Almost There

A thousand versions of the same world shimmered inside the reflective crystal that now surrounded Sayane and the caravan. Days of traveling had led them from the surface and down into the realms of the Second Ring. At first, remnant ruins of recently destroyed civilizations stood in quiet testimony to The Silence’s fury at the end of its reign just months ago. Once proud towers and complexly layered districts of geometric structures were now nothing but rubble.

Few dared to speak as the sprawling line of refugees, Revolutionaries, and desperate fans moved through the empty streets. It felt as though breaking the stillness would summon the cruelty of The Silence once more, or interrupt the mourning of whatever lingering spirits were left beneath the debris. Nothing felt entirely dead.

Bit by bit, civilization faded, and the vessels made their way deeper into the Second Ring’s embrace. Sayane watched the glimmering sky slowly disappear behind the gargantuan outcroppings of metal and geode that spanned above them.

“Why are they called 'Rings', by the way?” she asked Attis, who was curled in a ball beside her.

He smiled as his back arched and his fur rippled from the waking muscles hidden beneath.

“Because they are. Colossal rings that envelope and hold the entire realm. Built in ages long past.”

“Really?!” Sayane gasped as she looked out at the massive world they had just traversed.

“How big are they?! There are entire cities and nature and stuff on here?” she squeaked as she peered out the window of the travel vessel to get a better view of the glistening wall that was now greeting them.

“Well, they’re big enough to forget they’re there. But they are. They’ve been there for hundreds of years, holding us all together,” Attis said.

Such information only further surprised Sayane. In all of her time in Illarios, she’d never had time to fully stop and understand the complexities of its existence. There was so much of the world she didn’t know, and yet she was now one of the three core leaders of its future. She feared dwelling on this would bring her lingering dread and whispering anxiety out from the shadows of her soul and into the forefront, so she instead focused on the wonder of the light that was now shifting and sparkling from within the stone all around them.

Glows from unseen sources flitted and twirled as though following them with curious eyes. Beyond the normal pulses for fiery energy that were so common within the ether light, these new specks of spectral radiance shone in ways that Sayane found captivating. Watching their movements felt like watching ribbon dancers moving in slow motion. Before she realized it, she was fully focused on only the microscopic glittering ballet and had not noticed the sun had all but disappeared. Something subliminal and transcendent stirred in her chest as she watched the swaying light. Only Azag’s voice pulled her back to reality.

“We’re getting close,” he said as his cyan eyes began to glow in the darkening chamber.

The path narrowed, and all inorganic structures tapered into the distance. Only the occasional cabling and pipe appeared overhead. Soon they were all in a nearly single-file formation, slowly descending into a massive chasm. Sayane moved to the vessel’s glass front so that she could watch the journey.

Darkness enveloped them, and a haunting, pale green fog began to rise around them. Everything turned quiet until only the hums of the hover pulses from beneath the vehicles could be heard. Until the voices sounded out. It was subtle at first. Nothing more than a whisper on a breeze, with sound that almost touched the far edges of recognition before fading. But Sayane noticed it. She was the first.

Soft, feminine hums whispered out in unending, pleasant calls. Notes layered together into something vast and mournful and beautiful beyond language. Sound entered the body before the mind could translate it, settling with bone and blood like an old friend. Memories flickered in Sayane’s mind, and she suddenly recalled her arrival in the vault all those ages ago. There had been a similar sound back then, but trauma and delirium had buried it in her mind until now.

“Sayane?” Azag asked when he saw her hands and throat once again glowing.

“Can you hear that?” Sayane asked as she looked at the faint light shining from her hands and wrist.

The phenomenon had begun when she freed the Great Violated Shard. Back then, she’d assumed it meant she was fading and her time as an ethereal was over. That hadn’t been the case, but she’d never discerned what the effect meant.

Azag nodded to answer her question.

“Those voices were with me when I first appeared in this world…” Sayane pondered.

Attis joined them and listened with piqued ears.

“It’s quite beautiful,” he remarked.

“Have you ever been here before?” Sayane asked.

He shook his head.

“No, the magelands were nearly forbidden, even before The Silence.”

“Why’s Kol letting us in now?” Azag asked.

“I think he was telling the truth, or at least a part truth, when he said he’s doing it because he wants to help himself as much as us,” Sayane answered.

