“How much farther to Edelis?”
“Less than three miles, I would judge.” Jeevanil, riding ahead of Mainak, turned his head, a wry smile on his face. “You seem agitated.”
It was not a reprimand, but a mere observation, an annoyingly astute one. Mainak was slightly perturbed. But he did not think his emotions were that transparent, which meant his superior was far more adept at reading kernel signatures than even the Deeshayer, something he did not believe was within the realms of possibility.
“I would have preferred more time to prepare thoroughly. We still possess very little information about Aiminian intelligence network in Jivanpur.” Not so mention even less information about his colleague and superior in this potentially perilous and sensitive mission.
Perhaps sensing his concern, and veiled suggestion, Jeevanil produced a smile, in his typically mild and enigmatic manner. Two very contrasting qualities which described this inscrutable aditaru quite aptly.
“Time flows slower if you are conscious of its flow.”
Mainak frowned, nodding his head. That, strangely, made sense. As did the opposite.
“Why do you think that is, aside from the obvious connection with the Crown?”
“Tell me, what is the Crown?”
The question took Mainak by surprise, simply because it was one he had never asked himself before, though he should have, as it touched upon the very nature of existence.
“It is a collection of patterns deep inside the brain.” he eventually said after mulling things over. “Patterns of essence, modified by the Crown itself into kernel, which can, in turn, alter the flow of kernel in the rest of one’s own body. And, under certain conditions, it can even affect other essences which are not kernel, and reside outside the body, which is what Enfolding and Manipulation essentially are.”
Mainak paused. Then, after a blink of consideration, continued on to express a widely held belief, at least amongst aditarun scholars.
“Given the right biological conditions, if a certain threshold of essence is crossed, a Crown is born, after which the collection of patterns – the Chakra – can mostly maintain itself.”
“What do the individual patterns represent?”
Now they were straying into unknown territory where speculations reigned supreme. So Mainak voiced one such speculation, something he personally believed to be true, though he had no logical reason for such conviction.
“Memories. They make us who we are, what we are. They can directly affect us, and through us, they can indirectly alter the Cosmos around us.”
Jeevanil slowed his horse to a walk, falling beside Mainak in a show of expert horsemanship. Mainak’s eyes widened in shock upon seeing the look of boundless joy and heartfelt approval in the older man’s eyes.
“Precisely.”
The single word emphatically announced countless emotions for a blink before they were expertly reigned in.
“Remember…. Time is an illusion. Memory is the only guide.”
Instead of replying, Mainak quietly analyzed the statement. Like all self-respecting aditarus and most Manipulators and human nobles, he was intimately acquainted with the seven proverbs associated with the Aspects of Reality. This one and the one corresponding to Space, both supposedly coined by none other than Allmother herself, were particularly close to his heart – for obvious reasons.
However, as always, just when he came close to forming a clear understanding of its meaning, the underlying significance escaped his Crown like autumn mist through the fingers. Also, the words, indeed the whole topic, renewed his previous concerns regarding Jeevanil. For now, Mainak decided to bide his time, as a wrong question could precipitate the very problem he was trying to avoid.
Sensing Mainak’s frustration, which again showcased his preternaturally sensitive essence senses, Jeevanil said in a voice filled with the wisdom of the Ages, “Fret not. Only time itself can elucidate that statement.” He then glanced upwards at the overcast sky, seemingly rearranging his thoughts.
The Monsoon had arrived a week late in eastern Arunia, but in the subsequent couple of weeks, it had been trying its best to balance the debt of rain. A sharp breath through the nose informed Mainak another downpour was headed their way before the onset of dusk. Hopefully, by then, he would be safely tucked inside his bed. The faculty quarters at the University were said to be quite opulent, by human standards.
“The patterns, or to be more specific, the kernel, inside the Crown does more than just hold our memories,” Jeevanil gave a pause whose significance escaped Mainak. “Potentially.”
Perhaps the pause meant Mainak was on the right track with his belief. “What else does it do?”
