Chapter 18 - Reunions
It took everything in Ryne not to yelp and lurch out to save Celeste when she walked out of the containment bubble that held atmosphere on the silver moon, and feel the horror as her body seemed to explode on the other side. Every instinct in his body screamed suicide, but the rational part of his mind knew better. She had just told them what was going to happen, why was he on such high alert?
Perhaps it was because he felt so exposed in the barren wastes they had been traversing for the last half hour of the final stretch of their journey. They had finally left the cover of trees, something he'd grown used to in the forests of Ixa'Taka, and now here on the silver moon. To not have the protection they offered felt wrong to him somehow, though he rationalized that if they could see him, he could see them. That thought was slightly comforting.
"Group suicide, step right through..." Wallin stepped to the edge, waving his arms grandly toward the spot where Celeste had walked through to her apparent death moments earlier.
Ryne took a deep breath, calming his instincts no matter what they were screaming at him, and stepped through the atmosphere bubble.
His first sensation was that of weightlessness and total darkness. The darkness abated when he opened his eyes, an eternity of blue flooding his vision as if he were in the middle of an endless, cloudless sky. He almost panicked until he saw Celeste floating not ten feet away from where he was. He was about to call out to her when he was hit from behind and sent tumbling into her.
"Hey, watch it!"
Ryne spun to around to see Wallin and Jay, floating just behind him.
"Oh... fancy meeting you here!" Sly said, grinning nervously. "So... are we dead yet?"
"Far from it."
Celeste finally acknowledged their presence, turning to them with an almost pained expression on her normally emotionless face.
"What's wrong?" Jay asked, her own face echoing the anxiety the rest of them all felt.
"I'm not sure..." she said, struggling with the words. "It feels like my head is about to implode..."
"AS IT VERY WELL MIGHT IF YOU DO NOT EXPLAIN YOURSELF."
Ryne winced and held his ears, wondering how much the human ear drum could withstand before they popped.
"A friend of yours?" Wallin asked, pulling his fingers out of his ears.
"WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT OUTSIDERS?"
Ryne was ready this time, already having his ears covered. He idly looked around, not really expecting to find the disembodied voice. Something told him they weren't even in a physical realm, and as his eyes explored the vast ocean of blue he remembered the descriptions his mother had painted in his mind of the great halls of knowledge of the Silvites. In them the physical body was split into its component atoms while the mind was embodied in the halls. By making certain requests a Silvite could travel to various points in history or merely travel long distances through them, their body shot to the place of their request. This made it much more than just a huge warehouse of knowledge, but also a system of transportation.
"They are my companions. Without them I would not be here at all." Celeste said coolly.
"THEN YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE... UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR MISSION."
"Listen you hot air bag, I brought you something much better than the moon crystal of the green moon." Celeste snapped, motioning toward Ryne. "I brought you a silver moon crystal."
Silence reined for what seemed to be an eternity. Wallin tried to lighten the mood a little, with moderate results, mostly getting shushed by Jerem who looked at if he'd had one too many shots of cheap Valuan loqua.
"Good to see you again, Celeste."
Under normal circumstances, Ryne might have jumped out of his skin. Being where he was however, had pretty much readied him for everything. It first appeared as a cyclone, gradually funneling down and taking the shape of a male head and body. His garb was simple, consisting of only a plain white tunic and a sash around the waist. His hair was white, though not because he was a silvite, but from natural old age. His eyes flashed warm, though behind the blue fire sat the weight of his office, his concerns and trials tucked safely where most could not see them.
Celeste smiled, and for the first time she didn't hold anything back. She truly was happy to see this man.
"Hello again, Master Philia."
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Leos' fist slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree, the wood taking the brunt of his anger splintering with the impact. Taking a deep breath, he unclenched his glowing hand, the red flame that had assited his anger dissipating back into the elements.
"You have anger." Vaulrik stated plainly, "That is good. Your anger will manifest itself through the moons now, giving you greater power."
Power... that's what all it was about, wasn't it? Nothing else mattered, just the acquisition of more power. Let everything else fall back. Besides, with more power you could just take them back when you want them, couldn't you?
