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Alegria
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Joined: 04 Mar 2005
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Location: On the beaches with Dr. Suess' Sneeches. Only the star-bellied ones, of course.
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 Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:50 pm Post subject: Sojourner's Journey, Chapter 13 |
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Sojourner’s Journey
Chapter 13
The Healing Tears
Alyssa looked up, her eyes sparkling. The goal was so close now; she could feel it in her bones, her veins pulsing with energy that can only come from deep love or deep excitement. It was most likely a mixture of the two, but there was still the question of where to go. She finally made up her mind, and spoke firmly. “West,” it was only one word, but as it slipped out of her mouth, it seemed like a promise. It was concrete, absolute, and final. ‘There could be anything behind that door,’ she thought.
But the realization didn’t bother her, nor did it seem to bother any of the others.
Ouran smiled at her resolve, and other directions were decided on. The groups went off in their separate directions, but Ouran and Alyssa stayed, staring into each other’s eyes. They both noticed different things. In Ouran’s blue eyes, Alyssa say sadness, weariness, and… something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on. It may have been relief. In Alyssa’s Hazel eyes, there was hope, understanding, and longing. They stood; transfixed by one another, until Alyssa tore here stare away from Ouran, then they parted without a word.
***
Elica was being just as loquacious as ever, but Ouran sensed danger. It was everywhere; it permeated through the walls, into the mind, and sliced the heart. This room was large, about 50 feet from end to end. On second thought, it was more like a hall. It was plain grays, with carvings of vines curling up the sides, which seemed to move and writhe, a tangled mess that struck fear into the heart. Ouran surveyed the situation, and then took a hesitant step. He immediately felt pain erupt from every pore. Elica took a step, and was, for once, silent. Ouran could tell she felt it too, but she didn’t scream. The pain was too intense for screaming. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. With every step came a different sensation: cold, hot, hunger, anger, joy, lust, mourning, loss, passion, hate fear, depression, and finally loneliness. At the end of the hall was a switch. Ouran flipped it, and the duo was transported out of the room into the central chamber. The word Sineoma was lit up on the floor, forming a circle with two other cold, blank ones. Brishma and Zeranne were there waiting.
***
Brishma entered the room, ready for a trap; instead they found only a gate in the small room. On the floor was the letter “W,” carved with intricate vines entangling themselves around the letter. Brishma grunted, “What do we do now?”
Zeranne looked at him solemnly, “We wait.” The tone of his voice suddenly made its pitch sound less ridiculous.
They must have waited for days, with no food or drink. Every hour, the gate inched opens a smidge. When they finally crossed to the other side, there was only a switch. Brishma looked at Zeranne, shrugged, and pressed it. They world blurred, back to the center chamber. The word Wazlen was illuminated in the circle.
Zeranne checked his watch. It had been only five minutes.
***
Zantos and Syred strode into the room, and something pricked Zantos’ toe. He looked at the floor, to find that it was covered with moving vines. He stepped forward, and the vines rose up and struck him. As he fingered a tender welt on his face, Syred turned and looked at him, and uttered on word, “Run!”
Zantos stared at his partner.
Syred shouted now, “GO! WE CAN’T BOTH MAKE IT, AND YOU’RE MORE IMPORTANT, I’LL DISTRACT THEM,” he then paused, a singled tear rolled down his cheek. “And tell my daughter that she’ll see Daddy again soon, okay?”
Zantos nodded. He then sprinted down the hall and pressed the button just in time to see Syred fall.
In the center room, the word Yanovet was illuminated. Zantos nodded to the others, and cast down his eyes at their inquiring glances. He then started to mourn his brief friend.
***
Alyssa stepped hesitantly through the door, Rinor following closely. It was very small, the room, and had only a single switch in the middle. Then, it changed. Alyssa saw herself dying, slowly and painfully, roasting over a fire. Rinor was nowhere to be found. She just watched herself die. The sight was shocking, disturbing, but somehow, surreal. She took a step, another vision, more vivid and grotesque. Each step brought a vision even more traumatizing than the last. Halfway, she could hear sound. By three quarters, she felt pain. ‘Two more steps,’ she thought, ‘go on, you can, you must.’
Thousands of vines grabbed and pulled at her skin, cutting her, stretching her, pulling her under. She forced herself to take another step.
She was and old woman, all alone, all the Rinosians dead. Her hair was gray, just like the world around her. Everything was dead, from the people, to the plants, down to the insects. The world was desolate, destroyed. And she knew, in the back of her mind, that she was responsible. It was too much to bear. She closed her eyes and pressed the switch.
The world changed, she was back in the center room with the others. Except for Syred. She thought of inquiring, but the other’s countenance gave her the answer. The group trudged down the stairs that had opened in the center of the words.
