Ethan stood shivering in the fog, unwilling to warm himself despite his obvious ability. This night wasn't the night for comfort. Winter was due to settle in; and even with the persistent clouds the temperature was getting noticeably cooler. The change was invigorating! Gaia and Her seasons signified life, rebirth; and though the nuclear winter grew ominously chill in everyone's hearts, the cold of true winter made Ethan hope the signs he saw everywhere were true. With the presence of Gaia permanently imbued in his body, Ethan understood the vast history of improbability experienced on Earth.
However, Ethan's discomfort wasn't worry over the survival of his home. this night, soaked in silent reverie, was a rare celestial alignment, the same one present at Ethan's birth. He may not be able to see it, but he felt it coming. A different power radiated from the stars beyond the gray barrier outside the protective sphere, and the combination of the planets in this cadence harmonized with Ethan and his bloodline. This caused the unease and rather than enjoy the secure warmth of the village between the mountains, looking out over hills of green grass and jubilant trees, he needed a quiet, cold place to keep him on his guard. Familial ties ran deeper than the inherent differences between the Sun and Earth. With these ties Ethan understood what Charles felt in the cosmos since his power so undifferentiated itself with that of the Sun. Every major fluctuation in gravitation due to spatial anomalies and coincidences, such as the celestial alignment which was already imprinted in his blood, would flare as signals of power and possibility.
Ethan feared Charles would use this night to his own benefit.
The fog danced and swirled mystically just beyond Ethan's reach. Its subtle sting wisped across his cheek and neck. Every exhalation blended into the gray mists and disappeared into a unity only the air provided with itself. Ethan stood at the boundary between protected atmosphere and toxic fumes. It was hard for him to believe, on a scientific level, how such a malleable structure could transform impurity into amicable substances. Yet, his very existence and survival depended on that magical shield, a magical shield he felt and understood on a more explicit manner than any scientific reasoning could derive. There, at the boundary between the two worlds, Ethan stood in the midst of beautiful fog transform into deadly fog and back again.
Charles' face appeared in the fog for a split second. His blond hair shimmered red and his eyes were black as coal with lines of red magma radiating from the iris. His skin shown beautifully, as radiant as the pure brightness of the sun. The image sparked for a second, revealing the self-assured smile before it vanished behind another billowing of fog.
It took but a mere second to protect himself. Ethan's charms were whispered in his mindscape faster than his body could ever hope to manifest the same conjurations. And in that second, Charles appeared within the protective shield, mere meters away from Ethan.
Neither spoke. There eyes said enough.
Ethan waited for a long while, his body on the verge of battle while his mind reached out silently into the air. His breathing had nearly stopped, slowing to a smooth, trancelike rhythm.
Charles broke the silence. His voice had transformed since their battle. It sounded more pure, powerful, and warm. Ethan knew better. "I've found you, my brother."
"I'm sure it has taken much of your time."
"Indeed. Happy Birthday, Diodoros."
Ethan's spine shivered. "It is not my Birthday."
His smile made the air feel like morning. "Ah, but on such grand cosmic terms, a year is but a second; while the transition and movements of the universe take much longer to replicate the same patterns on wide scales. Why should today not be your Birthday?"
"What is it you came here for, Charles."
"Is it too much to simply desire wishing you a pleasant celebration of such a rare event as your third Birthday?" His laugh felt dry and cracked. Charles looked down at the ground where his feet were starting to char the earth. "Hmm... A hazard of my essence, unfortunately. You'll have to fix this once I've gone."
"Why are you here?"
All of Charles' agreeability disappeared in an instant. "To let you know this isn't over. It may have taken me this long to find you, but next time... I may not be alone. You see... I've learned a lot in the past months. There has always been so much more than what dad taught us. There's so much more that you still need to learn." His foot moved, shoulders relaxed, hands clasped themselves behind his back.
Ethan remained watchful, patient, silent.
"Since it's your Birthday and all... I'd like to give you one more chance to come join me. You don't even have to bring me a sacrifice to prove your... loyalty..." Charles paused as he paced the silence. "I think... Yes, I think I will be sad once I've killed you. I don't want to have to deal with that..."
"What an imposition."
Charles smiled wryly. "Yes. It would seem to be so. Well... I shall leave you, peaceably this time. The offer stands until I find you guys again, at which time..."
He didn't even turn to offer his face. No smile, nor eye contact, gave warning of his departure. A flash of light so brilliant shot through the air, ripping apart the shield near Ethan. Noxious fumes began to fall, no longer held back by the near-invisible barrier. With quick reflexes, even without the use of his eyes, Ethan felt out with his energy and reconstructed the forcefield before too much of the invasive toxins could pass into the delicate atmosphere. What did find its way through went straight for Ethan.
He couldn't see the burning air, but he felt it enter his lungs. He coughed for a short while, unaware of the running footsteps rushing across the hills.
"Elder Adair!" Nick yelled out. "Are you alright? Elder Adair?"
Between coughs, "I'm fine. Thank you."
"What happened?" Alexis asked a little too impatiently.
As Ethan recovered, he managed to sit down and relax slightly while probing his chest to make sure the fumes hadn't permanently damaged his old body. "Charles Sadhin has found us. We need to be ready to leave by nightfall. He may not even give us that long so we must be ready to defend ourselves."
"Well... that took him long enough. He must have had a stroke of luck finding us after all this time." Alexis stood up and made to go back.
Ethan shook his head. "It was no stroke of luck. I knew he would take advantage of tonight."
"What's tonight?" Nick asked.
Alexis losed her eyes and turned around. "It's the alignment of all the planets. You told me about this the last time it happened. You were able to locate Charles back then and discovered he was living in South America at the time... I should have remembered."
Nick looked between them. "Is that how he found you?"
Ethan nodded. "And I fear the alignment's power isn't even at its fullest yet. I will have to remain here until it is completely over." He looked directly at Alexis even though she wasn't looking anywhere on the corporeal realm. "You will need to protect everyone, lead them in my stead. Antoni should go, but I'll understand if he wishes to stay and fight. I have a feeling he'll do no less than work to protect me."
"I'm staying too."
"I can't make you leave, after all. You are trained now. There is little else I can teach you that isn't best learned through experience."
Alexis opened her eyes. "Antoni and the others are waking the village. We'll be ready before sunset and well on our way to the next location. I trust you'll be able to find us."
"Of course. Gaia will guide me."
((To Chad. Thank you.))
Showing posts with label "The Changed Earth". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "The Changed Earth". Show all posts
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 14)
"It's strange. This place doesn't feel normal yet everything about it speaks of home."
"As it should. She has helped us give this place our hearts."
"How long will we stay here?"
"As long as we need to. Hopefully long enough."
Nick hesitated.
"Don't be shy about your questions. I'm here to answer any and all that come across your mind."
Nick looked away, across the landscape they now called home. It was secluded in a vastly different way. Where once the view of oceans greeted the eyes, now a mountainous range covered in black and grey welcomed the small collective of humans. They were lucky to have found the natural protection which offered a long valley to start a civilization again. Home, they called it. Tall, full trees rose to magnificent heights, lush bushes and vibrant flowers grew abundantly in the verdant forests, and life renewed itself once more between the peaks. Nick understood the luck of finding such a place. He also knew the power it took in restoring this nature to the Earth, marveling in the speed to which Ethan had pushed their efforts.
After taking in the view again, feeling the almost magical sense of homecoming fill his heart and throat as always, he turned back to Ethan and slowly asked, "Why have you not spoken about what happened?"
Ethan took his turn to look away.
"Elder Adair I don't mean to pry or anything, but we're all confused. Well, that isn't necessarily true. Your council must know what happened and why we so hastily moved, but us commoners are ill informed. I've come to know many of them... perhaps if I knew I could tell them something..."
"Your training is coming along well and I certainly have no secrets from you." Ethan had been weighing the matter for a while. The council understood enough to move forward with ensuring their survival after the battle which nearly tore the planet apart, but only Alexis knew everything. She experienced most of it herself, but was slowly told of Ethan's internal struggles later. Now Nick wanted to know more, and he carried the ambition to lead the rest of their civilization, lead in a way a President couldn't. Ethan needed such a resource. After all, Gaia had plans for Nick, which meant Ethan had plans for him as well.
Ethan continued, "My brother has a different vision for humanity's survival, which everyone already knows. This vision has taken him on a potentially destructive path." Everyone already knew this as well. When Charles manifested the powers of the Sun in himself, fissures split the mantle of the Earth everywhere. The Cocos Islands were only saved because of the Council's quick responses to Alexis. "Now he embodies the Sun. He is infused with the power of Sol, as I am one with Gaia at all times.
"As we have always been, Charles and I are different and equal. We both want peace and survival. He is unwilling to risk history repeating itself. He sees democracy as a failed institution and wants the purity of his rule to guide consciousness back to supremacy. We are thus seen as a threat to his stability in the future..."
"He wants us out of the picture entirely?" Nick asked. The amazement wasn't hidden.
"Unfortunately he does. He's willing to make negotiations for the survival of a few as long as those who long for democracy are either converted to his thinking or gone. The Council and President aren't willing to negotiate."
"We're hiding then?"
Ethan chuckled. "In a way, yes. We're biding out time, and if that means hiding then that's what we'll do." He could almost feel Nick's mind churning over information, much the same way Ethan did. He saw so much of himself in Nick as their training progressed. However, Ethan also saw much of his brother there as well. Quick to learn, faster to advance, and the inkling of hunger behind it all. Once upon a time, Ethan felt a hunger for more. His father's death put an end to that hunger. Somehow Charles never recovered, which only fueled the ambition more. Oh Gaia, Mother, please help me keep Nick away from that abyss.
"So... Where were you last week?" Nick
"Building a system of distractions for Charles to deal with." Both Ethan and his pupil smiled. "He will certainly have discovered by now that we are no longer on the Cocos Islands. And perhaps he has moved some of his collective there to inhabit and maintain the nature that has been restored to balance. Given this assumption, I have set a series of... distractions... for him to come across in due time. There are about fifty fake habitats around the Earth that simulate our civilizations progressing. Some of these habitats are actually starting to thrive and survive without my nurturing. Others are simply mirages which will dissipate once the shields are destroyed. None of these are truly strong enough to sustain an onslaught from Charles' new abilities, but it will certainly give us enough time to figure things out."
Nick shook his head. "You are amazing!"
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I am merely doing what I can to protect us." Ethan looked away once more, uncomfortable by the sudden praise and admiration which poured from Nick's entire presence. "Hopefully my efforts will actually regenerate the natural cycles of ecosystems that have been lost. With enough time they should be able to survive without the protective bubbles currently shielding them from the worst of the weather, as it were. None of this would have been possible without Gaia. Her power is what allows me to be so effective." With that, Ethan brought the somber tone which always filled his voice when training was at hand. "Enough talk about what cannot be solved. We must complete your training soon." Soon, however, was still far off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wind coursed across the pinkish purple dome overlooking the valley. Soot, ash, and fine debris floated in the currents rushing in violent eddies. Darkness still encrusted the air. It was a darkness which shadowed the heart and mind, distilling ambitions and forgoing change; however ironically permanence disappeared in seconds. No particle dancing in the veiled days rested for more than a moment, dragging its death around the burdened skeletons of woodlands and cracked skins of prairies. Dried beds warped the canyons where hollowed echos reverberated through the muffled clouds. Not even the waves of dreams escaped the desolation of extinction. A blackened mud blanketed the seas in calmer waters, caking the wounds and mingling with the gills of primordial habitats deep within the womb of evolution.
Suddenly, the wind found another bubble to which it was not permitted entrance. The same eerie radiance of berated hope, of difficult love, of tragic misunderstanding surfacing from the heart brushed the blackened clouds. Over time, the wind discovered several of these solitary fortresses of life. The blackness within its dismal fortitude born of microscopic destructive powers began to ebb in its endlessly chaotic journey.
A ray of brightness pierced the canopy.
The besmirched land rustled in its sudden heat: dust unsettled at its touch in a gentle billow where the light landed, the wind circled idly around the elegant filigree descending from the heavens, and a silent uproarious gaiety sparked within the essence of the Earth spirits.
Two individuals felt the shift, and a voice spoke to both. Its notes soothed with the gentle warmth of love. Its tonality spoke of anticipated hope and tenuous joy. Where once it spoke in horror, in wisdom, in pain, it now cherished a moment of reprieve and relaxation. It said:
The face of the Earth is changing.
"As it should. She has helped us give this place our hearts."
"How long will we stay here?"
"As long as we need to. Hopefully long enough."
Nick hesitated.
"Don't be shy about your questions. I'm here to answer any and all that come across your mind."
Nick looked away, across the landscape they now called home. It was secluded in a vastly different way. Where once the view of oceans greeted the eyes, now a mountainous range covered in black and grey welcomed the small collective of humans. They were lucky to have found the natural protection which offered a long valley to start a civilization again. Home, they called it. Tall, full trees rose to magnificent heights, lush bushes and vibrant flowers grew abundantly in the verdant forests, and life renewed itself once more between the peaks. Nick understood the luck of finding such a place. He also knew the power it took in restoring this nature to the Earth, marveling in the speed to which Ethan had pushed their efforts.
After taking in the view again, feeling the almost magical sense of homecoming fill his heart and throat as always, he turned back to Ethan and slowly asked, "Why have you not spoken about what happened?"
Ethan took his turn to look away.
"Elder Adair I don't mean to pry or anything, but we're all confused. Well, that isn't necessarily true. Your council must know what happened and why we so hastily moved, but us commoners are ill informed. I've come to know many of them... perhaps if I knew I could tell them something..."
"Your training is coming along well and I certainly have no secrets from you." Ethan had been weighing the matter for a while. The council understood enough to move forward with ensuring their survival after the battle which nearly tore the planet apart, but only Alexis knew everything. She experienced most of it herself, but was slowly told of Ethan's internal struggles later. Now Nick wanted to know more, and he carried the ambition to lead the rest of their civilization, lead in a way a President couldn't. Ethan needed such a resource. After all, Gaia had plans for Nick, which meant Ethan had plans for him as well.
Ethan continued, "My brother has a different vision for humanity's survival, which everyone already knows. This vision has taken him on a potentially destructive path." Everyone already knew this as well. When Charles manifested the powers of the Sun in himself, fissures split the mantle of the Earth everywhere. The Cocos Islands were only saved because of the Council's quick responses to Alexis. "Now he embodies the Sun. He is infused with the power of Sol, as I am one with Gaia at all times.
"As we have always been, Charles and I are different and equal. We both want peace and survival. He is unwilling to risk history repeating itself. He sees democracy as a failed institution and wants the purity of his rule to guide consciousness back to supremacy. We are thus seen as a threat to his stability in the future..."
"He wants us out of the picture entirely?" Nick asked. The amazement wasn't hidden.
"Unfortunately he does. He's willing to make negotiations for the survival of a few as long as those who long for democracy are either converted to his thinking or gone. The Council and President aren't willing to negotiate."
"We're hiding then?"
Ethan chuckled. "In a way, yes. We're biding out time, and if that means hiding then that's what we'll do." He could almost feel Nick's mind churning over information, much the same way Ethan did. He saw so much of himself in Nick as their training progressed. However, Ethan also saw much of his brother there as well. Quick to learn, faster to advance, and the inkling of hunger behind it all. Once upon a time, Ethan felt a hunger for more. His father's death put an end to that hunger. Somehow Charles never recovered, which only fueled the ambition more. Oh Gaia, Mother, please help me keep Nick away from that abyss.
"So... Where were you last week?" Nick
"Building a system of distractions for Charles to deal with." Both Ethan and his pupil smiled. "He will certainly have discovered by now that we are no longer on the Cocos Islands. And perhaps he has moved some of his collective there to inhabit and maintain the nature that has been restored to balance. Given this assumption, I have set a series of... distractions... for him to come across in due time. There are about fifty fake habitats around the Earth that simulate our civilizations progressing. Some of these habitats are actually starting to thrive and survive without my nurturing. Others are simply mirages which will dissipate once the shields are destroyed. None of these are truly strong enough to sustain an onslaught from Charles' new abilities, but it will certainly give us enough time to figure things out."
Nick shook his head. "You are amazing!"
"I appreciate the sentiment, but I am merely doing what I can to protect us." Ethan looked away once more, uncomfortable by the sudden praise and admiration which poured from Nick's entire presence. "Hopefully my efforts will actually regenerate the natural cycles of ecosystems that have been lost. With enough time they should be able to survive without the protective bubbles currently shielding them from the worst of the weather, as it were. None of this would have been possible without Gaia. Her power is what allows me to be so effective." With that, Ethan brought the somber tone which always filled his voice when training was at hand. "Enough talk about what cannot be solved. We must complete your training soon." Soon, however, was still far off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The wind coursed across the pinkish purple dome overlooking the valley. Soot, ash, and fine debris floated in the currents rushing in violent eddies. Darkness still encrusted the air. It was a darkness which shadowed the heart and mind, distilling ambitions and forgoing change; however ironically permanence disappeared in seconds. No particle dancing in the veiled days rested for more than a moment, dragging its death around the burdened skeletons of woodlands and cracked skins of prairies. Dried beds warped the canyons where hollowed echos reverberated through the muffled clouds. Not even the waves of dreams escaped the desolation of extinction. A blackened mud blanketed the seas in calmer waters, caking the wounds and mingling with the gills of primordial habitats deep within the womb of evolution.
Suddenly, the wind found another bubble to which it was not permitted entrance. The same eerie radiance of berated hope, of difficult love, of tragic misunderstanding surfacing from the heart brushed the blackened clouds. Over time, the wind discovered several of these solitary fortresses of life. The blackness within its dismal fortitude born of microscopic destructive powers began to ebb in its endlessly chaotic journey.
A ray of brightness pierced the canopy.
The besmirched land rustled in its sudden heat: dust unsettled at its touch in a gentle billow where the light landed, the wind circled idly around the elegant filigree descending from the heavens, and a silent uproarious gaiety sparked within the essence of the Earth spirits.
Two individuals felt the shift, and a voice spoke to both. Its notes soothed with the gentle warmth of love. Its tonality spoke of anticipated hope and tenuous joy. Where once it spoke in horror, in wisdom, in pain, it now cherished a moment of reprieve and relaxation. It said:
The face of the Earth is changing.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 13)
"Charles... What have you done?" Ethan heard himself whimper as he awoke from a drowsy sleep. The sound of his voice startled him: raspy, soft, tortured, and louder than the dreamscape whispers. His eyes opened in a flutter as he sat up abruptly. Remnants of energy flashed away in his peripheral vision in bright greens, blues, and purples.
"Elder Adair!"
Jerking around, Ethan found Alexis jumping into a short jog toward him from the other end of the sanctuary. Her angular face showed with the relief of the world lifting form her shoulders. Instantly, Ethan knew he had slept for too long.
"Elder Adair! Thank the Gods!"
Swallowing to moisten his throat, Ethan asked the most important question, "How long have I been asleep?"