Leos let out a cry of rage, letting the moons channel themselves through his body. Every cell felt alive with unimaginable power. His whole body shone with wildfire, the flame licking but not consuming. He felt like a god, able to command and do as he wished when he wished. And as a god he made a choice.
With a single-minded purpose he began to march toward the entrance port of the rebel stronghold, the bodies of those just passed still projected as dead in a heap on the other side. It was just an illusion, and a clever one at that.
"What do you intend to do, young Delasari?"
Leos stopped right in front of the edge of the atmosphere, every hair on his head standing straight up, even though it has grown to a considerable length while he'd been here. He didn't turn to his Master, just breathed raggedly like a man on the edge.
"I intend to take back the only thing important to me in this world."
"Then you best not go after her."
Leos turned on his angrily, his flame shield doubling its size and intensity.
"WHY?! Why should I not?!" Leos yelled, his voice augmented through his rage. "If my anger gives me power, why not use it?"
"What good is power without control?"
With that simple statement, Leos hit the ground, the flame encasing his body extinguishing.
"I will not have you rushing to you death. You are far more useful to me, and your people, alive."
***********************************************
Ryne was vaguely aware of a breezy sensation as his body seemed to come apart, starting at his feet and all the way up to his head. He thought it odd that he did not lose awareness as his component atoms sped through a vast tunnel of blue light. All of his senses were intact, though he had no actual body to speak of. To make things even more odd, he could see the atom clouds that were the rest of his group as well. He almost wished he could close his eyes, but to have done such he could have needed eyelids. Or even eyes for that matter.
Finally, there was a bright flash of white light and he was reunited with his body. He shook his head and flexed his fingers, briefly checking to see if everything had made it through the journey intact. Then he watched as Jaycera, and the rest of the boys appeared with the flash of rings of light.
The room they stood in was circular and white, its only contents being the six travelers and the older man. In front of him stood Celeste and the man she'd greeted as Philia.
"So, just who are your companions, and why have you felt the need to bring them here?" The older man asked, looking the motley group of young adults over. Ryne scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"The white haired man is the last free Shrine Silvite, Ryne Vyse." Celeste said, jerking her thumb over at Ryne. "The girl is Jaycera Delasari. She is seeking vengeance for her lost brother..."
"Jaycera Delasari?" Philia interrupted the introductions, "The sister of Leos Delasari?"
Jay blinked, a blank look on her face.
"Well... yeah." She answered after a moment of silence. "But how would you know that?"
"Your brother has quite a standing among the purists here. He just appeared one day a couple weeks ago and was discovered the be the last ancestor of Delasaris..."
"Wait a second," Celeste interjected, "You mean to tell me that they're the heirs of Delasaris?"
"Why yes, the DNA of the young man has already been tested. And if Jaycera here really is his sister, she is as well."
Jaycera's mouth hung open, her mind working furiously to sort through the information overload. Her brother was alive? How could that be possible? She had seen his body disappear into deep sky with her own two eyes. He couldn't have possibly have survived.
Yet he had.
And more than just that, he was here.
Jaycera's heart soared. She hadn't lost her brother after all. He had been right here the whole time. Part of her wanted to be angry with him for not coming to her, or somehow letting her know he was alright, but she couldn't help but to feel elated.
"Where is he?" She asked, timidly, though barely able to contain her excitement. "When can I see him?"
Philia looked at her sadly and shook his head.
"I am afraid that will not be possible."
"Why not?"
"He is with the enemy now." Philia stated plainly, "They laud him as a hero, their next great leader. After all, he is the heir of Delasaris, the reason we are all here in the first place."
Ryne couldn't help but to be confused along with the rest of the crew of the Last Hope. He was ecstatic that Leos was alive, and happier even more for Jay, who wasn't so alone after all. But everything about Delasaris just went over his head. He knew nothing of him, unlike half of the people in the room seemed to.
"Wait," Ryne asked, holding his hands up. "What exactly are you guys going on about? Who is this Delasaris guy, and what does he have to do with anything?"
"He has to do with everything..." Philia started, openly astonished that there were people who didn't know the story. "He is the reason we are all here."
"Yeah, we caught onto that, now could you please go on, with a little more detail?" Rafe asked, his exasperation easy to see.
"Gladly," Elder Philia said, smiling a little, "It all began about one hundred years before the Gigas were created, when all men were equal under the light of the Silver moon..."
