperature will help keep our engines cool, also helping with fuel efficiency."
Leos smiled, reached up and tousled his little sister's hair affectionately, tangling her hair. Jay smiled at the rare unspoken approval.
"Good job sis." He said after a moment. "I think this just earned you the day off, seeing as your buddy Ry's got your station. Now go take a nap, I know you didn't sleep much last night."
Out of the corner of his eye Ryne though he saw Jay glare at her brother, though she turned her back and went down the stairs too quickly for him to be sure of it. Ryne wondered what Leos had meant by it, but he wasn't about to ask. Jaycera hated him enough as it was, and he didn't need to make it any worse.
Ryne sighed and stared down at the instrument panel in front of him. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jay. She was nice enough on the surface, and sometimes even seemed to like him, though something underneath it all seemed to despise him. That side had been shown earlier this afternoon with the laundry incident.
Ryne gripped a large red knob labeled "PRESSURE" and dialed it down slowly, making the steadily climbing needle, start to drop back a little. He missed his mother, and her gentle guidance. He missed his father's "Go for it, Kid" attitude that was his trademark. He even missed his mother's annoying little blob of a pet, Cupil. Doubt was steadily rising in his mind weather or not he'd ever see any of them again. Or worse, weather he'd be seeing them too soon. Something had been taking his family, and chances were they were after him as well. He'd been passed by when his mother had been taken, but he didn't think his luck would hold out any longer. The thought scared him half to death.
Ryne pushed these thoughts out of his mind. He had to find them, no matter what the cost. As long as he was still free and able, he wouldn't, couldn't give up. Ryne smiled. He was beginning to sound like his father…
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Gideon stepped into the light, blinking, his gray eyes adjusting to the rare brightness. Nervously he ran a hand through his long yellow hair. Lord Vaulrik had summoned him here, though by the look of it, wasn't here yet himself. Gideon waited patiently for his Master, his hands clasped behind his back. Finally his eyes adjusted to the light, and he could see clearly. In the center of the room was a large, rather cumbersome machine, wires feeding into it covered over most of the smooth metal-like floor. Upon further inspection of the thing, he noticed a large sphere in the center, containing a semitransparent green liquid. As he stared through the glass he thought he saw the shape of a woman…
"I see you've noticed my little toy."
Gideon jumped. He'd been so focused on the machine he didn't hear nor see his Lord enter. He quickly dropped to the floor, hiding his face from view.
"You summoned me, my Lord?" He asked his face turned toward the ground. He heard Vaulrik's echoing footsteps inch toward him.
"You can get up Gideon. I'm not angry with you." His voice came, sounding gentle and soft, though Gideon knew few ever heard it in that manner. Gideon got up off the floor and stood, his body erect in a military fashion.
"Oh relax, boy, and face me." He said, starting to sound slightly annoyed. Gideon complied, and moved into a more comfortable position, but still at attention and turned to see the face of his Master. His features were hard with age, though he still looked younger than he actually was. His jet- black hair, unusual of his culture, was slicked back in air of stature, setting him apart from the warriors and telling of his status. Vaulrik was a high Elder.
Gideon watched as the older man walked past him and stood by the large machine, his green eyes searching through the liquid.
"You know what this is I assume." He said, never averting his eyes from the green orb. Gideon swallowed the saliva that seemed to have been building in his throat.
"I've heard rumors among the warriors, Lord. Nothing more." He said quickly. Finally Vaulrik turned to face him, his eyes boring straight into him.
"Then I assume you know what's inside the orb." He said, his voice filled with an icy tone that ran shivers down Gideon's spine. Gideon nodded to acknowledge the statement.
"Yes Lord, I think I do." He said, trying to keep his voice from failing him. "A Silvite. The last Silver Shine Silvite."
Vaulrik nodded and turned back to the orb, peering inside of it.
"Yes, A Silvite of the Silver Shine no doubt, but hardly the last." Gideon's head reeled.
"I thought the Silver Shine Silvites were destroyed with the Silver Shine. All but her."
"No there is another." Vaulrik said simply. "She had a son. Were able to find that much out from that man of hers."
"I still can't believe she fell for an Arcadian pirate." Gideon said contemptuously.
"Come now Gideon, don't sell the Arcadians short. The Elders of the Silver Shine saw fit to save their lives with their own."
