Discovered, page 10
However, no one would recognize Baywolf now. He had grown. Now, he was a man. He was no longer the boy who pretended not to hear. He was taller and stronger than any of the three men ruling Thamon. Including Aaron.
Baywolf laughed to himself. It wasn’t hard to be bigger than Aaron. Aaron had become smaller over the years. He had turned his focus to physical wealth instead of improving himself. He had too many servants, too many women, too many interests that did not build him up but drained him.
Baywolf had tried to tell Aaron what he saw happening, but Aaron didn’t care. Aaron had that weapon he hid on his wrist and the belief that he had accepted as real. The belief that he was God.
“Who would dare to disobey me?” Aaron would say. “I am their God.”
Baywolf knew that many people knew that it was a lie, and sooner or later, they would come after him. But Aaron said that Baywolf was his secret weapon, so he wasn’t worried.
Aaron was correct. Baywolf was a secret. And he was a weapon. But Baywolf was more of a weapon than even Aaron knew, and he planned on keeping it that way until it was necessary to use what he had made himself into.
Falcon finally landed, and Baywolf ducked out of sight. He had been watching Falcon for a while now. Instinct told him that Falcon was up to something, and it was not what Aaron had asked of him.
Soon he would find out from his old friend which side he was on. For his sake, Baywolf hoped Falcon was on the same side as him.
Twenty-Nine
Suzanne couldn’t sleep. Her mind kept rolling around and around the story that she had to tell in the morning. So instead of sleeping, Suzanne lay on the ground, wrapped in blankets looking up at the stars.
Although the arrangement of the stars was entirely different from where she had come from, the view created the same feeling. Amazement at the grandeur and scale of it all, an incomprehensible immensity. Could it be possible to ever understand how all of it had been created?
The question that was keeping her awake was the idea that although the universes were vast beyond comprehension—and she and her sister were on a new planet in the middle of a universe that might not even be the one they had come from—Thamon just might share a common story with the one that had influenced the two dimensions she knew on Gaia—Erda and Earth.
The only way to find out was to talk about it with the others and find out what they knew. Whatever they discovered, she knew one thing for sure. It wasn’t by mistake that Meg had been sent to Thamon. And it wasn’t a mistake that Suzanne had followed her.
A few hours later, Suzanne woke as Etar broke over the horizon. Etar’s rising and setting was almost everyone’s favorite times of the day. Without the bright light of Trin, the world was a lovely shade of purple or blue, making everything appear magical.
Leon was bustling around the fire, making something for everyone to eat. No matter where they were, Leon always managed to come up with delicious meals. Suzanne knew that they would all miss him when he left with the others to take supplies and protection to the Sanctuary.
Silke landed beside Suzanne’s head and whispered, “It’s good that you got a few hours of sleep, Suzanne.”
“Were you awake, too?” Suzanne asked.
Silke nodded. “Wren was, too.”
“Do you know what I want to talk about?” Suzanne asked.
“We think we do. And then both of us have something to add. And we need to do it before the men leave for the Sanctuary.”
Suzanne nodded, rolled over, and groaned as she sat up. She was used to sleeping on the ground, but if she had a choice, she preferred a big fluffy bed in a warm room.
Not likely that will happen anytime soon, she thought to herself.
With all the people helping, it didn’t take long until everyone was fed, the fire put out, and the campsite restored to what it had looked like before they had descended upon it.
The men from the Eos and Soleis had distributed packs of food to everyone, but most of it was going to the Sanctuary so they and Leon and his men would be carrying large bundles on their back.
The group retreated to a small clearing deeper in the woods. They wanted to be a little less visible in case someone was looking for them. Although Wren had come back from town and said that Stryker looked as if he would be staying in town for the day, and Joseph and Todd would keep him in their sights, it was still wise to be cautious.
Once everyone had settled in, sitting on their packs, or rocks, Tarek turned to Suzanne and said, “Silke said we need to begin with what you want to tell us.”
Suzanne took a deep breath and began. “Part of me feels crazy telling you this story. But the more I think about the pendant, the more I wonder if it is the work of two brothers.
“On Erda, one of our own, Aki, used to tell this strange story. And as we worked to overthrow Abbadon, the evil man trying to take over Erda, we discovered that the story—at least for Erda—was true.”
Turning to Meg, Suzanne said, “You weren’t there when we overcame what they had done. It happened when mom and dad took you away from Erda. Besides, after it was over, only a few of us retained the memory.
“The story, as Aki told it, was that there were two brothers. Aki called them the two bored brothers who had traveled the universe, or maybe more than one universe, on a snake-shaped silver spaceship.
“Their home planet had been destroyed, and to keep themselves from going crazy, they decided to experiment with the evolution of planets that they discovered on their travels.
“As I understand it, they tried different experiments on these planets. On Gaia, they experimented with the two dimensions of Earth and Erda.”
It was Rose who asked the question. “So you think that these two bored brothers experimented with Thamon? With the pendant?”