**********************************
It took the man, who was a great storyteller, almost an hour to recount the tale of the early Silvites, the first of the moon crystals, and of their hero, Delasaris. Ryne was fascinated by it. Here were his origins, or rather, the origins of his people. He'd grown up under the impression that all Silvites were a part of the silver moon crystal. When he'd met Celeste, he'd learned that wasn't true. Now he was learning just how it had come about. And he was enraptured by it. And as much as he was pulled into it, the more he was ashamed of it.
It was the fault of his people that they were up here, stranded for generations, when all they had wanted was equality and justice. It was the fault of his people that they were now "reclaiming" Arcadia for their own. It was the fault of his people that the Rains of Destruction had even fallen.
What do I have to be proud of? He wondered, Mine is a lineage of bloodshed and destruction, cruelty and deceit...
"I am truly sorry..." was all that Ryne could manage, "On behalf of my people... well... all two of us."
"It is not yours to be sorry." Philia said smiling sadly, "You cannot take the blame for the sins of your ancestors, just as we of Eternum cannot be a part of the sins of our brothers."
Ryne smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
"Well, I do believe I've never been introduced to you three gentlemen." Philia said, facing the crew of the Last Hope.
Wallin stepped forward and thrust out his hand.
"My name's Wallin Daragain, Valuan but otherwise completely average Arcadian." He said, with a hint of theatre flair. Philia smiled warmly and shook his hand firmly.
"Rafe Falloy." Rafe said, with a half-hearted salute.
"Jerem Derrik."
Philia nodded, acknowledging the two. "And you are all Valuan I presume?"
"Yeah, the three of us are anyway." Jerem said, motioning toward Rafe, Sly, and himself. "You already know about the rest of them."
"It's a pleasure to have finally met Arcadians." Philia said, sounding as if he meant it. "Now, if all of you would like to follow me, I have a surprise for young Ryne Vyse."
Ryne's mind boggled. How could they have a surprise for him? Had they known he was coming? And most importantly, what could it be? He voiced these concerns to Philia, who simply chuckled and said,
"No, we were not expecting you. We just happened upon something which might interest you..."
*********************************************
As Ryne walked into the Silvite infirmary he almost didn't recognize the person sitting on the cot. His shaggy brown hair was almost should length, most of it now gathered into a ponytail. Scars covered arms which told of former glory, though they had been left to wither from lack of use. On his face however, there was only a solitary scar under amber brown eyes which spoke volumes about the mental age of this man. These eyes had seen joy, pain, despair, boundless hope, but most of all these eyes reflected the iron will of a man who refused to give up, no matter the cost.
This man, this small fragile man, had once saved the entire planet from the brink of destruction.
This man was his father.
Once again, Ryne wanted to cry... but men don't cry. Slowly, he walked to the edge of the cot, sitting down next to the man who'd taught him everything he knew about the world, the man who'd raised him from childhood, the man who'd taught him how to be man, and gathered him into arms, grabbing fistfuls of his white medical robe and holding on as tight as his grip would allow. Vyse didn't say anything; just put his arms around his son, stroking his thick white hair.
"I missed you, Dad..." Ryne whispered, his voice soft and emotional, his face buried in his father's chest.
"I know, Son... I know." Was his only reply.
************************************
War is building. Rebellion is in the air. Troops prepare for an invasion, or "reclamation" as they call it. The small planet of Arcadia has seen such things before; all have come and gone, seeming to last no longer than the morning dew. This too will pass quickly for the world and its six guardians.
The moons know the outcome. They know all. They know their aid will be asked for on both sides, and it will be given to both sides. They have only a marginal influence on the affairs of humanity. Though there is still influence. Their aid will result in death, yes, but the death comes willfully. It comes for the greater good. They will do all to ensure that this death comes, to permit the survival of the whole.
For even the gods of this world can die. It had already happened once.
*****************************************
Jay lay on the small cot she'd been allotted by Elder Philia. A million thoughts raced through her head, but they all kept coming back to one thing.
Leos is alive... And he's my enemy...
She couldn't bring herself to believe it. He was the only family she had left, and now she might just have to fight against him for the liberty of the Arcadia. Were the moons so cruel that they would pit two orphans against each other?
