Buried Planet E-Book

Marco .S Teixeira

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1475

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

After a sacred peak suddenly erupted, a special group was sent to investigate... but they weren't the only ones. An opposing faction also answered the call. Now, as they are pushed ever deeper into the bowels of this battered world by the whims of higher powers; they must also learn along the way to work together if they are to successfully complete their newfound mission. To rescue and escort back to the surface a very special young one for it is claimed that she alone might be the offering the world was longing for, and as such, there are many that would like nothing more than to lay their hands on her.

Leseprobe

A very special thank you to:

– Emma Persson –

– André Costa –

This wouldn’t have been made possible withou your care, help and support.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part One: “The Crafted Mountain”

Chapter One: “The Artificers of Will"

Chapter Two: “Landfall"

Chapter Three: “The Five Fingers of Hervies"

Chapter Four: “Desperate Measure”

Chapter Five: “Briefing"

Chapter Six: “Sixth Finger"

Chapter Seven: “Shadowed Leaves"

Chapter Eight: “No Ticket"

Chapter Nine: “Barbed Web"

Chapter Ten: “A ferryman unpaid"

Part Two

Chapter Eleven: “A mother's entrance"

Chapter Twelve: “Determined doubt"

Chapter Thirteen: “The long ways of memory"

Chapter Fourteen: “Oath"

Chapter Fifteen: “Five wings, no Freedom”

Chapter Sixteen: “The doll factory"

Chapter Sixteen – One: “Fiery tale”

Chapter Sixteen – Two: “Corruption"

Chapter Sixteen – Three: “Beanstalks"

Chapter Sixteen – Four: “The waiting game”

Chapter Sixteen – Five: “Dethroned"

Chapter Sixteen – Six: “Genetic hero"

Chapter Sixteen – Seven: “Twain by fire”

Chapter Sixteen – Eight: “Revealed"

Chapter Seventeen: “Whence and braggart”

Chapter Eighteen: “Collapsed"

Chapter Nineteen: “The bilipede carpet"

Part Three: “Pilgrims of the deep”

Chapter Twenty: “Like a laid-out fuse”

Chapter Twenty One: “Tiptoe and whisper"

Chapter Twenty Three: “Silent green"

Chapter Twenty Four: “Climbing the custodian"

Chapter Twenty Five: “Mechanical somnambulists"

Part One: “Black"

Part Two: “Grey”

Part Three: “White”

Chapter Twenty Six: “Cracking the vault"

Chapter Twenty Seven: “Platforming”

Chapter Twenty Eight: “The cuts of creation”

Chapter Twenty Nine: “A murder of crows"

Chapter Twenty Nine – One

Chapter Twenty Nine – Two

Chapter Twenty Nine – Three

Chapter Thirty: “Portal piece"

Part Four: “The beholden”

Chapter Thirty One: “Reaching the Ignitor"

Chapter Thirty Two: “Electric syllables"

Chapter Thirty Three: “Nocking"

Chapter Thirty Four: “Determination"

Chapter Thirty Five: “Two steps behind, three steps ahead”

Chapter Thirty Six: “Droplets of memory”

Chapter Thirty Seven: “If not heroes”

Chapter Thirty Eight: “Top of the truth”

Chapter Thirty Nine: “The Interpreter”

Chapter Fourty: “The conditioned beast”

Epilogue

Prologue

I have already learned the true nature of this world; every single language spoken by all the miscreated, bid farewell to all those that I ever met, and just finished predicting most outcomes – not bad for someone born only a day ago.

And now I must wait here for him, atop such a generous outcrop of stone; one so easily protruding from the most graceful display of running water. A creek, I think it is called, that much like me, seems to always be running but never getting anywhere. I cannot think of a better example of the flow of time and design working perfectly in tandem. Yet another sample of what can be expected in this world above, I suppose and hope; an example that for so long has dared to cross these woods that the one I am waiting for, sometimes calls his own.

He should be here any moment now; my inherited memories keep assuring me that he comes by this exact spot every day to make his crossing, and today will be no exception. He will come. He will come and he will find me; he will find me, and he will say:

“And who might you be?”

After I turned around, I was greeted with a weird-looking old figure, much more so than I was expecting, with an uneven pair of glasses barely hanging from his slightly twirled nose and a long set of grey hair cascading, knot after knot, from the top of his head. Several pieces of mismatched armour were strapped to his tall if a bit hunched, body. They had been collected over a long period of time and from all kinds of sources. His right hand held a solid piece of armament; he tried to disguise it as a walking stick, but it was most definitely a good weapon. A haversack hung from his other shoulder, it was half open and mostly filled with all sorts of plants and a few samples of fungi.

Then I noticed behind him followed a beast of burden; great of size and with quite the relaxed jaw hanging under its corpulent nose. And if all the satchels covering its blue and green skin were not enough to define its purpose, its mellow eyes surely did the trick. Also, between its massive shoulders and the middle of its curved back, rested a large, purple saddle. One that was just big enough for two.

“I was waiting for you,” I steadily revealed to him.

“It would certainly seem that way.” The old man replied quite unpreoccupied, “Please tell me then, how is it that I am fated to find a little one such as yourself out here, in the middle of these woods?” He asked as he began tying that beast to the nearest tree.

“I just said,” I repeated without taking my eyes from all the papers I was holding, “that I came here to wait for you.”

“Quite right.” He stared at me for a moment, and then finally wetted his boots as he ventured into that running water to make his approach. He did so slowly and carefully, as to not frighten me, which caused me to smile in appreciation. All the dirt and rips in my mostly white clothes easily conveying to him that I had gone through quite a lot recently.