Alexis fell to a sitting position right next to Ethan, her left hand holding him upright as she conjured healing and empowerment energies for Ethan. "Two and a half weeks now."
His lungs emptied heavily.
"We've been worried about you. One of the Council of Gaia has sat with you at all times, but there was nothing we could do. Gaia had constructed a protective cocoon around you. We knew it was nourishing your body but... wow! It's done so much more than that!"
"What do you mean?" Her eyes were wide with amazement, reflecting the myriad of colors illuminating their glade of safety.
"You look... healthy! And... young, I suppose!" Her hands had dropped to her sides, limp with uselessness.
He shook his head. "No. Gaia would never compromise a law of nature."
Correcting herself, "No no, I don't mean youthful and... adolescent like, but young and healthy." She drew her awe out of her face and forced the appearance of serious resolve. "You don't look elderly anymore. Simply mature, perhaps." Ethan looked down at his hands, regarding the firmness in the joints and digits that he had many years ago. "Maybe a healthy, active fifty... not a withering eighty... Yeah, that's it."
Cataloging this information about his new appearance, Ethan moved on through the necessary topics. "What has happened since I returned? What is going on with Charles? Are you alright?" he asked hurriedly, remembering her sudden disappearance during the encounter.
"I'm fine. It took a few days to dispel Alasia's attack. She's quite powerful... more than I thought," she said, trailing off in a disappointed reverie. "Otherwise, things are fine. When I was pushed out of the mindscape, I alerted all of sages and we gathered together immediately to start reinforcing the protections around the islands. Whatever happened between you and Charles had little effect here, thanks to the Council's abilities. Even your new pupil played an important part. Whatever you've taught him so far has really sunk in and he was able to bring Gaia back to us for a short while to assist."
"Nick shows promise... and he may be a much larger asset than we now know."
"He was the one who discovered the fight was over."
Ethan nodded, drawing his eyes back up to Alexis'. "That was his voice I heard then? Right before you all brought me back?"
"Yes."
Pride took a bit of the horror out of Ethan's heart. "That is good. He will learn quickly now." He tried to smile.
Alexis brought her hands back to action and placed her left hand on Ethan's back once more. "It seems the stressful circumstance unlocked his mind. If you want assistance with his training, I will gladly take part."
"Yes, yes... Please. Continue with your account of the events over the past two weeks."
As she worked with the energies Alexis said, "Charles has been very quiet. We've tried investigating what has happened to him but there seems to be even more secrecy around Antarctica completely. They're not simply hiding their civilization... the entire continent is under a defensive shield now. We believe his new strength, and abilities, are so expanded he's able to single handedly protect everything he wishes. Thus, we don't know what's going on underneath his protection.
"However, we've investigated what happened to the Earth. Most of it seemed to be untouched by whatever power he was doing during your fight... but what was affected is ravaged anew. Some of the quiet areas have new volcanoes that aren't quieting, several plains areas are ripped wide with new canyons where molten lava is flowing where rivers should be. A lot has changed and we can't seem to mend any of it ourselves... We were hoping that when you awoke you and Gaia might be able to change things further."
"How much have you told the others about what has happened to me?" Ethan asked calmly.
She shook her head. "Only that Gaia seemed to have given part of Herself to you. I figured you could explain the intercourse between you two better than I could."
Ethan smiled and grasped Alexis' right hand. He immediately felt the strength again, felt the weakness relinquish itself to a younger stage in life just before the withering took place for him so many thousands of years ago. Through the contact, he felt adoration radiate from Alexis as well. "I trust you would have said exactly what needed to be said." Thinking for a second before he began, "And if you would please inform them of what has happened to me, I think it would be best. I need no more pomp and circumstance where I walk. There is already too much of that for my liking."
"Of course."
"Also... I fear we must move quickly. We have to leave the islands as soon as possible. Charles may be subdued now, but this new energy he has will not keep him quiet for long." He looked around the sanctuary slowly, noticing the slumbering bodies interspersed throughout the quiet trees. "I will work with Gaia to find us all a new home. Please ask Antoni to reinforce the barriers so they will last long after we have departed. Tell him to have Nick assist as part of his training. We'll have to through Charles of as long as possible." He stood carefully. "We need to inform Ben of our imminent departure. He'll need to prepare the humans.
"And I must commune with Her. I'll return when I have made adequate preparations."
Alexis' face showed worry again. "How may we reach you if there is need, Elder?"
"Speak with Gaia. I will hear you."
With that, a slight nod of the head, and a quick rustling of her gown, Alexis departed to rally the necessary individuals. As she left the sanctuary, Ethan saw the eastern sky begin to brighten.
A breeze lifted through the canopy and the voice of Gaia whispered to Ethan. Dawn comes with sorrowed veils. Flight prevails in summer days where the land has ripened and the sky is clear. North... north to winter when the snow melts fast.
"North," he whispered to himself as he sidled his way to a standing position. His joints ached form laying for so long.
"Elder Adair!"
Jerking around, Ethan found Alexis jumping into a short jog toward him from the other end of the sanctuary. Her angular face showed with the relief of the world lifting form her shoulders. Instantly, Ethan knew he had slept for too long.
"Elder Adair! Thank the Gods!"
Swallowing to moisten his throat, Ethan asked the most important question, "How long have I been asleep?"
Alexis fell to a sitting position right next to Ethan, her left hand holding him upright as she conjured healing and empowerment energies for Ethan. "Two and a half weeks now."
His lungs emptied heavily.
"We've been worried about you. One of the Council of Gaia has sat with you at all times, but there was nothing we could do. Gaia had constructed a protective cocoon around you. We knew it was nourishing your body but... wow! It's done so much more than that!"
"What do you mean?" Her eyes were wide with amazement, reflecting the myriad of colors illuminating their glade of safety.
"You look... healthy! And... young, I suppose!" Her hands had dropped to her sides, limp with uselessness.
He shook his head. "No. Gaia would never compromise a law of nature."
Correcting herself, "No no, I don't mean youthful and... adolescent like, but young and healthy." She drew her awe out of her face and forced the appearance of serious resolve. "You don't look elderly anymore. Simply mature, perhaps." Ethan looked down at his hands, regarding the firmness in the joints and digits that he had many years ago. "Maybe a healthy, active fifty... not a withering eighty... Yeah, that's it."
Cataloging this information about his new appearance, Ethan moved on through the necessary topics. "What has happened since I returned? What is going on with Charles? Are you alright?" he asked hurriedly, remembering her sudden disappearance during the encounter.
"I'm fine. It took a few days to dispel Alasia's attack. She's quite powerful... more than I thought," she said, trailing off in a disappointed reverie. "Otherwise, things are fine. When I was pushed out of the mindscape, I alerted all of sages and we gathered together immediately to start reinforcing the protections around the islands. Whatever happened between you and Charles had little effect here, thanks to the Council's abilities. Even your new pupil played an important part. Whatever you've taught him so far has really sunk in and he was able to bring Gaia back to us for a short while to assist."
"Nick shows promise... and he may be a much larger asset than we now know."
"He was the one who discovered the fight was over."
Ethan nodded, drawing his eyes back up to Alexis'. "That was his voice I heard then? Right before you all brought me back?"
"Yes."
Pride took a bit of the horror out of Ethan's heart. "That is good. He will learn quickly now." He tried to smile.
Alexis brought her hands back to action and placed her left hand on Ethan's back once more. "It seems the stressful circumstance unlocked his mind. If you want assistance with his training, I will gladly take part."
"Yes, yes... Please. Continue with your account of the events over the past two weeks."
As she worked with the energies Alexis said, "Charles has been very quiet. We've tried investigating what has happened to him but there seems to be even more secrecy around Antarctica completely. They're not simply hiding their civilization... the entire continent is under a defensive shield now. We believe his new strength, and abilities, are so expanded he's able to single handedly protect everything he wishes. Thus, we don't know what's going on underneath his protection.
"However, we've investigated what happened to the Earth. Most of it seemed to be untouched by whatever power he was doing during your fight... but what was affected is ravaged anew. Some of the quiet areas have new volcanoes that aren't quieting, several plains areas are ripped wide with new canyons where molten lava is flowing where rivers should be. A lot has changed and we can't seem to mend any of it ourselves... We were hoping that when you awoke you and Gaia might be able to change things further."
"How much have you told the others about what has happened to me?" Ethan asked calmly.
She shook her head. "Only that Gaia seemed to have given part of Herself to you. I figured you could explain the intercourse between you two better than I could."
Ethan smiled and grasped Alexis' right hand. He immediately felt the strength again, felt the weakness relinquish itself to a younger stage in life just before the withering took place for him so many thousands of years ago. Through the contact, he felt adoration radiate from Alexis as well. "I trust you would have said exactly what needed to be said." Thinking for a second before he began, "And if you would please inform them of what has happened to me, I think it would be best. I need no more pomp and circumstance where I walk. There is already too much of that for my liking."
"Of course."
"Also... I fear we must move quickly. We have to leave the islands as soon as possible. Charles may be subdued now, but this new energy he has will not keep him quiet for long." He looked around the sanctuary slowly, noticing the slumbering bodies interspersed throughout the quiet trees. "I will work with Gaia to find us all a new home. Please ask Antoni to reinforce the barriers so they will last long after we have departed. Tell him to have Nick assist as part of his training. We'll have to through Charles of as long as possible." He stood carefully. "We need to inform Ben of our imminent departure. He'll need to prepare the humans.
"And I must commune with Her. I'll return when I have made adequate preparations."
Alexis' face showed worry again. "How may we reach you if there is need, Elder?"
"Speak with Gaia. I will hear you."
With that, a slight nod of the head, and a quick rustling of her gown, Alexis departed to rally the necessary individuals. As she left the sanctuary, Ethan saw the eastern sky begin to brighten.
A breeze lifted through the canopy and the voice of Gaia whispered to Ethan. Dawn comes with sorrowed veils. Flight prevails in summer days where the land has ripened and the sky is clear. North... north to winter when the snow melts fast.
"North," he whispered to himself as he sidled his way to a standing position. His joints ached form laying for so long.
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 12)
"Oh come now, Diodoros. This is a moment for celebration. Don't look at me with such disgust and anger."
Ethan couldn't move. The man before him was a vision from the past lost ages ago. Everything about him was the same, but with a slight difference: bright blue eyes, curly blond hair, fair skin stretched over a round face with strong cheekbones; but there was a hint of flame coursing through every feature, circling every strand of hair, glowing in every pore of his face. Akakios had become the physical manifestation of Helios. Slowly, it all sank in as Akakios started walking in a wide arc around his brother.
"What have you done?" Ethan asked with trepidation.
The laugh was filled with mirth. "But asked for a gift and was granted endlessness!" His joy brightened the area, revealing more of the darkness in the clouds behind him. The wind naturally picked up and created a vicious torrent of blackened clouds just beyond their protected space. "Much the same way as you, Diodoros."
Ethan snapped back into himself. "I left that name behind me long ago."
The smile that faced Ethan was full of malicious intent. "Forgive me, Elder Ethan Adair."
"And I never asked for this...gift." Ethan took a step in the other direction, circling around to a better protected stance.
Without a noticeable change in posture, relaxed in his steps, Akakios' smile broadened and filled his eyes with anticipation. "There we go! Now we're ready. Ha ha ha!!!" The air started warming.
Another step showed the ground to be unstable, sinking into the marsh of a land covered by miles of snow suddenly brought to a melting point. Ethan focused half his thoughts to solidifying the ground so they could walk on it, and thought twice about it. Modifying his spell, he made it so the area he walked on would be solid while Akakios' would still be marshy. A mere second had passed as the echo of Akakios' laugh died away. Ethan spoke calmly, "We don't have to fight, brother. Societies have coexisted peacefully, and in harmony at times. Our two societies will need each other in the end, and I know you understand this."
"Your sentiments are startlingly simple minded. It's a shame I don't share them," he said sarcastically. "But I don't care to share a world with a betrayer of humanity. You know what I ask, and as long as you forbid my easy access to Antoni I will forever be at war with you."
There was no warning: Akakios continued smiling through his aura of internal light, stepping lightly through the muddles snow, and a whip of flame cracked around Ethan's body. The heat of the attack set of his protective instincts and a thin layer of stone materialized for a second to ward off the fire. He tried to show no surprise.
"Your eyes betray you," Akakios said with glee. "Not prepared for an equal on the battlefield?"
Ethan continued mirroring his brother's motions as he replied, "I have always seen you as an equal. We have simply taken matters in different stride, and at times this has led to different strengths."
"You can be frank with me." His smile had disappeared along with the touch of happiness in his eyes. Steam billowed where his feet touched the dirty water.
"Have I any reason to lie to you? What benefit would it suit me now?" A burst of flame ignited around Ethan's head. The instant it appeared, a shield formed to protect him. "Akakios... What do you expect of me?"
The difference in his smile was vibrant. The one before was actually happy, enthusiastic about what lay ahead. This new smile was sharp, dangerous, and malicious. "I want you and your pathetic gathering of impudent scum to be punished for its failures and crimes against humanity. I want justice for the circumstances we must struggle through, and I will create the perfect justice for everyone involved!"
Ethan's heart sank, even through his excitement at the impending confrontation. "Are you really so shortsighted?" Akakios' eyes narrowed. "Is there nothing but destruction and the need for power on your mind? Do you so distressingly adhere to the one sided thought process you have unerringly taken to the events that have placed us here?"
"Enough!"
"No. This isn't enough! You have forgotten everything our father has taught us. You have neglected your own mind for the chance to be something out of your reach! Gaia will not stand for your actions, she will not help you beyond today because you have forsaken Her trust in the path to redemption."
"I don't need Her!" He stopped walking and stood squarely toward Ethan, one hand twisted in a claw holding flame while the other pointed two fingers at the ground; from which a small swirling tornado danced. "This land has always ever needed Helios to survive. Without His giving essence, nature would never have flourished and change would be left on the wayside. Science would have been stagnant and our world would be left in a primordial soup. Gaia couldn't push forward such enhancements to cellular evolution. It is He who holds my devotion!"
Ethan stowed away his emotions and hardened himself to fight his last remaining relative. "You are an abomination to our society, and I hereby strip your title as Elder to all who have followed you." The words came from his mouth, but they were not his own. His very voice had changed to a melody of harmonic intonation. Gaia had spoken.
Akakios' eyes shot open at the sound. "She," he sputtered in rage. "How can She speak from you!"
"She is with me, always."
Flame shot our of Akakios' outstretched hand in bursts meant to overtake Ethan. He was ready, as Gaia's presence stood with him. Walls of earth and stone erected themselves before Ethan as he evaded the onslaught. The wind shifted, caught in updrafts of heat generated from Akakios' attack. Billows of smoke broke through the protective barrier in random places. Lightening struck somewhere to Ethan's left and the resounding boom shattered his hearing.
Then the deepened sound of a flickering roar filtered through the clouds. The air heated instantly and all the remaining snow melted instantly and began evaporating, pushing all the black smoke up into the higher atmosphere. Ethan pushed one of the blocks of earth down with his mind and looked with a solid mind and heart at a growing tornado of pure fire.
Red, orange, and yellow flames tangled together in a tight vortex, pushing and heaving upward at the coaxing of Akakios' movements. His eyes were intent and flaming with aggression. His body seemed engulfed in the same fire as the sun, spots of darkness moving slowly over his body. The heat intensified and a familiar whisper entered Ethan's mind.
You must stop this, now. Use the elements at your will! He has only one. Use his against him!
An idea struck so hard Ethan barely knew what to do. Testing the idea was slower than he would have liked. He felt the fire upon his body, burning the air until it felt like the dry heat of the Sahara. However, Ethan also felt it on another level he didn't realize until prompted by Gaia. The rumbling of the earth below him warmed in his vision: the internal fire of the Earth's core vibrant as the vortex before which he stood.
And he felt its control, felt its chaos, felt its hunger; and he shifted it. There was a struggle in the ownership of the flame, but slowly its essence died away. The tornado released into the air and was replaced by cold air rushing in to take its place.
Akakios wasn't finished. He stepped forward, lit with frustration, hands drawn to each side with an arc of flame moving between them. "You won't manage to stop me so close!" And he threw his first punch.
It landed on Ethan's chest and seared all the way through to his chest. Conjuring water over his body, he cooled the burn and readied parry after parry of the continual thrusts from Akakios. As each fist landed near Ethan's body, the water turned to ice and melted again. Ethan remained on the defense as Akakios pushed him every which way, trying with desperation more than strategy to land hit after hit.
As he began to feel a rhythm to Akakios' swings, Ethan moved his thoughts to conjuring a slab of rock. With little effort, it hurtled at Akakios and caught him square on the shoulder sending him flying to the ground with a grunt. His youthful face contorted in a mixture of pain and blind hatred.
The ground shook. Fissures broke through the earth and ice and an orange glow spread out across the clouds.
"What are you doing?" Ethan called out. "Are you trying to destroy the Earth?"
Akakios didn't respond as he got to his feet. Lava crested in the fissures.
"Akakios. Charles! You must stop." Ethan tried pulling the ground closed again but the pressure was too great.
"I will have your end and Antoni and the others will be defenseless!" he shouted.
"You'll destroy any hope you have of rebuilding this planet! You must stop!" Ethan knew he wasn't listening. Fire licked the air and started burning around the fissures as lava began spreading.
Without thinking, Ethan conjured rain to douse the fire, brought earth and placed it on top of the fissures to slow the seeping; but everything he did was hopeless as the ground cracked further down and all around them. Turning his attention to his brother, he drew up earth and rock around Akakios to encase his body, strengthened the soil with water and ice and made vines grow all throughout the mixture. He squeezed the soil to break his concentration--
and the cocoon exploded in a burst of light. His eyes hadn't changed and his mind was still set on his objective.
Alasia appeared right behind Akakios, her hard set face and drawn features terrified. Ethan prepared for an attack and brought defenses around him, but she looked away and stepped toward her leader and whispered in his ear. Her lips were taught and angry as she spoke to him. And whatever she said broke Akakios' concentration as he turned to look at her, the anger still residing in his eyes.
She said no more and waited. Her face didn't change, her eyes intent with a subdued fury, her body rigid and ready to pounce.
The words that came from Akakios' mouth were tortured, "You lie..."
Alasia didn't move. He turned to face Ethan. "This is your fault!" he raged, taking a step toward his foe.
A sturdy hand restrained him and where it would have burned water vapor flew into the air. "Charles! You can't win without losing everything we have left!"
Ethan waited in silence, watching a careful display of power amongst his enemy, still prepared to defend himself further. He continued trying to peace together the earth that was ravaged by Akakios' rage.
Slowly, Charles calmed. The wind shifted slightly and the air started to clear away the mist and clouds that clung to the area. "This isn't over, Ethan."
In half a second, both Alasia and Charles were gone, leaving Ethan to struggle with his thoughts and adrenaline. His breathing returned to normal after a few minutes, feeling the cold press against his cheeks and wound as his body started shaking . Tears came unabated.
Elder Adair. We can get you home, just stay where you are.