No, she couldn't believe that either. The moons had nothing to do with it. She couldn't pin the cruelty of men on the gods. Men were the ones who'd twisted morality to fit their own wicked hearts. It was men who'd committed such atrocities such as the Rains, the Valuan Coliseum, and the creation of the Gigas for war.
Men were to blame for the corruption of her brother.
But the fact of the matter was that her brother was alive. What did it matter that he was on the opposite side now? He was alive! And as long as he was alive, she would devote everything in her being to his redemption. What else could she do? What else did she have to live for?
She'd been living for vengeance... now that vengeance had been replaced by hope. Hope that there might still be a future for her and her family. Hope that there might be a future for her world. Hope that her love for her brother would bring him back from the place he'd found himself in.
Jaycera sighed and rolled over on her side, hitting the button beside her cot that turned the lights off. This still didn't leave the room in total darkness. The white circular room seemed to glow with a light of its own, and she thought she could see lines of blue light through the opalescent walls and floor. It was slighting annoying, but it didn't keep her from sleep. She'd learned to be able to sleep anywhere.
As she was drifting to sleep, images of her parentless childhood flashed through her mind. How could the older brother who'd always looked after her and loved her turn against everything she was now working toward?
************************************
In a small round room, in the Silvite infirmary there are two men awake in the middle of the night. One is a father, worn thin and weary, though energized by the vibrancy of the other man, his son. One is a man, brought to this point prematurely by forces out of his control. One is recounting his tale while the other is silent... for his story has already been written. This is no longer his story. His part has been played. It is time for his son's story to take center stage.
It is different from his, but the same. Circumstances are different, but the effects are the same. They are both stories of boys becoming the men they will be for the rest of their lives. And as the father looks at his son, who is now a man, he loves the person he was and the man he has become.
For he is no longer Ryne Vyse... he is Ryne.
************************************
"Are you trying to out-do me son?" Vyse asked his son with a smile, running his fingers over the jagged scars running down his cheek.
"Well, you know..." Ryne said, grinning slyly. "I heard about how many woman you attracted with yours, so I figured three would triple that..."
Vyse laughed heartily squeezing Ryne's shoulder. "What happened to the girl shy kid I raised on Crescent Isle?"
"Oh, he's still around I guess." Ryne said, grinning sadly, "Though not as much anymore. He was forced to grow up pretty quick."
Vyse smiled, and hugged his son yet again. "I'm proud of you, Son. You turned out to be a much more mature and able man than I ever was."
Ryne didn't know what to say to that. He just hugged his father tighter, letting go reluctantly.
"So..." His father said finally, "How has your luck been with the girls? I noticed you came with two. That's a mistake in itself, trust me."
Ryne laughed. "I don't think Celeste is a problem... she's from around here."
"Ah, enough said." Vyse said, nodding his head. "So, what about the other girl? The pretty one with the curly black hair?"
Ryne smiled, his cheeks reddening. "Well... it's kinda been a roller coaster ride. But I pretty much told I'd marry her if we ever got out of this mess..."
The older man cocked an eyebrow, a look of surprise covering his face.
"Wow... you are trying to out-do me." He said finally after studying his son's face and finding his to be completely serious. "So, when do I get to approve of this girl?"
"Well, I guess technically, later today." Ryne said, pointing at the time which was displayed over the door.
"Who woulda guessed?" Vyse said, wincing. "But now that you mention it, this old body sure is feeling the whole four in the morning thing." He added, straightening up, his back cracking along the way.
"Get some rest, old man." Ryne said affectionately, leaving the cot and heading toward the door. "We've got things to, people to see, and family to save."
Vyse smiled sadly, laying back but propping himself up on his elbows.
"I love you, Son."
"I love you too, Dad."
And with those words, Ryne left his father to get some sleep, though he knew he probably wouldn't be sleeping tonight. There were too many things to think about, and much too much to learn. Something told him that Elder Philia was up as well, and he wanted to start planning ways to get to his mother.
*************************************
The days are numbered. The moons know, but cannot tell. It is their job only to give aid. For they cannot decide the fate and actions of mankind, nor can them condemn them. It is not their place.
Even at the price of death...