"The Elders were fools." Gideon said, his voice full of spite, forgetting with whom he was talking to.
"That they may have been, Gideon, but I think they were still more wise than a lowly warrior." The verbal slap hit Gideon hard. His opinion of the Silver Shine Silvites had been cemented in his mind since childhood by his parents. Ever since the Silvite War.
"Are we not Silvites as well Gideon?" Gideon stared at the floor and nodded, his pride wounded.
"Always remember that Gideon. Though we may lack the moon crystal shard, we have the same origins."
Gideon nodded once again and looked out the only window in the room, the planet of Arcadia, looming in the distance. It really is beautiful… he though to himself.
"Civil war is building once again Gideon. The power this girl can focus is far greater than anything our pitiful mages can conjure up. If we can learn to harness the energies of the Silver crystal we can, we can set things aright again, and avert a war. We don't want a repeat of last month's little scuffle with the Rebels, do we Gideon."
Gideon shook his head, fighting back the tears threatening to flow. His brother's death still hurt him. The last thing he wanted was a war.
"Good. I have an assignment for you Gideon." Gideon straightened up, taking up the military position once more. "I want you to find this last Silvite before the rebels do. If they get a hold of him first, war is inevitable. If you cannot capture him, kill him. You are dismissed warrior."
Gideon turned on his heel and started for the door.
"Oh, and stay away from the Southern Continent. We're going to be taking out another place of power…"
***************************************
Jay opened her eyes to the soft purple glow of moonlight, telling her that they were now in Glacia. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned loudly to break the eerie silence. She silently cursed herself for listening to her brother's advice. She'd never be able to get back to sleep now, and from the looks of it, it was now the middle of the night. Frustrated, she got out of bed and put some clothes on. There was nothing better to do than get up and get some fresh air.
Jay creaked open her door, trying not to disturb the others as she made her way down the dark hallway. After quite of bit of stumbling, and finding things she didn't think were there, she made it to the outside door. Purple moonlight streamed into the ship as she opened the door, along with a cool breeze that said "Yes, you are awake and alive". She also saw a fainter, silver light coming in a small trickle. She didn't give it a second thought until she saw where it was coming from.
Ryne stood out on the bow of the ship, his hands perched on the railing, a bright glow coming from his right hand. Jay stood still for a moment, startled at the sight of him. Ryne turned his head, having heard her approach, then turned his eyes back to the sight in front of him.
"Beautiful night." He said softly, as Jay started to approach him.
"Yeah…" She murmured, staring at the unearthly light coming out of his hand. Ryne smiled at her fascination, but didn't say anything yet. "What is that?" She asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her. Ryne held his hand out for her to examine, which she took.
"It's beautiful."
"It's a fragment of the Silver moon crystal." Ryne answered, "The legacy of the Silvites."
"Why is it in your hand?" She asked, tearing her gaze away from the light.
"All Silvites are born with it, in one of three places, the back of the hand, the middle of the forehead, and the heart. Mostly it depends on gender."
"What do you mean?"
"Well most Silvite women have it within their hearts, and most males have it in the back of the hand."
"What about the forehead?"
Ryne shifted uncomfortably. "It's considered to be a sign of the Moons. A chosen one."
"Ah, I see." Jay said, though she really didn't understand. She stood silent for a moment, then realized she was still holding onto his hand and let it go, embarrassed. Nervously, she clutched her necklace, the smooth contours of the blue moonstone comforting her. Now it was Ryne's turn to be curious.
"Nervous?"
"Huh?"
"Every time I've seen you nervous you finger that necklace." Jay blushed, glad for the moonlight that wouldn't show it.
"It's kind of my comfort object." She said, trying to regain her lost poise. "My father gave it to me when I was very young…" She held on to the moonstone tighter, trying not to cry. "Just before he died…"
Ryne wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure weather to comfort her or just say "I'm sorry". Then he remembered Jay's touch, earlier that morning, and her attempt to comfort him. Ry reached over timidly and touched Jay's shoulder. Jay glared at it with watery eyes and shrugged it off violently, backing away from him.
"Don't touch me, Pirate!" She growled as she turned and ran back into the cabin of the ship, slamming the door behind her, leaving Ryne wondering what he had done wrong.