“There is a school of thought which believes that, collectively, they act as an anchor. Mind and Matter – so to speak, connected by the bridge of kernel.”
“Reality and consciousness, connected through.…kernel?” An odd feeling of subtle, almost instinctive understanding permeated Mainak’s whole being. “That sounds suspiciously similar to a Cosmic Node,” he said, starting to understand why Jeevanil thought the Crown was so important. “You are implying each Crown acts like a miniature Node.”
“Did you not just say our memories make us who we are, at least partly? And can we not affect the world around us through our actions? Just by traveling on this road we have altered the lives of many. By an inconsequential amount perhaps, but one cannot be certain even of that apparently trivial truth. Sometimes all it takes is a small nudge,” he began, then seeing Mainak’s raised eyebrows, he clarified, “mundane nudge, to alter the course of history. Also, we, and thus our Crowns, are an integral part of this world, a world that our Crowns continuously alter, and in turn, they are then influenced by the transformed world.”
“Perpetuation of change. Same as with a Cosmic Node.”
Mainak was a bit surprised, as always, by the amount of interest their mere presence was generating. A merchant caravan holding a good fifty humans had gone past them not quarter bell ago, all but a couple of the guards seemingly taken aback by the two aditarus dressed in snow-white cloaks, though the significance of the attire had escaped most of them. One or two had even started eyeing Mainak’s leather pack with greed before a stern warning from the merchant and the guard-captain had prevented any future unpleasantness. After that, word had spread like wildfire amongst the group, and every single human had started regarding the two Enfolders with fearful respect, or in case of one particular guard, openly defiant hostility.
“Given the time constraints, I was surprised you managed to gather as many provisions as you did. Did you anticipate the possibility of a mission to Gaia?”
“I did.”
Mainak did indeed expect, or rather hope, for such a mission. But, even then, most of the items in his pack were procured by Sagarika. Only the armor and blackbond ropes, made from Skelerian hide and refined Khudra, were from his emergency cache.
The man’s own pack was inside his dimension bag, and as a result, remained a mystery. The bag itself, tied around his waist by a leather cord of flawless craftsmanship, looked worn, and as old as the man carrying it. Mainak himself did not carry a dimension bag openly, deciding to hide it in his pack. More than one in such close proximity could draw undue attention from sensitive Clerics.
He was, however, wearing his warded armor over his green silk shirt. Not for any physical protection, as his Shield was more than capable of handling any threat, but for providing smoother kernel flow which would increase his stamina. And also to mask his signature, something most Rangers tended to overlook. But not Mainak. Being underestimated by his enemies had saved his life on many occasions. Nobody took you seriously if your Chakras were as diluted as lassi sold by the street-vendors of Lohil.
An oxcart driven by a couple of huge bovines strolled past them on the road. The driver, a farmer by all appearances with produce intended for sale in the Indiwar’s bazaar, a huge open air market at the southern outskirts of Edelis, tipped his straw hat in greeting, staring wonderingly at Mainak and Jeevanil.
The highway from Sangam to Edelis was one of the busiest in all of Arunia. And this reaction, while not unexpected – after all, aditarus were relatively uncommon in Arunia – still bothered Mainak. Cultural intermix between aditarus and humans would benefit both races. It was a pity that aditarus preferred isolation by their very nature. Not for the first time Mainak wondered why Allmother had created aditarus this way. Or whether she had. After all, it was Anantika herself who had decreed that the Common tongue would be the official language of the aditarus, causing Sanbri, their mother tongue till then, to become virtually extinct, little more than a language used for ritualistic ceremonies now.
Maybe it was a case of nurture dominating over nature. Aditarus have been isolated for nearly three millennia. Even a common language had not been sufficient to bridge the cultural and racial differences. Perhaps living side by side, a single nation of aditarus and humans, would be the solution. But it would take nothing short of an act of Om to realize that particular dream, a dream that, unfortunately, was not shared by many, be it human or aditaru.
