Jaded Dusk Page 22

  “If evil can only function in the darkness, was the goal to make the whole day full of light?” Nevit asked captivated by the story.

  “Darkness or night in and of itself is not evil”, Alejade clarified. “Darkness had always existed while light only came to being when the Maker introduced it to Faunar as it fought against evil each day. For this reason many beings relied on darkness as part of their way of life. Many of the Maker’s original creations did not succumb to the ways of evil that had corrupted the minds of the remainder. These beings were only guilty of growing dependent on the function of dark, which is all that they had ever known.”

  “Sorry to interrupt”, Nevit apologized as his eyes turned green. “Please continue.”

  “No apologies necessary”, Alejade assured him. “I welcome questions that hopefully expand your knowledge and test mine. As I was saying, the day was slowly growing longer until the Maker had fought to the point where half the day was bathed in light and half of the day was shrouded in darkness. The creations began to adjust and some evolved into diurnal beings while some remained nocturnal. The Maker was beginning to tire of this interminable process. It fought evil during the dark half and a defensive position during the day half allowed the Maker to comparatively rest. Even though the period of night was contracting, the concentration of evil was growing stronger. The Maker would awake at dusk each day and prepare for that night’s battle, but at this point little progress was being made to bring more daylight to Faunar. Evil would safely exist in the dark and it seemed nothing could eradicate it from the position it so steadfastly held. After numerous days of no progress the Maker began to lose endurance in its effort to extend the light. With the energy the Maker had left there was only one option which was to defend the light that had already been created. Just as the Maker had created light, so could evil take back what was initially theirs. The less arduous defensive strategy allowed the Maker to defend the ground it had won for ages. Both sides battled each day over this time, which consistently ended in a draw. One day the Maker awoke at dusk to the greeting of forces of evil. They too had grown tired and it was time to bring an end to the onerous conflict. A pact was made that the Maker’s physical manifestation would leave Faunar as well as the manifestation of evil and while both could observe the events taking place on Faunar, neither were to return in their physical form and intervene. The Maker had not fully succeeded, but it had not failed either. Day and night would exist based on their current structure. Dusk would always be remembered as the beginning of the day when the Maker awoke to fight evil for the good of life on Faunar.”

  Tradok had a perplexed look on his face while he absorbed the story in its entirety. Alejade had seen this look before. He was trying to make sense of it given what he knew of the world and what he was willing to believe. Tradok hadn’t given the impression of a spiritual individual, so Alejade prepared herself to calmly rationalize her belief system. Skepticism had its place in the world and Alejade appreciated the challenge as it strengthened her beliefs and at times brought up questions she had never even considered. She was well aware that the religious texts left a lot open to interpretation, but that didn’t mean an answer couldn’t be found through persistent study and understanding of the religious texts.

  “That is a lot to take in all at once”, Tradok admitted. “I hope you don’t mind if I ask a few questions as well.”

  “As I told Nevit, all questions are welcome”, Alejade said with a smile.

  “My first question I think is more for clarification than anything”, Tradok began. “This Maker exists in the essence of life, so it would seem he has a physical presence on Faunar. Does this not count?”

  Alejade suppressed a grimace from the use of the words ‘this’ and ‘he’ when referring to the Maker. Usage of the word ‘this’ before Maker had an air of condescension. Alejade suspected that Tradok had chosen his words carefully and had done so to rattle her if even in a playful manner. She had hoped he would show respect given the topic at hand. Surely he knew how serious all individuals took their belief system whether or not it could be considered spiritual or religious.

  Using the word ‘he’ was a different issue. Alejade thought she had been careful to use the gender neutral pronoun of it, but there was no way to know that for sure. If she had slipped, it was more than likely she had referred to the Maker as a she. It’s nearly impossible to picture a creator as a gender neutral figure. At some point an image is created in the head and eventually that image is given traits, which can be ascribed to either a male or female. Typically, that image is created during childhood and often takes the form that matches the gender of the child. Fenrit had confided in Alejade that he pictured the Maker as a male. Deep down Alejade had always considered the Maker a female, but she had always used extreme caution in referring to the Maker as it, especially in a teaching situation.

  “That is a good question”, Alejade started her answer. “The physical manifestation of the Maker was differentiated from other forms in that it could give and receive pleasure, pain, pride, frustration and other feelings commonly experienced by living beings on Faunar. The mortality of the Maker is not specifically discussed in any of the religious texts; however, it is believed that the Maker is immortal when it is outside of its physical manifestation and mortal when in its physical presence. The same beliefs are applied for the manifestation of evil as well. Even discounting mortality, the Maker doesn’t force its will on the living beings of Faunar and doesn’t control their feelings. All of this is done in the mind of the being. The life essence’s role is to simply continue the life cycle by creating life from that which had been destroyed. The essence does not control life, so from that perspective there is a difference between the Maker’s presence in the essence of life and that of a physical manifestation.”

  Alejade felt she passed the first inquiry. She was proud of her clear and concise answer. It was possible that Tradok was simply just testing her depth and the questions would get more difficult as the conversation went along. She felt the strength of knowledge flowing through her body and now she was eager for the next question. She also felt tempted to share her encounter with the Maker, but knew better than to do so in front of skeptical minds.