Ryne sighed and turned back to his view of the purple-lit sky. Yawning, he watched the lazy descent of a falling star. Finally, he turned and went back into the cabin. He'd seen enough shooting stars in the past couple of days, and he was tired.
********************************************
Gideon pulled his black garment closer around himself. He hated this continent. He'd only been to Arcadia a handful of times, and those had been pleasant experiences. Glacia, on the other hand, was far from pleasant. A cold wind was whipping about the barren wasteland, chilling him to the bone, and speckling his overcoat with tiny crystals of snow.
It's worth it… he kept telling himself, silently praying to the moon that it actually would be. The sight he was about to behold would not be seen by many, and ever if they did they probably wouldn't live to tell about it. The energy of the purple moon was about to be released in another test of the Silvite woman's true power. Faithfully he watched the sky, waiting.
Something finally caught his eye, though it was not was he was waiting for. What he though at first to be a shooting star, upon further inspection revealed itself to be a Silvite ship, and a Rebel ship at that. The blue ion trail it left was of an older technology that only the Rebs used anymore. He cursed silently to himself.
What are you doing here Celeste… He thought, though he already knew the answer. Just as he was the main field agent for the loyalists, Celeste was his Rebel equivalent. In fact, they had gone through the same training as children, their destinies predetermined by the Silvite hierarchy. He'd even harbored a small crush on her throughout their training, though ultimately they'd choose alternate paths. She was probably after the boy, just as he was. Although it would pain him to kill her, he would do what he must for his cause, his people.
His long reverie was finally rewarded as a thin strip of light fell from the heavens, from the very purple moon above that gave this continent life. It started out small at first, then grew slowly, it's energy lighting up the sky. The only sound heard was of melting ice and snow, falling into the great abyss of Deep Sky. Finally it disappeared altogether, leaving behind a large crater, with a new lake, where the Glacia's great and noble city once was.
Gideon smirked. It truly was an awesome sight to behold. For a while he just stood and reviewed the sight of the new lake, just beginning to show the signs of ice, then took a deep breath of the chilling air, and turned round to his ship. Calmly, he walked through the side of the ship, reveling in the shiver that ran down his spine as his mind entered into that of the ship.
Hello Gideon, the ship greeted him in thought speak Where are we off to?
To find an old friend, Fynis.
*********************************************
Ryne yawned as the daylight shone in through his open curtains. Stretching, he rubbed the sleep-sand out of his eyes, and got out of bed stumbling over a chair that hadn't been there the night before, spilling it's contents to the floor. Sighing over his clumsiness, Ryne began to pick of the fresh articles of clothing finding a note underneath once he'd cleared the floor.
Ryne,
I'm sorry about last night.
I hope you'll accept my apology,
and these new clothes. They used
to be Leos' but he never wore them
so I thought I'd put them to use.
1
2 Jaycera
Ryne smiled and looked at the clothes. They were of an older style and looked much like the clothes his father liked to wear. A white undershirt, a thick black over-shirt with unattached sleeves and a zip-up turtleneck, and khaki colored cargo pants. Ryne shook his head and began to get dressed. He'd thought for sure that Jay hated him after last night, but once again she'd tried to make up for it. So far they had a pretty weird love/hate relationship, which made him feel like his emotions were being jerked around on a leash.
Ryne sighed and left his room, working his way up to the bridge of the Gigas. As he neared the steps he could hear Jay and Leos' voices, arguing over something.
"I told you it would happen again…" He heard Jay's voice say.
"I still don't think there's a connection, Jay." Leos' voice argued.
"No connection?! Leos, three places have been completely wiped off the face of the Earth!"
"We still don't know if Pyryn is gone or not."
"The man is a respected Explorer Leos!"
Finally both of them noticed the other person in the room, watching them silently, a look of curiosity on his face.
"What are you two arguing about?" Ryne asked, once their attention was on him.
"Glacia is gone." Jay said. "Destroyed like Pirates Isle and the Temple of Pyryn."
"Jay, don't start that again…" Leos protested. "There's no proof."
"The fact that they're gone is proof enough." Jay said, her eyes flashing with a rising anger.
"Wait a second, what do you mean it's gone?" Ry asked, trying to stay calm.
