Featured Story: Life and Death Around the Spire

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Featured Story: Life and Death Around the Spire

Vanessa Ravencroft

Vanessa Ravencroft  a year ago

This is the second part of Chapter 2

--””--

Loud screams of panic and fighting woke him up. He had never rested more comfortable and warm.The sway of the wagon had stopped, he could smell fire. The screams and shouts of men fighting and dying were all around.

He jumped out of the bed and brushed past the heavy curtains.The back door of the wagon was wide open. Again his own mind gave him the advice to hide under the bed, but once more his curiosity was stronger and he crawled to the door. Sharp long shafted things hammered with sharp knocking sounds into the thin walls of the wagon.

Now he was able to take a peek and looked outside.

The wagon of the Exalted wearer stood in flames and provided flickering light to a forest path littered with dead and dying men and Rekies hacked to pieces or pierced by these long sticks that kept appearing with sharp hissing sounds hacking into men and raised shields.

He also saw his new master, fighting like the soldiers with a very long curved knife. The fire created long wild dancing shadows, yet Hygi was certain his master was hit by a flying stick, but it broke into many pieces just before it was about to hit.

It happened at least three more times, when a Reki attacked Brother Naruk from behind with a powerful strike using one of these long knifes. It was as if he struck a rock, the blade shattered in a shower of sparks.The Reki surprised, fell a heartbeat later, Brother Naruk felled the vicious Reki with single strokes of his weapon, sometimes not even close enough to really hit his opponents.

It was clear the Kings men now had the upper hand and now he saw them using odd staffs with strings to release these flying sticks into the surrounding trees. and bushes.

Brother Naruk noticed him and yelled. “Get your head down, there are still Reki Archers out there.”

Hygi complied.

--””--

It was over, the Kings men and the Herald stood in a circle around the now completely burned out wagon. The Herald was furious and kicked a dead Reki. Two soldiers carried a makeshift litter into the circle and on it the Exalted wearer of the golden robe. Much of his magnificent robe was burned and torn. Hygi could see the terribly burned arm and could hear the pitiful groans.

Brother Naruk rushed to the litter and asked it to be brought into the wagon,

The Herald commanded the men to set up camp and post guards, so the wounded could be tended too.

Hygi was completely ignored. He watched as the soldiers beheaded Reki slaves and killing those Reki warriors that were wounded.

He had never seen any fighting before and he was sick to the stomach, and terribly afraid.

He didn’t want to go into the wagon, afraid he might see the Exalted in all his misery.

Hygi started crying.

--””--

The first morning light caught wisps of fog between the trees and made them almost glow. Smoke from the still smoldering remains of the third wagon curled into the cold air. The coming light of day also revealed the extent of the carnage and gore.

Hygi had spend the rest of the night crouched under the wagon, his arms wrapped around his knees, being colder than he ever was.For the most part of the night, he had shivered but now the shaking has stopped and he felt strangely peaceful.

He heard his name., Brother Naruk was calling him. He tried to answer, but only after the second try he managed to answer with a weak croak.

Naruk bent down and looked at him, “Oh sweet lord, don’t tell me you have been there all night?

Naruk took him in his arms and carried him inside the wagon and put him into one of the beds.In is weak state he was certain he was dreaming, because Naruk talked to someone and he could hear a female voice but he understood none of the words.

Naruk’s face appeared over his head and the brother said. “You got a pretty severe case of hypothermia, but no worries. Everything will be fine. I never realized you were outside.”

Hygi whispered. “The Exalted?”

“He will live.”

--

Brother Naruk, who actually was Dr. Markus Sibelius, anthropologist and field researcher for Schwartz Intergalactic Industries had immersed himself in several primitive societies before, and observed many more. He had served the Union science corps for nearly forty five years, before he retired. He did spend a year at Triton University teaching, but that was not him. He wanted to be out in the field. SII offered him a research position in their research department.Unlimited research budget and a generous salary.

At first he could research whatever he wanted. SII did almost as much exploring as the explorer department of the Science Corps. Of course for different reasons.

The explorer division reached out past Union space into uncharted and unknown space simply to learn what was out there and applied the highest moral standards to their research. Especially in the field of anthropology or more precisely Xeno-anthropology as the research subjects were human only in the rarest cases.