“...I dislike warlocks. Too many schemes,” Azag sighed.

Sayane couldn’t help but feel that Azag’s caution was correct. Even though Kol had told her directly that he was not doing this purely out of goodwill, she still found it hard to be completely at ease in accepting his offer. The haunting sensation of this cavern was doing little to help, but at the end of the day, the hordes of bodies behind them needed a home. The cold months were coming, The Silence had laid waste to nearly every city, and the surface was still uninhabitable.

“I hope Anahita figures something out,” Sayane inhaled as she took Azag’s hand.

Streaks of lime, cyan, and lavender streamed by them in currents, pulling Sayane’s focus outward once more. Before them, the path opened, and for a moment, awe returned to the forefront of everyone’s hearts. Sayane let out a gasp of wonder as they all beheld the world before them.

Enormous shards rose from misty pools of glowing, liquid flame. The shards clustered and branched like ribbons of sea kelp, rising hundreds of meters towards the cavern’s ceiling until they dissolved in a haze. Though they were seemingly made of stone, they swayed and bobbed as currents of billions of the tiny specks flowed through them like water. Though the realm was dark, light from the flames and currents radiated outward and reflected into thousands of colors that painted the chasm in splendor and brightness.

Organic outcroppings of crystal began to show hints of development. Rounded punctures were carved into the walls and spires by the hundreds, and spheres of light were attached to the billowing shards. No one was inside any of the circular spaces, but Sayane felt like they might be dwelling spaces.

Statues of abstract forms and articulated geometric lines stood at the base of every massive pillar. Once again, Sayane heard the voices. They seemed to emanate from the ground, low and resonant.

“I feel… stronger…” she remarked.

“Probably because of that…” Attis replied as he tapped her leg and pointed forward.

The vessel turned along a bend, and the full breadth of Haven opened before them. Thousands more shard ribbons rose up as though they were on the floor of some enchanted sea. Row upon row of circular structures curved upwards, with the currents of light following, until they all reached a single sphere that was as large as a small town. Not even the biggest stadium in Tokyo could have dared to compare with the scope of the ringed sphere. Bands of light rotated at different paces along its edges, nearly hiding the massive world within the bubble of glass.

Behind the glass, Sayane saw what she could only assume was the Etherfont Kol had mentioned. It poured upwards, against the laws of physics, flowing like water and warping like flame. Cold yet welcoming bluish white light shone out from its river of energy as the torrent made its way upwards and vanished into dozens of fissures in the stone walls.

“By the sounds,” Attis remarked.

“What do you think everyone out there is feeling?” Sayane pondered.

Azag turned to look behind them, even though they could not see the rest of the caravan.

“Awe? As in, wonder and terror, I imagine?”

“It is awe-inspiring,” Sayane replied.

Yet as inspiring as the place was, it was also imposing. Something about its cold silence and empty chambers brought the dread back to Sayane’s chest. She was a songstress and had some understanding of magic. She was an ethereal and had some familiarity with the ether’s power. She was a leader of the Revolution and had to be brave and certain. All of those souls following them were not. They could not assume that simple relief was the only sensation flowing through the cloistered bodies that were descending to Haven at that moment.

“I think we should get out and walk with the crowd for the rest of the way. Would that be okay, Azag?” she asked.

“Aye,” Azag replied.

“You’re right,” Attis added in understanding.

“If I move too slow, I’ll get Can-Mo to carry me,” Azag chuckled.

Moments later, the three of them were escorted by their guards to the edge of the crowd. Thousands of uncertain eyes glistened in the strange light as they looked to the trio for comfort and guidance. Attis stepped forward and cleared his throat.

“Honored friends! We have arrived at our sanctuary! Haven awaits. If you will allow us, we wish to walk with you all as we enter the realm that will shelter us while we build our new world!”

Voices chimed out in agreement and appreciation, but there was no grand fanfare. Only exhaustion and cautious optimism could manifest themselves at that moment. Azag stepped forward.

“I move rather slowly, so please, bear with me if it takes some time. If I hinder you all, let me walk with the elders and sick.”

Some chuckled in understanding. Some knew he was being sincere.

One small, stout creature stood at its full height before bowing.