“It’s alright. You can come closer.” I told him unabashedly.

“Oh, were you writing?” He was quick to notice when close enough, “And at such a young age as well. Remarkable.” He then quickly followed that with a high opinion of my scattered drawings, before picking one up: “And what about these? Did you draw all of them as well?”

“I did.”

“I know this man..." The old man confessed, “and this woman as well.” He added as his eyes caught glimpse of another half-finished sketch. He picked up that one as well, and then held them close to each other ...

“I know these people.” He insisted, without taking his eyes from those two pictures... “You do," I assured him quite calmly. “That is why I am here.”

“How are you acquainted with any of them?” He asked quite seriously, and only then did his eyes seem to notice my hair, which was blue all over except for its still black tips. “You’re quite the odd one.” He admitted, while he was far from what anyone would deem as 'normal'. “And I do not need my bigger glasses to see that.”

“Here. This is for you,” I tried to hand him my big notebook, the one that had been resting safely beside me. Almost falling out of it was a whole compendium of drawings and other poorly attached notes. “Father wanted you to have it.” I nudged it towards him. “He also wanted me to go with you.”

“Father, you say?” He cautiously asked as he refused the offer, “I am afraid I will have to doubt that. You see little one, I am not one with many friends, let alone associates.” He then took a few steps back “No, you must be mistaken. But fret not, you may accompany me back to my place, if you so wish of course. After all, it is not proper to leave one so small and meek behind, especially in a place like this. Old Gorliochi over there,” His eyes went straight towards that beast; this one was completely relaxed even if its jaws kept finding one thing or another to chew on, “he can easily carry the both of us for as long as necessary. He has been with me for many seasons now, lending a hand in the carrying of all sorts of things.”

He smiled, but it was a ruse that could not hope to work on the likes of one such as me. “Like all sorts of flowers and fungi that I so often like to come and find in these parts... Or even

“You are no mere flower picker or mushroom gatherer.” I said as I kept forcing that notebook onto him. “Go on, take it. You are the Thinker-Tinker, and you are meant to read it.”

A short silence stood between the two of us ...

"Your father, who is he then?” He eventually asked, even if his interests appeared to be dwindling the more he was going through those notes and drawings, “I know many of the names inscribed here.” He kept confessing, as he tipped his glasses just in time to prevent them from falling off his curved nose; and then he looked at me with refulgent eyes: “Some of these people, they are in these drawings of yours as well! And this man here; a Kharn. He is my friend. A dear one.”

“That is Father,” I said to his amazement ...

A long pause took over his person.

Many of his past fears but also promises came to haunt him, and without a moment’s notice, his head became occupied with all sorts of questions and possibilities. There were so many 'If’s' and 'Buts' and 'What’s' swirling in his mind – and in the end all I heard him think to himself was: “This is likely to bring me quite the unwanted trouble, but if there is any chance of truth to it, at all; of a real connection between this little one and that ol' fool... What choice do I have?”

“Who are you girl?” his eyes swelled up as he confronted me again, “and how did you get your hands on all this?”

“As I said, all of it was wrought by my hand.”

‘You wrote...” His eyes travelled between note and drawing alike “all this? What made you do such a thing?” He asked with his eyes now trembling with restlessness.

“And then you will read it?”

“Oh, I most definitely will. The spark of curiosity has already been lit inside me.” He then reassured me further, “My interest has already peaked way past the point of arousal, don’t you worry.” And after he weighed all of it with both hands; “But I will have to do so back at my place. You understand that this is quite a lot to go through?”

“Quite,” I replied after I added a few extra notes I had on my person.

“Besides, I don’t have my reading glasses on me.” He added somewhat flippantly “I mean why would I bring them; you know? It’s not like I get to meet little girls carrying tomes for me regularly.”

I nodded in concordance, and then he suggested we should make haste. Insisting, as we made our way to that beast, that I should tell him, or rather prepare him, for what could be in store inside that notebook.

Asking me in all sorts of ways, but repeatedly nonetheless, who I was or what reason could I have to write such things. And after he untied the now even less threatening beast of burden, he helped me find my place on top of its generous back.

He then went around it, patting its massive head as he passed quite comfortably in front of it; and then he too took his place to my left.

Now, with the both of us sitting side by side and ready to go, he smiled at me through the corner of his mouth before shouting for our advance. But the one he called 'Gorliochi' merely let out a howl of sorts... “Quit your blubbering.” He then began to pull those reins on the big beast’s neck repeatedly until finally, the beast began to move... “There we go. By the way, you pay no heed to these misbehaviours, alright? Ol’ Gorli here likes to act a bit lazy these days.”

“I have never seen such a creature.”

“Yeah,” He let out a sad and drawn-out confirmation, “There are not many like him around anymore. Frankly, I would be surprised if we ever encounter another one of his kind.” He looked at me and then threw half a smile through the right corner of his mouth; “Now, why don’t you start by telling me what made you write such a thing? And more importantly: what is your real connection to that old fool? You know, he and I; we have been friends for the longest time girl, and I even spoke to him just recently.” He threw a quick look my way, obviously trying to fish for any kind of reaction; “And he has never mentioned a single word about any plans for an adoption.”

“I am not that used to talking...” I warned, “what I mean is: I have not done it with that many people yet so, I might – how you say – run off at the mouth.”