"Gone, as in, not there." Leos said sarcastically. "We passed by it earlier this morning and all that was left was a partially iced over lake."
Ryne scratched the back of his neck. None of this made any sense! Strange things were happening on Arcadia, and it all started after his Mother had been abducted. Was there a connection somehow?...
"Well anyway, we're nearing Ixa'Taka now." Leos said, breaking the silence. "None of this is any of our concern."
********************************************
Sir, we've picked up an energy signature.
What is it Fynis? Celeste?
No, it's different from the energy signature of Tylen's Ion drive. Stronger, more powerful.
A million thoughts raced through Gideon's head as he and Fynis soared above the lands of the green moon, but one thought reined above all. The boy, it had to be the boy.
Track that signature and record it to memory, Fynis. I think we've just found our target.
******************************
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Ryne rubbed at his right hand, which had suddenly started to hurt. A dull light was piercing through the skin, causing it glow a reddish color, not bright enough yet to be the whitish color that was normal. Suddenly he let out a cry, the pain arching into a harsh crescendo, the light now visible throughout the room. Jay snapped her head back to see what was wrong, finding Ryne on his knee's, clutching his hand.
"Ryne, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, kneeling beside him and taking his wrists into her hands. He only answer was the violent pitching of their ship.
**********************************
Warning shot fired. Hit confirmed. Minimal damage, though the ship in their tow is down
Good job, Fynis. Charge all weapons system to full power. We're no longer warning them
**********************************
All Ryne knew was pain. Pain was everything, all consuming. He was only dimly aware of his surroundings, of the pitching boat, the fire around him, and Jaycera's pleas. Ryne wished he could answer her, tell her everything was going to be alright, but he didn't want to lie to her.
He could see Leos fighting with the wheel, despite the flames consuming his craft. He could also see the green jungles below, rushing toward him, meeting, and then darkness…
"I don't know how you talked me into this…" Ryne heard Leos call after him as he climbed up the main mast of the Gigas and began to work at the riggings, which were tangled up at the moment.
"I didn't talk you into this. The handsome reward talked you into this." Ryne said, barely above earshot. Leos looked up at him and grinned.
"Actually, yeah, that had a lot to do with it." He commented, then strode away to take his place back at the wheel. Ryne shook his head and went back to the tangled pulley system. He didn't know how Leos had managed this mess, and it didn't really matter anymore. All that mattered was getting it undone and making good time toward Ixa'Taka, where he hoped his grandfather was waiting for him.
The heavyset Nasrulian was in tow being them, working (most likely in vain) to repair his busted engine. He didn't say anything, but he knew Yaelmir's pride had been wounded by Leos's disbelief in his tale. The dark man had been avoiding all of them all morning.
Ryne finally wrenched the final knot out of the rigging and slid down the main mast to the deck below. Looking around him he saw the ropes that would hoist the sail. He took them and walked backward, careful not to let the wind whip them into a knot like the riggings most likely had been.
He felt the boat lurch forward as if the moons themselves had kicked it, because of the hard steady wind. Ryne smiled in satisfaction as the boat began to move, a little slower with the large merchant vessel in tow, but moving nonetheless. Ryne took the two ropes and tied them down to a knob on the deck with a sailor's knot and turned around to head back into the ship. The small ship had become familiar to him in the past couple of days, and in no time he was back in the bridge of the ship with Leos.
"Good job kid." Leos said as he heard him enter. "I don't know how long it would've taken if I'd tried to do it, but thanks." Ryne nodded.
"I've had a lot of experience with knots." He said quietly. "Dad always made me practice. He always said 'You have to know the ropes, Son. If you lose even one you could be stuck in the middle of the ocean.' " Leos smiled and shook his head at the less than heroic saying.
"Sounds like something my Dad would've said."
"Smart man." Ryne said simply, drawing another smile for the young man.
"Yeah… he was." Leos said softly, barely audible.
Ryne shifted on his feet uncomfortably, as something Jay had said earlier came back to mind. I know what it's like to lose a parent… Ryne hadn't let the full impact of the statement hit him then, but now that it had, it stung. He felt like he'd been tearing at someone else's barely healed wounds. The selfishness of his own loss had blinded him to the fact that he wasn't the only one with pain.