Suddenly, the familiar pull against his stomach brought Ethan back to the sanctuary into the arms of Alexis. He couldn't see the others standing around him, waiting their turn to help in whatever way they could. Ethan simply cried and allowed himself to fall into a fitful darkness that lasted through the entire day.
Ethan couldn't move. The man before him was a vision from the past lost ages ago. Everything about him was the same, but with a slight difference: bright blue eyes, curly blond hair, fair skin stretched over a round face with strong cheekbones; but there was a hint of flame coursing through every feature, circling every strand of hair, glowing in every pore of his face. Akakios had become the physical manifestation of Helios. Slowly, it all sank in as Akakios started walking in a wide arc around his brother.
"What have you done?" Ethan asked with trepidation.
The laugh was filled with mirth. "But asked for a gift and was granted endlessness!" His joy brightened the area, revealing more of the darkness in the clouds behind him. The wind naturally picked up and created a vicious torrent of blackened clouds just beyond their protected space. "Much the same way as you, Diodoros."
Ethan snapped back into himself. "I left that name behind me long ago."
The smile that faced Ethan was full of malicious intent. "Forgive me, Elder Ethan Adair."
"And I never asked for this...gift." Ethan took a step in the other direction, circling around to a better protected stance.
Without a noticeable change in posture, relaxed in his steps, Akakios' smile broadened and filled his eyes with anticipation. "There we go! Now we're ready. Ha ha ha!!!" The air started warming.
Another step showed the ground to be unstable, sinking into the marsh of a land covered by miles of snow suddenly brought to a melting point. Ethan focused half his thoughts to solidifying the ground so they could walk on it, and thought twice about it. Modifying his spell, he made it so the area he walked on would be solid while Akakios' would still be marshy. A mere second had passed as the echo of Akakios' laugh died away. Ethan spoke calmly, "We don't have to fight, brother. Societies have coexisted peacefully, and in harmony at times. Our two societies will need each other in the end, and I know you understand this."
"Your sentiments are startlingly simple minded. It's a shame I don't share them," he said sarcastically. "But I don't care to share a world with a betrayer of humanity. You know what I ask, and as long as you forbid my easy access to Antoni I will forever be at war with you."
There was no warning: Akakios continued smiling through his aura of internal light, stepping lightly through the muddles snow, and a whip of flame cracked around Ethan's body. The heat of the attack set of his protective instincts and a thin layer of stone materialized for a second to ward off the fire. He tried to show no surprise.
"Your eyes betray you," Akakios said with glee. "Not prepared for an equal on the battlefield?"
Ethan continued mirroring his brother's motions as he replied, "I have always seen you as an equal. We have simply taken matters in different stride, and at times this has led to different strengths."
"You can be frank with me." His smile had disappeared along with the touch of happiness in his eyes. Steam billowed where his feet touched the dirty water.
"Have I any reason to lie to you? What benefit would it suit me now?" A burst of flame ignited around Ethan's head. The instant it appeared, a shield formed to protect him. "Akakios... What do you expect of me?"
The difference in his smile was vibrant. The one before was actually happy, enthusiastic about what lay ahead. This new smile was sharp, dangerous, and malicious. "I want you and your pathetic gathering of impudent scum to be punished for its failures and crimes against humanity. I want justice for the circumstances we must struggle through, and I will create the perfect justice for everyone involved!"
Ethan's heart sank, even through his excitement at the impending confrontation. "Are you really so shortsighted?" Akakios' eyes narrowed. "Is there nothing but destruction and the need for power on your mind? Do you so distressingly adhere to the one sided thought process you have unerringly taken to the events that have placed us here?"
"Enough!"
"No. This isn't enough! You have forgotten everything our father has taught us. You have neglected your own mind for the chance to be something out of your reach! Gaia will not stand for your actions, she will not help you beyond today because you have forsaken Her trust in the path to redemption."
"I don't need Her!" He stopped walking and stood squarely toward Ethan, one hand twisted in a claw holding flame while the other pointed two fingers at the ground; from which a small swirling tornado danced. "This land has always ever needed Helios to survive. Without His giving essence, nature would never have flourished and change would be left on the wayside. Science would have been stagnant and our world would be left in a primordial soup. Gaia couldn't push forward such enhancements to cellular evolution. It is He who holds my devotion!"
Ethan stowed away his emotions and hardened himself to fight his last remaining relative. "You are an abomination to our society, and I hereby strip your title as Elder to all who have followed you." The words came from his mouth, but they were not his own. His very voice had changed to a melody of harmonic intonation. Gaia had spoken.
Akakios' eyes shot open at the sound. "She," he sputtered in rage. "How can She speak from you!"
"She is with me, always."
Flame shot our of Akakios' outstretched hand in bursts meant to overtake Ethan. He was ready, as Gaia's presence stood with him. Walls of earth and stone erected themselves before Ethan as he evaded the onslaught. The wind shifted, caught in updrafts of heat generated from Akakios' attack. Billows of smoke broke through the protective barrier in random places. Lightening struck somewhere to Ethan's left and the resounding boom shattered his hearing.
Then the deepened sound of a flickering roar filtered through the clouds. The air heated instantly and all the remaining snow melted instantly and began evaporating, pushing all the black smoke up into the higher atmosphere. Ethan pushed one of the blocks of earth down with his mind and looked with a solid mind and heart at a growing tornado of pure fire.
Red, orange, and yellow flames tangled together in a tight vortex, pushing and heaving upward at the coaxing of Akakios' movements. His eyes were intent and flaming with aggression. His body seemed engulfed in the same fire as the sun, spots of darkness moving slowly over his body. The heat intensified and a familiar whisper entered Ethan's mind.
You must stop this, now. Use the elements at your will! He has only one. Use his against him!
An idea struck so hard Ethan barely knew what to do. Testing the idea was slower than he would have liked. He felt the fire upon his body, burning the air until it felt like the dry heat of the Sahara. However, Ethan also felt it on another level he didn't realize until prompted by Gaia. The rumbling of the earth below him warmed in his vision: the internal fire of the Earth's core vibrant as the vortex before which he stood.
And he felt its control, felt its chaos, felt its hunger; and he shifted it. There was a struggle in the ownership of the flame, but slowly its essence died away. The tornado released into the air and was replaced by cold air rushing in to take its place.
Akakios wasn't finished. He stepped forward, lit with frustration, hands drawn to each side with an arc of flame moving between them. "You won't manage to stop me so close!" And he threw his first punch.
It landed on Ethan's chest and seared all the way through to his chest. Conjuring water over his body, he cooled the burn and readied parry after parry of the continual thrusts from Akakios. As each fist landed near Ethan's body, the water turned to ice and melted again. Ethan remained on the defense as Akakios pushed him every which way, trying with desperation more than strategy to land hit after hit.
As he began to feel a rhythm to Akakios' swings, Ethan moved his thoughts to conjuring a slab of rock. With little effort, it hurtled at Akakios and caught him square on the shoulder sending him flying to the ground with a grunt. His youthful face contorted in a mixture of pain and blind hatred.
The ground shook. Fissures broke through the earth and ice and an orange glow spread out across the clouds.
"What are you doing?" Ethan called out. "Are you trying to destroy the Earth?"
Akakios didn't respond as he got to his feet. Lava crested in the fissures.
"Akakios. Charles! You must stop." Ethan tried pulling the ground closed again but the pressure was too great.
"I will have your end and Antoni and the others will be defenseless!" he shouted.
"You'll destroy any hope you have of rebuilding this planet! You must stop!" Ethan knew he wasn't listening. Fire licked the air and started burning around the fissures as lava began spreading.
Without thinking, Ethan conjured rain to douse the fire, brought earth and placed it on top of the fissures to slow the seeping; but everything he did was hopeless as the ground cracked further down and all around them. Turning his attention to his brother, he drew up earth and rock around Akakios to encase his body, strengthened the soil with water and ice and made vines grow all throughout the mixture. He squeezed the soil to break his concentration--
and the cocoon exploded in a burst of light. His eyes hadn't changed and his mind was still set on his objective.
Alasia appeared right behind Akakios, her hard set face and drawn features terrified. Ethan prepared for an attack and brought defenses around him, but she looked away and stepped toward her leader and whispered in his ear. Her lips were taught and angry as she spoke to him. And whatever she said broke Akakios' concentration as he turned to look at her, the anger still residing in his eyes.
She said no more and waited. Her face didn't change, her eyes intent with a subdued fury, her body rigid and ready to pounce.
The words that came from Akakios' mouth were tortured, "You lie..."
Alasia didn't move. He turned to face Ethan. "This is your fault!" he raged, taking a step toward his foe.
A sturdy hand restrained him and where it would have burned water vapor flew into the air. "Charles! You can't win without losing everything we have left!"
Ethan waited in silence, watching a careful display of power amongst his enemy, still prepared to defend himself further. He continued trying to peace together the earth that was ravaged by Akakios' rage.
Slowly, Charles calmed. The wind shifted slightly and the air started to clear away the mist and clouds that clung to the area. "This isn't over, Ethan."
In half a second, both Alasia and Charles were gone, leaving Ethan to struggle with his thoughts and adrenaline. His breathing returned to normal after a few minutes, feeling the cold press against his cheeks and wound as his body started shaking . Tears came unabated.
Elder Adair. We can get you home, just stay where you are.
Suddenly, the familiar pull against his stomach brought Ethan back to the sanctuary into the arms of Alexis. He couldn't see the others standing around him, waiting their turn to help in whatever way they could. Ethan simply cried and allowed himself to fall into a fitful darkness that lasted through the entire day.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 11)
Ethan felt different.
Well, that's how he had to describe it. The feelings he felt were all normal enough, but underneath everything else was a different sense. He could feel everything around him, he knew everything around him, and he could feel his presence changing what he observed through new senses that were unlocked by Gaia merely an hour before. The words Ethan used to describe this new sensation to Alexis were inadequate, they both knew, and it scared Ethan. He knew he had always been alive, had always felt alive, well, and strong, but the gift of this new power made Ethan feel he had never lived before.
The green of leaves shown with the rainbow of light which filtered through the cells. The ground vibrated as is slowly moved along its path on an axis through emptiness. Wind blowing across flowers and through trees tickled Ethan's body. Subtleties which escaped Ethan's perception were ignited with fury as he tested this new awareness: a butterfly resting on a branch caused the tree to react to the delicate change in its environment and sent more nutrients to that branch to grow ever so slightly faster. Ocean waves washing over the shore, slowly eating away at the sand, stirs the air and releases gentle moisture into the air for plants to grab at as they need. The symphony of Gaia's touch was at Ethan's hand, and the words he spoke couldn't relay what Alexis needed to understand. He felt different.
"You have been given the gift of godhood, Elder Adair... Gaia has made you equal to Herself," Alexis said in their hour long discussion.
Ethan pushed aside the thought, "It's not godhood. I believe she is giving me a weapon... giving me Herself. In a sense, allowing me to use Her abilities to protect the Earth and everything that remains on it. I fully intend to not use these powers unless I have to --"
"--And Elder Sadhin is forcing you into it. His recklessness may very well put an end to what we have all done."
"I must stop him," he whispered.
In that moment, Alexis understood his doubts. "How do you think you'll stop him?" Ethan's eyes turned to the ground and became very distant. She wondered where his thoughts traveled: into the earth where answers might be, into the wind that spoke through the trees, into his heart where his struggle tore apart his resolve. "Whatever you need, I will be with you, as any of the other sages will stand by you. We cannot allow Elder Sadhin to reverse the little steps we have taken."
"This will mean death."
Silence.
The sound of something hitting dry earth trickled through the air. It came closer to Alexis and Ethan as their conversation turned to the verbal recognition Ethan wished would never come; and eventually rain fell upon them. In amazement, Alexis turned her head to the sky and closed her eyes.
"Rain!" She returned her sight to Ethan. "Rain! It hasn't rained since the war!"
He wouldn't raise his head.
"You did this, Elder. You brought us rain!" In the distance, proclamations of excitement lifted through the air. "Elder Adair, listen to the joy you just brought all of us. Listen to the hope you've filled our hearts with." Alexis brought her pose up onto her knees and leaned closer to Ethan, stretching out a comforting hand and placing it softly on his wet shoulder. The feel of his old bones caught her by surprise, but she kept her hand where it was. "We all know the risks of dealing with Charles and his gathering of sages. We all know the costs of success in these situations. None of us will back away, you must know this."
"Charles is my brother. He is the only one left in my family."
"You won't bring him around. He's made that very clear. You won't give him what he wants. You have made that very clear. When it comes time to deal with him accordingly, we will force him into justice." Alexis waited for Ethan's gaze to connect with hers. Slowly the rain diminished and the smell of rejuvenated plants permeated the shoreline. "The first thing we must worry about is the dawn. Charles must be stopped."
Ethan looked directly into her eyes. "Yes."
"What do we need to do?" Alexis forced all her authority into her voice.
"We have to hurry. Gaia worries if Charles is able to connect with the sun, he will be as imbued with such power as I have; which is why She gave me Her abilities, I fear." He thought for a second and continued, "Which means Charles will need a clear line of sight to Helios... And there in-lies our hope."
Very quickly they had their plan and worked to take action even before Charles Sadhin was on his quest. Morning approached quickly, as the Southern Hemisphere was in its Summer phase the nights were quite short and the dawn flared quickly. Ethan, with little thought or effort, was able to move the black and billowing clouds out of the way to watch the sunrise. Most of the inhabitants of the Cocos Islands awoke once the word had spread that the horizon was visible and rain had fallen.
Then the twilight began. As the eastern purple gave way to a gray-blue sky, red tendrils reflected off the black clouds and a deeply majestic sight graced those who beheld it. There were two who neglected the eastern beauty.
Their minds were distant in a mindscape, traveling south to greet a foe whose intentions besmirched the ideals of all who claim faith to Gaia. Alexis had already decided, in recent moments, to strip him of his Elder status. Ethan felt similarly. In the blackness of their travel, they felt each other's worries. The simple matter of covering the ascent of Helios from Charles Sadhin's view seemed far too manageable.
They planned for trouble and anticipated the struggle to be far more than what they could handle. Neither foresaw Helios interceding in an Earthly matter, but His consciousness was rarely experienced by humans. Ethan feared Charles had accomplished this feat on some level.
Alexis brought the picture of Antarctica and the civilization Charles had built into the mindscape. Its buildings were numerous and stretched into a small suburb. To Ethan's amazement, there was no mansion visible, no castle to center power in, no added protection over one singular house. He sent this thought to Alexis and her reply came instantly, He is intelligent. He has learned from our history well.
Searching the town revealed an absence of Charles' power.
Stealthily, Ethan sent a strand of energy, feather light, on a breeze from the east in search of a trail... which led to a cliff overlooking the ocean a few miles away. The cliff obviously did not belong within the confines of the town: its surface was covered with blackened snow, the wind rushed in gusts of blackened clouds which swirled in fiery passion, and the protective shield was new and growing.
Within were two figures. One obviously seethed with power, eager and impatient. In the mindscape, his energy was already formed as a flame growing and glowing red and yellow. The other figure was more subdued and vastly more arrogant. Her power stretched throughout the shield and pushed upwards as quickly as it could. Slowly the air cleared and the shield expanded. Her energy was as blacker than the mindscape, pulsing deep purples and blues to reveal a hideous monster standing tall.
Gaia spoke in terror and wonder. Alasia... Her powers are great, her strength beyond her, her mind deeper than Styx. Beware...
Alexis' mind drew closer to Ethan's. What does She mean?
Alasia is powerful. She knows much of what Gaia has to offer and is stronger than you, most likely. We will need to be very careful and work as a team. Ethan moved to test Alasia's perception of the environment and the strands of Gaia's power. A slight breeze picked up, sifting from it's natural direction towards the east toward the south. Alexis withdrew a little behind Ethan's presence in the mindscape and watched.
Appearing as a blue swirl around the fire and blackness, the wind took affect. Within moments, the blackness formed eyes in the mindscape and a tendril of searching energy flew in every direction. Ethan hid from it easily...
Until it became a mesh sweeping in wide angles.
As soon as Alasia realized Ethan's presence was so imminent, she cast two spells in concentrated effort. One made an immediate clearing through the blackened clouds to where the sun sat above the horizon, revealing pure sunlight to the cliff where Charles stood. The other was a barrier in the mindscape which appeared as a huge wall of rock, clay, and mud.
Stepping forward, Alexis moved to deal with the barrier which would certainly prevent any spells getting through to prevent Charles from his goal. As she did so, she sent a spell of her own out to test the parameters of Alasia's wall. The consequences shocked both Ethan and Alexis.
Alexis disappeared from the mindscape as soon as her minuscule spell hit the barrier. Ethan took charge with even more vigor. His senses strengthened and the feel of the Earth overwhelmed his perception. He needed to remove Alasia from action. She had already cleared away most of the clouds which stood along the sun's path across the sky and added protective spells to ensure no clouds could easily retake their places. Her attention turned back to Ethan in surprise.
Her attacks came with force. First a black veil descended Ethan's mindscape, removing the figures from view. However, he still felt everything: her feet planted shoulder width apart, her breath mingling with breeze in the air, and Charles' energy gearing up in a heatwave as it worked meticulously upward toward Helios. Minutes remained before nothing could be done.
Where Alasia stood, Ethan moved the earth to enclose her in a pod. The shock of such a sudden change was brief and her powers pushed through the frozen earth with force. In that short time, Ethan removed the veil of darkness and built a restraining wall around her powers within the mindscape so her abilities could only be focused on the plain of reality. His reinforcements were strengthened by the elements which touched Gaia directly, and its fortitude held against all of Alasia's attempts.
Ethan felt her stamp her foot upon the pile of earth below her. Charles had yet to intervene.
It's time for me to go there and confront them directly.
Then I shall take you the swiftest way.
Before his thoughts registered a change in force upon his body, Ethan was standing before a frustrated Alasia and an entranced Charles.
"YOU!" she shrieked in disbelief. "How could you be that powerful! NO one can thoroughly block me in the realm of dreams!"
A quick glance at Charles reassured Ethan of his absence from the immediate conversation. "We have not met. I am your Elder Eth--"
"I know who you are, and you are no Elder of mine!" She flung her hand out toward Ethan and a wall of smoky wind burst forward into Ethan's face. Alasia wasted no time bringing up earth to encase Ethan, but hers was enriched with foliage to harden the bond. Roots and vines bound Ethan's legs and began to quickly creep up his body as the soil spread in a flash.
Without any concern to his own predicament, Ethan forced the ground beneath Alasia to disappear, opening a crater deep into the mantel of the Earth's crust. As she fell, her own spells stopped advancing. Alasia tried pulling ledges for her to fall upon, but Ethan's spell was completely secure. As she neared the bottom, water filled the pit and she found herself floating in a well several hundred feet from the opening.
The water level rose, and as it did Alasia worked to reinforce the protections around Charles and the barriers against the clouds. She knew she was done in this fight. Once she arrived at the opening, she climbed out and stood shivering in the cold. Ethan watched and waited.