It took everything in Ryne not to yelp and lurch out to save Celeste when she walked out of the containment bubble that held atmosphere on the silver moon, and feel the horror as her body seemed to explode on the other side. Every instinct in his body screamed suicide, but the rational part of his mind knew better. She had just told them what was going to happen, why was he on such high alert?
Perhaps it was because he felt so exposed in the barren wastes they had been traversing for the last half hour of the final stretch of their journey. They had finally left the cover of trees, something he'd grown used to in the forests of Ixa'Taka, and now here on the silver moon. To not have the protection they offered felt wrong to him somehow, though he rationalized that if they could see him, he could see them. That thought was slightly comforting.
"Group suicide, step right through..." Wallin stepped to the edge, waving his arms grandly toward the spot where Celeste had walked through to her apparent death moments earlier.
Ryne took a deep breath, calming his instincts no matter what they were screaming at him, and stepped through the atmosphere bubble.
His first sensation was that of weightlessness and total darkness. The darkness abated when he opened his eyes, an eternity of blue flooding his vision as if he were in the middle of an endless, cloudless sky. He almost panicked until he saw Celeste floating not ten feet away from where he was. He was about to call out to her when he was hit from behind and sent tumbling into her.
"Hey, watch it!"
Ryne spun to around to see Wallin and Jay, floating just behind him.
"Oh... fancy meeting you here!" Sly said, grinning nervously. "So... are we dead yet?"
"Far from it."
Celeste finally acknowledged their presence, turning to them with an almost pained expression on her normally emotionless face.
"What's wrong?" Jay asked, her own face echoing the anxiety the rest of them all felt.
"I'm not sure..." she said, struggling with the words. "It feels like my head is about to implode..."
"AS IT VERY WELL MIGHT IF YOU DO NOT EXPLAIN YOURSELF."
Ryne winced and held his ears, wondering how much the human ear drum could withstand before they popped.
"A friend of yours?" Wallin asked, pulling his fingers out of his ears.
"WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT OUTSIDERS?"
Ryne was ready this time, already having his ears covered. He idly looked around, not really expecting to find the disembodied voice. Something told him they weren't even in a physical realm, and as his eyes explored the vast ocean of blue he remembered the descriptions his mother had painted in his mind of the great halls of knowledge of the Silvites. In them the physical body was split into its component atoms while the mind was embodied in the halls. By making certain requests a Silvite could travel to various points in history or merely travel long distances through them, their body shot to the place of their request. This made it much more than just a huge warehouse of knowledge, but also a system of transportation.
"They are my companions. Without them I would not be here at all." Celeste said coolly.
"THEN YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE... UNLESS YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR MISSION."
"Listen you hot air bag, I brought you something much better than the moon crystal of the green moon." Celeste snapped, motioning toward Ryne. "I brought you a silver moon crystal."
Silence reined for what seemed to be an eternity. Wallin tried to lighten the mood a little, with moderate results, mostly getting shushed by Jerem who looked at if he'd had one too many shots of cheap Valuan loqua.
"Good to see you again, Celeste."
Under normal circumstances, Ryne might have jumped out of his skin. Being where he was however, had pretty much readied him for everything. It first appeared as a cyclone, gradually funneling down and taking the shape of a male head and body. His garb was simple, consisting of only a plain white tunic and a sash around the waist. His hair was white, though not because he was a silvite, but from natural old age. His eyes flashed warm, though behind the blue fire sat the weight of his office, his concerns and trials tucked safely where most could not see them.
Celeste smiled, and for the first time she didn't hold anything back. She truly was happy to see this man.
"Hello again, Master Philia."
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Leos' fist slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree, the wood taking the brunt of his anger splintering with the impact. Taking a deep breath, he unclenched his glowing hand, the red flame that had assited his anger dissipating back into the elements.
"You have anger." Vaulrik stated plainly, "That is good. Your anger will manifest itself through the moons now, giving you greater power."
Power... that's what all it was about, wasn't it? Nothing else mattered, just the acquisition of more power. Let everything else fall back. Besides, with more power you could just take them back when you want them, couldn't you?