Sitting around the family hearth during the evening, the farmer would probably be telling his grandchildren all about the two strange pure-blooded aditarus he had chanced across on the road to Edelis. Mainak hoped it would be a favorable account. Either way, the event lent credence to his superior’s theory.
A self-evolving system. The Crown. As were Cosmic Nodes, supposedly.
Turning his thoughts to more practical, and far less confusing, matters, Mainak took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of mango, banyan, banana and coconut trees, and of course, the ubiquitous paddy. The highway took them through the famous Gift of the Creators, the alluvial plain of southwestern Arunia, the largest and most fertile plain in the world, producing one-quarter of all the crops in all of Sindria.
On both sides of the marvelously designed and meticulously maintained stone-paved highway, as far as the eye could see – and the flat topography of the region and the excellent weather conditions ensured an aditarun eye could indeed see quite far – rich yellowish-green paddy fields, with their stalks undulating in the gentle Monsoon winds, produced a vista that soothed both the eye and the soul.
All too soon, increasing traffic in the highway and isolated hamlets heralded the beginning of the western suburbs of Edelis.
Jeevanil had insisted they travel the last few miles to Edelis on horseback, a traditional mode of transportation for humans, so as not to attract too much attention. Earlier in the morning, the two of them had Teleported to a place five miles outside the sister-city of Jivanpur, which was located on the eastern banks of the mighty Telis River. Teleporting inside Jivanpur itself was impossible owing to the fact that there was a gigantic dampening field encompassing the entirety of Jivanpur as well as the eastern half of Edelis. The small hamlet where they had purchased the mounts housed a couple of retired Rangers who had provided them with the Tolimar horses, bred to accommodate riders of aditarun stature.
After reaching the suburbs of Edelis, the reception was lukewarm. Despite it being a large city, home to over a million souls, the passage of the two Rangers still caused a stir, as people came out of their houses and shops to gawk at the two tall willowy graceful beings dressed in all-white voluminous cloaks.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Not all the gazes expressed awe and wonder, though. More than a few burned with long-suppressed hatred, a reaction that had by now stopped bothering Mainak. The first time he had been in any human kingdom was a hundred and seventy-five years ago, when he had gone to visit his maternal aunt in Lohil. It is a day he is never going to forget.
“Ah, there is our destination,” said Jeevanil with a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
Given the crowded surroundings, Mainak kept his questions to himself, wondering how often the older Ranger had cause to visit the city where the very first aditarus had come into existence, though technically Edelis did not exist back then. Before Rebirth, even Jivanpur was said to be a small town centered around the inner core of the University. Nowadays, most Arunians counted Edelis and Jivanpur as one, affectionately calling them the Twin-City, though Mainak, just like all aditarus, still considered them separate cities.
“Human propensity for glorifying the past can often serve unForeseen needs,” said Jeevanil in a low voice.
A frown of puzzlement crossed Mainak’s face, which he quickly erased.
The added stress on the letter ‘F’ had not gone unnoticed by him. After vainly searching his memory for any mention of relevant Foresights in the journals written and passed down by the two Manifolders who could traverse forward in the turbulent River of Time, Mainak glanced at his superior, whose eyes were still locked onto the temple. So again, Mainak was forced to remain silent, and bursting with queries.
Intrigued by the quiet intensity of the old Ranger’s gaze, Mainak studied the twin statues of Aimin and Anantika holding aloft the Pools of Power on top of the largest Dualist temple in Edelis, visible from miles away. It has been well over two decades since he last passed through Edelis, but some buildings leave an indelible impression on one’s mind. This was one such building. Only the very top was visible though, with the rest blocked by buildings, and the wall. The highway intersected it at a massive gate, reinforced using sigils that glowed an iridescent light-indigo in Mainak’s essence senses. A steady stream of humans was passing through it, after a round of token questioning by a squad of city guards. Or rather, by a few of them while the rest lounged inside the small guardhouse adjacent to the wall.