Alasia's eyes were dark with furry, starring at Ethan while purposefully ignoring the bitter chill in the air. Only half her mind remained in the plain of reality, the other half worked diligently to remove blockade in the mindscape so she could flee from the battle.
"Do you realize what could happen if Charles succeeds?" His tone was careful, patient and emotionless.
Alasia narrowed her eyes. "Jealous?" she hissed.
"Not nearly. Just concerned for the safety of life on Earth."
"Charles wouldn't jeopardize everything he has worked for. Only he will succeed in delivering us to paradise once more." She tensed which made Ethan transfer his balance to a more secure position.
His attitude didn't change. "No one fully understands Helios," he explained.
"You think your brother doesn't understand his patron?" Her laugh sent chills down Ethan's spine. "You've always known his affinity and connection to the sun. Secretly you've envied his ability to control that raw, untameable, endless power!" Alasia released one chuckle. "He's more powerful than even you."
"Alasia, you must understand what can happen if Helios gives Charles more than he can handle. It'll ignite the remaining oxygen in the atmosphere and destroy all remaining life and any hope of redeeming this world." Ethan's eyes softened.
She didn't surrender her stance. "Charles would kill himself before he let such circumstances come to fruition." The assurance in her voice weakened.
"I can't allow --"
Ethan halted his sentence as Alasia's form dissolved into the ground. She had pulled herself away, leaving silence where she had stood.
And from behind Ethan came a voice which had been lost many years ago. "Diodoros. What a wonderful surprise to see you here."
Turning around, Ethan regarded in horror the youthful form of his brother, Akakios. The body of a young adult with beautiful skin and lush hair bathed in a light which gleaned from his skin stood carelessly upon the blackened snow. His smile beamed while his eyes glared in detestation.
Well, that's how he had to describe it. The feelings he felt were all normal enough, but underneath everything else was a different sense. He could feel everything around him, he knew everything around him, and he could feel his presence changing what he observed through new senses that were unlocked by Gaia merely an hour before. The words Ethan used to describe this new sensation to Alexis were inadequate, they both knew, and it scared Ethan. He knew he had always been alive, had always felt alive, well, and strong, but the gift of this new power made Ethan feel he had never lived before.
The green of leaves shown with the rainbow of light which filtered through the cells. The ground vibrated as is slowly moved along its path on an axis through emptiness. Wind blowing across flowers and through trees tickled Ethan's body. Subtleties which escaped Ethan's perception were ignited with fury as he tested this new awareness: a butterfly resting on a branch caused the tree to react to the delicate change in its environment and sent more nutrients to that branch to grow ever so slightly faster. Ocean waves washing over the shore, slowly eating away at the sand, stirs the air and releases gentle moisture into the air for plants to grab at as they need. The symphony of Gaia's touch was at Ethan's hand, and the words he spoke couldn't relay what Alexis needed to understand. He felt different.
"You have been given the gift of godhood, Elder Adair... Gaia has made you equal to Herself," Alexis said in their hour long discussion.
Ethan pushed aside the thought, "It's not godhood. I believe she is giving me a weapon... giving me Herself. In a sense, allowing me to use Her abilities to protect the Earth and everything that remains on it. I fully intend to not use these powers unless I have to --"
"--And Elder Sadhin is forcing you into it. His recklessness may very well put an end to what we have all done."
"I must stop him," he whispered.
In that moment, Alexis understood his doubts. "How do you think you'll stop him?" Ethan's eyes turned to the ground and became very distant. She wondered where his thoughts traveled: into the earth where answers might be, into the wind that spoke through the trees, into his heart where his struggle tore apart his resolve. "Whatever you need, I will be with you, as any of the other sages will stand by you. We cannot allow Elder Sadhin to reverse the little steps we have taken."
"This will mean death."
Silence.
The sound of something hitting dry earth trickled through the air. It came closer to Alexis and Ethan as their conversation turned to the verbal recognition Ethan wished would never come; and eventually rain fell upon them. In amazement, Alexis turned her head to the sky and closed her eyes.
"Rain!" She returned her sight to Ethan. "Rain! It hasn't rained since the war!"
He wouldn't raise his head.
"You did this, Elder. You brought us rain!" In the distance, proclamations of excitement lifted through the air. "Elder Adair, listen to the joy you just brought all of us. Listen to the hope you've filled our hearts with." Alexis brought her pose up onto her knees and leaned closer to Ethan, stretching out a comforting hand and placing it softly on his wet shoulder. The feel of his old bones caught her by surprise, but she kept her hand where it was. "We all know the risks of dealing with Charles and his gathering of sages. We all know the costs of success in these situations. None of us will back away, you must know this."
"Charles is my brother. He is the only one left in my family."
"You won't bring him around. He's made that very clear. You won't give him what he wants. You have made that very clear. When it comes time to deal with him accordingly, we will force him into justice." Alexis waited for Ethan's gaze to connect with hers. Slowly the rain diminished and the smell of rejuvenated plants permeated the shoreline. "The first thing we must worry about is the dawn. Charles must be stopped."
Ethan looked directly into her eyes. "Yes."
"What do we need to do?" Alexis forced all her authority into her voice.
"We have to hurry. Gaia worries if Charles is able to connect with the sun, he will be as imbued with such power as I have; which is why She gave me Her abilities, I fear." He thought for a second and continued, "Which means Charles will need a clear line of sight to Helios... And there in-lies our hope."
Very quickly they had their plan and worked to take action even before Charles Sadhin was on his quest. Morning approached quickly, as the Southern Hemisphere was in its Summer phase the nights were quite short and the dawn flared quickly. Ethan, with little thought or effort, was able to move the black and billowing clouds out of the way to watch the sunrise. Most of the inhabitants of the Cocos Islands awoke once the word had spread that the horizon was visible and rain had fallen.
Then the twilight began. As the eastern purple gave way to a gray-blue sky, red tendrils reflected off the black clouds and a deeply majestic sight graced those who beheld it. There were two who neglected the eastern beauty.
Their minds were distant in a mindscape, traveling south to greet a foe whose intentions besmirched the ideals of all who claim faith to Gaia. Alexis had already decided, in recent moments, to strip him of his Elder status. Ethan felt similarly. In the blackness of their travel, they felt each other's worries. The simple matter of covering the ascent of Helios from Charles Sadhin's view seemed far too manageable.
They planned for trouble and anticipated the struggle to be far more than what they could handle. Neither foresaw Helios interceding in an Earthly matter, but His consciousness was rarely experienced by humans. Ethan feared Charles had accomplished this feat on some level.
Alexis brought the picture of Antarctica and the civilization Charles had built into the mindscape. Its buildings were numerous and stretched into a small suburb. To Ethan's amazement, there was no mansion visible, no castle to center power in, no added protection over one singular house. He sent this thought to Alexis and her reply came instantly, He is intelligent. He has learned from our history well.
Searching the town revealed an absence of Charles' power.
Stealthily, Ethan sent a strand of energy, feather light, on a breeze from the east in search of a trail... which led to a cliff overlooking the ocean a few miles away. The cliff obviously did not belong within the confines of the town: its surface was covered with blackened snow, the wind rushed in gusts of blackened clouds which swirled in fiery passion, and the protective shield was new and growing.
Within were two figures. One obviously seethed with power, eager and impatient. In the mindscape, his energy was already formed as a flame growing and glowing red and yellow. The other figure was more subdued and vastly more arrogant. Her power stretched throughout the shield and pushed upwards as quickly as it could. Slowly the air cleared and the shield expanded. Her energy was as blacker than the mindscape, pulsing deep purples and blues to reveal a hideous monster standing tall.
Gaia spoke in terror and wonder. Alasia... Her powers are great, her strength beyond her, her mind deeper than Styx. Beware...
Alexis' mind drew closer to Ethan's. What does She mean?
Alasia is powerful. She knows much of what Gaia has to offer and is stronger than you, most likely. We will need to be very careful and work as a team. Ethan moved to test Alasia's perception of the environment and the strands of Gaia's power. A slight breeze picked up, sifting from it's natural direction towards the east toward the south. Alexis withdrew a little behind Ethan's presence in the mindscape and watched.
Appearing as a blue swirl around the fire and blackness, the wind took affect. Within moments, the blackness formed eyes in the mindscape and a tendril of searching energy flew in every direction. Ethan hid from it easily...
Until it became a mesh sweeping in wide angles.
As soon as Alasia realized Ethan's presence was so imminent, she cast two spells in concentrated effort. One made an immediate clearing through the blackened clouds to where the sun sat above the horizon, revealing pure sunlight to the cliff where Charles stood. The other was a barrier in the mindscape which appeared as a huge wall of rock, clay, and mud.
Stepping forward, Alexis moved to deal with the barrier which would certainly prevent any spells getting through to prevent Charles from his goal. As she did so, she sent a spell of her own out to test the parameters of Alasia's wall. The consequences shocked both Ethan and Alexis.
Alexis disappeared from the mindscape as soon as her minuscule spell hit the barrier. Ethan took charge with even more vigor. His senses strengthened and the feel of the Earth overwhelmed his perception. He needed to remove Alasia from action. She had already cleared away most of the clouds which stood along the sun's path across the sky and added protective spells to ensure no clouds could easily retake their places. Her attention turned back to Ethan in surprise.
Her attacks came with force. First a black veil descended Ethan's mindscape, removing the figures from view. However, he still felt everything: her feet planted shoulder width apart, her breath mingling with breeze in the air, and Charles' energy gearing up in a heatwave as it worked meticulously upward toward Helios. Minutes remained before nothing could be done.
Where Alasia stood, Ethan moved the earth to enclose her in a pod. The shock of such a sudden change was brief and her powers pushed through the frozen earth with force. In that short time, Ethan removed the veil of darkness and built a restraining wall around her powers within the mindscape so her abilities could only be focused on the plain of reality. His reinforcements were strengthened by the elements which touched Gaia directly, and its fortitude held against all of Alasia's attempts.
Ethan felt her stamp her foot upon the pile of earth below her. Charles had yet to intervene.
It's time for me to go there and confront them directly.
Then I shall take you the swiftest way.
Before his thoughts registered a change in force upon his body, Ethan was standing before a frustrated Alasia and an entranced Charles.
"YOU!" she shrieked in disbelief. "How could you be that powerful! NO one can thoroughly block me in the realm of dreams!"
A quick glance at Charles reassured Ethan of his absence from the immediate conversation. "We have not met. I am your Elder Eth--"
"I know who you are, and you are no Elder of mine!" She flung her hand out toward Ethan and a wall of smoky wind burst forward into Ethan's face. Alasia wasted no time bringing up earth to encase Ethan, but hers was enriched with foliage to harden the bond. Roots and vines bound Ethan's legs and began to quickly creep up his body as the soil spread in a flash.
Without any concern to his own predicament, Ethan forced the ground beneath Alasia to disappear, opening a crater deep into the mantel of the Earth's crust. As she fell, her own spells stopped advancing. Alasia tried pulling ledges for her to fall upon, but Ethan's spell was completely secure. As she neared the bottom, water filled the pit and she found herself floating in a well several hundred feet from the opening.
The water level rose, and as it did Alasia worked to reinforce the protections around Charles and the barriers against the clouds. She knew she was done in this fight. Once she arrived at the opening, she climbed out and stood shivering in the cold. Ethan watched and waited.
Alasia's eyes were dark with furry, starring at Ethan while purposefully ignoring the bitter chill in the air. Only half her mind remained in the plain of reality, the other half worked diligently to remove blockade in the mindscape so she could flee from the battle.
"Do you realize what could happen if Charles succeeds?" His tone was careful, patient and emotionless.
Alasia narrowed her eyes. "Jealous?" she hissed.
"Not nearly. Just concerned for the safety of life on Earth."
"Charles wouldn't jeopardize everything he has worked for. Only he will succeed in delivering us to paradise once more." She tensed which made Ethan transfer his balance to a more secure position.
His attitude didn't change. "No one fully understands Helios," he explained.
"You think your brother doesn't understand his patron?" Her laugh sent chills down Ethan's spine. "You've always known his affinity and connection to the sun. Secretly you've envied his ability to control that raw, untameable, endless power!" Alasia released one chuckle. "He's more powerful than even you."
"Alasia, you must understand what can happen if Helios gives Charles more than he can handle. It'll ignite the remaining oxygen in the atmosphere and destroy all remaining life and any hope of redeeming this world." Ethan's eyes softened.
She didn't surrender her stance. "Charles would kill himself before he let such circumstances come to fruition." The assurance in her voice weakened.
"I can't allow --"
Ethan halted his sentence as Alasia's form dissolved into the ground. She had pulled herself away, leaving silence where she had stood.
And from behind Ethan came a voice which had been lost many years ago. "Diodoros. What a wonderful surprise to see you here."
Turning around, Ethan regarded in horror the youthful form of his brother, Akakios. The body of a young adult with beautiful skin and lush hair bathed in a light which gleaned from his skin stood carelessly upon the blackened snow. His smile beamed while his eyes glared in detestation.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 10.2)
He is doing something against all nature. He helps himself to vanity beyond the skies to the sight of after. There is no stopping him now.
All night She whispered to Ethan as he lay in the sanctuary staring at the always moving image of the aurora. The message was always the same and it bothered him worse than the nightmares he often had about his brother, Charles. The message was too vague for him to figure out and his thoughts from the already restless nights. And still Ethan had little time to speak with Gaia. The role of a public figurehead idolized as a leader encouraged him to actually lead and teach.
This night, however, Gaia sought him to warn. With the constant worry of vanity, Ethan wondered which aspect She alluded to: vanity as a leader, a man, or a powerful being.
"Alright," Ethan whispered allowed, stirring the curiosity of Sarah and her pupil. Gaia stopped pressing for his attention.
Sitting up, Ethan rubbed his shoulders gingerly as he twisted his head around to see who was noticing his departure. It was early in the morning; the moon's light filtered through the canopy and mingled its pure silvery light with that of the aurora above. He slowly stood and shuffled silently to the exit--
--to be greeted by hundreds of Blue Morpho Butterflies queerly flocking around the exit. They fluttered together in unison to the beat of the Earth's spirit. Gently, they moved away, leading Ethan away from all other humans. They floated south towards the tip of the island which raised to overlook the oceans. Dark clouds billowed majestically with flashes of lightning interspersed with an orange glow. The resulting rumble coincided with the mellow beating of wings that continued to flutter before Ethan.
Across the ocean waves, a strong wind carried mist up to the butterflies; and though they must dislike it, they remained in the mystical formation. Half mesmerized, Ethan waited to hear from Gaia while watching the flashing of blue against the dark sky. Its juxtaposed beauty turned into a delicate balance portraying the worry She felt.
Suddenly, her voice came through the air and shocked Ethan into a trance. He is doing something against all nature. He helps himself to vanity beyond the skies to the sight of after. There is no stopping him now. Ethan saw the Earth's flow of energy in a field of vision that directly mirrored his terrestrial sight, but the butterflies were a face of blue surrounded by reddened black hair rippling in a breeze.
"What is he doing?" Ethan asked, trying to form himself into a coherent vision of himself within Gaia's frame. He slowly appeared as a chrysalis readying itself to open, and within seconds it did, transforming into a magnificent and old Monarch butterfly.
Akakios draws upon Helios to change the laws of Me.
"His vanity..." and it clicked for Ethan. "Charles is concerned with his power, his influence, his leadership and is trying to reverse the natural aging process... That's your law." Ethan felt himself shaking his head on his physical body, but it didn't translate into the trance world. "That's crazy. Suicide."
He has an apprentice to guide his working. He is of the sun, and Helios is his patron, and the energies will assist him.
Ethan remained silent. Thoughts flew through his mind, desperately searching for a solution that Gaia couldn't see in Her feverish panic. "We have to stop him," he stated plainly.
There is no stopping him.
"I will stop him. I must stop him. He could ruin himself in the process."
Or unleash Helios upon Me and destroy everything we are attempting to restore.
Ethan knew there had to be a way to stop him. Even if one of his apprentices was assisting Charles, Ethan could certainly get past them without much difficulty. However, if Charles did get wind of such a struggle even with his own attention diverted, he would be a force to reckon with once connected to Helios. "Is his plan to attack us? Do you know?"
No. Merely seeking himself in vain does he plan this reckless adventure.
"What can I do then?"
There is no stopping him.
"Why do you need me to simply inform me of his actions?"
The mindscape shifted abruptly and the image of a blue butterfly face and burning, billowing black hair disappeared; replaced by the simple image of an Earth long ago destroyed. I give to you my final, most precious gift. Not even your father knew of its potential. No other being, save Us, know, and We discourage its giving highly unless the laws for which We govern are put to waste.
"What do you speak of?" Ethan waited, his Monarch butterfly avatar still slowly fluttering in the emptiness. The wind of Gaia's voice brushed his wings and caressed him. Though worry and doubt filled both of their senses, the peacefulness of their interaction calmed Ethan.
Akakios strives to break the linearity of time upon the flesh and mind and give himself an upper hand. We have decided to give you an equal foot, and give you immediacy in your thoughts and actions when working with all energies. You and I. We shall be together and one, and my Essence shall be yours as yours mine.
Ethan couldn't think. This idea felt tragic that events should come to something like this. New doubts permeated all his being: to be connected with a Goddess and have her powers at his free will and touch. What if something should happen to Ethan, would it then happen to Her? To the Earth? To life?
And talk of an Us? A We, and certainly not speaking of the small pockets of humanity that survived with few able to commune with any of the great spirits for which Ethan only knew of a handful. Many questions began to fill his mind and the image of the Monarch faded into the immense blackness slated for the mindscape.
Then, as the questions solidified and brought the facade of Ethan into the darkness, a singular Blue Morpho Butterfly appeared and descended toward him. When it landed on his body, a sharp breath brought in what felt like an immense surge of electrified water.
Opening his eyes, Ethan found himself standing at the southern most tip of the island, overlooking the oceans outstretched to the protective barrier holding back the blackness. The sky above him started turning a lighter shade of grey. Ethan stood there, breathing slowly and searching the horizon for a sign of Charles' blasphemous working.
Quiet footsteps approached. "Elder Adair? Is everything alright?" Alexis stopped and waited patiently, feeling the cool sea breeze through her hair. "None of us have been able to speak with Gaia since you left the sanctuary. We assumed you had Her sole attention..."
"I have..."
"Is everything alright?"
Ethan turned to look at his former apprentice. "Unfortunately, things are not alright. Charles has offended Her... and She has taken action... Strange action." He sighed, and heard the wind pick up off the coast. "I'll tell you what is happening as we walk back. Come."
All night She whispered to Ethan as he lay in the sanctuary staring at the always moving image of the aurora. The message was always the same and it bothered him worse than the nightmares he often had about his brother, Charles. The message was too vague for him to figure out and his thoughts from the already restless nights. And still Ethan had little time to speak with Gaia. The role of a public figurehead idolized as a leader encouraged him to actually lead and teach.
This night, however, Gaia sought him to warn. With the constant worry of vanity, Ethan wondered which aspect She alluded to: vanity as a leader, a man, or a powerful being.