Leos let out a cry of rage, letting the moons channel themselves through his body. Every cell felt alive with unimaginable power. His whole body shone with wildfire, the flame licking but not consuming. He felt like a god, able to command and do as he wished when he wished. And as a god he made a choice.
With a single-minded purpose he began to march toward the entrance port of the rebel stronghold, the bodies of those just passed still projected as dead in a heap on the other side. It was just an illusion, and a clever one at that.
"What do you intend to do, young Delasari?"
Leos stopped right in front of the edge of the atmosphere, every hair on his head standing straight up, even though it has grown to a considerable length while he'd been here. He didn't turn to his Master, just breathed raggedly like a man on the edge.
"I intend to take back the only thing important to me in this world."
"Then you best not go after her."
Leos turned on his angrily, his flame shield doubling its size and intensity.
"WHY?! Why should I not?!" Leos yelled, his voice augmented through his rage. "If my anger gives me power, why not use it?"
"What good is power without control?"
With that simple statement, Leos hit the ground, the flame encasing his body extinguishing.
"I will not have you rushing to you death. You are far more useful to me, and your people, alive."
***********************************************
Ryne was vaguely aware of a breezy sensation as his body seemed to come apart, starting at his feet and all the way up to his head. He thought it odd that he did not lose awareness as his component atoms sped through a vast tunnel of blue light. All of his senses were intact, though he had no actual body to speak of. To make things even more odd, he could see the atom clouds that were the rest of his group as well. He almost wished he could close his eyes, but to have done such he could have needed eyelids. Or even eyes for that matter.
Finally, there was a bright flash of white light and he was reunited with his body. He shook his head and flexed his fingers, briefly checking to see if everything had made it through the journey intact. Then he watched as Jaycera, and the rest of the boys appeared with the flash of rings of light.
The room they stood in was circular and white, its only contents being the six travelers and the older man. In front of him stood Celeste and the man she'd greeted as Philia.
"So, just who are your companions, and why have you felt the need to bring them here?" The older man asked, looking the motley group of young adults over. Ryne scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably.
"The white haired man is the last free Shrine Silvite, Ryne Vyse." Celeste said, jerking her thumb over at Ryne. "The girl is Jaycera Delasari. She is seeking vengeance for her lost brother..."
"Jaycera Delasari?" Philia interrupted the introductions, "The sister of Leos Delasari?"
Jay blinked, a blank look on her face.
"Well... yeah." She answered after a moment of silence. "But how would you know that?"
"Your brother has quite a standing among the purists here. He just appeared one day a couple weeks ago and was discovered the be the last ancestor of Delasaris..."
"Wait a second," Celeste interjected, "You mean to tell me that they're the heirs of Delasaris?"
"Why yes, the DNA of the young man has already been tested. And if Jaycera here really is his sister, she is as well."
Jaycera's mouth hung open, her mind working furiously to sort through the information overload. Her brother was alive? How could that be possible? She had seen his body disappear into deep sky with her own two eyes. He couldn't have possibly have survived.
Yet he had.
And more than just that, he was here.
Jaycera's heart soared. She hadn't lost her brother after all. He had been right here the whole time. Part of her wanted to be angry with him for not coming to her, or somehow letting her know he was alright, but she couldn't help but to feel elated.
"Where is he?" She asked, timidly, though barely able to contain her excitement. "When can I see him?"
Philia looked at her sadly and shook his head.
"I am afraid that will not be possible."
"Why not?"
"He is with the enemy now." Philia stated plainly, "They laud him as a hero, their next great leader. After all, he is the heir of Delasaris, the reason we are all here in the first place."
Ryne couldn't help but to be confused along with the rest of the crew of the Last Hope. He was ecstatic that Leos was alive, and happier even more for Jay, who wasn't so alone after all. But everything about Delasaris just went over his head. He knew nothing of him, unlike half of the people in the room seemed to.
"Wait," Ryne asked, holding his hands up. "What exactly are you guys going on about? Who is this Delasaris guy, and what does he have to do with anything?"
"He has to do with everything..." Philia started, openly astonished that there were people who didn't know the story. "He is the reason we are all here."
"Yeah, we caught onto that, now could you please go on, with a little more detail?" Rafe asked, his exasperation easy to see.
"Gladly," Elder Philia said, smiling a little, "It all began about one hundred years before the Gigas were created, when all men were equal under the light of the Silver moon..."