  “I see”, said Tradok. “I have no desire to stump you or make you rethink your belief system. I simply want to ask the questions that I’m truly curious about. For that reason I’m not going to ask you things like ‘who created the Maker?’ or ‘what’s your policy on the afterlife?’. I only have two other real questions. First, does this evil that manifested itself still exist in some sort of spiritual form outside of Faunar along with the Maker from wherever they exist?”

  “Little is known about where the two presently exist, only that they are in a non-physical form”, Alejade answered. “The evil spirit, if you will, is still out there along with the Maker. They both continue to abide by the pact they made. Some believe they keep each other in check, so that if one were to return to Faunar in an attempt to break the pact, the other would return to continue the battle that ended so long ago. While we would like to rejoice at the return of the physical form of the Maker, it would be followed by the physical form of evil, which does not bode well for all living beings. Both of their powers are so great that living beings end up being the real casualties.”

  “Interesting”, Tradok said with genuine intrigue.

  “I’d like to also say that the afterlife is hardly discussed in the religious texts”, Alejade added. “Most interpret what is discussed as an individual needing to be satisfied with the fact that when their physical presence on Faunar ends, it’s time for another’s to begin. That’s really only restating the function of the life essence.”

  “That’s even more interesting”, Tradok admitted. “A luxurious afterlife is typically the selling point of any religion. If you don’t mind me saying, it seems your beliefs have fallen short in this aspect.”

  “The goal is not to sell a belief system�
�, Alejade responded. “I’m willing to speak to those who show interest in listening. This is different than proselytizing. The religious texts do not address this practice; however, the Chafel and Loupiq have condemned it. It’s also important to note that as long as individuals are practicing the will of the Maker by bonding with all living beings then it’s not as important that they understand the role of the Maker on Faunar.”

  “I find that quite commendable”, Tradok said. “My final question is how well defined is the will of the Maker? You’ve mentioned bonding with other beings, but I’m going to guess there is more behind it than that.”

  “You’re correct that a greater definition exists and that ‘bonding with others’ is just a simplified version”, Alejade commended Tradok on his conjecture. “The beauty of the will is that if you follow the simplified version you will meet the criteria of the better defined version. Bonding is inherently a positive experience. The reality of the situation is that when more and more bonds are created, a large network is formed. The network moves, because bonded individuals willingly work together to create the same path.”

  “You’ve satisfied my curiosity”, Tradok admitted.

  “Are you going to return the favor?” Nevit asked as his eyes turned blue.

  “While I was prepared for your question, I’m not currently prepared to go into detail about my doubt surrounding the various spiritualties one can find throughout Faunar”, Tradok replied.

  “Maybe you’d like to tell her about what I found in your workshop’s sleeping quarters?” Nevit said attempting to torment the Sauronoid.

  “I said drop it”, Tradok snapped. “We have a long journey ahead; there’ll be plenty of time for tales. Besides, I don’t need to tarnish my reputation any farther than I already have. Again, Alejade, I appreciate your openness and sharing of your beliefs. I don’t wish you to think I completely lack respect for any of your views just because I don’t follow them.”

  “Remember, my goal isn’t to recruit you, but rather to educate you”, Alejade replied.

  “I will tell you that I think religion works well for some and does nothing for others”, Tradok began. “There is definitely a correlation between happiness and a belief in a supreme being.

  “I can agree to that”, Alejade said.

  “Is there nothing I can do to cause friction?” Nevit said in facetious frustration.

  ***

  Fenrit followed the beams being emitted from the lighting device to lead himself back into the camp. He had been gone longer than expected, but it had been a fruitful endeavor. The key to foraging on the plains was simply to investigate out of place geographical features whether that was ponds, rocks or any aggregation of plant life other than the ubiquitous Jade Plains grass. Fenrit had come across a bracken on this particular outing. Several of the shrubs that made up the bracken yielded various varieties of nuts. Deciphering which nuts were edible and which contained toxins was a simple task for a well-trained premalier. Fenrit couldn’t have been happier with the find as nuts were the perfect food source for long journeys. Nuts not only fueled the body, but also contained the right nutrients to make the body feel full without having to consume an excessive amount.

  Fenrit had followed the unwritten rules of premaliers and only took a third of the available harvest. The idea was to leave a food source for future travelers and the regional wildlife that depended on the source of nourishment. It was frowned upon to take anything more unless you were attempting to overcome an ailment or were on the brink of starving. The premaliers had a list of unwritten rules that were referred to in name only that were similar in nature to that of the ‘one-third rule’. Most of the rules served as guides to not only help a premalier survive on the Jade Plains, but to also remind those serving as premaliers that one must co-exist with all beings. The parallel was never explicitly made, but Fenrit suspected it was following suit with the Maker’s will. Following the ‘one-third rule’, or any rule for that matter, had never been an issue for Fenrit and even though he was foraging for four people it still wasn’t an issue this time either. He knew exactly how much he and Alejade would eat and there was more than enough harvest to offer some to Nevit and Tradok. Fenrit would willingly store the nuts in his satchel for later in the trip if either Nevit or Tradok declined. Food was not to be wasted making the ‘one-third rule’ all the more plausible.