SII did research too, but there was always the motivation of profit.

In general there was nothing wrong with that. SII was the core reason the entire Attikan Commonwealth had joined the Union, but there was hardly anyone in the the entire Union who did not expect SII to do things not always morally kosher. He knew that before he accepted his position.

But he worked for them now for almost twenty years and everything was first class and he had more freedom to chose what he wanted to research. This was until eight years ago, when the resource development manager approached him and asked if he was interested in helping to create a species evaluation report, that could help SII develop business relations with a pre industrial species outside of Union space. He agreed and it worked out better than expected. SII got the development contacts and exclusive mining rights long before the society became aware of the Union.

SII was extremely grateful and increased his salary and benefits to a very comfortable level.

Truth to be told, he loved to use his expertise in ways that went beyond scientific papers. So it came SII resource development came to him with similar cases and of course this one.

SII Searchers had discovered this garden world about four years ago. The region was called the 1a Outer Arm and in the spinward sector of the Milky Way galaxy.

It was also about 3500 light years from the closest Union system.

The survey team found sentient life, two biological incompatible species. Both species were on the same technological development level, where crude Iron was the most advanced technology.

One of the sentients were biologically quite human and the other an upright species of warm blooded lizard like beings.

The survey team also found the world to be rich in natural resources, specifically large deposits of copper and Iridium.

These survey results combined with the biological treasures a garden world offered made it a very attractive target for SII.

However Union law prohibited exploitation and simply taking the resources. Also open contact to a prim culture was frowned upon, but research was not.

His job was first and foremost to conduct said research and provide a detailed civilization assessment. SII would then use his research to decide how to proceed. This was the unethical part, as they usually infiltrated a local government. Once this was accomplished they expanded that governments control over the entire planet and prepared the locals for visitors from the stars. SII then staged an accidental open discovery and obtained exclusive trade and mining rights. This was a long process and could take centuries, but SII had millions of projects like this and for a company that existed for almost 3000 years, projects of many decades meant little.

However SII was not the only Mega corporation doing this, there were Enroe, DeNoir and a dozen others.

He was almost certain, Enroe was here.During the last festival celebrating the descent of the Goddess, the Blue Robes had a new, tall brother. The local humans did in general grow past 160 centimeters, mostly due to the lack of calcium in their diet. Sure there were exceptions to everything and there were tall locals, but the new Blue Robe had almost the same story as how he came to the Blue brothers as his own.

He could be wrong of course, but Chira also suspected Enroe agents to be here. He forgot to ask him how he came to that conclusion.

Now this business of gods being seen at the Black Spire was more than peculiar. Both SII and Enroe were known to bend a few rules, but never really broke the law as far as he knew. Because ever since the corporate wars, CEO’s and entire boards could be held accountable for what the company did. While this was not Union space, the companies were Union based and when it came to the rights of sentient beings, Union courts and the Assembly drew a hard line.

Not for one second did he believe the sightings were real gods or anything supernatural, but caused by another corporation.Perhaps it was the Science corps using the Black Spire as hidden observation post.

The SC maintained many well hidden and camouflaged observation posts on worlds with primitive civilizations. Not just for research but also to make sure the civilization was not disturbed in their development.

Of course if it was the SC, he was on thin ice and SII had to abandon their plans.

The world was called Egtor and had only two, but very large continents. As far as he knew there were no settlements of any kind on the other continent. The locals did not know it existed.

They had not really explored their own continent, but there were caravans that brought goods and wares from distant lands.

He himself introduced himself as a monk serving the Goddess and being on a pilgrimage to find the high places of worship and was accepted by the Yellow Robes.

His ability to read and write was proof to the Yellow robes that he was indeed a religious man. This and the fact that he gifted the Exalted wearer a considerable amount of gold. A tribute collected on his journey for the glory of the goddess of course made him rise rather fast in the hierarchy of the order and received the fur bordered hood with the the embroidered face of the goddess first aspect. The Exalted wearer became almost something like a friend and valued his advice in all sort of matters.

This why the Exalted had chosen him to come along to go to the festival last year and now for this trip to heed the Kings summon.