“Great Guardian, if you tire, please, allow me the honor to aid you,” it requested.

“I will happily lend my flank to the guardian of all and lover of the songstress.”

“‘Lover of the songstress’ oooh I like that one!” Sayane laughed.

Several others laughed in return, and the creature winked at Sayane.

“Any being worthy of being with you, beautiful songstress, must be an amazing soul,” it added.

“He is,” Sayane smirked as she took Azag’s hand.

With that, the trio turned and began to make its way down the path towards their destination. Only then did Sayane realize just how far they still had left.

“Shit, this is going to be a long walk,” she chortled under her breath.

“Looked way shorter when I was sitting down,” Azag muttered.

“You will certainly have to carry me eventually, dear child,” Attis chuckled.

“Shit. Oops,” Sayane snorted.

“Oops,” Azag agreed.

“Oops,” Attis said.

An hour passed, and it appeared as though they had barely moved. Haven was seemingly no closer than when they’d set out, and it was not just because of the slowed pace from Azag’s limping walk.

“I swear, if that mage is playing some manner of trick on us, or if this is some sort of wizard test, I’m going to strangle them,” Azag grunted.

Attis’s inhales began to deepen as he focused on pulling more air into his lungs. It seemed as though the entire caravan was beginning to feel the strain. More and more labored breathing began to sound out. Sayane realized they likely would not even reach their destination before most gave out. As much as she had wanted to have a triumphant entrance into their new temporary home, it seemed like they’d have to wait one more night. There was no sense in rushing them into further exhaustion. Even though it pained her to admit it, they were going to have to stop for the night.

“I think we should stop,” Sayane whispered.

“I agree. If we’re this tired, imagine them,” Attis added.

“What if they’re ready to have a home, though? Stopping them so close might cause frustration,” Azag asked.

Sayane thought it over. Blistered, bloodied feet and paws were likely begging for rest. Hopes and dreams were hanging on the threads of glowing light that flowed beside them. Stopping could do more harm than good, but so could walking till bodies began to drop. They’d covered enough ground to see the end, but it was still just out of reach.

Ancient hums sounded out once more, and a new pulse of light spread from beneath Sayane’s feet. Sentimental notes glided along the smoothed edges of shimmering stone, and she knew she could help. Just like the thousands of souls currently congregating behind them, there were hundreds of thousands more across the land who were also waiting to see what came next. Even if they had roofs over their heads and were far away from the immediate situation, almost all the world was still waiting to know what to do.

Sayane knew they couldn’t send out a broadcast to reveal their plans, lest The Silence remnants arrive with a last-ditch assault. But she could send out a broadcast to calm those who were waiting for guidance and comfort.

Her throat was still wounded and recovering. Every muscle still ached as though they had been strained at once. Weakness still bit at her fingertips and the edges of her teeth. But something about this cavern and its proximity to the Ether gave her comfort and hinted that she could be strong enough for at least a moment.

“I have an idea…” she said.

Azag understood.

“Are you sure, darling? You’re still quite frail.”

“I am. But I think I can do this. It won’t be to save anyone or liberate anything. I think this can just be a simple song, merely for the sake of singing. But it could still help us.”

That was the objective truth. Thus far in her journey, nearly every song had carried some weight or purpose beyond basic emotional impact. But for once, all this song needed to be was pleasant. If done right, it would be enough. Not just for those around them, but for everyone.

Even though she knew she was depleted, and there was more of her that was afraid than she wanted to admit, Sayane knew that singing might be the best thing she could do at that moment. So she began to softly hum to herself to awaken her voice. Almost immediately, the ether and new lights responded by shifting color. Flecks of vibrant purple drifted from Sayane's wrist and throat.  Fascinated murmurs drifted through the crowd.

“Azag, darling, can you go to the tour bus and get Echo’s instrument for me?” Sayane asked.

“Of course,” he replied.

Attis turned to the caravan followers.

“Everyone! We are stopping for the night! Haven’s gates will open for us tomorrow morning. For now, we shall rest here. Please, spread out along the path. And once you are settled, lend your weary ears!”

Excitement built as the followers began to understand.

Sayane joined Attis and winked at the creature from before. It bowed, and she banished all of her concerns for a moment.

“Who’d like to hear a little music before bed?” she asked.