  The size of the camp amused Fenrit as he recalled having instructed the others to set it up and then upon his return he realized there was nothing more than the lighting device and Tradok’s torrid sleeper. The others laid next to their packs and Alejade laid on her cloak that she had spread across the grass. Alejade, Nevit and Tradok were engaged in casual conversation when Fenrit finally approached the lighting device. Fenrit’s sudden, stealthy appearance elicited a small jump from Nevit who was fortunate that Tradok had failed to notice.

  “It’s nothing fancy, but I at least came across some nuts for whoever is interested”, Fenrit announced.

  “Thank the Maker”, Alejade exclaimed. “This should be more than sufficient to get me through tomorrow.”

  “I’ll have to pass”, Nevit said. “They look too big for my proboscis and the last thing I want is to get something lodged in there. It’s a painful process to extract anything.”

  “I can grind them up if you’d like”, Fenrit offered.

  “Thanks, but I’ll pass all the same”, Nevit declined.

  “I’ll take a few and save some of my flash inventory”, Tradok said. “I didn’t mean to be critical earlier of your desire to forage. I’m starting to think it is part of a routine for you though.”

  “No offense taken”, Fenrit replied.

  Fenrit settled down completing a circle with the others around the lighting device. He stored the excess nuts he had collected in his satchel. The leftover quantity had been more than he expected, but that wouldn’t stop him from foraging any time soon. Fenrit began to lay down causing him to realize that this was the first time today that he had allowed his legs to relax. The trick had always been to not think about muscular aches and pains. This would allow the body to endure. The pains became the most prevalent the moment you began to relax. It would be difficult to start back up again without at least a brief nap.

  “So the plan tomorrow is to reach the foothills?” Fenrit asked seeking confirmation.

  “Based on what ground we covered today, that’s not a very lofty goal”, Tradok answered. “Best to test ourselves now though, because as I said before, once we get into the mountains the terrain obviously becomes more difficult.”

  “Yes, and as I recall you estimated another day hiking the mountains before we reached Prominence”, Fenrit said.

  “That is our best case scenario”, Tradok stated.

  “Best case?” Alejade inquired.

  “While I favor planning, it’s very rare to completely follow through with a plan when hiking through the mountains”, Tradok began. “Weather, trail conditions and unexpected encounters are just a few obstacles you could potentially face. Not to mention the wear and tear on your own body. It could be a couple days, and even then they probably won’t be pleasant ones.”

  “Understood”, Fenrit said. “The closer we get, the better I will feel. Once we get to the mountain pass we’ll be within striking distance. At that point I’ll have to ask the rest of you to keep me from getting too anxious. Tradok has already pointed out the dangers of being too reckless as we near Prominence.”

  “I advise we get a good sleep now while we can”, Tradok suggested. “I, for one, need to build up my body heat for the days to come. Suitable shelter is not a guarantee when we reach the mountains and that could be disastrous for me even with my torrid sleeper.”

  “Not a bad idea”, Alejade said while finishing off the last of her portion of nuts.

  “Time for me to regenerate”, Tradok said. “Good night.”

  Tradok picked up his torrid sleeper, a packet and the spherical temperature regula
tor. He headed off a ways from the group before spreading his torrid sleeper on the plains grass. He kneaded the packet and placed it into the temperature regulator. He unsealed the torrid sleeper and then crawled in taking the temperature regulator inside with him. Alejade, Fenrit and Nevit watched as he dialed in a setting on the temperature regulator, placed it in a pocket inside the torrid sleeper and then sealed himself inside finally giving him a sliver of privacy.

  “Would you like me to take first watch?” Fenrit asked breaking up the observance of Tradok’s process.

  “I’ll start”, Nevit offered. “I’m not feeling too tired, plus I’m familiar with any noises that might come from the swamp. You two get some sleep while you can.”

  “Thank you”, Alejade said nesting into her cloak.

  “Do you need a knife?” Fenrit asked.

  “I can’t just wake you?” Nevit said feigning an astonished look while his eyes turned blue.

  “You can, but by the time I get my bow, knock the arrow and fire, whatever predator has chosen us as a meal will already have gotten you”, Fenrit replied in kind.

  “Then good thing I have this”, Nevit said opening a pocket on his pants and removing what looked to be just a simple rod about half the length of his arm.

  “Don’t get your hopes up”, Fenrit said. “I’ve seen claws longer than that. I’d almost prefer a claw too, because at least it has a sharp point.”

  Nevit swatted at the bottom of the rod and the top opened up to reveal a blade that loosely rotated around a shaft that was forked down to the handle. Nevit held the handle with one hand and then gyrated the object, which forced the blade to rotate. It was obvious that Nevit had experience with the tool as he quickly built up the blade’s momentum. The weapon in motion reminded Fenrit of the drill pike he had seen in Shadowport’s marketplace.