The last campaign of the King against the rust colored lizards of the Amber Savannah had only ended, a season ago. Of course everyone was told it was a successful campaign, but perhaps it wasn’t as successful.

The attack last night had been carried out by the green skinned Reki, that populated a large stretch of the Eastern coast.

It was a general believe, that the green Reki hated the red ones even more than the humans, and the many arrow pierced Reki seemed to support that believe.

Unfortunately being on top of an inaccessible pillar like mountain, being part of a religious group was not the best place to stay abreast of local politics,not that there was anything like a news network. News travelled by foot and by mouth of merchants and wandering traders neither very fast nor very accurate.

He had the finest and latest SII manufactured Auto Doc unit in his trunk, and could have completely restored the badly burned Exalted. His wounds were so severe, he would have been a doomed man on this planet.

However he could not restore the man as it would expose him, either as a saint or a wizard using black arts.

The most difficult part was to stop the Auto Doc from doing too much.

He just put the Auto Doc away, as the Exalted stirred. He was still burned, but thanks to the Auto Doc painfree. He opened his eyes and reached for Naruk’s robe. “They thaught you well in that cloister you told me about. I feel much better.”

“You are far from healed, Exalted one. It will take many days before you are well again.”

“I know your skills in the arts of healing have saved my life. This is why you are now second to me only.I can not continue this journey, but the King’s summon is still to be followed. Therefore I want you to take my place and speak as the Exalted. As soon as I can I will send a runner with a Golden robe, all I had along has been consumed by the flames.”

---”””--

The Exalted was probably halfway back at the Spire by now, Hygi felt much better. The wagon was rattling again as it rolled along the uneven path. This time pulled by soldiers.Everyone was nervously scanning the foliage and bushes to the left and the right of the path.

The heavy fabric that covered the windows were rolled up, it was still cold,but this time he was wearing his robe and a blanket around his shoulders.

Brother Naruk had his arms wrapped before his and stared out the side window,one of these long knives on his lab.

Since the windows were open they both wore their hoods.

Hygi quietly said. “Master, can I disturb you with a question?”

“Of course you can. You are supposed to be my pupil now and that means you can ask questions.”

“Will they come back?”

“Well hard to tell, but if they do they have to do it soon. After the midday break and perhaps before the second ball drops we will emerge from the forest. The Reki can’t really hide on the plains until we reach the river. Their bows have a much shorter range than the ones of the King’s men.”

“The magic flying sticks have a range?”

“It is not magic that makes the sticks fly. It is the tension of the bow. The sticks are called arrows by the way.”

“Will you teach me how to use a long knife like that?”

Naruk picked up the weapon. “Technically it is a falchion and using it in combat, takes a lifetime of training and practice.I am not very good at it. Let’s hope events like last night won’t repeat too often in your future However once we are back on the spire, I show you what I learned.”

Naruk chuckled, “Would you believe if I tell you, that I questioned my teacher why we had to learn to fight with edged weapons?”

“You were a brother of the Red Robes before? They follow the aspect of blood and I heard they learn how to fight like soldiers.”

“No, where I come from, we don’t separate the aspects of the goddess.”

“How is it where you came from.It is all the way across the Eye of Egtor ,right?”

“Yes in a way it is far across that big inland lake, that separates these lands from the distant west.”

“How long did it take you to walk from there?”

“Almost a lifetime. It is very far.”

“Are there any Rekis and do you have a king?”

“Yes we have many beings that look like the Rekis,but some are our friends and no we have no kings. All the people together decide the laws.”

“The people make the laws? But who collects the kings tribute then and who tells the soldiers what to do?”

“The people do. At home the people decide how much tribute or taxes are to be collected and what the tribute is spend on, including soldiers.”

Hygi was thinking about that. “Does it really work?”

“Yes it surprisingly does and for quite some time now.”

Art midday rest, three runners completely exhausted caught up and presented Brother Naruk with a golden robe and the fur trimmed hood and the face of the goddess.

After brother Naruk had made another one of his hot chocolates for Hygi and gave him a fresh flatbread roll filled with Nagli fish and White bird egg. He changed into the golden robe.