"Well… where do you need me?" Ry asked, trying to change the subject. Leos stared at him for a moment then jerked as if he'd been pulled back to reality.
"You can be the engineer." He said pointing at the empty station. "Jay hates that job, so she'll love you for taking over." He said, winking at him, back in his usual manner. "You know anything about it?"
"Yeah, I know a bit." Ryne said, though he knew little about engineering. He'd been too young to start learning captain's bridge responsibilities. Leos nodded, seeing that he didn't know quite as much as he'd hoped.
"It's simple really." He said walking him over to the panel of instruments. "All you have to do it watch the dials. If one of the needles starts dropping into the red, turn the knob beside it down a bit until it cools off." Ryne raised an eyebrow.
"What are they all for?" He asked, not understanding why all this had to be done. Leos sighed melodramatically.
"It's not important right now, and you'll probably figure it out by reading the labels."
Ryne felt his cheeks go red.
"Yeah, that might help…" he said, feeling rather timid at the moment.
Leos just shook his head and smiled, turning his attention back to the wheel. Ry heard the soft shuffling of feet from behind him and turned to see Jay walking up the three small steps that led to the bridge. He grinned weakly as she entered the room carrying a large rolled up piece of paper in her arms. She glanced over at him and smiled back, though he wasn't sure if it was for him or the fact that he'd taken her most hated duty.
Jay walked over to the small table sitting next to Ryne's station and unrolled the large sheet of paper, revealing a large map of Arcadia. Without words, she beckoned Ryne and Leos over to her.
"Ok, Sis, how are we getting to Ixa'Taka?" Leos asked, looking over her shoulder. Jay took a short flat pencil out from behind her ear, and traced a small line down from where Windmill Isle used to reside, south to Glacia, and then East over to the Ixa'Takan city of Horteka. Leos snorted in amusement.
"Wouldn't taking the South Ocean route be a little faster?" He asked, mocking his sibling's choice. Jay grinned up at him, knowing she had the upper hand in this battle.
"Of coarse it would." She said coyly, "It'll take us a day and a half to go my route." Leos raised an eyebrow, catching her tone.
"Ok, I give up. Why is your way the better way?" He asked after thinking for a minute. Jay smiled at her small victory.
"South Ocean is notorious for its fierce windstorms and weather, and trying to get through it with as little fuel as we have would not be the smartest thing to do. Glacia, on the other hand, is known to have fairly gentile weather this time of year. Plus the temperature will help keep our engines cool, also helping with fuel efficiency."
Leos smiled, reached up and tousled his little sister's hair affectionately, tangling her hair. Jay smiled at the rare unspoken approval.
"Good job sis." He said after a moment. "I think this just earned you the day off, seeing as your buddy Ry's got your station. Now go take a nap, I know you didn't sleep much last night."
Out of the corner of his eye Ryne though he saw Jay glare at her brother, though she turned her back and went down the stairs too quickly for him to be sure of it. Ryne wondered what Leos had meant by it, but he wasn't about to ask. Jaycera hated him enough as it was, and he didn't need to make it any worse.
Ryne sighed and stared down at the instrument panel in front of him. He wasn't sure how he felt about Jay. She was nice enough on the surface, and sometimes even seemed to like him, though something underneath it all seemed to despise him. That side had been shown earlier this afternoon with the laundry incident.
Ryne gripped a large red knob labeled "PRESSURE" and dialed it down slowly, making the steadily climbing needle, start to drop back a little. He missed his mother, and her gentle guidance. He missed his father's "Go for it, Kid" attitude that was his trademark. He even missed his mother's annoying little blob of a pet, Cupil. Doubt was steadily rising in his mind weather or not he'd ever see any of them again. Or worse, weather he'd be seeing them too soon. Something had been taking his family, and chances were they were after him as well. He'd been passed by when his mother had been taken, but he didn't think his luck would hold out any longer. The thought scared him half to death.
Ryne pushed these thoughts out of his mind. He had to find them, no matter what the cost. As long as he was still free and able, he wouldn't, couldn't give up. Ryne smiled. He was beginning to sound like his father…
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Gideon stepped into the light, blinking, his gray eyes adjusting to the rare brightness. Nervously he ran a hand through his long yellow hair. Lord Vaulrik had summoned him here, though by the look of it, wasn't here yet himself. Gideon waited patiently for his Master, his hands clasped behind his back. Finally his eyes adjusted to the light, and he could see clearly. In the center of the room was a large, rather cumbersome machine, wires feeding into it covered over most of the smooth metal-like floor. Upon further inspection of the thing, he noticed a large sphere in the center, containing a semitransparent green liquid. As he stared through the glass he thought he saw the shape of a woman…
"I see you've noticed my little toy."