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It took the man, who was a great storyteller, almost an hour to recount the tale of the early Silvites, the first of the moon crystals, and of their hero, Delasaris. Ryne was fascinated by it. Here were his origins, or rather, the origins of his people. He'd grown up under the impression that all Silvites were a part of the silver moon crystal. When he'd met Celeste, he'd learned that wasn't true. Now he was learning just how it had come about. And he was enraptured by it. And as much as he was pulled into it, the more he was ashamed of it.
It was the fault of his people that they were up here, stranded for generations, when all they had wanted was equality and justice. It was the fault of his people that they were now "reclaiming" Arcadia for their own. It was the fault of his people that the Rains of Destruction had even fallen.
What do I have to be proud of? He wondered, Mine is a lineage of bloodshed and destruction, cruelty and deceit...
"I am truly sorry..." was all that Ryne could manage, "On behalf of my people... well... all two of us."
"It is not yours to be sorry." Philia said smiling sadly, "You cannot take the blame for the sins of your ancestors, just as we of Eternum cannot be a part of the sins of our brothers."
Ryne smiled gratefully. "Thank you."
"Well, I do believe I've never been introduced to you three gentlemen." Philia said, facing the crew of the Last Hope.
Wallin stepped forward and thrust out his hand.
"My name's Wallin Daragain, Valuan but otherwise completely average Arcadian." He said, with a hint of theatre flair. Philia smiled warmly and shook his hand firmly.
"Rafe Falloy." Rafe said, with a half-hearted salute.
"Jerem Derrik."
Philia nodded, acknowledging the two. "And you are all Valuan I presume?"
"Yeah, the three of us are anyway." Jerem said, motioning toward Rafe, Sly, and himself. "You already know about the rest of them."
"It's a pleasure to have finally met Arcadians." Philia said, sounding as if he meant it. "Now, if all of you would like to follow me, I have a surprise for young Ryne Vyse."
Ryne's mind boggled. How could they have a surprise for him? Had they known he was coming? And most importantly, what could it be? He voiced these concerns to Philia, who simply chuckled and said,
"No, we were not expecting you. We just happened upon something which might interest you..."
*********************************************
As Ryne walked into the Silvite infirmary he almost didn't recognize the person sitting on the cot. His shaggy brown hair was almost should length, most of it now gathered into a ponytail. Scars covered arms which told of former glory, though they had been left to wither from lack of use. On his face however, there was only a solitary scar under amber brown eyes which spoke volumes about the mental age of this man. These eyes had seen joy, pain, despair, boundless hope, but most of all these eyes reflected the iron will of a man who refused to give up, no matter the cost.
This man, this small fragile man, had once saved the entire planet from the brink of destruction.
This man was his father.
Once again, Ryne wanted to cry... but men don't cry. Slowly, he walked to the edge of the cot, sitting down next to the man who'd taught him everything he knew about the world, the man who'd raised him from childhood, the man who'd taught him how to be man, and gathered him into arms, grabbing fistfuls of his white medical robe and holding on as tight as his grip would allow. Vyse didn't say anything; just put his arms around his son, stroking his thick white hair.
"I missed you, Dad..." Ryne whispered, his voice soft and emotional, his face buried in his father's chest.
"I know, Son... I know." Was his only reply.
************************************
War is building. Rebellion is in the air. Troops prepare for an invasion, or "reclamation" as they call it. The small planet of Arcadia has seen such things before; all have come and gone, seeming to last no longer than the morning dew. This too will pass quickly for the world and its six guardians.
The moons know the outcome. They know all. They know their aid will be asked for on both sides, and it will be given to both sides. They have only a marginal influence on the affairs of humanity. Though there is still influence. Their aid will result in death, yes, but the death comes willfully. It comes for the greater good. They will do all to ensure that this death comes, to permit the survival of the whole.
For even the gods of this world can die. It had already happened once.
*****************************************
Jay lay on the small cot she'd been allotted by Elder Philia. A million thoughts raced through her head, but they all kept coming back to one thing.
Leos is alive... And he's my enemy...
She couldn't bring herself to believe it. He was the only family she had left, and now she might just have to fight against him for the liberty of the Arcadia. Were the moons so cruel that they would pit two orphans against each other?