“Oh? Well then,” he explained through another crooked smile; one that revealed how few teeth he still had left, and also how big his gums were, “You can be at ease since I am not that used to listening myself. “Besides,” he continued, “We still have ways to go, and nothing to do for the whole way but talk to each other. You just go on for as much as you like without a worry. I am sure no word will feel unwarranted.”

“Alright,” I replied nervously, but also thankfully. “I guess it would be better if I just went back to the beginning; to the very first time I opened my eyes...”

“...” He threw me a look of disbelief, but after that initial scepticism, not once did he dare to interrupt me again. Not until I was done with that longest of replies, and by then, we would already be making ourselves comfortable inside his most peculiar household...

“...I slowly opened my eyes, like I had done so many times before, but still, they could not trespass that pitch-black. It seemed that yet again I was to be frustrated by blindness, and darkness was to remain as my only company. How long had it been since I first regained consciousness? How much time had already been stolen from me? To seemingly punish me even further; I was to endure it all while strapped to a bed and surrounded by all sorts of sounds and smells that only increased my curiosity, only fuelled my already immeasurable desire to see – what a sentence. Another kind of darkness then swept over me as the shadows of frustration and anger began curving all around my mind, slowly turning into large black circles of depression.

And then my body began telling what I could not: my fists clenched involuntarily as my tiny arms trembled, my entire strapped body began to twitch and turn whichever way, and shortly after my teeth too were showing eagerness in joining that demonstration. I wanted to shout, to scream, to expel all that I was feeling, but before my mouth could make its first echo, I began noticing that this time it would be different. The darkness that had always been there in front of me, no matter how much my eyes would widen, began to dissipate and those feelings with it; slowly, they all faded until other doings began to take over.

I began moving my head as much as those restraints would allow, and as soon as most of that blurriness left me, I found myself laying down in a poorly lit room.

All sorts of machinery scattered about, there were also other beds like the one I was laying on, most of them empty but a few with others like me. I knew right away they were like me.

Young and asleep, oblivious to the frustrations yet to come their way. I noticed then that some of them had tubes going into their bodies through all sorts of possible ways. My scared mouth could not help itself this time, and so a loud gasp inevitably made itself heard -my voice sounded nothing like the thoughts in my head- and then I heard someone coming.

I was scared. Fear is, after all, the first emotion taught to any living thing.

I did not have to keep on guessing for long, however, as through the corner of my struggling eye, I was able to appreciate him somewhat. I uttered something in response to being so scared, though I was unable to understand it myself at the time. Then I felt a pair of trembling fingers gently caressing my face and my eyelids. Those wrinkled hands then proceeded to go all over my naked body: checking, poking, searching.

Examining.

My eyes could not do much else but wander aimlessly while that was all taking place; trying to divert my attention of what could be going on. I then noticed some luteous markings on some of those darkened walls – although I was unable to read them, they still held some interest over me, if only momentarily. My eyes decided then to continue their penurious tour only to be halted again by one of those beds. Someone was twitching under a few heavy white blankets, someone even smaller than me I would say, twitching and complaining, and right before my mouth could exclaim a word, my face was turned away from it.

A warm and trembling hand was now making me stare at an even older face: one whose wrinkles easily drew an expression of worry. I started to hear his voice, hoarse, masculine, and old; completely the opposite of what mine had previously sounded like. I could tell he was urgently trying to tell me something but his words, just like my very own, were no more than indistinguishable sounds to me. Gently his trembling fingers began rubbing around my eyes as if he knew they were hurting, and sure enough after a while, any remaining blurriness still holding onto the corners of my sight was gone. Immediately after, and as fast as he could, he began removing all the restraints tying me to that bed, and after that was done, he helped me to sit.

He had a big smile on his face as if he were so proud of me, and although I could not understand the sounds coming from between his lips, his eyes could easily tell me as much. More than once I signalled him that I could not understand him, but no matter how many times I would nod my head he still would not stop.

His mouth kept moving as if my ears could make all sense out of them. He tried and tried and tried until he made me smile for the first time, shyly at first but eventually he even managed to steal my first giggle. He smiled back. I will never forget my first pleasant exchange with another, nor will I forget that loud sound that came to interrupt it.

A big shriek, the sound of metal being dragged across more metal; it interrupted us and made him look away from me. That older face turned away from me so fast, towards that door opening, and the younger man that proceeded to walk through it. They began to hastily exchange sounds between them and the more they did, incredibly, the easier it became for me to understand what they were saying.

A few short words at first... “Sir...you... certain?”The new man asked.

“It... the... way.” The older man replied, and it quickly became apparent he was in charge no matter how their words were being exchanged.

“But... ...dangerous game... ...!” The young man said before storming off. The older one tried to follow him, but he stopped at the door. He whispered something and even though I could not understand it, I knew it to be sad.

“Did you ... any ... that?” He asked as he made his way towards me, “You did... you?” "Yes...”

That reply impressed no one else more than it did me.

The way I bounced in surprise almost threw me out of that bed.

“Easy there.” He held me gently, “It will only get easier for you by the moment.”

“Easier?” I had to inquire, “What?”

“Everyt... will.” His eyes immediately adopted a more serious look, and the rest of his face followed, “But first... must... you... of here.”

I then heard a big sound outside, we both did, one that made us shiver. It frightened me deeply and as much as I wished it to be just the one scare, it was not to be.