Gideon jumped. He'd been so focused on the machine he didn't hear nor see his Lord enter. He quickly dropped to the floor, hiding his face from view.
"You summoned me, my Lord?" He asked his face turned toward the ground. He heard Vaulrik's echoing footsteps inch toward him.
"You can get up Gideon. I'm not angry with you." His voice came, sounding gentle and soft, though Gideon knew few ever heard it in that manner. Gideon got up off the floor and stood, his body erect in a military fashion.
"Oh relax, boy, and face me." He said, starting to sound slightly annoyed. Gideon complied, and moved into a more comfortable position, but still at attention and turned to see the face of his Master. His features were hard with age, though he still looked younger than he actually was. His jet- black hair, unusual of his culture, was slicked back in air of stature, setting him apart from the warriors and telling of his status. Vaulrik was a high Elder.
Gideon watched as the older man walked past him and stood by the large machine, his green eyes searching through the liquid.
"You know what this is I assume." He said, never averting his eyes from the green orb. Gideon swallowed the saliva that seemed to have been building in his throat.
"I've heard rumors among the warriors, Lord. Nothing more." He said quickly. Finally Vaulrik turned to face him, his eyes boring straight into him.
"Then I assume you know what's inside the orb." He said, his voice filled with an icy tone that ran shivers down Gideon's spine. Gideon nodded to acknowledge the statement.
"Yes Lord, I think I do." He said, trying to keep his voice from failing him. "A Silvite. The last Silver Shine Silvite."
Vaulrik nodded and turned back to the orb, peering inside of it.
"Yes, A Silvite of the Silver Shine no doubt, but hardly the last." Gideon's head reeled.
"I thought the Silver Shine Silvites were destroyed with the Silver Shine. All but her."
"No there is another." Vaulrik said simply. "She had a son. Were able to find that much out from that man of hers."
"I still can't believe she fell for an Arcadian pirate." Gideon said contemptuously.
"Come now Gideon, don't sell the Arcadians short. The Elders of the Silver Shine saw fit to save their lives with their own."
"The Elders were fools." Gideon said, his voice full of spite, forgetting with whom he was talking to.
"That they may have been, Gideon, but I think they were still more wise than a lowly warrior." The verbal slap hit Gideon hard. His opinion of the Silver Shine Silvites had been cemented in his mind since childhood by his parents. Ever since the Silvite War.
"Are we not Silvites as well Gideon?" Gideon stared at the floor and nodded, his pride wounded.
"Always remember that Gideon. Though we may lack the moon crystal shard, we have the same origins."
Gideon nodded once again and looked out the only window in the room, the planet of Arcadia, looming in the distance. It really is beautiful… he though to himself.
"Civil war is building once again Gideon. The power this girl can focus is far greater than anything our pitiful mages can conjure up. If we can learn to harness the energies of the Silver crystal we can, we can set things aright again, and avert a war. We don't want a repeat of last month's little scuffle with the Rebels, do we Gideon."
Gideon shook his head, fighting back the tears threatening to flow. His brother's death still hurt him. The last thing he wanted was a war.
"Good. I have an assignment for you Gideon." Gideon straightened up, taking up the military position once more. "I want you to find this last Silvite before the rebels do. If they get a hold of him first, war is inevitable. If you cannot capture him, kill him. You are dismissed warrior."
Gideon turned on his heel and started for the door.
"Oh, and stay away from the Southern Continent. We're going to be taking out another place of power…"
***************************************
Jay opened her eyes to the soft purple glow of moonlight, telling her that they were now in Glacia. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and yawned loudly to break the eerie silence. She silently cursed herself for listening to her brother's advice. She'd never be able to get back to sleep now, and from the looks of it, it was now the middle of the night. Frustrated, she got out of bed and put some clothes on. There was nothing better to do than get up and get some fresh air.