"Alright," Ethan whispered allowed, stirring the curiosity of Sarah and her pupil. Gaia stopped pressing for his attention.
Sitting up, Ethan rubbed his shoulders gingerly as he twisted his head around to see who was noticing his departure. It was early in the morning; the moon's light filtered through the canopy and mingled its pure silvery light with that of the aurora above. He slowly stood and shuffled silently to the exit--
--to be greeted by hundreds of Blue Morpho Butterflies queerly flocking around the exit. They fluttered together in unison to the beat of the Earth's spirit. Gently, they moved away, leading Ethan away from all other humans. They floated south towards the tip of the island which raised to overlook the oceans. Dark clouds billowed majestically with flashes of lightning interspersed with an orange glow. The resulting rumble coincided with the mellow beating of wings that continued to flutter before Ethan.
Across the ocean waves, a strong wind carried mist up to the butterflies; and though they must dislike it, they remained in the mystical formation. Half mesmerized, Ethan waited to hear from Gaia while watching the flashing of blue against the dark sky. Its juxtaposed beauty turned into a delicate balance portraying the worry She felt.
Suddenly, her voice came through the air and shocked Ethan into a trance. He is doing something against all nature. He helps himself to vanity beyond the skies to the sight of after. There is no stopping him now. Ethan saw the Earth's flow of energy in a field of vision that directly mirrored his terrestrial sight, but the butterflies were a face of blue surrounded by reddened black hair rippling in a breeze.
"What is he doing?" Ethan asked, trying to form himself into a coherent vision of himself within Gaia's frame. He slowly appeared as a chrysalis readying itself to open, and within seconds it did, transforming into a magnificent and old Monarch butterfly.
Akakios draws upon Helios to change the laws of Me.
"His vanity..." and it clicked for Ethan. "Charles is concerned with his power, his influence, his leadership and is trying to reverse the natural aging process... That's your law." Ethan felt himself shaking his head on his physical body, but it didn't translate into the trance world. "That's crazy. Suicide."
He has an apprentice to guide his working. He is of the sun, and Helios is his patron, and the energies will assist him.
Ethan remained silent. Thoughts flew through his mind, desperately searching for a solution that Gaia couldn't see in Her feverish panic. "We have to stop him," he stated plainly.
There is no stopping him.
"I will stop him. I must stop him. He could ruin himself in the process."
Or unleash Helios upon Me and destroy everything we are attempting to restore.
Ethan knew there had to be a way to stop him. Even if one of his apprentices was assisting Charles, Ethan could certainly get past them without much difficulty. However, if Charles did get wind of such a struggle even with his own attention diverted, he would be a force to reckon with once connected to Helios. "Is his plan to attack us? Do you know?"
No. Merely seeking himself in vain does he plan this reckless adventure.
"What can I do then?"
There is no stopping him.
"Why do you need me to simply inform me of his actions?"
The mindscape shifted abruptly and the image of a blue butterfly face and burning, billowing black hair disappeared; replaced by the simple image of an Earth long ago destroyed. I give to you my final, most precious gift. Not even your father knew of its potential. No other being, save Us, know, and We discourage its giving highly unless the laws for which We govern are put to waste.
"What do you speak of?" Ethan waited, his Monarch butterfly avatar still slowly fluttering in the emptiness. The wind of Gaia's voice brushed his wings and caressed him. Though worry and doubt filled both of their senses, the peacefulness of their interaction calmed Ethan.
Akakios strives to break the linearity of time upon the flesh and mind and give himself an upper hand. We have decided to give you an equal foot, and give you immediacy in your thoughts and actions when working with all energies. You and I. We shall be together and one, and my Essence shall be yours as yours mine.
Ethan couldn't think. This idea felt tragic that events should come to something like this. New doubts permeated all his being: to be connected with a Goddess and have her powers at his free will and touch. What if something should happen to Ethan, would it then happen to Her? To the Earth? To life?
And talk of an Us? A We, and certainly not speaking of the small pockets of humanity that survived with few able to commune with any of the great spirits for which Ethan only knew of a handful. Many questions began to fill his mind and the image of the Monarch faded into the immense blackness slated for the mindscape.
Then, as the questions solidified and brought the facade of Ethan into the darkness, a singular Blue Morpho Butterfly appeared and descended toward him. When it landed on his body, a sharp breath brought in what felt like an immense surge of electrified water.
Opening his eyes, Ethan found himself standing at the southern most tip of the island, overlooking the oceans outstretched to the protective barrier holding back the blackness. The sky above him started turning a lighter shade of grey. Ethan stood there, breathing slowly and searching the horizon for a sign of Charles' blasphemous working.
Quiet footsteps approached. "Elder Adair? Is everything alright?" Alexis stopped and waited patiently, feeling the cool sea breeze through her hair. "None of us have been able to speak with Gaia since you left the sanctuary. We assumed you had Her sole attention..."
"I have..."
"Is everything alright?"
Ethan turned to look at his former apprentice. "Unfortunately, things are not alright. Charles has offended Her... and She has taken action... Strange action." He sighed, and heard the wind pick up off the coast. "I'll tell you what is happening as we walk back. Come."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 10.1)
"It is time." Charles stood at the edge of a green pasture overlooking the oceans that spread before him. His gaze sought a small island many miles away. Dark clouds billowed with fire above the ocean surface with patches of clarity moving about, evidence most of the destruction had come to an end. Relief swept over Charles; inaction had finally come to an end as well. Now his plans could be put into place and the road would be clear soon enough. "One thing first," he whispered to himself, eyes narrowing in an attempt to see further.
Turning away from the depressing view, Charles headed back to the city. Its sprawling buildings dressed with a mixture of Victorian and Greco-Roman architecture were teeming with life. The life Charles had single-handedly saved. They were thriving under his strict guidance, and no-one complained. It was everything Charles could desire in his society; if only they could remain like this forever.
But time, as he knew, would change the dynamics and his little civilization would grow. Charles had certainly seen enough of time to know how the monster lurks around him, and he would be a good ruler. A grand ruler. Image would be very important, thus he needed to take off some of his years, to reverse what time had done without his consent.
For this he needed the sun, which was hard to come by. Much of the smoke had thickened around the magical force-fields created to protect the two surviving civilizations which meant that getting to the sun required more energy. Something which use to be so simple for Charles he now had to work at. He went to the one person he could trust, his only ally whose anger for their foes ran just as deep as his own, whose abilities to work with Gaia were second only to Ethan's.
Charles entered the city and went straight to his house. He kept it simple and small, equipped with only the essentials to live apart from his people. One thing he learned: don't indulge in luxury when the people suffer, even if it's emotional suffering. Once inside, Charles sent a quick sending through the flow of energy to Alasia.
Within minutes, she appeared. Her dark skin and wavy hair stood in a harmonious contrast to the billowing black clouds and darkened snow beyond the protective bubble. But her eyes were as white as ivory freshly honed into a dagger. Wearing a simple floor-length gown, she walked with an ease and grace to stun anyone. Charles was aware of her beauty and tolerated her posture only because he knew it suited him in the end. She had perfected the ability of youth and knew how to remain in it for eternity. It was something dark and mysterious that Ethan and Charles had both neglected until it was too late.
"You called for me, Elder Sadhin."
He watched her walk over to a seat and piously sit in it. He enjoyed her fastidious game with him. "Yes. I need your assistance in something."
"How charming. The great Elder Sadhin needs assistance from me?" Her rolling, musical tone carried crisply through the room. Charles walked over and sat next to her, giving to pretense to elegance.
"I must be able to reach the sun for a difficult working."
Alasia's eyes narrowed, but her posture remained relaxed and straight, back not touching the chair and hands resting casually in her lap. "What sort of working would require two adepts to reach the sun?"
"One which requires complete attention, where every error causes an incalculable percent of damage to the worker. One which I'm not willing to take many chances on."
She smiled and her eyes took on a mischievous texture. "And you trust me to help with this?"
Charles nodded. "You and only you. You know what's at stake if I fail. You know how much of our survival is tied to my presence here. You know where the true loyalty of the people lies."
Finally, her facade released and she slumped back into the chair comfortably, turning her head away as she exclaimed, "Ha! Loyalty like this lasts only so long, Charles."
"And that's exactly why I need your help to make me younger again."
Eyes shooting wide to reveal white all the way around her dark brown irises, Alasia whipped her gaze back to Charles. "That's crazy. There's no way to reverse the nature Gaia has bestowed upon us." She shook her head. "Not even one as powerful as yourself could accomplish that, and I know Gaia doesn't approve of the cosmetic alterations. I've tried a few myself using Her. They never work out. I used countless doctors trying to reverse what I did to myself, and luckily a few were able to make me look like this. She hated that."
"I know vanity isn't one of Gaia's concerns, but I fear for the well being of this culture that if I remain looking old they will eventually think me useless and outdated and replace me with someone as short sighted as yourself."
Her claws stiffened. Her jaw set. Her eyes glared with a fire ready to strike.
"Come now, you know you wouldn't be able to rule a civilization. Much less, a world."
Alasia seemed to accept this statement, but didn't return her friendly tone as she said, "It doesn't matter who rules, as long as we survive at this point. We all know you can't continue supplying the power to everything forever. And you won't let anyone help."
Charles nodded. "And that's because I want you all preparing for the more important things."
"More important than surviving?"
"Surviving means readying the Earth. I can handle the present situation without a blink. I need you to ready the next steps."
The silence that fell over the two was thick with thought. Finally, Charles asked, "Will you assist me, Alasia?"
"Of course. It's not like there was really a choice anyway." She stood abruptly. "When?"
"Tomorrow, first thing in the morning."
Alasia let out a short laugh. "It's always morning this time a year. And in a few months it's always going to be night. When are we going to do it?"
"Seven."
"Alright. I'll be here then."
Charles shook his head. "No, meet me at the cliff."
Thundering towards the door, Alasia left. As soon as she exited, the facade of poised evil enveloped her form once more.
Turning away from the depressing view, Charles headed back to the city. Its sprawling buildings dressed with a mixture of Victorian and Greco-Roman architecture were teeming with life. The life Charles had single-handedly saved. They were thriving under his strict guidance, and no-one complained. It was everything Charles could desire in his society; if only they could remain like this forever.
But time, as he knew, would change the dynamics and his little civilization would grow. Charles had certainly seen enough of time to know how the monster lurks around him, and he would be a good ruler. A grand ruler. Image would be very important, thus he needed to take off some of his years, to reverse what time had done without his consent.
For this he needed the sun, which was hard to come by. Much of the smoke had thickened around the magical force-fields created to protect the two surviving civilizations which meant that getting to the sun required more energy. Something which use to be so simple for Charles he now had to work at. He went to the one person he could trust, his only ally whose anger for their foes ran just as deep as his own, whose abilities to work with Gaia were second only to Ethan's.
Charles entered the city and went straight to his house. He kept it simple and small, equipped with only the essentials to live apart from his people. One thing he learned: don't indulge in luxury when the people suffer, even if it's emotional suffering. Once inside, Charles sent a quick sending through the flow of energy to Alasia.
Within minutes, she appeared. Her dark skin and wavy hair stood in a harmonious contrast to the billowing black clouds and darkened snow beyond the protective bubble. But her eyes were as white as ivory freshly honed into a dagger. Wearing a simple floor-length gown, she walked with an ease and grace to stun anyone. Charles was aware of her beauty and tolerated her posture only because he knew it suited him in the end. She had perfected the ability of youth and knew how to remain in it for eternity. It was something dark and mysterious that Ethan and Charles had both neglected until it was too late.
"You called for me, Elder Sadhin."
He watched her walk over to a seat and piously sit in it. He enjoyed her fastidious game with him. "Yes. I need your assistance in something."
"How charming. The great Elder Sadhin needs assistance from me?" Her rolling, musical tone carried crisply through the room. Charles walked over and sat next to her, giving to pretense to elegance.
"I must be able to reach the sun for a difficult working."
Alasia's eyes narrowed, but her posture remained relaxed and straight, back not touching the chair and hands resting casually in her lap. "What sort of working would require two adepts to reach the sun?"
"One which requires complete attention, where every error causes an incalculable percent of damage to the worker. One which I'm not willing to take many chances on."
She smiled and her eyes took on a mischievous texture. "And you trust me to help with this?"
Charles nodded. "You and only you. You know what's at stake if I fail. You know how much of our survival is tied to my presence here. You know where the true loyalty of the people lies."
Finally, her facade released and she slumped back into the chair comfortably, turning her head away as she exclaimed, "Ha! Loyalty like this lasts only so long, Charles."
"And that's exactly why I need your help to make me younger again."
Eyes shooting wide to reveal white all the way around her dark brown irises, Alasia whipped her gaze back to Charles. "That's crazy. There's no way to reverse the nature Gaia has bestowed upon us." She shook her head. "Not even one as powerful as yourself could accomplish that, and I know Gaia doesn't approve of the cosmetic alterations. I've tried a few myself using Her. They never work out. I used countless doctors trying to reverse what I did to myself, and luckily a few were able to make me look like this. She hated that."
"I know vanity isn't one of Gaia's concerns, but I fear for the well being of this culture that if I remain looking old they will eventually think me useless and outdated and replace me with someone as short sighted as yourself."
Her claws stiffened. Her jaw set. Her eyes glared with a fire ready to strike.
"Come now, you know you wouldn't be able to rule a civilization. Much less, a world."
Alasia seemed to accept this statement, but didn't return her friendly tone as she said, "It doesn't matter who rules, as long as we survive at this point. We all know you can't continue supplying the power to everything forever. And you won't let anyone help."
Charles nodded. "And that's because I want you all preparing for the more important things."
"More important than surviving?"
"Surviving means readying the Earth. I can handle the present situation without a blink. I need you to ready the next steps."
The silence that fell over the two was thick with thought. Finally, Charles asked, "Will you assist me, Alasia?"
"Of course. It's not like there was really a choice anyway." She stood abruptly. "When?"
"Tomorrow, first thing in the morning."
Alasia let out a short laugh. "It's always morning this time a year. And in a few months it's always going to be night. When are we going to do it?"
"Seven."
"Alright. I'll be here then."
Charles shook his head. "No, meet me at the cliff."
Thundering towards the door, Alasia left. As soon as she exited, the facade of poised evil enveloped her form once more.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 9)
The familiar, stern voice echoed across the hills, "Akakios, come back here right now!" A command, certainly; but their father never yelled unless in battle of training.
Akakios turned around on top of the neighboring hill, eyes wide with fear and face sweaty. What he saw must have calmed him slightly; or the voice of his father had broken the grip of flight that came over him. As his breath slowed, Akakios slowly came down the hill and over to his father.
"There is no need to fear, my son," he tried to sooth.
Akakios' mind sharpened again, and his body tensed to fight, to erupt, to argue. "That was the voice of Death. How can you say I shouldn't fear!"
"That was not the voice of Death." He placed a firm hand upon Akakios' shoulder and knelt to look him in the eye. "That was our Mother Earth, the Ground beneath our feet which holds our sweat. She calls herself Gaia."
His eyes widened even more. "Then she is a Titan and should be disregarded in favor of the Gods! We will be punished for speaking with her!"
"I have been speaking with her for years, my son. Have I been punished?" He waited and watched as Akakios looked anywhere but at his father's eyes. "Has your brother been punished?"
This brought eye contact instantaneously. Then Akakios turned his face to look at Diodoros, who sat a few paces off while he watched his younger brother learn. Akakios' eyes were hurt; betrayed by family on what seemed like multiple fronts. Not even his brother could be trusted now; that was the look that pierced the air between them. "You knew about Her?" he aksed with a slight malicious tone. His face had become a mask of controlled emotions. Diodoros knew it well.
"He was trained as I am training you. And the first thing you must know is Gaia." Their father stood and turned Akakios away from his older brother and made him walk along the crest of the hill. "The stories you are told about the Gods are grand and fantastic, but have very few physical manifestations."
"But... If Gaia is real then everything is true!"
"To a degree you are correct. One piece of a puzzle doesn't prove the entire picture does it? This tree," he pointed to an olive tree just ahead, "doesn't prove that all trees grow ontop of hills, even though you don't see any other trees right now." Their father let the thought resonate for a few moments. "Do you understand, my son?"
"Yes.. and... No. I don't know..." he shrugged, accepting without full comprehension as he did with most things. Then, Akakios had a sudden thought. "So how many Gods are there?"
Their father smiled. "I don't know exactly how many 'Gods' there are..." He stopped walking and turned to his youngest son; love blazing in his eyes. "Let me explain another thing," he said as he knelt down again. "It's alright to call them 'Gods', for in a sense they do rule over an aspect of reality and their dominion is whole because of them. I prefer to call them spirits."
"Why?"
"Because that's what they are. The spirit of the Earth is Gaia. The spirit of the sun is Helios. The spirit of lightening is Zeus."
"But he's a God!"
"So are they all," he said with complete happiness.
"Oh, right."
Akakios stood their thinking for a moment, his eyes looking everywhere as if trying to see these invisible spirits his father spoke of. Eventually he caught sight of the tree again and stood transfixed.
His father sat down all the way and crossed his legs. "Are you ready to go back and speak with Gaia?"
Akakios nodded as he sat down and closed his eyes, slowly turning his head to face his father once more. A gentle breeze came over the hill as Diodoros walked up silently to the meditating pair. Sitting a respectful distance off, he watched patiently; leaving this mystery to be unveiled by their father for Akakios. He already sensed a small rift between himself and his brother, one that he feared would never heal completely.
Hopefully you will understand soon, my brother, Diodoros thought. He watched Akakios' face, noticing the expressions that flashed through the relaxed muscles.
After a while, the sun moving past its noon, the shocked look faded away. Wind started to blow a little harder, rustling the branches of the olive tree and creating waves in the tall grasses. A warmth in the air arose sharply. Diodoros touched his face and felt sweat starting to appear as the heat continued to rise.
He quickly created a wind of cold northern air to sweep over the hilltop; and it came with strong gusts, swirling around the solitary figures in the quiet afternoon. The heat, however, did not dissipate. Diodoros looked at his father, worried something might be going wrong in their trance.
Something certainly was. His calm, chiseled face was contorted into a scowl of concentration; the sweat dripping from his temples onto his tunic. Akakios, on the other hand, was smiling nearly gleefully.
Diodoros didn't wait. He was in the trance, searching for his father and brother in the infinite expanse of the mindscape. It wasn't hard to find blood-relatives in the mindscape, and with that ease already present the added stress in energy flow from Gaia made it almost impossible to miss the two of them.
Akakios and their father were not bodies floating in darkness; they were symbols representing the energies and thoughts being used. Diodoros knew his father as the green and blues, colors of the earth, which swam around a pillar of fire stretching throughout the heavens. The pillar had a central focus, large and round as the sun, and the flames which twisted outward were violent and explosive, lashing out with feral energy.