No, she couldn't believe that either. The moons had nothing to do with it. She couldn't pin the cruelty of men on the gods. Men were the ones who'd twisted morality to fit their own wicked hearts. It was men who'd committed such atrocities such as the Rains, the Valuan Coliseum, and the creation of the Gigas for war.
Men were to blame for the corruption of her brother.
But the fact of the matter was that her brother was alive. What did it matter that he was on the opposite side now? He was alive! And as long as he was alive, she would devote everything in her being to his redemption. What else could she do? What else did she have to live for?
She'd been living for vengeance... now that vengeance had been replaced by hope. Hope that there might still be a future for her and her family. Hope that there might be a future for her world. Hope that her love for her brother would bring him back from the place he'd found himself in.
Jaycera sighed and rolled over on her side, hitting the button beside her cot that turned the lights off. This still didn't leave the room in total darkness. The white circular room seemed to glow with a light of its own, and she thought she could see lines of blue light through the opalescent walls and floor. It was slighting annoying, but it didn't keep her from sleep. She'd learned to be able to sleep anywhere.
As she was drifting to sleep, images of her parentless childhood flashed through her mind. How could the older brother who'd always looked after her and loved her turn against everything she was now working toward?
************************************
In a small round room, in the Silvite infirmary there are two men awake in the middle of the night. One is a father, worn thin and weary, though energized by the vibrancy of the other man, his son. One is a man, brought to this point prematurely by forces out of his control. One is recounting his tale while the other is silent... for his story has already been written. This is no longer his story. His part has been played. It is time for his son's story to take center stage.
It is different from his, but the same. Circumstances are different, but the effects are the same. They are both stories of boys becoming the men they will be for the rest of their lives. And as the father looks at his son, who is now a man, he loves the person he was and the man he has become.
For he is no longer Ryne Vyse... he is Ryne.
************************************
"Are you trying to out-do me son?" Vyse asked his son with a smile, running his fingers over the jagged scars running down his cheek.
"Well, you know..." Ryne said, grinning slyly. "I heard about how many woman you attracted with yours, so I figured three would triple that..."
Vyse laughed heartily squeezing Ryne's shoulder. "What happened to the girl shy kid I raised on Crescent Isle?"
"Oh, he's still around I guess." Ryne said, grinning sadly, "Though not as much anymore. He was forced to grow up pretty quick."
Vyse smiled, and hugged his son yet again. "I'm proud of you, Son. You turned out to be a much more mature and able man than I ever was."
Ryne didn't know what to say to that. He just hugged his father tighter, letting go reluctantly.
"So..." His father said finally, "How has your luck been with the girls? I noticed you came with two. That's a mistake in itself, trust me."
Ryne laughed. "I don't think Celeste is a problem... she's from around here."
"Ah, enough said." Vyse said, nodding his head. "So, what about the other girl? The pretty one with the curly black hair?"
Ryne smiled, his cheeks reddening. "Well... it's kinda been a roller coaster ride. But I pretty much told I'd marry her if we ever got out of this mess..."
The older man cocked an eyebrow, a look of surprise covering his face.
"Wow... you are trying to out-do me." He said finally after studying his son's face and finding his to be completely serious. "So, when do I get to approve of this girl?"
"Well, I guess technically, later today." Ryne said, pointing at the time which was displayed over the door.
"Who woulda guessed?" Vyse said, wincing. "But now that you mention it, this old body sure is feeling the whole four in the morning thing." He added, straightening up, his back cracking along the way.
"Get some rest, old man." Ryne said affectionately, leaving the cot and heading toward the door. "We've got things to, people to see, and family to save."
Vyse smiled sadly, laying back but propping himself up on his elbows.
"I love you, Son."
"I love you too, Dad."
And with those words, Ryne left his father to get some sleep, though he knew he probably wouldn't be sleeping tonight. There were too many things to think about, and much too much to learn. Something told him that Elder Philia was up as well, and he wanted to start planning ways to get to his mother.
*************************************
The days are numbered. The moons know, but cannot tell. It is their job only to give aid. For they cannot decide the fate and actions of mankind, nor can them condemn them. It is not their place.
Even at the price of death...