Jay creaked open her door, trying not to disturb the others as she made her way down the dark hallway. After quite of bit of stumbling, and finding things she didn't think were there, she made it to the outside door. Purple moonlight streamed into the ship as she opened the door, along with a cool breeze that said "Yes, you are awake and alive". She also saw a fainter, silver light coming in a small trickle. She didn't give it a second thought until she saw where it was coming from.
Ryne stood out on the bow of the ship, his hands perched on the railing, a bright glow coming from his right hand. Jay stood still for a moment, startled at the sight of him. Ryne turned his head, having heard her approach, then turned his eyes back to the sight in front of him.
"Beautiful night." He said softly, as Jay started to approach him.
"Yeah…" She murmured, staring at the unearthly light coming out of his hand. Ryne smiled at her fascination, but didn't say anything yet. "What is that?" She asked finally, her curiosity getting the better of her. Ryne held his hand out for her to examine, which she took.
"It's beautiful."
"It's a fragment of the Silver moon crystal." Ryne answered, "The legacy of the Silvites."
"Why is it in your hand?" She asked, tearing her gaze away from the light.
"All Silvites are born with it, in one of three places, the back of the hand, the middle of the forehead, and the heart. Mostly it depends on gender."
"What do you mean?"
"Well most Silvite women have it within their hearts, and most males have it in the back of the hand."
"What about the forehead?"
Ryne shifted uncomfortably. "It's considered to be a sign of the Moons. A chosen one."
"Ah, I see." Jay said, though she really didn't understand. She stood silent for a moment, then realized she was still holding onto his hand and let it go, embarrassed. Nervously, she clutched her necklace, the smooth contours of the blue moonstone comforting her. Now it was Ryne's turn to be curious.
"Nervous?"
"Huh?"
"Every time I've seen you nervous you finger that necklace." Jay blushed, glad for the moonlight that wouldn't show it.
"It's kind of my comfort object." She said, trying to regain her lost poise. "My father gave it to me when I was very young…" She held on to the moonstone tighter, trying not to cry. "Just before he died…"
Ryne wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure weather to comfort her or just say "I'm sorry". Then he remembered Jay's touch, earlier that morning, and her attempt to comfort him. Ry reached over timidly and touched Jay's shoulder. Jay glared at it with watery eyes and shrugged it off violently, backing away from him.
"Don't touch me, Pirate!" She growled as she turned and ran back into the cabin of the ship, slamming the door behind her, leaving Ryne wondering what he had done wrong.
Ryne sighed and turned back to his view of the purple-lit sky. Yawning, he watched the lazy descent of a falling star. Finally, he turned and went back into the cabin. He'd seen enough shooting stars in the past couple of days, and he was tired.
********************************************
Gideon pulled his black garment closer around himself. He hated this continent. He'd only been to Arcadia a handful of times, and those had been pleasant experiences. Glacia, on the other hand, was far from pleasant. A cold wind was whipping about the barren wasteland, chilling him to the bone, and speckling his overcoat with tiny crystals of snow.
It's worth it… he kept telling himself, silently praying to the moon that it actually would be. The sight he was about to behold would not be seen by many, and ever if they did they probably wouldn't live to tell about it. The energy of the purple moon was about to be released in another test of the Silvite woman's true power. Faithfully he watched the sky, waiting.
Something finally caught his eye, though it was not was he was waiting for. What he though at first to be a shooting star, upon further inspection revealed itself to be a Silvite ship, and a Rebel ship at that. The blue ion trail it left was of an older technology that only the Rebs used anymore. He cursed silently to himself.
What are you doing here Celeste… He thought, though he already knew the answer. Just as he was the main field agent for the loyalists, Celeste was his Rebel equivalent. In fact, they had gone through the same training as children, their destinies predetermined by the Silvite hierarchy. He'd even harbored a small crush on her throughout their training, though ultimately they'd choose alternate paths. She was probably after the boy, just as he was. Although it would pain him to kill her, he would do what he must for his cause, his people.
His long reverie was finally rewarded as a thin strip of light fell from the heavens, from the very purple moon above that gave this continent life. It started out small at first, then grew slowly, it's energy lighting up the sky. The only sound heard was of melting ice and snow, falling into the great abyss of Deep Sky. Finally it disappeared altogether, leaving behind a large crater, with a new lake, where the Glacia's great and noble city once was.