“It has begun.” He confessed rather calmly as if he was already expecting it. Many more terrible sounds soon followed, screams and other noises of terror just outside that room, and as my eyes began rummaging in a most panicky manner, he placed his hands on my cheeks and stared right at me: “It’s alright.” He reassured me “This is intended, you understand? It is according to the plan.” He was staring at me with deep concern, but there was no lie in his words.

“What is happening?” I reluctantly asked, “What is this place?” I felt like I was finally able to understand myself for the most part, or at least most of my spoken words were now sounding just like my thoughts before I voiced them. “Please?” I insisted ...

“We don’t have much time for this,” Those hoarse words pushed through between nervous breaths, and it seemed I could now understand them without too much impediment “but you have just been awakened ... or born, if you will.”

“I don’t understand,” I begged for more as he turned his back to me to begin those rushed preparations, and when I was about to insist, he spoke to me some more.

“You were born into this world – born, the word born, you already know the meaning?”

“Yes ...”

“Yes, of course, you do.” He responded with a smile before continuing, “Either way, you were born into it or perhaps brought here from another; not even I know for sure which one applies more correctly. Not even after so many... Anyway, I know you are to be charged with bearing most of this world’s responsibility.”

“Charged?” I asked.

“Yes charged, and by none other than yourself. But first, we need to get you out of here. We must deliver you somewhere safe.” He stopped to look straight at me “I know you have so many questions, but it is imperative that you save them for later.”

“You must put your trust in me, you understand? You must trust me and be patient. Time itself will tell you all that you might want to know right now and then some. Just wait.” He turned again to resume those rushed preparations; “I take it that it will not be long before I am the one turning to you for some answers. For now, just be patient and do what I ask of you.”

“What am I? How can I have learned this much already, and so fast?” I stopped for a moment, and then looked him in the eye: “And how can I know that is not normal?”

“Not a what, but a who.” He replied while turning away from me but still, likely against his wishes, I felt that those words were brought forth in a somewhat vague and unassertive manner.

“Who then...”! could not help but be distracted by all that was raging on just outside that room; the several noises rampaging all around, those constant screams escorted now by other gruesome sounds of violence. I tightly shut my eyes for a moment, in the hopes that somehow it would all go away, and then looked at him again. I found comfort in that even if he himself seemed desperate to finish gathering all sorts of things from those silvered tables, he too seemed afraid. “Who then?” I was so hoping he would cave, if just for a moment, but no such luck.

So, I just sat there, completely free from any physical bonds but with my feelings still tying me to that bed. I remained still, watching him pack those last things with great haste: all sorts of papers and the tools to inscribe on them, some food, and a few other utensils too that I could not yet recognize.

I felt so inclined to ask him again, but before I managed to assemble the required words, I got hit in the head, something fierce!

A presentiment, a quick vision of a clap of thunder cutting through heavy rain and, amidst it all, some sort of airship struggling through it. Could that have been just a random trick of my imagination or the thunderclap of catastrophe? What was that? It felt so...

A premonition perhaps, or a distorted perception of my unknown present?

Surprised I looked at him only for my doubts to be met with a wry grin.

He then went on, somewhat callously as he did not even stop what he was doing to throw a glimpse my way.

“You saw them just now, didn’t you? The aircraft that will soon be making its way here I mean. Good. It is just as she said you would,” he grabbed a small but thick notepad and carefully stuffed it in the biggest pocket available to him. “What you saw, that is the beginning of your way out of here. Now hurry along please; come on, we have to get going.” His hand then made what I easily interpreted as a summoning gesture. In response to that calling, I promptly leapt from that bed.

As soon as I did, quickly looking around, I was suddenly flooded with memories, clearly not mine, that stubbornly poured into my head. I immediately obtained a better understanding of what that room really was. Many terrible things had been happening in that dark and confined space for a long time, all around where he and I both stood. I could see it, feel it, so clearly; as if not others but I, had gone through such terrible ordeals many times before. I could not help but stare at him so scared and confused. Those visions would not stop and the more I was seeing, remembering; the more lost I was becoming...

“Genetic memories;” He snapped me back from that state with those two words, “things you did not experience yourself but can remember nonetheless.” He then opened the door that would allow us to leave, slowly and carefully, just a little bit. Cautiously he took a quick peek outside, a clear attempt to try and have a look at what could still be going on. “Wear those.” he pointed at some clothes waiting for me on the nearest table “They will have to do for now. We will see what we can get you later.”

I clumsily managed to put them on and after I was done, he invited me with a gentle wave of his hand. Shyly I began taking my first slow steps towards him, following trustfully the instructions of his right hand as this one kept beckoning me, asking me to come to him.

“In time, many things will return to you child, and some of those things only the very few could own any hope of knowing. You will come to remember and learn all that came before you, every event in the lives of all the ancients. You will come to know all that they did and experience what they once have.”

He turned to me again, once I was almost within range, and slowly knelt, “You see, you don’t need to ask me any questions because soon, you will know far more than me or any other. This I will keep telling you, as many times as you need to hear it. You will know and see far more than most could ever tell you.” With both of his arms, he invited me over “You just wait with your doubts.” He invited me again and I took the last few steps towards him “I will soon be proven right.”

He paused to try and catch a bit of his fleeting breath, he coughed too, “I believe you to be the answer that our misguided world has been waiting for, and that is why I have decided to set you free.”

“I don’t understand,” I said shaking, looking at my own hands. Only then was I able to appreciate how much smaller than him I was. Even though he was kneeling before me, waiting, and inviting me for a hug, he was still taller than me.