It had to be Akakios at the center, Diodoros knew this. But he couldn't understand what Helios was doing with his brother, who had no idea how to use or manipulate the energies of any spirit yet, least of all Gaia's, whose was the easiest. Diodoros pulled forth the energies of the earth, brown and strong and thrust himself towards the central focus of the flames. Barreling through epicenter of fire, Diodoros caught his brother and pulled his energies out of the focus. Instantly the flames died down.
Healing white energy flew all around Diodoros and Akakios. Diodoros felt his brother's presence fade from the mindscape, and he released himself as well.
The sky had turned an ominous grey, clouds rolling in from the west as a storm threatened on the horizon. The air was tepid. The wind was calm though the storm approached quickly. Diodoros looked over to where his father and brother were, to find his father stooping over Akakios with hands placed against his chest. Akakios had fallen backwards to lay on the ground face up.
"What happened," he asked.
There was no response from his father, whose face was still focused as he spread healing energy over his son. Diodoros knew his father couldn't hear because he was entranced still, so he waited.
It took another hour or so before Akakios woke up again and his father sat back, exhausted. Even through his tiredness riddling his face, their father seemed slightly impressed and happy. "It looks like Helios may grace you as none before!" he said to Akakios.
Diodoros didn't understand and stared at them, perplexed. If this was suppose to be such a joyful occasion, why was there so much danger in the circumstance that had just transpired?
Ethan opened his eyes from his reverie, trying to place the event into context in regards to Nick. Though nothing so dramatic had occurred, there was still the presence of Helios in Nick's essence; and Gaia had blessed him with hope he would use the energies of the sun. Ethan hoped his younger brother was simply a lesson learned and now the steps being taken were more cautious. Since he started training Nick, Ethan had not searched for Gaia's voice, had not payed attention to her presence on the island.
A blue butterfly flapped its wings in front of Ethan's face, adding the vibrant blue to the greenery he saw in the sanctuary. "It's time I speak with you again..."
Akakios turned around on top of the neighboring hill, eyes wide with fear and face sweaty. What he saw must have calmed him slightly; or the voice of his father had broken the grip of flight that came over him. As his breath slowed, Akakios slowly came down the hill and over to his father.
"There is no need to fear, my son," he tried to sooth.
Akakios' mind sharpened again, and his body tensed to fight, to erupt, to argue. "That was the voice of Death. How can you say I shouldn't fear!"
"That was not the voice of Death." He placed a firm hand upon Akakios' shoulder and knelt to look him in the eye. "That was our Mother Earth, the Ground beneath our feet which holds our sweat. She calls herself Gaia."
His eyes widened even more. "Then she is a Titan and should be disregarded in favor of the Gods! We will be punished for speaking with her!"
"I have been speaking with her for years, my son. Have I been punished?" He waited and watched as Akakios looked anywhere but at his father's eyes. "Has your brother been punished?"
This brought eye contact instantaneously. Then Akakios turned his face to look at Diodoros, who sat a few paces off while he watched his younger brother learn. Akakios' eyes were hurt; betrayed by family on what seemed like multiple fronts. Not even his brother could be trusted now; that was the look that pierced the air between them. "You knew about Her?" he aksed with a slight malicious tone. His face had become a mask of controlled emotions. Diodoros knew it well.
"He was trained as I am training you. And the first thing you must know is Gaia." Their father stood and turned Akakios away from his older brother and made him walk along the crest of the hill. "The stories you are told about the Gods are grand and fantastic, but have very few physical manifestations."
"But... If Gaia is real then everything is true!"
"To a degree you are correct. One piece of a puzzle doesn't prove the entire picture does it? This tree," he pointed to an olive tree just ahead, "doesn't prove that all trees grow ontop of hills, even though you don't see any other trees right now." Their father let the thought resonate for a few moments. "Do you understand, my son?"
"Yes.. and... No. I don't know..." he shrugged, accepting without full comprehension as he did with most things. Then, Akakios had a sudden thought. "So how many Gods are there?"
Their father smiled. "I don't know exactly how many 'Gods' there are..." He stopped walking and turned to his youngest son; love blazing in his eyes. "Let me explain another thing," he said as he knelt down again. "It's alright to call them 'Gods', for in a sense they do rule over an aspect of reality and their dominion is whole because of them. I prefer to call them spirits."
"Why?"
"Because that's what they are. The spirit of the Earth is Gaia. The spirit of the sun is Helios. The spirit of lightening is Zeus."
"But he's a God!"
"So are they all," he said with complete happiness.
"Oh, right."
Akakios stood their thinking for a moment, his eyes looking everywhere as if trying to see these invisible spirits his father spoke of. Eventually he caught sight of the tree again and stood transfixed.
His father sat down all the way and crossed his legs. "Are you ready to go back and speak with Gaia?"
Akakios nodded as he sat down and closed his eyes, slowly turning his head to face his father once more. A gentle breeze came over the hill as Diodoros walked up silently to the meditating pair. Sitting a respectful distance off, he watched patiently; leaving this mystery to be unveiled by their father for Akakios. He already sensed a small rift between himself and his brother, one that he feared would never heal completely.
Hopefully you will understand soon, my brother, Diodoros thought. He watched Akakios' face, noticing the expressions that flashed through the relaxed muscles.
After a while, the sun moving past its noon, the shocked look faded away. Wind started to blow a little harder, rustling the branches of the olive tree and creating waves in the tall grasses. A warmth in the air arose sharply. Diodoros touched his face and felt sweat starting to appear as the heat continued to rise.
He quickly created a wind of cold northern air to sweep over the hilltop; and it came with strong gusts, swirling around the solitary figures in the quiet afternoon. The heat, however, did not dissipate. Diodoros looked at his father, worried something might be going wrong in their trance.
Something certainly was. His calm, chiseled face was contorted into a scowl of concentration; the sweat dripping from his temples onto his tunic. Akakios, on the other hand, was smiling nearly gleefully.
Diodoros didn't wait. He was in the trance, searching for his father and brother in the infinite expanse of the mindscape. It wasn't hard to find blood-relatives in the mindscape, and with that ease already present the added stress in energy flow from Gaia made it almost impossible to miss the two of them.
Akakios and their father were not bodies floating in darkness; they were symbols representing the energies and thoughts being used. Diodoros knew his father as the green and blues, colors of the earth, which swam around a pillar of fire stretching throughout the heavens. The pillar had a central focus, large and round as the sun, and the flames which twisted outward were violent and explosive, lashing out with feral energy.
It had to be Akakios at the center, Diodoros knew this. But he couldn't understand what Helios was doing with his brother, who had no idea how to use or manipulate the energies of any spirit yet, least of all Gaia's, whose was the easiest. Diodoros pulled forth the energies of the earth, brown and strong and thrust himself towards the central focus of the flames. Barreling through epicenter of fire, Diodoros caught his brother and pulled his energies out of the focus. Instantly the flames died down.
Healing white energy flew all around Diodoros and Akakios. Diodoros felt his brother's presence fade from the mindscape, and he released himself as well.
The sky had turned an ominous grey, clouds rolling in from the west as a storm threatened on the horizon. The air was tepid. The wind was calm though the storm approached quickly. Diodoros looked over to where his father and brother were, to find his father stooping over Akakios with hands placed against his chest. Akakios had fallen backwards to lay on the ground face up.
"What happened," he asked.
There was no response from his father, whose face was still focused as he spread healing energy over his son. Diodoros knew his father couldn't hear because he was entranced still, so he waited.
It took another hour or so before Akakios woke up again and his father sat back, exhausted. Even through his tiredness riddling his face, their father seemed slightly impressed and happy. "It looks like Helios may grace you as none before!" he said to Akakios.
Diodoros didn't understand and stared at them, perplexed. If this was suppose to be such a joyful occasion, why was there so much danger in the circumstance that had just transpired?
Ethan opened his eyes from his reverie, trying to place the event into context in regards to Nick. Though nothing so dramatic had occurred, there was still the presence of Helios in Nick's essence; and Gaia had blessed him with hope he would use the energies of the sun. Ethan hoped his younger brother was simply a lesson learned and now the steps being taken were more cautious. Since he started training Nick, Ethan had not searched for Gaia's voice, had not payed attention to her presence on the island.
A blue butterfly flapped its wings in front of Ethan's face, adding the vibrant blue to the greenery he saw in the sanctuary. "It's time I speak with you again..."
Thursday, April 15, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 8)
"Quiet your thoughts, Nick."
Ethan sat across from his new pupil, staring at the youth's peaceful face. Behind closed lids, Nick's eyes were frantically moving from side to side as if following some imaginary floating light seen in that lonely darkness. They had been sitting on the beach for almost four hours now, Nick with his legs crossed and back straight, facing Ethan who watched patiently. Having tutored more than two hundred pupils over the years, Ethan was well versed at what his students were doing.
"Feel the lapping of the waves as they near the shore. Feel the wind caressing your cheek as it speaks to us. Feel the sun gently warming your head as you sit alone with yourself. Quiet your mind, clear it of everything you might desire or feel or know. Just be with yourself and the Earth." Something clicked in Nick's mind. His eyes were still, his breath had stopped, and his shoulders relaxed; which Ethan had neglected to notice as he watched Nick's face.
It was time for Ethan to join in the new meditative state. He closed his eyes finally, and settled himself into that same serenity. His mind stretched to all places and no places, entering the darkened landscape of the mind at peace. The wind brushed against him and he felt its gentle touch sooth his nerves ever so slightly, changing the stress of doubt and fear into a moment of knowledge. Ethan pushed his thoughts away so completely he felt suddenly naked in his own brain.
And then the eternal whisper of Gaia came.
Her voice was so faint it nearly sounded like the constant hush of the ear in a perfectly quiet room. Its cadence matched the swaying of the sea, and the focused words strengthened with the gusts of the breeze. Gaia's language was of the Earth itself; all sounds connected together to create its own meaning and understanding in phrases only the patient and sublime could know.
Ethan knew what she was saying: an event was on the horizon which Charles was precipitating. His plans were moving faster than Ethan's and Alexis'. However, Gaia wasn't ready to allow certain aspects to come to fruition; and her absoluteness was supreme upon the Earth. Ethan thanked her subtly and kept a portion of his thoughts with Gaia.
A blue butterfly appeared in his black mindscape.
Using his personal energy Ethan reached out to Nick and slowly crept into his mind. Nick didn't even notice the intrusion into his thoughts because, though his sat at peace and finally came into the meditative state, the world was playing with his senses more than he realized. He still heard the ocean's call and the wind's screaming; the crickets buzzing in the bushes and the birds singing as they flew overhead.
Ever so gently, like the touch of a feather brushing skin through a sheet, Ethan called out to Nick.
The pupil's attention was instantaneously grabbed and focused on Ethan's presence. The affect actually set Ethan on guard. What he felt was Nick's fear which responded as defense and aggression. Good tactics in the real world; devastating in the mindscape.
A picture of Ethan's face smiling with pride appeared for Nick to see. In return, Ethan felt the tension loosen and start to flow away like the ebbing tide. As the image of the ocean receded from Nick's mind, Ethan forced the image of the Earth to take its place. Not the Earth as it was to them at present, but the Earth as it should be: green and blue with white and grey clouds drifting on gentle winds unfettered with poison.
Ethan felt Nick sadden as he ventured through the image like a child picking up a broken toy. His heart was not ready to fight; the healing process was taking longer than Ethan desired but he had no choice. Nick was the only one who could sustain the rigorous training Ethan demanded. The other pupils were being trained by the gentler council members. Nick, however, possessed a special trait Ethan wanted to harness. He knew the power of Helios without even realizing it.
Once Nick had finished exploring, his eyes became clearly visible to Ethan. The passion was unmistakable: a fervent desire to restore what was lost, a fire which consumed ever other need he had was suddenly focused on the goal of restoration. Ethan cooled his passion with the lulling waves of the sea once more. He wasn't there to start that project just yet.
The image of the Earth shifted slightly; though its change was almost imperceptible. The feeling of it did change immensely. Permeating the mindscape came the touch of power, of sublime energy, of anger and love, of regret, of pride, and of a woman. And with that touch came the voice.
Shassha hiyaeeshhsha halahh Tastste la sssahyssha lanaahssha BUlassha nasshalakas
Whispers of air and water cresting over harsh earth and gentle meadows all rolled into the voice of Gaia.
Nick was stunned. His curiosity held him still; his fear made him want to flee. Compassion for the beauty of Gaia's voice made him dive into it and the lack of comprehension made him recoil. The warmth of Gaia's touch, of her creation and love and beauty, relaxed Nick's mind. The creative destruction of Gaia's balance made him tense.
As Nick went through the realization of Gaia's presence, Ethan knew it would never leave him. Soon, her voice would become unlocked and Nick would understand her as if she spoke in English. Soon, her wisdom would pass on to him and the ability to sustain his life would be made possible. And her power would be his to use as long as she saw it fit.
Ethan asked Gaia to allow Nick to return to his mind and back onto the physical plain for which they lived. Gaia acquiesced and retreated and yet remained.
As Ethan came to his body once more, he noticed a shadow panting over him.
"What... Was that Her?" a shaky voice pleaded as Ethan opened his eyes. Nick was already standing; eyes wide with awe, hands open and vibrating at his side.
"That is Gaia." Ethan stood gingerly. "She has always been with you, always right there," he said as he pointed his finger at Nick's forehead, "but we always forget to listen."
Nick shook his head. "I can't hear her now. I don't feel her now." He was starting to close off his mind again, starting to reject what he experienced as magic or trickery.
"Calm your heart," Ethan soothed with a smile. This happened every time. "Sit down." Nick sat abruptly. "Close your eyes."
Nick didn't. A suspicion crept into the whites.
"I'm not going to join you this time. And you don't have to go into such a deep meditation this time either. You'll see."
With a slight hesitation, Nick closed his eyes again. His breathing was still faster than normal, but that slowed after a minute or so.
"Listen to the sea. Can you hear its peace? And there's the wind, whispering its song to you. The grass is speaking her song, and the tree's branches are filtering the words. Can you hear Her now?"
And it happened. Nick's body relaxed and his head tilted to the right, lifting his ear to the air. His mouth opened and a smile came across his cheeks as he shivered. The song of Gaia strengthened and Ethan started to hear her voice again.
Welcome, my child. To the sky your energies will thrive; of Helios you will remain, and with my love you will become the one for yourself.
Ethan smiled as he looked at Nick's curly blond hair rustling in the wind around his oval face. It suddenly struck him how angelic Nick actually looked; and here Gaia blessed this angel of the sky to use the powers of the Sun in order to do battle and renew the Earth.
And then the thought hit him.
Did She do this for Charles as well?
Ethan sat across from his new pupil, staring at the youth's peaceful face. Behind closed lids, Nick's eyes were frantically moving from side to side as if following some imaginary floating light seen in that lonely darkness. They had been sitting on the beach for almost four hours now, Nick with his legs crossed and back straight, facing Ethan who watched patiently. Having tutored more than two hundred pupils over the years, Ethan was well versed at what his students were doing.
"Feel the lapping of the waves as they near the shore. Feel the wind caressing your cheek as it speaks to us. Feel the sun gently warming your head as you sit alone with yourself. Quiet your mind, clear it of everything you might desire or feel or know. Just be with yourself and the Earth." Something clicked in Nick's mind. His eyes were still, his breath had stopped, and his shoulders relaxed; which Ethan had neglected to notice as he watched Nick's face.
It was time for Ethan to join in the new meditative state. He closed his eyes finally, and settled himself into that same serenity. His mind stretched to all places and no places, entering the darkened landscape of the mind at peace. The wind brushed against him and he felt its gentle touch sooth his nerves ever so slightly, changing the stress of doubt and fear into a moment of knowledge. Ethan pushed his thoughts away so completely he felt suddenly naked in his own brain.
And then the eternal whisper of Gaia came.
Her voice was so faint it nearly sounded like the constant hush of the ear in a perfectly quiet room. Its cadence matched the swaying of the sea, and the focused words strengthened with the gusts of the breeze. Gaia's language was of the Earth itself; all sounds connected together to create its own meaning and understanding in phrases only the patient and sublime could know.
Ethan knew what she was saying: an event was on the horizon which Charles was precipitating. His plans were moving faster than Ethan's and Alexis'. However, Gaia wasn't ready to allow certain aspects to come to fruition; and her absoluteness was supreme upon the Earth. Ethan thanked her subtly and kept a portion of his thoughts with Gaia.
A blue butterfly appeared in his black mindscape.
Using his personal energy Ethan reached out to Nick and slowly crept into his mind. Nick didn't even notice the intrusion into his thoughts because, though his sat at peace and finally came into the meditative state, the world was playing with his senses more than he realized. He still heard the ocean's call and the wind's screaming; the crickets buzzing in the bushes and the birds singing as they flew overhead.
Ever so gently, like the touch of a feather brushing skin through a sheet, Ethan called out to Nick.
The pupil's attention was instantaneously grabbed and focused on Ethan's presence. The affect actually set Ethan on guard. What he felt was Nick's fear which responded as defense and aggression. Good tactics in the real world; devastating in the mindscape.
A picture of Ethan's face smiling with pride appeared for Nick to see. In return, Ethan felt the tension loosen and start to flow away like the ebbing tide. As the image of the ocean receded from Nick's mind, Ethan forced the image of the Earth to take its place. Not the Earth as it was to them at present, but the Earth as it should be: green and blue with white and grey clouds drifting on gentle winds unfettered with poison.
Ethan felt Nick sadden as he ventured through the image like a child picking up a broken toy. His heart was not ready to fight; the healing process was taking longer than Ethan desired but he had no choice. Nick was the only one who could sustain the rigorous training Ethan demanded. The other pupils were being trained by the gentler council members. Nick, however, possessed a special trait Ethan wanted to harness. He knew the power of Helios without even realizing it.
Once Nick had finished exploring, his eyes became clearly visible to Ethan. The passion was unmistakable: a fervent desire to restore what was lost, a fire which consumed ever other need he had was suddenly focused on the goal of restoration. Ethan cooled his passion with the lulling waves of the sea once more. He wasn't there to start that project just yet.
The image of the Earth shifted slightly; though its change was almost imperceptible. The feeling of it did change immensely. Permeating the mindscape came the touch of power, of sublime energy, of anger and love, of regret, of pride, and of a woman. And with that touch came the voice.
Shassha hiyaeeshhsha halahh Tastste la sssahyssha lanaahssha BUlassha nasshalakas
Whispers of air and water cresting over harsh earth and gentle meadows all rolled into the voice of Gaia.
Nick was stunned. His curiosity held him still; his fear made him want to flee. Compassion for the beauty of Gaia's voice made him dive into it and the lack of comprehension made him recoil. The warmth of Gaia's touch, of her creation and love and beauty, relaxed Nick's mind. The creative destruction of Gaia's balance made him tense.
As Nick went through the realization of Gaia's presence, Ethan knew it would never leave him. Soon, her voice would become unlocked and Nick would understand her as if she spoke in English. Soon, her wisdom would pass on to him and the ability to sustain his life would be made possible. And her power would be his to use as long as she saw it fit.
Ethan asked Gaia to allow Nick to return to his mind and back onto the physical plain for which they lived. Gaia acquiesced and retreated and yet remained.