***
The first thing that struck on about the chamber wasn’t actually the chamber. It was impressive enough. It was immense; first of all, so cavernous that it didn’t matter whether your vision was acute or banal, it was impossible to see the walls. A pillar every ten feet, three feet wide and three stories tall, supported the roof. The ribbed effect of the ceiling added at least one more story on top of that. Ouran gasped, “It must be the are of the entire city!”
But what one noticed most about the chamber was in the exact center. A globe, weakly pulsing light; it was three feet in radius, a beautiful light blue, with gold swirling inside of it. It weakly hovered a few inches from the ground, and beside it knelt a woman. Alyssa recognized her at once.
“The woman with the riddle,” she whispered.
The crone turned to them. She looked quite weary.
“I’ve been waiting for you. I am the Essence of the Crystal, but you may call me Renushi,” she cackled.
Alyssa looked at her blankly, “Renushi?”
Zeranne turned to her, “It means ‘gem.’”
Alyssa nodded and was silent.
Brishma, though, could not refrain from speaking, “We need the crystal, ma’m.”
The woman chuckled. “I’m afraid it won’t be of much use to you in this state. You see, we’re almost dead.”
Elica raised her eyebrows, “We’re almost dead?”
The Essence nodded, “ask your Priest.”
Zantos quickly explained, calling on memories he didn’t even know he possessed, “The essence is just the Crystal putting on human shape. She is the Crystal. The Crystal feeds off of human emotions. As long as it’s in a place around people, it will live forever, but being down here has cut of its life force. It needs a person’s feelings. Look, just from being around us, it’s risen a few inches.”
Alyssa looked at the Crystal, and saw that it had raised itself and was glowing more brightly. “But,” she stammered, “How did it get here?”
Zantos once again remembered things he didn’t know. “A small group of Rinosian renegades brought it down here to stop the Senncharib tribe, who relied on it. They didn’t know what effects it would have.”
The hag smiled. “And that is how you will explain it too the people. Unfortunately, I can’t survive the trip to the surface without more emotions.”
Ouran spoke solemnly, “I know, and I will supply them the only way I can.”
The woman stared at him. “Do you know what you’re saying? I need too much, I’ll end up taking your life, too.”
Ouran didn’t even flinch. “I know,” he whispered.
***
The group had been shocked at first, then angry. Most of the remaining day had been spent trying to talk Ouran out of it. But his resolve was firm. There was no going back. The cost was death, and he would pay.
The good-byes were painful, as they always are. Tears were shed, and many stumbled over their words.
Finally, Ouran sat down next to Alyssa. She looked at him, blinking tears from her eyes. She started to speak, but Ouran silenced her. “Don’t,” he whispered, “Words will only get in our way. Just know that I must do this for my people.”
Alyssa nodded, still weeping. Ouran tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes. He timidly stroked her cheek. He then whispered into her ear, “know that I also must do this.”
Then, he kissed her.
His kiss was tender, loving, soothing, but mournful and weary. Their lips parted, and Alyssa looked into his eyes. They were welling up with tears. She then leaned over, and their lips met again. This kiss was understanding, and lonely. She spent the rest of the night crying into his arms.
***
The sun may have risen, it may have not, all Alyssa remembered was waking up and deciding. She would accept the pain, and use her anguish for something else.
The mood was grim that morning. On one hand, Atlantis was saved. On the other, the Sojourner would have to be lost.
Soon, Ouran stood up. He didn’t even need to look, the group just gathered around him. No one cried. They had used up all their tears.
Ouran embraced each one of them, and finally turned to Brishma. “Brishma,” he said, “I know it’s the right of the Priesthood, but if they’ll let me, I’d like to make you the next Sojourner.”
Zantos faltered, “Ouran, I don’t know if I can.”
The Essence walked up, “But I can. Don’t worry, Brishma. The Yanovec dynasty will be one of the greatest the world has seen.”
Brishma nodded.
Ouran raised his voice, trying to mask tears. “I will see you all in the Next Realm,” he looked to Alyssa as he said this, “Wait for me, I will wait for you.”
Alyssa gave a watery smile and nodded.
Ouran turned and stepped into the Crystal. There was a flash of light, and the crystal rose off the ground, blindingly brilliant. Alyssa turned away.
***
An hour later, Alyssa was still standing in the same spot. Zantos tapped her on the shoulder. He said only three words, “We must depart.”
That is how the Rinosians regained purity.
_________________
A writer doesn't solve problems. He allows them to emerge.
-Friedrich Dürrenmatt
 
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Alegria
Honored Citizen
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Topics: 76
Posts: 1199
Location: On the beaches with Dr. Suess' Sneeches. Only the star-bellied ones, of course.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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Discussion is going to be in another thread. Now, go read the epilogue.
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A writer doesn't solve problems. He allows them to emerge.
-Friedrich Dürrenmatt
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