“Many things will come to you,” He held me tight in his arms and it felt good “not only the memories of what once was but also the visions of what is at this very moment, and also what may yet come to pass.” He pushed me away gently to stare at my eyes, “I cannot help you when it comes to dealing with that for I cannot even imagine, let alone understand, what it might be like. Seeing the past, present, and possible futures everytime you blink or have a dream? I do not think any Human can. All I can do is promise to be by your side. To take your hand as you go through it.”

“How do you know all this? How It was my turn now to halt my words although I couldn’t say for sure why; I mean I felt no air fleeing from me that I should try and recapture. “So much about me, I mean.” I slowly resumed “How come you can...”

“Because you were designed that way.” He hugged me again, even tighter than the first time.

“Designed?” I hugged him back, it felt even better for me too, “I don’t understand.” “Oh, my dear; but you will, I promise.” His arms tightened around me, gently, and I

felt safe, I did not want them to let go.

“You were meant for greater things; you are unique and very, very special.” And then something weird happened, I noticed a little drop coming out of my left eye. I felt it slide down my face without purpose, like some lost freshet unable to find its destination “You understand?” he grabbed my shoulders “Do you?” He shook them just carefully enough “And to be special, to be unique is...”

“Is to be alone?” I could not help but sob.

“Oh, come now,” He placed one of his old trembling hands on my forehead, “You are just going through, shall we say, a tumbling of emotions; something completely natural for a young born such as yourself.” He smiled straight at me, it gave me comfort “But I can guarantee you that in just a few hours from now, none of these things will have any effect on you. None of these rumbling emotions that may now be tearing at you from the inside will carry any weight. Give it a bit of time and you will easily evolve beyond that, hold on for just a while – can you do that for me?” I did not find the need to throw a single word at him, I knew he had seen right through me and my big wet eyes, the moment I sobbed for the second time. “I am telling you, just give time the chance to work its magic for it alone can make all things easier.” He slowly stood up.

“You know, the passing of time will undoubtedly grant you many gifts my dear, great knowledge and even greater power, of that I am sure. But no gift will ever be bigger than experience and the calluses that this one will grow around your heart and your mind. They will remain there to try and protect you and ensure that you always make the right call.” He threw another quick glimpse outside that room “Why, I am certain that when the time comes for us to say goodbye to one another, you will not even shed a tear.” He turned to me again just in time to catch another of those eye drops with his trembling index finger: “You will be far too evolved to care for such things. So instead, I think I will hold on to this one.”

“I hope that is not true.” I looked away because at that moment I simply could not look at him, my chest was hurting so much. Instead, I took one last look around that room for something was telling me that I would not see it again; and even though those painful memories were still piercing me every time my eyes noticed something new, they still couldn’t hurt me anywhere near as much. It would take me a while.

“You ready?” But that was time we did not have.

“If the time ever comes for us to depart, I will shed many more of those for you, Father.” He looked somewhat puzzled at me, and I felt my cheeks burn more than ever before. "You were the one that woke me, were you not?” I asked after patting my cheeks a few repeated times, desperately trying to cool them, or at least erase that pinkish hue I was sure to be colouring them. “The one that brought me into this conscious state?” I took it gently for I felt nervous treading through such words “It seems then to me that the term fits quite appropriately. Or does it bother you?”

“No.” He said before focusing his eyes again on what was going on outside; “No, it doesn’t bother me.” and then he held my hand “I just have not been called that in a very long time.”

“I promise I will try not to wear it down.” I smiled immediately after and he did too.

That moment however, was not allowed to last as the increasing happenings on the outside magnified his haste, and by proxy, mine.

“We need to wait for just the right time,” he grumbled.

“Maybe... maybe...” I repeated a few times.

“Huh?” he asked before immediately realising... “Oh!”

“Maybe...” my eyes were still glued to that sign, previously some luteous gibberish but now something more, words without sound that I could understand, read...

"Multiple

Assembled

Young

Biologic

Entities”

“Does that include me?” I asked “Am I one of these 'Maybe'? Father?” I noticed he chose not to answer, but instead to deflect, “Since you can read already, I am sure your writing skills are close behind, and so I would have you do something for me. Something quite important.”

“I know writing, I mean what that is.” I remember waving my finger around as I tried to mimic the words on that sign “But I am not sure I can do it myself. Not yet.”

“It will come to you,” He smiled, his most appreciated attempt at inspiring any confidence in me, “and when it does, I would like for you to write down everything that is going to transpire tonight.” He then rummaged through that big bag he had been readying for the last moments, before finally slapping his forehead after realising what he was looking for was already in one of his pockets. He took it out, and then proudly handed it to me. That very same notebook that you now hold in your hand, “Can you do that for me?” He insisted.

“I am not sure I –”

“It will come to you, all the memories and much more.” He smiled as he handed me some pencils too, “And when you know how, when you feel confident enough to start, I want you to write down everything concerning tonight. Write as much as you can – use whatever sight is available to you; pen down whatever your eyes or your mind decide to show you – keep writing until you find yourself out of here.”

“Can I make it like a story?” I asked shyly, “Of sorts...”

“Yes, if it pleases you. You can try and structure it like that if you want but do try and avoid any glib words.” He took another quick and desperate peek through that still barely opened crimson metal door “Then you can read it back to me, and to others, once we are far and away from this place – safe and under the sun.”

“Can I make some drawings too?” My heart jumped in expectation. “Well,” He looked at me again, with the most patient of smiles “yes, certainly. Whatever helps you in the telling, why not?” He rummaged again for some crayons which he then handed to me, and then he hesitantly returned his worrisome look to what was waiting on the other side of that door.