As Ethan came to his body once more, he noticed a shadow panting over him.
"What... Was that Her?" a shaky voice pleaded as Ethan opened his eyes. Nick was already standing; eyes wide with awe, hands open and vibrating at his side.
"That is Gaia." Ethan stood gingerly. "She has always been with you, always right there," he said as he pointed his finger at Nick's forehead, "but we always forget to listen."
Nick shook his head. "I can't hear her now. I don't feel her now." He was starting to close off his mind again, starting to reject what he experienced as magic or trickery.
"Calm your heart," Ethan soothed with a smile. This happened every time. "Sit down." Nick sat abruptly. "Close your eyes."
Nick didn't. A suspicion crept into the whites.
"I'm not going to join you this time. And you don't have to go into such a deep meditation this time either. You'll see."
With a slight hesitation, Nick closed his eyes again. His breathing was still faster than normal, but that slowed after a minute or so.
"Listen to the sea. Can you hear its peace? And there's the wind, whispering its song to you. The grass is speaking her song, and the tree's branches are filtering the words. Can you hear Her now?"
And it happened. Nick's body relaxed and his head tilted to the right, lifting his ear to the air. His mouth opened and a smile came across his cheeks as he shivered. The song of Gaia strengthened and Ethan started to hear her voice again.
Welcome, my child. To the sky your energies will thrive; of Helios you will remain, and with my love you will become the one for yourself.
Ethan smiled as he looked at Nick's curly blond hair rustling in the wind around his oval face. It suddenly struck him how angelic Nick actually looked; and here Gaia blessed this angel of the sky to use the powers of the Sun in order to do battle and renew the Earth.
And then the thought hit him.
Did She do this for Charles as well?
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 7)
Two days, relentless and exhausting with how productive they had been. Knowing exactly how outnumbered they were, the inhabitants of the Keeling/Cocos Islands were opting to strengthen their defense. Hiding was not an option, and since the decision for an aggressive defense was made, Ethan had constantly been preparing. Little time to sleep existed; training was to be prioritized, protections needed to be built, strategies were discussed, histories were looked through, and social stability was encouraged.
This was Ethan's first moment for relaxation since the congress wherein he was elected to lead them in the matters concerning Charles. This was the first time to truly have his heart slow down, to allow his body to not require muscle contractions to keep himself upright. Ethan knew two days was his limit without sleep.
Within the sanctuary, he lay on the cool grass. His eyes closed before he got comfortable, and the heavy feeling of falling into deep sleep descended upon the mind. Darkness upon darkness wrapped itself within itself, and hovered around Ethan, caressing him into a soft lulling state. There were few moments before consciousness was lost. Footsteps softly caressing the leaves and grass upon the floor stepped calmly and carefully throughout the sanctuary.
Ethan woke up suddenly.
The light in the sanctuary was muted; the shades of blue, red and green of the Aurora Borealis, yet somehow even more bright than they had been originally. The sounds of the waves beyond the trees was completely gone, replaced by a whooshing of wind over the plains.
Curious...
And a deeper, harsher voice popped into his head: The world is changing, Ethan...
Sitting up abruptly, Ethan knew who was outside the sanctuary, waiting patiently for him. He moved his body, and the movement happened so smoothly he found himself standing before he could remember moving his muscles to obtain that position. Looking around him, the light was so dark, but his awareness of the loneliness in the space was so complete Ethan felt he could see the entirety of the sanctuary.
The sound of the wind intensified, and the sanctuary started to spin so the doorway was before Ethan. Come to me, my brother...
"Akakios! What are you doing?"
Come to me...
Ethan stood still for a moment. His mind was struggling with the decision of whether to go or attempt to release himself from the nightmare he found himself in. Another whisper, though much more faint, whispered to Ethan in calm soothing melodies.
Worry not. The struggles of the dreamland are free of actuality. The land of the moon is strong in thought, weak in body; and temporary only with moonlight strength.
With his first foot forward, Ethan left the sanctuary quickly.
What he saw outside was a clear plain with a tree far down the way. The sky was covered in light gray clouds, the sun gone and the white sheen of the moon's light filtering crudely through the layer above. Glancing behind him, Ethan saw the doorway he had exited; it sat in the air connected to nothingness.
When his sight returned to the open plains with the tree in the distance, the outline of Akakios appeared beneath its shelter from the light. Ethan didn't like the dream world; the rules of reality were bendable and distances were mere feet away. And so he stepped once, and found himself nearly face to face with his younger brother. The tree smelled of rain and honey, humid sweetness of their hometown. Such a subtle memory lowered Ethan's defenses, if only slightly. As soon as Ethan realized he was starting to drift off in the dream world, which would allow Akakios freely into his mind, he asked abruptly, "What are you doing, Charles?"
"Remember that smell? That feeling of home?"
Ethan didn't answer.
"Oh come now, Diodoros. We have such little time to enjoy our history. Albeit, a history with little significance now." The landscape shifted quickly. The Aegean sea lapped against the rocky coast a little ways behind Ethan. Behind Charles was a small village; kids playing idly in the grass just off in a field and the adults working the farms while the breeze gently swept the smells of the earth all throughout the houses. "Don't you miss it, Elder Adair?" The sinuous tone was unmistakable.
Paying little attention to the illusion, Ethan focused clearly on his brother; his foe for all he cared. "What do you want?"
"Such anger!"
Be weary, Ethan Adair. The winds shift in ways unknown; the skies are darkened by intent.
"Why did you choose the name Ethan Adair? I've always wondered."
Ethan smiled. "I'm not playing into your games, little brother." Charles' face became rigid, impassible. Taking his chances, Ethan felt for the power of the moon; she sat directly above in his portion of the work. Its influence was strongest for Ethan: a full moon above, lying on an island whose oceans were at their peak, and the energies converging due to the moon's gravity.
He grabbed what energy he could, which was difficult since the illusion was not his own. Gaia aided the transaction; a Blue Morpho butterfly appeared above Charles and ascended into the tree to hang on a branch. A surge entered Ethan's body, and he felt his corporeal body tingling with the embued energies of the tidal forces, Gaia, and the moon. Keeping himself in the illusion, he shifted it slightly, testing his own abilities in the dream world.
The children disappeared.
Charles' face shifted slightly, a second or so having passed since he disengaged from his illusion. "Fine, if you won't play my gentle games, perhaps we should try something a little more... aggressive. That's what you're expecting isn't it?" His smile was wicked. "I don't want to let down my big brother."
The wind changed course, suddenly, heading directly toward the tree. However, the tree was no longer under Charles' control. The Blue Morpho lept from its branch and flew toward the oncoming gusts, growing in size with each flap of its fragile wings. Failing to notice his own surroundings, Charles reached out and pointed at Ethan.
Flames blossomed in his irises.
Ethan contorted his fingures into a symbol of protection and held his hands together before his chest. When the flames sprouted from Ethan's feet, they climbed around an invisible shield. He refused to detach his eye contact, despite the terrible hatred pouring from Charles' eyes.
The wind hit the butterfly, and both disappeared into nothingness: the abyss of dreams brought back into the real world. Charles felt the sudden lack in his world and turned his head to see what had happened.
Taking this sudden moment of freedom, Ethan moved into the tree, leaving his shield on the ground surrounded by flames. From there, he grabbed a branch, which came freely and silently off the trunk, and moved gracefully into the village without his brother's awareness. Moving into the center of the buildings, he planted the branch into the ground and made it spin into the dirt.
The facade of the dream world split into millions of jagged forms, and burst into a flourish of leaves which twisted and twirled in echos of tidal forces ripping apart a star. As they lifted into the air, they caught fire and shifted into vortexes of solar flares. Charles' voice resounded around the broken village. "I shouldn't have underestimated you, Diodoros."
"A seemingly constant theme in our relationship." With flames dancing in the sky, the ground cracking further under Ethan's feet, Charles appeared in front of the spinning branch. "What do you want, Charles?"
"TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!" he yelled with rage, firing spawning in packets around his head.
"You shall not learn this way," Ethan calmly indicated the dream world around him, wrought with chaotic beauty. Feeling the pull of the moon reach its peak strength, Ethan flicked his left hand out away from his body and transformed the flames into pockets of flowing water which began to rain upon the cracked landscape. "Nor shall we easily lower our defenses. If you wish to speak with us, peacefully, we will create an audience." Ethan knew this was upsetting Charles even more.
Charles reached for the branch, only to find it protected by Ethan's spells. The fire which graced his head burst into a brilliant radiance, creeping down his limbs to encompass his body completely. Reaching for the branch again, Charles broke through the protection and removed it from the ground. Every crack slithered back to the source and restored the scenery. "You cannot beat me, not with my powers so vibrant and lively!"
Ethan smiled again, though sympathy softened his blue eyes. "And you think you can succeed here? The dreamworld is not a battle zone, brother."
"I never meant us to fight here. Just for me to get into your mind."
"And never will you accomplish that."
"Don't think me so naive, Diodoros."
Relinquishing his smile to a more tranquil visage, Ethan brought forth his own powers, having only relied on what Gaia was willing to donate and the subtle pull of the moon. "Stop calling me by my birthname." Ethan felt his power welling around him, and sent it out, gently, sinuously toward Charles. Ages of practice allowed this action to come as second nature and he prepared to strike as soon as Charles showed rage again. "We both took an oath to the powers that be to adhere to the laws. I am your Elder, and thus you must address me as Elder Adair."
"I do not answer to the POWERS anymore," he bellowed, flairing in intensity for a second.
And that's all Ethan needed. Stinging like hundreds of wasps, the tendrils of energy tightened and entered Charles' mind.
They both gasped. Surprise spasmed in Charles' mind as he lost control of his own concentration as he became overwhelmed with fear. Ethan, on the other hand, was overcome by the sudden weight of power. He burned, as Charles surely burned with the power of Helios. Holding onto the fragile connection he had established, Ethan began to pull Charles out of the dream world.
The tone of Charles' voice became more real. "No. NO! This cannot be happening!" The sun shone brightly around Charles as he sat on the ledge of a green overhang, the southern seas blackened with ash under a blue sky clear of smoke.
"Now sleep, brother," Ethan said quietly, forcing a soothing tone through his stressted mind. "Sleep."
Charles fell into darkness.
Ethan opened his eyes and found himself drenched in sweat, shivering on the soft grass. He sat up and looked around, finding Alexis' staring at him with serene intensity.
She spoke. "I felt his presence here as you went to sleep. I came to assist you, but the protections were too strong. So I've waited, and lent my energies to Gaia as she saw fit. I hope it worked."
Nodding, he found his voice hoarse and dry, "It worked perfectly well. I never expected Charles to attempt something like that."
"He is stronger than we anticipated."
"Unfortunately, yes." The sigh sent violent shaking through Ethan's exhausted limps. "We'll need to fortify our defenses tomorrow morning. He'll not be awake for at least eight hours."
"I'll get started now." Alexis stood quickly and bowed. "Get some sleep, Elder Adair. You have more protection now than I believe necessary." She left the sanctuary and started talking to someone immediately.
This was Ethan's first moment for relaxation since the congress wherein he was elected to lead them in the matters concerning Charles. This was the first time to truly have his heart slow down, to allow his body to not require muscle contractions to keep himself upright. Ethan knew two days was his limit without sleep.
Within the sanctuary, he lay on the cool grass. His eyes closed before he got comfortable, and the heavy feeling of falling into deep sleep descended upon the mind. Darkness upon darkness wrapped itself within itself, and hovered around Ethan, caressing him into a soft lulling state. There were few moments before consciousness was lost. Footsteps softly caressing the leaves and grass upon the floor stepped calmly and carefully throughout the sanctuary.
Ethan woke up suddenly.
The light in the sanctuary was muted; the shades of blue, red and green of the Aurora Borealis, yet somehow even more bright than they had been originally. The sounds of the waves beyond the trees was completely gone, replaced by a whooshing of wind over the plains.
Curious...
And a deeper, harsher voice popped into his head: The world is changing, Ethan...
Sitting up abruptly, Ethan knew who was outside the sanctuary, waiting patiently for him. He moved his body, and the movement happened so smoothly he found himself standing before he could remember moving his muscles to obtain that position. Looking around him, the light was so dark, but his awareness of the loneliness in the space was so complete Ethan felt he could see the entirety of the sanctuary.
The sound of the wind intensified, and the sanctuary started to spin so the doorway was before Ethan. Come to me, my brother...
"Akakios! What are you doing?"
Come to me...
Ethan stood still for a moment. His mind was struggling with the decision of whether to go or attempt to release himself from the nightmare he found himself in. Another whisper, though much more faint, whispered to Ethan in calm soothing melodies.
Worry not. The struggles of the dreamland are free of actuality. The land of the moon is strong in thought, weak in body; and temporary only with moonlight strength.
With his first foot forward, Ethan left the sanctuary quickly.
What he saw outside was a clear plain with a tree far down the way. The sky was covered in light gray clouds, the sun gone and the white sheen of the moon's light filtering crudely through the layer above. Glancing behind him, Ethan saw the doorway he had exited; it sat in the air connected to nothingness.
When his sight returned to the open plains with the tree in the distance, the outline of Akakios appeared beneath its shelter from the light. Ethan didn't like the dream world; the rules of reality were bendable and distances were mere feet away. And so he stepped once, and found himself nearly face to face with his younger brother. The tree smelled of rain and honey, humid sweetness of their hometown. Such a subtle memory lowered Ethan's defenses, if only slightly. As soon as Ethan realized he was starting to drift off in the dream world, which would allow Akakios freely into his mind, he asked abruptly, "What are you doing, Charles?"
"Remember that smell? That feeling of home?"
Ethan didn't answer.
"Oh come now, Diodoros. We have such little time to enjoy our history. Albeit, a history with little significance now." The landscape shifted quickly. The Aegean sea lapped against the rocky coast a little ways behind Ethan. Behind Charles was a small village; kids playing idly in the grass just off in a field and the adults working the farms while the breeze gently swept the smells of the earth all throughout the houses. "Don't you miss it, Elder Adair?" The sinuous tone was unmistakable.
Paying little attention to the illusion, Ethan focused clearly on his brother; his foe for all he cared. "What do you want?"
"Such anger!"
Be weary, Ethan Adair. The winds shift in ways unknown; the skies are darkened by intent.
"Why did you choose the name Ethan Adair? I've always wondered."
Ethan smiled. "I'm not playing into your games, little brother." Charles' face became rigid, impassible. Taking his chances, Ethan felt for the power of the moon; she sat directly above in his portion of the work. Its influence was strongest for Ethan: a full moon above, lying on an island whose oceans were at their peak, and the energies converging due to the moon's gravity.
He grabbed what energy he could, which was difficult since the illusion was not his own. Gaia aided the transaction; a Blue Morpho butterfly appeared above Charles and ascended into the tree to hang on a branch. A surge entered Ethan's body, and he felt his corporeal body tingling with the embued energies of the tidal forces, Gaia, and the moon. Keeping himself in the illusion, he shifted it slightly, testing his own abilities in the dream world.
The children disappeared.
Charles' face shifted slightly, a second or so having passed since he disengaged from his illusion. "Fine, if you won't play my gentle games, perhaps we should try something a little more... aggressive. That's what you're expecting isn't it?" His smile was wicked. "I don't want to let down my big brother."
The wind changed course, suddenly, heading directly toward the tree. However, the tree was no longer under Charles' control. The Blue Morpho lept from its branch and flew toward the oncoming gusts, growing in size with each flap of its fragile wings. Failing to notice his own surroundings, Charles reached out and pointed at Ethan.
Flames blossomed in his irises.
Ethan contorted his fingures into a symbol of protection and held his hands together before his chest. When the flames sprouted from Ethan's feet, they climbed around an invisible shield. He refused to detach his eye contact, despite the terrible hatred pouring from Charles' eyes.
The wind hit the butterfly, and both disappeared into nothingness: the abyss of dreams brought back into the real world. Charles felt the sudden lack in his world and turned his head to see what had happened.
Taking this sudden moment of freedom, Ethan moved into the tree, leaving his shield on the ground surrounded by flames. From there, he grabbed a branch, which came freely and silently off the trunk, and moved gracefully into the village without his brother's awareness. Moving into the center of the buildings, he planted the branch into the ground and made it spin into the dirt.
The facade of the dream world split into millions of jagged forms, and burst into a flourish of leaves which twisted and twirled in echos of tidal forces ripping apart a star. As they lifted into the air, they caught fire and shifted into vortexes of solar flares. Charles' voice resounded around the broken village. "I shouldn't have underestimated you, Diodoros."
"A seemingly constant theme in our relationship." With flames dancing in the sky, the ground cracking further under Ethan's feet, Charles appeared in front of the spinning branch. "What do you want, Charles?"
"TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!" he yelled with rage, firing spawning in packets around his head.
"You shall not learn this way," Ethan calmly indicated the dream world around him, wrought with chaotic beauty. Feeling the pull of the moon reach its peak strength, Ethan flicked his left hand out away from his body and transformed the flames into pockets of flowing water which began to rain upon the cracked landscape. "Nor shall we easily lower our defenses. If you wish to speak with us, peacefully, we will create an audience." Ethan knew this was upsetting Charles even more.
Charles reached for the branch, only to find it protected by Ethan's spells. The fire which graced his head burst into a brilliant radiance, creeping down his limbs to encompass his body completely. Reaching for the branch again, Charles broke through the protection and removed it from the ground. Every crack slithered back to the source and restored the scenery. "You cannot beat me, not with my powers so vibrant and lively!"
Ethan smiled again, though sympathy softened his blue eyes. "And you think you can succeed here? The dreamworld is not a battle zone, brother."
"I never meant us to fight here. Just for me to get into your mind."
"And never will you accomplish that."
"Don't think me so naive, Diodoros."
Relinquishing his smile to a more tranquil visage, Ethan brought forth his own powers, having only relied on what Gaia was willing to donate and the subtle pull of the moon. "Stop calling me by my birthname." Ethan felt his power welling around him, and sent it out, gently, sinuously toward Charles. Ages of practice allowed this action to come as second nature and he prepared to strike as soon as Charles showed rage again. "We both took an oath to the powers that be to adhere to the laws. I am your Elder, and thus you must address me as Elder Adair."
"I do not answer to the POWERS anymore," he bellowed, flairing in intensity for a second.
And that's all Ethan needed. Stinging like hundreds of wasps, the tendrils of energy tightened and entered Charles' mind.
They both gasped. Surprise spasmed in Charles' mind as he lost control of his own concentration as he became overwhelmed with fear. Ethan, on the other hand, was overcome by the sudden weight of power. He burned, as Charles surely burned with the power of Helios. Holding onto the fragile connection he had established, Ethan began to pull Charles out of the dream world.
The tone of Charles' voice became more real. "No. NO! This cannot be happening!" The sun shone brightly around Charles as he sat on the ledge of a green overhang, the southern seas blackened with ash under a blue sky clear of smoke.
"Now sleep, brother," Ethan said quietly, forcing a soothing tone through his stressted mind. "Sleep."