Gideon smirked. It truly was an awesome sight to behold. For a while he just stood and reviewed the sight of the new lake, just beginning to show the signs of ice, then took a deep breath of the chilling air, and turned round to his ship. Calmly, he walked through the side of the ship, reveling in the shiver that ran down his spine as his mind entered into that of the ship.
Hello Gideon, the ship greeted him in thought speak Where are we off to?
To find an old friend, Fynis.
*********************************************
Ryne yawned as the daylight shone in through his open curtains. Stretching, he rubbed the sleep-sand out of his eyes, and got out of bed stumbling over a chair that hadn't been there the night before, spilling it's contents to the floor. Sighing over his clumsiness, Ryne began to pick of the fresh articles of clothing finding a note underneath once he'd cleared the floor.
Ryne,
I'm sorry about last night.
I hope you'll accept my apology,
and these new clothes. They used
to be Leos' but he never wore them
so I thought I'd put them to use.
1
2 Jaycera
Ryne smiled and looked at the clothes. They were of an older style and looked much like the clothes his father liked to wear. A white undershirt, a thick black over-shirt with unattached sleeves and a zip-up turtleneck, and khaki colored cargo pants. Ryne shook his head and began to get dressed. He'd thought for sure that Jay hated him after last night, but once again she'd tried to make up for it. So far they had a pretty weird love/hate relationship, which made him feel like his emotions were being jerked around on a leash.
Ryne sighed and left his room, working his way up to the bridge of the Gigas. As he neared the steps he could hear Jay and Leos' voices, arguing over something.
"I told you it would happen again…" He heard Jay's voice say.
"I still don't think there's a connection, Jay." Leos' voice argued.
"No connection?! Leos, three places have been completely wiped off the face of the Earth!"
"We still don't know if Pyryn is gone or not."
"The man is a respected Explorer Leos!"
Finally both of them noticed the other person in the room, watching them silently, a look of curiosity on his face.
"What are you two arguing about?" Ryne asked, once their attention was on him.
"Glacia is gone." Jay said. "Destroyed like Pirates Isle and the Temple of Pyryn."
"Jay, don't start that again…" Leos protested. "There's no proof."
"The fact that they're gone is proof enough." Jay said, her eyes flashing with a rising anger.
"Wait a second, what do you mean it's gone?" Ry asked, trying to stay calm.
"Gone, as in, not there." Leos said sarcastically. "We passed by it earlier this morning and all that was left was a partially iced over lake."
Ryne scratched the back of his neck. None of this made any sense! Strange things were happening on Arcadia, and it all started after his Mother had been abducted. Was there a connection somehow?...
"Well anyway, we're nearing Ixa'Taka now." Leos said, breaking the silence. "None of this is any of our concern."
********************************************
Sir, we've picked up an energy signature.
What is it Fynis? Celeste?
No, it's different from the energy signature of Tylen's Ion drive. Stronger, more powerful.
A million thoughts raced through Gideon's head as he and Fynis soared above the lands of the green moon, but one thought reined above all. The boy, it had to be the boy.
Track that signature and record it to memory, Fynis. I think we've just found our target.
******************************
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Ryne rubbed at his right hand, which had suddenly started to hurt. A dull light was piercing through the skin, causing it glow a reddish color, not bright enough yet to be the whitish color that was normal. Suddenly he let out a cry, the pain arching into a harsh crescendo, the light now visible throughout the room. Jay snapped her head back to see what was wrong, finding Ryne on his knee's, clutching his hand.
"Ryne, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, kneeling beside him and taking his wrists into her hands. He only answer was the violent pitching of their ship.
**********************************
Warning shot fired. Hit confirmed. Minimal damage, though the ship in their tow is down
Good job, Fynis. Charge all weapons system to full power. We're no longer warning them
**********************************
All Ryne knew was pain. Pain was everything, all consuming. He was only dimly aware of his surroundings, of the pitching boat, the fire around him, and Jaycera's pleas. Ryne wished he could answer her, tell her everything was going to be alright, but he didn't want to lie to her.
He could see Leos fighting with the wheel, despite the flames consuming his craft. He could also see the green jungles below, rushing toward him, meeting, and then darkness…