“It makes sense, doesn’t it? We don’t really believe the story that a god named Tewao made a pendant, gave it to his son who then abused its power. Then Tewao took it back, broke it in thirds, buried it, and then made some kind of ‘magical’ map that would allow someone to find it?
“But the brothers would have done that as an experiment. They would have wanted to see what people would do with it.
“On Gaia, they were testing the powers of good and evil. They wanted to know which side would win. Would greed override love?
“Why wouldn’t they use something like a pendant that makes the wearer all-powerful to do the same on Thamon?
“As we know, Stryker has chosen greed. The contest between those of us representing good, and the three men that represent the desire to rule everyone and everything on Thamon, would be exactly what the brothers would have set up. If they ever made it back to Thamon, they would study the outcome of their experiment.”
“So you are saying that these brothers got their kicks studying these things because they saw us as nothing compared to them?” Rose asked. “That all that has happened, the destruction, the killing, our imprisonment, all the evil that has swept through Thamon, could be a result of two freaking brothers who didn’t know what to do with themselves other than cause upheaval and death? Are you zonking kidding me?”
Rose turned to Udore, who had sat quietly while Suzanne told the story. “Tell me that this isn’t true,” she demanded.
Instead of answering, Udore looked over at Silke and Wren.
“It fits,” Wren said.
“Fits with what?” Rose demanded.
“The prophecies,” Silke answered.
Thirty
While Suzanne told the story, Karn sat with his back against a tree, listening. But when Wren glanced over at him, he stood up.
“You’re right. This story could be true. At least it’s a better explanation of the origin of the pendant. And what most of you don’t know is that there is another piece of ‘jewelry’ in play. Sawdi found it years ago, slid it onto his finger, and I believe that it has been controlling him ever since.”
When no one said anything, he looked over at Suzanne and said, “Bolong probably told you about it.”
“Bolong?” Meg asked.
Suzanne’s eyes filled with tears, shocking Meg, who went over to sit beside her while Karn answered the question.
“Bolong is the head of the five dragons that make up the crown of dragons controlled by Sawdi. Bolong and his friends are stuck being dragons and can’t shapeshift back to their true form. That would have been my fate, too, if Wren hadn’t rescued me from Stryker’s training camp.”
Meg’s heart almost broke when she looked at her sister and the tears that threatened to overflow from her eyes. All these years, thinking of nothing but how to help other people, and finally, Suzanne had met someone she could love, and he could only be a dragon? How could that be fair?
All Meg could think of was all the evil that Sawdi had done, and what he wanted to do with his Warrior Monks. She could feel the anger growing inside of her, and for a second, a flame licked out from her hand, causing Suzanne to flinch.
“Stop it,” Karn yelled from across the clearing.
What felt like a steel lid slammed down inside Meg’s brain, and the anger faded, to be replaced by despair. She had almost burned her sister.
“Stop that, too,” Silke said as she hovered in front of Meg. “That kind of thinking makes you vulnerable to others controlling your thoughts.
“Which is what Aaron-Lem is all about. It controls your thinking. It takes over the ability to reason, imagine, be curious, or do anything other than follow the rules that Aaron, Stryker, and Sawdi have set up.”
Suzanne turned to Meg and said, “I’m okay. Even if Bolong never returns to being a human, I can still love him. And yes, I do. It shocks me as much as it probably shocks you, Meg. I never expected to find a love that fit me, and I can only feel grateful that I have.
“It adds to my belief that we both came to Thamon for a reason. Maybe it was for both of us to find love. But I think it is also to bring the story of the brothers. Knowing who they were and what they did may help us defeat these three men and their followers. I am more determined than ever.”
Turning to Karn, Suzanne said, “Yes. Bolong told me about Sawdi’s ring. Do you think this is also part of something that the bored brothers brought to Thamon?”
When Karn nodded, Suzanne said, “It makes sense. Both of these items increase the temptation to have ultimate power and the need to control everyone and everything. Bolong told me that Sawdi has gotten much worse over the years. Perhaps you are right. The ring is the reason.”
While the discussion was going on, Tarek had sat quietly watching. Finally, he turned to his father and asked, “Had you heard this story before, and that’s one of the reasons you allowed Sawdi to capture you?”
Udore smiled at Tarek before answering. No matter what happened, Udore was grateful to be back with his son. He was so proud of him, and the wizard that he had become. Seeing him look at Meg made him happy, too. But of course, he had expected it.
“I had not heard the story the way Suzanne told it, but now that she has, it answers some of my questions about the prophecies. But I do have one more question for Suzanne. Did one brother bet that good would win, and one that evil would win? Was that the purpose of the experiment?”
“On Gaia, it was.”
“Which answers why we have the prophecies. The brother who wanted good to win has given us clues as to how to stop the evil they had set into motion. The brother that wanted evil to win had the map made.”
Meg thought for a moment and then said, “But didn’t that make both brothers evil? Even the brother who wanted good to win went along with this terrible game that has caused so much suffering. So no matter what we do, isn’t evil winning, because they forced us into this game?”