“Are we going now?” I asked while holding all the things he gave me as tightly as my little weak hands possibly could, “Father?”

“Where could they be?”I heard him whisper “Well, no matter.” He took a deep breath, “Our way seems to be clear.” He then turned to me, with his eyes staring at mine in a more serious way than I had thought possible. “This is it. Are you ready?”

“Yes...” I scattered all the pencils and crayons across all pockets available to me and, while holding that notebook tightly in my right arm, I slowly extended my left one. He gently took hold of my hand, caressed my fingers a few times behind a comforting smile, and then pulled me with him...

... and that is why I wrote all that you now hold.

“I see..." The Tinker admitted a bit dubiously when we were already back his place, “That is quite the tale.” His fingers constantly caressing the well-worn cover of that notebook; so easily displaying all the eagerness that his eyes would not share.

“That is what happened.”

“Well, and what then?” He asked as he gestured me to take a seat. We were now in what he called a 'living room', and I could see all sorts of things scattered around that makeshift table standing distinguishably in the middle. “Go on, sit down. Wherever you like.” he insisted after placing my notebook in the centre of that table. Then he turned around, towards some cupboards and a device leaking out all sorts of fire.

“Can I take this one?” I asked regarding one of the few chairs I found in a usable condition.

“Go right ahead.” He promptly allowed, without even looking to see what I could be referring to, as he was now clearly too busy preparing something. “Thank you.”

“And then,” he asked me again, “what happened after?” He turned around holding a tray. On it rested a couple of exceptionally large and funny looking mugs, and between them was a smoking metal pot.

He approached the table, and after having planted all the preparations, he began pouring some orangey looking liquid into each of those mugs.

“There you go.” He said as he finished pouring, “This will do you good.”

“Thank you.”

“You must drink all of it.” He told me as he grabbed hold of one of those mugs.

“Ouch!” I complained, “Too hot.”

“That is how it is served, and how it should be taken.” He went on to sit quite comfortably on an old dusty chair across that table. He drank his share in one swift gulp, and then he burped as he lit some sort of stick which he then placed in his mouth. He seemed to be sucking on it and every time he did, the timid fire at the end of it grew for a moment, before fading again. Curiosity was pouring from his eyes and lips now, just as that liquid had poured from that metal pot.

“That was the beginning.” I cut off any further insistence...

“The rest is all in here, huh?” He tried to sound uncaring, but I could see right through him.

“You are meant to read it.” I decided to indulge in the insisting game as well, and as I stood up, I fondly gazed at that notebook.

“Right.” He grabbed hold of it and placed it upon his lap, “According to you, that ol' fool wanted me to...” And then he opened it...

I slowly began making my way to the next room, for there was something that easily caught my eye the moment I set foot into his place. “In there you will learn how I made it to where you found me... waiting for you.”

This large box of clean glass filled to the brim with bubbling water, and in it, there were these weird samples of life swimming back and forth. Restlessly.

They reminded me of all those that I had met; in the way in which they could see the world in its entirety, but always constricted by the invisible walls, we all have around ourselves. They also reminded me... of myself.

“You know, at my age, this may take a while.” He flipped the first page with his left hand while his right went for a bigger pair of glasses. “Quite a while in fact.”

“You must go through all of it,” I remarked, “and understand.”

“Wish I had something better than tea to palliate the process though.” He murmured.

“I will be in the next room,” I spoke softly.

“Oh, you like aquariums, do you?”

“Aquariums...” I murmured...

“We can talk all about it later; but for now, I think you should grab some rest.”

He did not even look at me, his eyes were already too busy scurrying through those first pages.

“There is quite a comfortable couch in there as well. Why don’t you give it a try? Don’t worry, I will call for you when I am done with this.”

“I just might.”

And with that, I left him to it...

Part One

“The Crafted Mountain”

A long dream about the Centra. One of my very first...

Chapter One

“The Artificers of Will"

Along time ago all things that were or could hope to be, were under the guidance of the wisest; those known today only as the 'Centra'. They alone were the keepers of the Age of Growth and they alone kept watch over the world itself from high atop their floating cities and other sources of awe. They surveyed and kept the balance with the aid and grace of their immeasurable

achievements. Impressive feats born from their mastery of the darkest of magics: a power they called science. Feats to be remembered always through mistranslated words and long, half-forgotten, fables carried across generations throughout all the corners of this exhausted world. Stories and fairy tales, words of the very old to the very young as scattered memories intertwine themselves with legend, as glory and fascination eventually turn to dread and warning.

Narrations of incredible proportions, their words and bolstering claims easily supported by the remaining Centra achievements, left for everyone to see upon this dreaded world; large constructions, all arrogant and defiant in their design.

Temples standing proud to this day atop higher mountains while waiting for the brave or the foolish to step up to the challenge.

Cities, magnificent still, that once stood shoulder to shoulder with any cloud, now just ruins upon the scarred land making up the landscapes of deserts, oceans, forests, and lakes. All of this creates a world that supplies and displays proof to these narrations regardless of how fantastic and unbelievable some of those assembled sentences may seem to the smallest of listeners.

Words are always passed on with foreboding tones, for the meaning within its message is always the same, one of hubris and the collapse that always ensues. The Centra were felled, by what real reason one can only speculate, but gone is their mighty civilisation, lost to us and it was a mystery that to this day no one can be certain of their fate. For with all that they achieved and all the power they once held; they were the rulers of an entire world and handlers of unmatched technologies, they would still – mysteriously – disappear without a trace, leaving behind only their accomplishments. As many and as impressive as their feats seem, even today, the fears were not enough to save them from whatever fate befell them. During their long reign, for countless millennia, they reshaped all the lands and built a world in their image.