Hygi had lost some of his fear and shyness towards his new master. Brother Naruk was different than his old master.And now with the blessing of the Exalted wearer honored and raised to the second highest step and office of the order,Hygi should feel even more fea, he would have never simply asked such an important person anything. Common wisdom on top of the spire was to be as small and invisible as possible when a fur hood or a golden hood was near. If they wanted something they said so.

“Master,do you know why we wear hoods?I mean to the outside world?”

Naruk sat down, and turned the yet unworn hood in his hands to look at the mask. “I am not entirely sure what tradition it started, but the reasons are to invoke fear and appear not quite human.”

“I always feared the hoods. I still do, even after two cold seasons.”

“It is the fear of the unknown. Animals and many beings I know identify each other by smell, or touch. We humans do it by sight. If you talk to someone, almost half of the conversation is not done by words but by facial expressions. Right now you can see my face and you know I am not angry or annoyed. You know how to react and respond.”

Naruk put on the hood. “Now you only hear my voice and muffled at that. Your mind suddenly lost much of the usual references and so you don’t really know how to act.

Now if you don’t know who is behind this mask; the insecurity becomes a feeling of fear.

Fear of the unknown is the core of many religions and keeping fear and mystery alive keeps religion in business since times begun.”

Naruk, rolled the cover of the side window up.”It also provides a barrier for you, it distances you from the people.”

Hygi said. “I am not sure I understood everything, but it somehow makes sense.”

“Glad it did, but I suggest you do read the scrolls and texts and find the traditional reason too.”

-””--

It was as Brother Naruk said, they reached the end of the forest. There was a small village with pitiful mud brick huts,smoking fires and incredibly dirty people trying to hide. To Hygi it was nothing out of the ordinary. He had been here before when he and the Yellow brothers walked to the spire,two cold seasons ago. He then realized the path would lead them to his own village.The river was not far from it, and he had helped loading tribute aboard the Kings barges. His heart was beating faster,maybe he would be able to see his mother and brothers.

The cart stopped rolling and the soldiers spread out with rough laughters and barking commands.

Hygi watched in horror as the soldiers dragged men and women out, kicked them and used their whips. Laughing soldiers were breaking urns and cages, took protesting White Birds and pulled goats on ropes out of their pens, One of the soldiers walked past the window of the cart. “Eminence we will eat good tonight and we found us some willing helpers to pull the wagon.”

A new emotion made him clench his fists,as he saw a young woman staring at him with fear and hopelessness as she was dragged by a soldier inside a hut.”

Naruk’s hand fell on his shoulder. “Sooner than expected are you learning one of the reason why there are hoods.”

“Master, we can’t let them do all this. They will starve without that food and without the men. I know!”

Naruk sighed and raised his voice. “Herald reign in your men.These are the Kings subjects and not the enemy.”

“Exalted one, my men....” The herald stopped and frowned,then he had his sergeant bellow orders and call the soldiers.

Hygi sighed. “Will I be able to see my family? The path we are taking goes right through my village.”

“I doubt we have time, besides you would frighten your family, but maybe we are not in such a hurry when on our way back,”

---””--

His village was exactly as he remembered it, nothing has changed. yet it seemed strange and alien. The naked kids, the adults dressed in rags. The huts so small and everything was filthy.

The wagon rolled towards the river shore.

This close to the cold season, there was nothing to do on the fields, but there was always work. He saw most of the villagers at the river bank, ankle deep in the cold mud searching for Slurry Fishlings.A basket full of fishlings could be traded for goat hair and hides from those who lived in the hills.

He was almost certain he saw his father and his two brothers, but they all stood there with their heads lowered,and made the sign of devotion to the goddess, by describing a circle with both hands.

Part of him wanted to run to them, rip the hood of his head and hug and kiss them all, but another part of him was glad he wore the hood so no one saw his tears. His family only paces away and yet separated by deep chasm created by incompatible worlds.

While he secretly and silently sobbed he followed his master onto the barge.

No he was never on one like this,this wasn’t one of the drt brown floaters with a big fabric for the wind to catch and rows of sacks and pots filled with the white grains of Matroo.

On each side of the ship sat men and Reki chained to benches and holding long sticks.The rear of the barge was elevated and had a tent like structure with braziers, carpets and soft cushions.

A man with a short black beard and dressed just like the herald,in a jerkin covered with small brass plates and a white undercoat with golden seams.Both men wore deep red capes attached to the jerkin.