Mainak wondered whether they would have trouble entering. He found it ironic that humans, with an average lifespan of mere sixty-five years, almost a tenth that of an aditaru, seemed to hold a grudge a millennium after the end of the last aditaru-human war and the treaty of Sangam.
The eldest of the three guards at the gate looked them over, and then demanded in a bored voice. “Papers.”
One of the other guards frowned at the quarterstaff in Mainak’s pack but forbore to comment. It was fortunate that aditarus had almost no knowledge or use of metallurgy, instead using specialized wood for weapons – oak, ash, and bamboo, mainly. Humans considered them inferior to metal, and as a result, ignored them. Of course, if the guards had even an ounce of essence sense, they would not have, an oversight on the part of the Governor. Just before the official start of any war, one needed to be more vigilant.
After Jeevanil produced the necessary documents, they were waved through without much fanfare. However, even before they had gone out of earshot, the youngest guard spit a giant load of phlegm on the sidewalk, and added in a frustrated voice, “Aimin-cursed aditarus. Wonder what made them leave their bubble.”
He was, of course, referring to the gargantuan spherical Shield that Deeshayer Maya had ordered be re-established to prevent unauthorized entrance into Sangam, just as a preventative measure. The Shielding Dais could only operate at full potential for a couple of years, but when it concerned humans, two years was a long time.
It effectively made direct overland invasion of Anantika next to impossible. Unless of course, BrightHeart had managed to convince an aditaru with proper clearance level into joining his cause, an extremely unlikely event.
Or coerce him or her into helping him, a frightening but not inconceivable prospect. Indeed, all the evidence pointed to it being even a likely prospect. No wonder the Deeshayer had decided to dispatch not just one but two Rangers to the University, which was the center of actual power in all of Arunia.
As the two of them rode deeper into the city, Mainak’s keen gaze noted an interesting fact. People, streets, and buildings of Edelis seemed all but unchanged, except for the fact that quite a few of the streets had electric lamps in place of gas ones, and there seemed to be more stonehorns amongst the pedestrians than before. Also, there were noticeably more stonehornish shops – mostly smiths, carpenters, and masons. Perhaps the effect of the treaty of Garbal was finally starting to have a direct impact on the economy and society, at least in the urban centers of Arunia.
Mainak even saw a couple of half-aditarus, who stood out because of their height. Both gave him wary nods, staying well clear of their horses. A lamentable side effect of being brought up in a culture that, for some illogical reason, fostered hatred of beings with aditarun ancestry, even when that being happened to be oneself.
“It is a sad existence indeed that causes one to loathe oneself for being born different,” Mainak said once they entered the twisted warrens of the inner city.
The press of people and their often unfriendly glances abated somewhat after Jeevanil decided to take a left turn. Ahead, at the end of the narrow street stood the mammoth temple, which, Mainak knew from the layout of the city, was nowhere near Imril Bridge, the route they would need to take in order to cross the Telis and enter the University Hill, some three miles to the east, visible as a giant sentinel in the sky.
The famed Dualist temple of Edelis was as imposing and awe-inspiring as ever. Austere in design, it was simple yet elegant, lacking any ornamentation or carving on the outer surface, but more than made up for it with its sheer scale. Shaped like the sigil corresponding to the Pools of Power, the scepter located twenty-stories above street level was held by the intertwined arms of the twin statues. Even after two and a half millennia, the statues glowed soft purple-orange in his essence senses, a subtle but constant reminder of the glory of the Age of Creation. Built by the First Disciple Johannes, the fortress masquerading as a temple was engineered to withstand a small army, if need be. And it did, during the War of Conquest by the great First Emperor, Arun.
A bent hooded figure was waiting patiently at the top of the stairs, in front of the main entrance to the Chamber of Introspection, which took up most of the ground floor of the ancient edifice.
After tying the reins, as the two of them climbed the five broad steps and approached the figure, Mainak whispered to Jeevanil, “Would this be an appropriate time to inform me about the purpose of visiting this temple?”