They had the power to do so, and they did. They created and they destroyed.

How many wonders disappeared under the Centra’s thumb? How many were born from their desire to create?

All of this they did, until one night, in just one night, suddenly, their entire race was extinguished! What was this mysterious event of cataclysmic proportions that in a single swoop robbed the world of their biggest prize, not even leaving behind a single corpse?

What caused the mass extinction of these chosen and sent all their cities and other flying stations crashing down towards the earth below?

The more that is revealed to us about the Centra, the closer we get to perceive their real magnitude, the more fascinating and alluring the mystery of their disappearance becomes. Still, the whole world is, and likely forever will be, the largest testimony for all that the Centra ever were and forever achieved.

A whole world that even now, as it slowly awaits its collapse, persistently sings to their glory. The Centra departed leaving behind a world of unshackled magics and soon to be poorly resurrected technologies. With their absence, and their machines spent and their cities toppled, so too ended the Age of Growth, but with all that the Centra left behind, in time, a new Era would begin...

This one, the second Era of this world... the aptly called Ageof Pursuit...

The Centra were gone but the world would continue, still bound to their will but now without their guiding hand. Instead, it would be all that they had left behind that would now set a new curse for the world after them. Once the Centra had claimed this world to themselves, thanks to their mastery of all sciences, magics and technology that provided them with the unparalleled (hateful profanities to some and cause for divine worship to others) that ran rampant across the entire planet to this very day. All that they built and accomplished, all that defined their very existence; an entire empire spanning across all continents, all seas and the one sky, was left behind for those that would eventually follow.

Who would dare guess how long it came to pass since the world woke up one day in complete silence, the sound of their rulership absent, before life would finally resume its course? With no more thunderous machines or hovering cities, and with no more Centra to command it all, an entire world was now free. How long for the first races to sprout forth and begin their own curse, and does any of it matter?

Eventually, of course, they did. And little by little they grew. At first, little more than animals scrapping for food but in time they would master several forms of hunting and fishing, and from there they would evolve to the races of our current time. Slowly but surely, that was how the current races of this world came about. Humans and those that would later call themselves the Nharkim as well as countless others; Twinkledinnes, Sandrackar, Maruic, Dreibos and many more. And for an exceedingly long time, they were just that, tribes of fishermen and hunters struggling to find shelter from the heavy rains. Nothing more than primitive and superstitious creatures, each with their customs and fears for the world may have been silent, the Centra absent, but fear still roamed the lands and kept all living things in check, regardless of beliefs. And would continue to do so for aeons. I would claim it still does so, even today, if only for the less privileged.

Our current Era really began, as always, with an apparent meaningless action of not much importance, but enough to start the largest of all chain of events. That small gesture that opened the way for what would define our world to this very day, the Era of Pursuit began, the moment a member of the small and meek tribe ofTwinkledinnes, one of the tiniest races one could ever hope to meet, decided to venture forth into one of the forbidden zones. Any area where Centra remnants were known to exist were best avoided – a taboo.

What was the motive that drove such a small creature?

That is now lost to us, dissolved in the ebb and flow of time but the result of such an action defines all things today. Into one of the Centra ruins that Twinkledinne went and when he came out, he did so with something in his hands. That very moment, where this small creature showed there was not only nothing to fear from those areas but there were also rewards to be picked up, that was when this Era truly began.

Word began to spread, and the veil of fear and superstition was lifted. All tribes, in time, came to learn that there was nothing to fear from venturing into Centra territories. No longer were these Centra remnants cursed places, to be feared and avoided for either religious reasons imposed by most tribes or the mere common sense of the passing traveller. No. Now anything Centra was a place to be actively sought out and where fortune could be found. One by one every tribe of every race got into this, offering handsome rewards to anyone presenting them with anything made by Centra, even to those outside their own race.

And so, greed was ironically enough, the will that broke any previous isolation and made most embrace outside relations. But what brought all the races together would also tear them apart. At first, most things were bought and sold as decorum, but as time went on and the races kept evolving and learning from these finds, their value and their importance kept increasing.

From the study and learning of these Centra finds, most races began evolving, building, finding cures for the sick and easier ways to withstand the cold storms. It became obvious to all that this was their future, that the finding of more and more Centra technology, or anything concerning it, was their new path.

So much going on with so many lives; so many stories...

Through air, sea, or land: someone is always looking...

And this craving for more of it would reshape the world yet a second time.

The Centra technology would make the world a smaller place, as through it the tribes not only began negotiating among themselves, thus giving birth to the one tongue, but they would also learn to build great many things. The skills of bow and spear were replaced with much better weaponry, villages became cities, and much of the animal power was replaced with machinery. Small boats, in time, became ships and later these too, would be for the most part dropped as soon as the first airship took to flight, and the skies proved to be much safer routes.

However, amongst all this growth, the seeds of fear and paranoia, of distrust for the other races were also growing just as much, if not more so, than the seeds of joy and illumination. All it took was the sheer thought of what any other race could be after and what would they do if they obtained it, for all to succumb to despair. The newfound freedom and safety the world had been blessed with were thus not meant to last.