Unlike the herald, this man did not wear boots, but calf high tied sandals.and he also did not wear a brass helmet like the herald did.

That man bowed slightly before the herald and brother Naruk. “We can cast of as soon as you give the word, Hundred-leader Hebris.”

Hygi learned then, that the herald had a name and a rank.

The herald, made a commanding gesture. “Then let us make haste, we are already late.”

“We going downstream, the winds are good and I shall make the slaves sweat with double beat.”

Naruk had his hand on Hygi’s shoulder and gently pushed him up a short flight of wooden stairs to the tent. “The fate of slaves pains me too, my pupil. Their time of freedom is in the future but it will occur, I promise.”

Hygi sat down on a low stool, next to a brasier and stretched out his cold hands. “I have seen my father. I am certain.”

“Let us tend to the Kings summon and deal with this matter of religion first. As I said I am certain there is time on our way back where we can find a way for you to visit them.”

Hygi swallowed a sob and sighed. “Seeing them, I am not so sure I should. They might have forgotten me, they might look to me for help. I envision that meeting and I am afraid of it.”

“It is another unknown, Hygi. I think you should make that decision when it is to be made and not worry about ifs and maybes of the future.”

“Where you taken from your family too?”

“No fortunately not, but my parents are very far away. Both in distance and time.”

The man in charge of the barge issued commands and the vessel was untied and started to move with the flow of the water towards mid stream, the big cloth, Brother Naruk called a sail was unfurled and billowed in the stiff breeze. A drum was beat in a dull steady rhythm and the slaves started to move the long sticks back and forth.

Men with whips passed back and forth in the middle aisle and occasionally let their leather strings snap over the bending backs.

The herald had talked to the barge master until now. He also came up the stairs, for the first time smiling. “We are making good speed and it appears we are going to be at the King’s spire in time after all.

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Vanessa Ravencroft

Vanessa Ravencroft  a year ago

Chapter 2: To the River

Hygi, got to his feet. His legs shaking uncontrollably. He was not certain if he had died after, or id this was a terribly dream.

The door to Brother Naruks chambers opened and Narkus appeared coming straight at him. Narkus was the tallest of the brothers and while he was one of the Yellow robes of the first aspect, Hygi had never really talked to him. Narkus did not have a pupil either.

Even though Hygi was used to see the brothers with their masks, he still feared them.

He knelt and lowered his head. “Please don’t take me to the Sinner’s ledge.”

Narkus deep voice sounded angry. “I have a good mind doing that, but I am in need of an acolyte. So go and pack a few things. We are about to travel for quite a spell. While I talk to your master and let him know you are my pupil now.”

Hygi hesitated, not sure what it all meant.

Narkus clapped his hand. “Make haste. It seems you are not only nosy but hard of hearing. If you are not by the South winch before the third ball drops. I push you off the ledge myself!”

Hygi got up and ran all the way to his chambers. Right behind the tattered curtains of coarse Sagrill fibers stood Legi, another acolyte of about his age and serving the third aspect. He and Legi shared this sparsely furnished chamber. Two crude wood frame beds with broad strips of Sagrill fiber, a bag of hay and a blanket made of the spun hair of the Warku goats and two shelves. His shelf held a wooden bowl, a wooden spoon and six scrolls of chants, a gift of his master. On a peg next to it, hung his Feast day robe, made of yellow dyed Warku hair.

Legi smelled of food and that meant he had helped in the kitchen, perhaps the best chore as the cooks always handed out bread rolls or sometimes even a handful of Nitri berries.

Legi held out his wooden bowl with a good helping of Hygi’s favorite food. “Here I got you some Nitris, Brother Orbix said these are the last ones for this season.”

Hygi brushed past his friend and tossed his bowl and spoon onto his bed blanket. Followed by his Feast robe.

Legi came closer. “What happened? You look as if you seen a ghost!”

Hygi near the end of his nerves almost screamed. “I have! I have seen a ghost! It saved my life too. Now I am to go with Brother Narkus, I think we are going to the Spire of the King.”

Legi blinked and took a step back, clearly overwhelmed by the answer and the intensity Hygi gave it.”Seven times kissing the seams of the Golden Robe! Nine praises to the goddess! A ghost up here? How does a ghost look like?”