No one spoke. There was truth in Meg’s words. But how were they to get around it?
“Well, from what I understand, on Erda, the brothers returned, but one of them realized what he had done was wrong,” Suzanne said. “I don’t know if the brothers ever came back here, but my guess is, although I have not read the prophesies, there is a clue or two in them on how to destroy both the pendant and the ring. Because isn’t that what we have to do?”
“Yes, obviously, we do. But what about Aaron, Stryker, and Sawdi? What happens to them? Is that in those prophesies that you keep talking about?” Rose asked.
Silke and Wren looked at each other. Silke nodded at Wren, who then looked at Karn. It was Karn who answered, “What Silke and Wren aren’t telling you is that the prophecies only hint at what happens to people involved with the pendant and ring. What it does tell us is that there would be someone who would be instrumental in the outcome.”
When he turned to look at Meg, she croaked, ‘What? Why are you looking at me?”
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Meg?” Tarek asked, taking her hand.
Thirty-One
“That’s it?” Meg squeaked as everyone started standing and stretching, getting ready to travel.
“You can’t just say that, and then not tell me more, Karn,” Meg said, hands on her hips, staring at Karn and then Wren, Silke, and Tarek. “Obviously you have known about this, whatever you are talking about, but didn’t share it with me.
“And now you are going to say something like that and leave? What am I supposed to do with that?”
“That’s the point,” Karn said. “If any of us tell you more, you will try to do something with it. So far, not knowing anything about it, you have done very well. If you try to control or direct what this looks like, it won’t work, and you know that, don’t you?”
Meg turned away, feeling like she did when she first came to Thamon, isolated and alone, and also ashamed of her behavior. She had been a wild-child who did what she wanted. She had been a shapeshifter who could be anything.
And now all of that was gone. Who was she now? Was she part of some prophesy probably written thousands and thousands of years ago? What was she supposed to think about that?
Tarek reached out and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her as Meg buried her face into his chest. Never in a million years had she ever thought she would find someone like Tarek, and be part of a community like the one she found herself in now. Karn was right, none of it had happened because of something she had made happen.
Tarek looked over Meg’s head at Karn and nodded. She’d be okay. It was just a lot of information to take in. Tarek whispered to Meg that Leon was leaving, and she broke away and ran into Leon’s arms.
“I’m so sorry, Leon, for thinking that being Ordinary was something bad or less. I was so wrong about so many things,” Meg said, trying to keep from crying.
“Please be careful,” she said, looking up at him.
“We will. And don’t worry, child, we’ll all be together again. And don’t worry about the prophecies, and what you think you might have to do. You’ll always do what is right. I saw that in you right away.”
“How could you have seen that,” Meg said. “I was, and probably still am such a brat.”
Leon laughed his huge laugh and said, “Ah. It was only misdirected energy. Be a brat, Meg. You are brave, fearless, and loving, and I, for one, am better for knowing you.”
“Aye,” echoed the men standing with him.
Meg hugged each one, crying harder as she made her way around the circle. And then everyone was saying goodbye, hugging and crying as Leon and his men and the men from the Eos and Soleis slipped out into the woods, moving so quietly Meg couldn’t hear them after they were gone a few feet.
Answering Meg’s unspoken question of how they could be so quiet, Tarek said, “Leon is not as Ordinary as he claims. He is cloaking their sounds.”
“He lied to me?”
“Not lied. Leon doesn’t consider himself magical. It’s a skill he has learned, like talking to me when we are far away from each other.” Tarek smiled and then said, “Leon said to tell you that no one is Ordinary, but you have probably figured that out for yourself.”
“What I have begun to see, Tarek, is that the word ordinary has no meaning. Everyone has gifts and skills. Sometimes they are called magic, and sometimes they are not.”
“Exactly. That’s what Leon said you would say.”
Before Meg could answer, Karn called out. “Are we ready to move out, too?”
“Perhaps I have missed something?” Suzanne said. “Where are we going? Do you know where the pendant is?”
Karn looked at the group left in the clearing—Rose, Wren, Meg, Suzanne, Silke, Tarek, and Udore—and hoped that he was right. That they were the ones that could destroy the pendant. If not, all the plans that he and Udore had put into place would fail.
Karn nodded at Udore, who lifted his empty hand and waited. There was a small flash of light, and then something was in his hand.
“I don’t, but this map does.”
*******
The room smelled musty and spicy at the same time. Stryker didn’t like it. He had spent an unexpected restless night. He had thought being on stable ground and sleeping on a bed that didn’t rock would ensure a good night’s sleep.
The exact opposite had occurred. The stillness and the staleness of the air made him feel sick. First, the sea had made him sick, and now the dry land was doing the same thing? Would he ever feel like himself again?
Stryker missed his room back in the Temple on Hetale, which surprised him. He hadn’t known that he would miss the Islands. Well, perhaps I can return there once I find the pendant, Stryker thought.