Turn on each other, they did. The more advanced, the further ahead in this arms race a civilisation was, the bigger the shadow they would cast upon the rest. The race began in this manner, propelled by fear and thirst for power with the two biggest offenders being the Kingdom of Man and the Nharkim.

These two, somehow, quickly distanced themselves from all and for many years they were almost on equal footing. Then something happened. The Nharkim took the lead and ever since then, they were ahead of any other. For many years these two empires waged war on each other until finally the Nharkim suddenly decided to leave the continent they all shared and settle themselves on a large archipelago to the East.

They left without any announcement and have not been seen since. Not quite...

Naturally, it was the Humans who inherited the large landmass quickly renaming it “The Celitian Continent” after their own capital “Celitia City”. Years passed and most of the other races that shared the continent began to scatter as the Human Empire kept on pushing them till there was no more land for them to run to.

Humans expanded and everything else diminished. Generation after generation, the more humans were spreading the more and more could other races be seen in their cities, free to live as they deemed fit. They still had their very own towns here or there, but these were growing scarce and so, for the most part, every other race could be seen much like today in any number of Human settlements. Earning an honest day’s work or drinking their lives away much like Humans love to do, for they have always shared equal rights.

Still, for all this, many dislike the race of Man for “absorbing” everyone into their kingdom, slowly making other traditions and values disappear. So sometimes it is dangerous for Humans to come across other, more “hateful” races.

Nowadays occasionally, one comes across a nonhuman town that is exclusive to their own kin. Not in the main continent at least, where the Humans have long taken over and their laws are enforced pretty much everywhere. Equal rights for the price of equal duties. Of course, on other more uncharted and undesirable masses of land, who knows who or what makes their kingdom there. Despite all, nothing has changed, and no hunger has been lost as most races still fear one another. Most still compete with one another, fiercely as each one seeks that Centra gift that might just give them the edge.

From the greater empires to the smaller tribes living underground or in swamps, all around the world, across any landmass where there is smart enough life, someone is pursuing those Centra secrets. To sell to the highest bidder or for the glory of their own race, the search is never-ending. It has been like this since this Era started and it is this way even now.

And such unravel of this world’s decline shows no signs of slowing down, as especially the Humans, keep on wanting. They alone hold the majority of all the greed and all the fear that infests the world in these dark times, as they keep pushing fiercely for the monopoly of all the Centra market. The acquisition of all Centra findings for which the Human king is willing to do anything for, either paying for them handsomely or by taking them by any other means if need be.

As it has been for generations, the Nharkim remain by far the most advanced race, by quite the margin as anyone can tell just by looking at their city from far away – their greatness is known to all.

No other civilisation at this time can even come close to competing with them, and so his majesty Hervies the current Human king must push even more. He is ruthless and carries much fear in his chest, more than any other ruler before him, and if his heart is tight, the borders of his scruples extend far and wide.

There is nothing that the almighty Hervies will not do for his ambitions.

The feelings of admiration and awe, of respect and fear towards anything Centra, have long been replaced by folly and greed, by petty and misguided ambitions. Perhaps nothing shows this better than the Human king’s efforts in his perpetual quest for his race to take the front seat. He and all under him have been doing whatever is deemed necessary to not fall behind for generations. Hervies is just the next in line of a long succession of rulers living in constant fear of what the Nharkim could do at any time. But something makes him different however, and no other king that has come before him has gone as far as he is willing to go. No other Human ruler before him has had so much pressure felt upon his crown either.

The Nharkim technology seems to grow almost exponentially, improving almost by the day and soon who... even now, can guess what they could be scheming? The necessary measures must thus be taken even further than that, such as the constant deployment of all sorts of scavenger teams to all the known corners of the world in desperate attempts to try and uncover more Centra property. All in the hopes of finally unveiling some of their biggest secrets, something that could give the Humans the necessary advantage to at last take their place as the most powerful in all the lands. Hervies holds nothing back when it comes to achieving this; he is well known even by those outside his race, as a ruler with complete disregard towards anyone’s welfare and how much it might all cost. Time and again he has proven that he is more than willing to pour any amount of funds, and he has no restraints in raising taxes either to do so.

He is a dangerous man.

Not just to others but also to himself. He is perhaps the most dangerous human to walk this world in quite some time. Desperation drives him and the fear he feels himself, he has no qualms in casting upon others. With each passing day, he tightens the noose around his own people’s neck; he demands skin and teeth from all the hard-working folk and quite the percentage of his kingdom are on the verge of starvation.

Then he comes and offers insurmountable amounts of currency to anyone willing to do his bidding and in doing so, obviously, Hervies has no problem finding the required man labour for the more outrageous efforts the Human kingdom is putting up these last years. For many years these desperate searches have been going on, for the slightest glimpse at any Centra secret and the Celitian Continent has been entirely dug up three times over or so, it seems. They have searched any and all ruins, they have excavated the soil to the point of not even one more hole can be dug up. In their efforts, they exhausted all the land around them and so the time came to look further.

The time to spread and send search teams outside the known charts, to venture forth into the unknown dark corners of the world that most are afraid to even mention let alone set foot in. This is how the “Cloudsiras” came to be, Human expeditions hell-bent on finding and bringing back what their king values most. No other race is known to do this, either because they don’t have the means to cross entire landmasses or because they don’t feel that desperate. Humans, however, are second only to the Nharkim so they can go anywhere. Their numerous airships can sometimes cover entire clouds and as for motivation, well, a man must eat, and their king offers plenty...

There is still much-uncharted territory across this bleak world, still many landmasses and dark continents waiting to be explored.