Charles fell into darkness.
Ethan opened his eyes and found himself drenched in sweat, shivering on the soft grass. He sat up and looked around, finding Alexis' staring at him with serene intensity.
She spoke. "I felt his presence here as you went to sleep. I came to assist you, but the protections were too strong. So I've waited, and lent my energies to Gaia as she saw fit. I hope it worked."
Nodding, he found his voice hoarse and dry, "It worked perfectly well. I never expected Charles to attempt something like that."
"He is stronger than we anticipated."
"Unfortunately, yes." The sigh sent violent shaking through Ethan's exhausted limps. "We'll need to fortify our defenses tomorrow morning. He'll not be awake for at least eight hours."
"I'll get started now." Alexis stood quickly and bowed. "Get some sleep, Elder Adair. You have more protection now than I believe necessary." She left the sanctuary and started talking to someone immediately.
Monday, March 1, 2010
The Changed Earth (Part 6.2)
There are so many here.
Too many here... This is going to get out of hand.
Ethan looked around the sanctuary and the collection of humans that had assembled alongside the Council of Gaia. After speaking to their leader, Ben, an unavoidable understanding came between the. Ben had voiced it best by saying, "This is there home as much as it is ours, and if democracy is going to take place with our limited group of survivors, all who want to must be involved." Ethan couldn't press qualifiers for the participants and was forced into agreeing with Ben's stance. After all, Ethan's role was not to dictate the political structure of civilization.
But here in the sanctuary Alexis had the authority to limit discussion. Judging by her bearing, she already had a plan to deal with the large number of humans now filtering into her space. Her face was set: cheeks smooth and angular, eyes tense around the edges, brows arched in a skepticism, lips ready to speak as soon as the procession of oncomers ended. She had pulled her brown hair back out of her face into a low ponytail which fell to the middle of her back. Wearing a dress woven together from vines and leaves made her look like the manifestation of the Mother, though skinnier than Ethan pictured. He was proud of her choice.
As the last few entered the eastern doorway, Alexis raised her hand for silence. Many of the humans were already awestruck by the enchanted beauty of the sanctuary; looking up into the canopy at the twinkling lights and ethereal displays of color caught their breath. The few who spoke vehemently roused suspicion at the occasion and choice of location. They fell silent quickly upon viewing Alexis' stern presence.
Her voice was crisp. "Welcome. These are the gifts of Gaia, the treasures we of the Council use to ensure the ongoing harmony of this planet. With our hearts and souls, I welcome you to our home and into the physical presence of the Mother."
Many of the gathered shivered slightly. Ethan knew those few were already feeling Her presence. Marking them, Ethan knew who he would need to recruit if they decided for a more aggressive defense or for outright confrontation.
Alexis continued, "I am not aware of what Ben has told you, so I will bring you up to speed.
"We are possibly at war." Gasps came from many angles. "The world has changed. The entire ecological system has been overwhelmingly destroyed, and the hope for restoration lies with two groups. We, here, are just one of these groups. The other is... larger."
"Why don't we simply join up with them?" a curious man asked from the back of the gathering.
Eyes fixed on him. "Because the Elder who leads this group has asserted himself to full supremacy with little regard for the desires of his contingent. Democracy is the last of his aspirations. And his view of how the world should be run is in complete contrast to our way of thinking. Furthermore, he has already set his eye on destroying one of our own." Alexis looked to Antoni who sat next to Ethan. "What we have gathered here to discuss," she continued as she turned back to the larger collective, "is what sort of action we are to take. The council is not going to make this decision. You, as the future of Earth, are the only ones who have the authority to decide.
"Ben has made it very clear that all who wish to partake in these proceedings are allowed to. However, if this discussion turns into a brawl," she said harshly, "then it will be ended and Ben, along with his trusted advisors and friends, will make the decision for all."
There were no objections. Ben, who sat near the front of the humans, stood and walked next to Alexis. His voice, husky and tired, filled with the warmth of a calm authority and the hint of inherent wisdom, rumbled through the sanctuary like the voice of Helios. "We have already discussed some of these courses that may be taken, the Council of Gaia and I."
Ethan suddenly felt his stomach drop. No word of such a meeting had been conveyed to him.
"Regardless of the action we, as a society, take, I propose Elder Ethan Adair be appointed to a position of leadership among both our groups in the matters concerning Elder Charles Sadhin. His knowledge of his fellow Elder and experience with Gaia and Her gifts qualifies him as the highest ranking official on this island." Ben stopped talking and looked over the crowd. "He is truly a marvel, and I believe everyone here knows Elder Adair in some fashion."
Taking a step toward Ethan, drawing her dress to its length across the forest floor, Alexis reached out her hand to draw Ethan before everyone. "Elder Adair, do you object to this appointment?"
Ethan didn't know what to say. Of course he could refuse, and the thought crossed his mind. He was never one to lead anything, and much less leading a war effort was least desired. However, his expertise on his brother was certainly needed. Looking into Alexis' eyes, shimmering with reflected starlight and the mirage of an aurora, Ethan knew her argument through and through. He would not have to be a military leader, he would not have to lead any group, but his expertise of every world war, of war efforts, of history was needed. Ethan was the best advisor among the survivors of the Earth, period, in all matters. This title was merely a representation for the humans so Ethan could assert greater authority with his knowledge and ideas. Ben already gave his respect to Ethan, Alexis would never question his understandings and perspectives, but the larger population would, in time, begin to question his implicit authority if battles were waged and losses were had.
This was safety for Ethan.
"I accept this honor," Ethan said slowly.
Ben's voice took over again. "Are there those who appose?"
A few raised there hands, each of whom Ethan had not had the opportunity to meet yet.
Ben asked, patiently and commandingly, "With a majority either agreeing with or abstaining from this decision, will you acquiesce to the majority?" The few nodded in agreement. "Thank you." Ben turned to Ethan. "We are honored to have your wisdom in these matters, to guide us, and to lead us as you have for so many years."
Bowing his head, "Thank you, Ben. I shall do what I can to ensure the success of our society and the Earth, as I have throughout my life."
There was silence throughout the sanctuary, though a ringing reverberated through Ethan's mind like a concert of fuzz. Without thought, knowing eyes stared at him with intrigue, concern, and infatuation, Ethan went back to his seat next to Antoni. Once there, he turned to Antoni and asked hastily, "Why was I not informed of this?"
"Alexis wasn't sure whether you would allow her to nominate you without the support of Ben and the other Council members." This was the first thing Antoni had said to Ethan since his return. "We believe in you. We trust you. And above all else, we respect and honor you.
"I'm sorry..."
Caught off guard, Ethan couldn't respond quick enough. Antoni, back slouching in dejection, breath leaving his lungs in a low sigh, he turned away ever so slightly from Ethan.
"There is nothing to apologize for, Antoni. Judgments and actions cannot be influenced without ethical and moral recklessness." Again, the comforting hand of an Elder, pulling the power of Gaia into a gesture, landed on Antoni's shoulder. "Charles is under his own delusions and cannot see the world as it is. You have nothing to fear."
A smile, however quaint and forced, was welcome between them.
Ben and Alexis were talking low, obviously deciding who would speak next. The decision was clear from the start, and Alexis remained standing as Ben joined Ethan and the Council of Gaia. She turned back to the congress around her and said, "Now that this has been settled, we must discuss our course of action.
"There are two matters at hand. The restoration of the planet is the most important, though even this is negated by the necessity of survival. Which brings me to the next task: our protection." She began to pace around the sanctuary, always before the humans. Her eyes wandered between every individual, capturing their mind in her abilities. Ethan felt her magic weaving in and out of the crowd. He then understood what Ben and Alexis were really talking about. Her spell was sending them images, helping them understand what her words were attempting to convey, but would certainly lack. "What we face is daunting. The Elder we must protect ourselves from has harnessed the power of Helios, the Sun. It is a temperamental power, a devastating power, a treacherous and overwhelming power. But it must be understood that His influence is only strong during the day, strongest at high noon. We have the gifts of Gaia, which are with us always.
"This is our advantage! We can work day and night. Our abilities are not limited by the hour, and our course is just and true. Gaia will be with us, She will protect us, and we will thrive if we work together." She paused to allow her listeners to absorb the information. None were shocked, for the understood with a sort of deja-vu comprehension, thanks to Alexis' spell.
When she spoke again, her voice came melodically. "We must decide tonight whether we are to build a defensive strategy to counter Elder Sadhin, to attack and eliminate the threat he poses, or to hide so completely from his eyes and abilities that he can not threaten our society until we are ready for him to know of our existence again."
The air in the sanctuary grew thicker and lessened suddenly. Ethan felt Gaia surge with pride, filling the space with inspiration and relaxation. Fluttering blue wings danced before Ethan, and he stood to follow it outside. Instinctively, he knew the meeting would run smoothly without his influence, and the decision that would come he would abide by.
Footsteps sounded behind Ethan.
"Elder Adair?" It was Sarah. He turned and saw her golden hair, pulled back around her head and cut short, glittered with starlight and shining with the ambiance of the moon. "May I walk with you? I don't care for political discussions of any sort. I've always been one for action, you know."
"Indeed I do, come, walk with me and our little friend here. He's living for quite a long time."
Sarah regarded the Blue Morpho. "Is that the one you brought with you?"
Nodding, "I do believe so. It has been imbued with the magic of Gaia, I suspect."
Thunder echoed in the distance. The smell of rain seemed to wash ashore. Wind began to pick up, gentle rhythms brushing through Ethan's grey hair. He turned to face the wind coming from the west, blowing onward to the east. He smiled and took a deep breath. "Change is coming. And She says it will be a good one." The butterfly landed on his shoulder.
Watching with a displaced glance on her face, Sarah too took a breath of the crisp air filled with the scent of ozone. "Change, finally." She giggled at the irony of her own statement. "Change we can finally agree with, that is." Turning to the east, they walked to the shore to look out over the waves and talk about the paths they had taken in the past five hundred years. Concerns of the upcoming events were far off with the wind, wilting away over the ocean currents and passing through the veils dressing the life in smothering smoke.
Too many here... This is going to get out of hand.
Ethan looked around the sanctuary and the collection of humans that had assembled alongside the Council of Gaia. After speaking to their leader, Ben, an unavoidable understanding came between the. Ben had voiced it best by saying, "This is there home as much as it is ours, and if democracy is going to take place with our limited group of survivors, all who want to must be involved." Ethan couldn't press qualifiers for the participants and was forced into agreeing with Ben's stance. After all, Ethan's role was not to dictate the political structure of civilization.
But here in the sanctuary Alexis had the authority to limit discussion. Judging by her bearing, she already had a plan to deal with the large number of humans now filtering into her space. Her face was set: cheeks smooth and angular, eyes tense around the edges, brows arched in a skepticism, lips ready to speak as soon as the procession of oncomers ended. She had pulled her brown hair back out of her face into a low ponytail which fell to the middle of her back. Wearing a dress woven together from vines and leaves made her look like the manifestation of the Mother, though skinnier than Ethan pictured. He was proud of her choice.
As the last few entered the eastern doorway, Alexis raised her hand for silence. Many of the humans were already awestruck by the enchanted beauty of the sanctuary; looking up into the canopy at the twinkling lights and ethereal displays of color caught their breath. The few who spoke vehemently roused suspicion at the occasion and choice of location. They fell silent quickly upon viewing Alexis' stern presence.
Her voice was crisp. "Welcome. These are the gifts of Gaia, the treasures we of the Council use to ensure the ongoing harmony of this planet. With our hearts and souls, I welcome you to our home and into the physical presence of the Mother."
Many of the gathered shivered slightly. Ethan knew those few were already feeling Her presence. Marking them, Ethan knew who he would need to recruit if they decided for a more aggressive defense or for outright confrontation.
Alexis continued, "I am not aware of what Ben has told you, so I will bring you up to speed.
"We are possibly at war." Gasps came from many angles. "The world has changed. The entire ecological system has been overwhelmingly destroyed, and the hope for restoration lies with two groups. We, here, are just one of these groups. The other is... larger."
"Why don't we simply join up with them?" a curious man asked from the back of the gathering.
Eyes fixed on him. "Because the Elder who leads this group has asserted himself to full supremacy with little regard for the desires of his contingent. Democracy is the last of his aspirations. And his view of how the world should be run is in complete contrast to our way of thinking. Furthermore, he has already set his eye on destroying one of our own." Alexis looked to Antoni who sat next to Ethan. "What we have gathered here to discuss," she continued as she turned back to the larger collective, "is what sort of action we are to take. The council is not going to make this decision. You, as the future of Earth, are the only ones who have the authority to decide.
"Ben has made it very clear that all who wish to partake in these proceedings are allowed to. However, if this discussion turns into a brawl," she said harshly, "then it will be ended and Ben, along with his trusted advisors and friends, will make the decision for all."
There were no objections. Ben, who sat near the front of the humans, stood and walked next to Alexis. His voice, husky and tired, filled with the warmth of a calm authority and the hint of inherent wisdom, rumbled through the sanctuary like the voice of Helios. "We have already discussed some of these courses that may be taken, the Council of Gaia and I."
Ethan suddenly felt his stomach drop. No word of such a meeting had been conveyed to him.
"Regardless of the action we, as a society, take, I propose Elder Ethan Adair be appointed to a position of leadership among both our groups in the matters concerning Elder Charles Sadhin. His knowledge of his fellow Elder and experience with Gaia and Her gifts qualifies him as the highest ranking official on this island." Ben stopped talking and looked over the crowd. "He is truly a marvel, and I believe everyone here knows Elder Adair in some fashion."
Taking a step toward Ethan, drawing her dress to its length across the forest floor, Alexis reached out her hand to draw Ethan before everyone. "Elder Adair, do you object to this appointment?"
Ethan didn't know what to say. Of course he could refuse, and the thought crossed his mind. He was never one to lead anything, and much less leading a war effort was least desired. However, his expertise on his brother was certainly needed. Looking into Alexis' eyes, shimmering with reflected starlight and the mirage of an aurora, Ethan knew her argument through and through. He would not have to be a military leader, he would not have to lead any group, but his expertise of every world war, of war efforts, of history was needed. Ethan was the best advisor among the survivors of the Earth, period, in all matters. This title was merely a representation for the humans so Ethan could assert greater authority with his knowledge and ideas. Ben already gave his respect to Ethan, Alexis would never question his understandings and perspectives, but the larger population would, in time, begin to question his implicit authority if battles were waged and losses were had.
This was safety for Ethan.
"I accept this honor," Ethan said slowly.
Ben's voice took over again. "Are there those who appose?"
A few raised there hands, each of whom Ethan had not had the opportunity to meet yet.
Ben asked, patiently and commandingly, "With a majority either agreeing with or abstaining from this decision, will you acquiesce to the majority?" The few nodded in agreement. "Thank you." Ben turned to Ethan. "We are honored to have your wisdom in these matters, to guide us, and to lead us as you have for so many years."
Bowing his head, "Thank you, Ben. I shall do what I can to ensure the success of our society and the Earth, as I have throughout my life."
There was silence throughout the sanctuary, though a ringing reverberated through Ethan's mind like a concert of fuzz. Without thought, knowing eyes stared at him with intrigue, concern, and infatuation, Ethan went back to his seat next to Antoni. Once there, he turned to Antoni and asked hastily, "Why was I not informed of this?"
"Alexis wasn't sure whether you would allow her to nominate you without the support of Ben and the other Council members." This was the first thing Antoni had said to Ethan since his return. "We believe in you. We trust you. And above all else, we respect and honor you.
"I'm sorry..."
Caught off guard, Ethan couldn't respond quick enough. Antoni, back slouching in dejection, breath leaving his lungs in a low sigh, he turned away ever so slightly from Ethan.
"There is nothing to apologize for, Antoni. Judgments and actions cannot be influenced without ethical and moral recklessness." Again, the comforting hand of an Elder, pulling the power of Gaia into a gesture, landed on Antoni's shoulder. "Charles is under his own delusions and cannot see the world as it is. You have nothing to fear."
A smile, however quaint and forced, was welcome between them.
Ben and Alexis were talking low, obviously deciding who would speak next. The decision was clear from the start, and Alexis remained standing as Ben joined Ethan and the Council of Gaia. She turned back to the congress around her and said, "Now that this has been settled, we must discuss our course of action.
"There are two matters at hand. The restoration of the planet is the most important, though even this is negated by the necessity of survival. Which brings me to the next task: our protection." She began to pace around the sanctuary, always before the humans. Her eyes wandered between every individual, capturing their mind in her abilities. Ethan felt her magic weaving in and out of the crowd. He then understood what Ben and Alexis were really talking about. Her spell was sending them images, helping them understand what her words were attempting to convey, but would certainly lack. "What we face is daunting. The Elder we must protect ourselves from has harnessed the power of Helios, the Sun. It is a temperamental power, a devastating power, a treacherous and overwhelming power. But it must be understood that His influence is only strong during the day, strongest at high noon. We have the gifts of Gaia, which are with us always.
"This is our advantage! We can work day and night. Our abilities are not limited by the hour, and our course is just and true. Gaia will be with us, She will protect us, and we will thrive if we work together." She paused to allow her listeners to absorb the information. None were shocked, for the understood with a sort of deja-vu comprehension, thanks to Alexis' spell.
When she spoke again, her voice came melodically. "We must decide tonight whether we are to build a defensive strategy to counter Elder Sadhin, to attack and eliminate the threat he poses, or to hide so completely from his eyes and abilities that he can not threaten our society until we are ready for him to know of our existence again."
The air in the sanctuary grew thicker and lessened suddenly. Ethan felt Gaia surge with pride, filling the space with inspiration and relaxation. Fluttering blue wings danced before Ethan, and he stood to follow it outside. Instinctively, he knew the meeting would run smoothly without his influence, and the decision that would come he would abide by.
Footsteps sounded behind Ethan.
"Elder Adair?" It was Sarah. He turned and saw her golden hair, pulled back around her head and cut short, glittered with starlight and shining with the ambiance of the moon. "May I walk with you? I don't care for political discussions of any sort. I've always been one for action, you know."
"Indeed I do, come, walk with me and our little friend here. He's living for quite a long time."
Sarah regarded the Blue Morpho. "Is that the one you brought with you?"
Nodding, "I do believe so. It has been imbued with the magic of Gaia, I suspect."
Thunder echoed in the distance. The smell of rain seemed to wash ashore. Wind began to pick up, gentle rhythms brushing through Ethan's grey hair. He turned to face the wind coming from the west, blowing onward to the east. He smiled and took a deep breath. "Change is coming. And She says it will be a good one." The butterfly landed on his shoulder.
Watching with a displaced glance on her face, Sarah too took a breath of the crisp air filled with the scent of ozone. "Change, finally." She giggled at the irony of her own statement. "Change we can finally agree with, that is." Turning to the east, they walked to the shore to look out over the waves and talk about the paths they had taken in the past five hundred years. Concerns of the upcoming events were far off with the wind, wilting away over the ocean currents and passing through the veils dressing the life in smothering smoke.
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