Jeevanil had argued that since it was highly likely that one or more of the Aiminian infiltrators, not to mention more than a few of the Arunian counter-spies, would be capable of Compulsion, Mainak should be told as little as possible about the key aspects of their plan. Despite the fact that Mainak understood the logic, he was a little frustrated at being kept in the dark. After all, he was an extremely skillful and talented Shielder. Using Compulsion on him would require nothing short of a miracle. They would need to knock him out first, then somehow overwhelm his passive Shield.
“I have found a device that can track active Space Enfolding. But it requires a tall structure to be implemented properly.”
Finding rogue Enfolders was their priority – Jeevanil had declared during their planning stage. Intelligence concerning their actual number was sketchy at best, but analyzing the reports, both Mainak and Jeevanil had come to the same conclusion. There was at least one Enfolder aiding BrightHeart.
His or her existence would also explain some of the mystery surrounding Fluid. Which is precisely why Jeevanil had decided to carefully let a few rumors spread, ones that were substantial enough to warrant the attention of Aiminians spies in Sangam, but also subtle enough so that they appeared genuine.
But the man’s statement still confounded Mainak for the simple reason that he was unaware any such device even existed, let alone the fact that Jeevanil possessed one. “Found it, you say?”
“Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it was…gifted to me.”
Putting aside the obvious attempt at misdirection and shading the truth, both commendable qualities in oneself but not others, Mainak found the statement bothered him on several levels. But he decided not to press the issue, at least not at the present moment, since the priest’s body language was far more baffling. Not only was the man expecting them, but he also seemed oddly subservient.
“May Allmother guard you in perilous times,” the Dualist priest, recognizable by his brown and black hooded cloak, whispered in a cracked voice, dipping his head ever so slightly.
“Blessed am I in Allfather’s keep.” Jeevanil’s murmured reply was entirely novel to Mainak.
“Welcome Keeper, the house is yours.” This time the aged priest inclined his head deeply.
Well, this is intriguing. The priest seems to think Jeevanil, an aditaru, was a member of the Keepers of the Lore, the most elite order of the highest ranking Dualist priests in the whole land. Also, the greeting and the subsequent reply could hardly be termed standard… If anything, it sounded suspiciously like a code.
“I need access to the roof, Souma,” Jeevanil said without preamble.
The priest gestured with his hand, and the two of them followed.
The triangular Chamber of Introspection was quite crowded. It being a kirday morning, the first day of the weekend with the majority of the institutions and businesses closed, that was to be expected. The growing popularity of Dualism in Arunia also contributed to the increase in the number of devotees, most of whom were sitting cross-legged in the immense chamber, eyes closed.
A few gazed upwards at the faces of the gigantic statues of the Dualgods at the center of the floor. He was sitting on his knees, eyes burning with the need for creation, while she sat beside him cross-legged, face full of solemnity and serenity.
It was strange to imagine that aditarus, the progeny of Anantika, possessed not a single visual reminder of their First Sage. No statues, carvings, or paintings. While the humans not only had created hundreds of statues in just this one city, but they also worshiped her as a deity.
Soon the broad stairs at the back of the Chamber took them all the way to the roof. All of Edelis and most of western Jivanpur opened up before them. Close to three million people, living, killing, laughing, crying, inventing, destroying, in a frenzy of life. At times in the midst of luxury. Most times in extreme poverty.
“Thank you, Souma.”
Judging by the way all the other priests were deferring to him during their climb, Souma was in all likelihood the Chief Priest of this temple. Despite being dismissed in such an offhand manner, no trace of anger could be discerned on the kindly, wrinkled face. Instead, dipping his head, he turned and shuffled towards the stairs.
Mainak knew for a fact that the Chief Priest of Edelis also happened to be one of the highest ranking priests in all of Arunia. What that implied about Jeevanil’s rank, he was unsure. Mainak made a mental note to research the hierarchy of the Keepers once he was granted access to the world-renowned Library.