“How many balls have dropped?”

“I think the second ball dropped when I left the kitchen.”

“I have little time then, I am pushed off the ledge if I don’t make it to the winch by the time the third ball drops.”

“Nothing you say makes any sense. You saw a ghost, you go travel to the King and you are about to pushed of the Ledge of Sinners? The last time I saw you was when the first ball dropped, weren’t you to paint the stairs to the great temple copula?”

Hygi rolled the blanket into a bundle and tied a strip of Sagrill around it.

Brother Unti, his master brushed the curtain aside. “Hyg, you are now Brother Naruks pupil, make haste! The exalted one is already on his way to the winch.”

Hygi grabbed his bundle, gave friend a hurtful look of good bye, then he dropped to his knees kissed the seam of Brother Unti’s robe, muttered a distraught. “Thank you and rushed past his former master, hoping he would make it in time.

--””--

The steam in the huge tank had built up enough pressure to push another heavy metal ball of the rack and it dropped onto to the enormous brass disc suspended by a thick rope in the tower of time. The loud chime could be heard almost everywhere. This was the third ball of the day. The brothers would gather for supper and then congregate in the great temple, and chant seven praises to each aspect of the Goddess.

Hygi just made it, he stepped into the winch house, as the chime of the third ball echoed across the top of Kastirin, the monastery of the Yellow Robes.

Brother Naruk was there, and two high brothers. assistants to the Exalted wearer. The highest priest was not among them.

Naruk tapped with his foot, “That is cutting it very close. A few more moments and you would not have needed a winch basket to reach the ground.”

One of the High brothers, identified by the white fur around his hood and the face of the first aspect embroidered onto the fabric stepped before Hygi, who immediately dropped to his knees said. “You are to go with the Exalted and Brother Naruk to the Spire of the King, that means you are to step among those not chosen. You have been on the first step of your journey to become a Brother of the Yellow Order and a priest to the first aspect. Brother Unti has always spoken of you with high praise. Receive therefore thy hood. You are no longer an acolyte but raised to be an apprentice.” The hooded priest handed him a folded piece of yellow fabric. “This is your hood, wear it if you are among the people. Brother Naruk will continue your education.”

He was still kneeling. His head spun he still had no idea what was happening. Normally it took five long seasons to be raised to become an apprentice, and it was usually done in a big ceremony in the great temple. Oh he should have listened to his own advice.

Everything had changed after he decided to follow that female ghost.

Naruk waved. “Let’s go, the Exalted is already on his way down.”

The thick robes holding the basket creaked as he stepped inside..Even though these were new and well maintained ropes, after dangling on one that made very similar sounds before it snapped, he almost jumped out.

The trip down took six stages, as no rope could be made that was strong enough for the entire length.

Besides it took twelve brothers to turn the crank, a longer rope would have added to the weight.

Brother Naruk said to him. “For someone climbing over dangerous and unsafe scaffolding, you seem quite afraid of heights.”

“Not of heights, master. I am afraid of falling.”

The winch master reversed the ratchet lever, going down did not require all twelve brothers, but still there had to be four moving the big lever making the brass tongue slip over the notches of the big drum wheel. With each move of the lever, the basket dropped a triple step or so.

They had to switch baskets on each tier until they reached the first entrance.

The whole descent had taken quite some time. He could here the fourth ball drop, just as they climbed into the last basket that would carry them all the way down.

His new master hadn’t said much for most of the trip. But as the last basket swayed towards the ground where several fires burned before colorful tents of the detachment of soldiers that probably accompanied the herald; he said. “Put your new hood on, you might as well get used to it, you only see half of the world out of those blasted things, but on the bright side it keeps the bugs out in the summer and your head warm in the winter. Oh and the best part is you can stick your tongue out, or roll your eyes in annoyance. No one will notice.”

Hygi unfolded his hood and put it on,. At first he saw nothing and only smelt the fabric.He felt the hands of his new master tugging on it and his eyes lined up with the two holes.

Naruk said. “That’s better. Seeing at least some of the world is quite helpful, especially since we going through a forest with trees. Running against one is not as pleasant as you might think.”