Jeevanil purposefully strode towards the foot of the dual statues holding the Pools in their intertwined hands. In mundane sight, the five major Nodes made of steel gleamed white, while the eight dark minor ones that represented the Mind glowed an ominous black, hinting at the fact that overuse of Power eventually erodes the brain, both literally and figuratively.
A Mind drunk on Power sooner or later finds Madness, as Aimin wrote in the Historica.
After a moment or two of rummaging, the old Ranger produced from deep within his dimension bag a six-digit-by-four rectangular device with a green screen, made of some type of crystal and metal. It showed a remarkably accurate map of Jivanpur, Edelis, and the surrounding area.
“This is the tracker. It transmits the exact coordinates to another device, which I will keep on my person at all times.” Jeevanil produced a similar but smaller device from his pocket.
Mainak gave a nod, fascinated by the strange piece of technology. Perhaps the stonehorns had made it during the war to anticipate the actions of enemy Enfolders, though it resembled no device of stonehornish make that he had ever seen. It looked ordinary in his essence senses, as well. How any signal could possibly travel without wires was still beyond him. Or with wires, if he was being honest. Further speculation halted when he noted something interesting.
In the western section of the map, a red dot was beeping once every few blinks.
Somewhere in Edelis, barely half a mile away, Mainak realized with a start.
“Well, the height does make the signal stronger,” Jeevanil mumbled to himself. Then, glancing at Mainak who was peeking over his shoulder, he added, “I had it switched on the whole time we were in this city. I am glad it works the way it is supposed to.”
“You have never used this gift before?” The incredulity in his voice, Mainak could not hide, especially from someone so sensitive. “This seems like an extremely convenient device to have.”
“It has its uses. But I have to use it sparingly, as I do not know how to repair it. Neither do I know anyone who can. Not anyone living, at least. Eventually, even the best made gadgets break down.”
“Do you want to confront him now, whoever it is?”
Jeevanil nodded, an eager and excited glint in his eyes. “We shall strike while the iron is hot. They will not be expecting such a bold move.” In the next blink, with a whoosh of displaced air and dark-violet essence, a simmering black rectangular Portal formed in front of them. After Jeevanil vanished inside without a word, Mainak followed, mind whirling with excitement.
As soon as he set foot outside the Portal, his pulse quickened.
Standing at the end of a cul-de-sac in a poor dilapidated neighborhood of the city, Mainak was greeted by a great many abandoned buildings and empty warehouses. Less than five hundred yards to the east, he could vaguely discern the Teleportation Hub of Edelis, just outside the city Shield. The only living souls within hundred yards were three men and a woman, all wearing grotesque masks that depicted the seven Artifacts of Atma. All standing in battle-formation no more than ten yards in front of him. Two mundane humans and a couple of Manipulators, all of them seemingly expecting the Rangers.
So much for the element of surprise.
Alerted by his Space senses, Mainak glanced upwards, and noticed a Portal about a hundred feet above them, cloaked in well-crafted illusion.
Someone was watching them. Discreetly.
However, apart from the Portal, which according to Mainak’s Space senses was created using a Translocator, there were no signs of any Enfolder, a fact that left him baffled. In a direct confrontation between Manipulators and Enfolders, especially with such meager numerical advantage, there was only ever going to be one winner.
Jeevanil began searching their surroundings, while shaking off the momentary confusion, Mainak assessed their gears, attire, and most importantly, their signatures. Within a fraction of a blink, it became apparent that the signatures of the two mundanes were too turbulent to be natural, and possibly hid their true Chakras. Both Jeevanil and Mainak halted when those same two signatures flared for a moment, anticipating they would have to fight four Manipulators instead of just the couple.
And then, as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes and Heart, Mainak’s understanding of Reality was turned upside down because the two human men did something that boggled his mind, so much so that he was totally unprepared and could not defend himself.
They Enfolded.