The Emerging Part I: Dream

Vaiqon is awoken by a presence requesting contact. Vaiqon feels the auras at the other end of the connection and allows contact. Teqqc and Uxxok’s auras flood into Vaiqon’s aura and they begin to speak telepathically.

‘Sorry to awaken you, Vaiqon,’ Teqqc begins.

‘No, it is alright,’ Vaiqon responds. ‘What is it? What has happened?’

‘No more murders have occurred,’ Uxxok answers, ‘just to allay that fear, Vaiqon.’

‘Thank you, Uxxok,’ Vaiqon says with pure gratitude.

‘But we did witness an attempt to murder,’ Teqqc says.

‘What?!’ Vaiqon asks astonished.

‘We are in Qino, trying to determine if Ragefier has actually decided to reside here, when we both had a foreboding feeling,’ Teqqc says. ‘We left the tavern we were staying in immediately and followed our senses to a frightened aura. We soon found that the trail led to the Grand Library of Qino and we knew another scholar had been targeted.’

‘We focused on the aura’s source and flashed into the office of the scholar,’ Uxxok begins. ‘We found him cowering in a corner with a cloaked and hooded figure standing over him with an arm raised.’

‘The figure felt our presence, turned to us, threw a fire blast at us, and disappeared. We just now consoled the scholar enough to tell us what the stranger wanted and we can still only make out a few intelligible words,’ Teqqc says.

‘Vaiqon, have you any knowledge of the, “Gojjoqj ew Rnefqoxvo?”’ Uxxok asks.

Vaiqon searches the recesses of his memory. The three words mean nothing to him. ‘I am afraid I have never heard that phrase before.’

‘We thought you might say that,’ Teqqc says with a low voice. ‘The most we have been able to do is translate it to common Lunarian from Eq, but even then, the phrase is cryptic.’

‘The “Vessels of Knowledge?”’ Vaiqon translates in his mind.

‘Right, but what does that mean?’ Teqqc asks.

Vaiqon shrugs even though no one can see him. ‘Uxxok, what does the underground know of this?’

Uxxok’s confusion rains through the confusion, ‘I do not believe even the underground can help with this. At least, I have never heard of it before now.’

‘Wait,’ Teqqc says. ‘The scholar, Uxxok, see what he is saying now.’

Vaiqon must wait a few minutes before Uxxok returns with his impatience filtering through the connection.

‘Well, he said nothing of aid yet again. He repeated, “Gojjoqj ew Rnefqoxvo,” multiple times as well as, “Will never tell,” and also, “Hto Mefokwaq Joor, hto Anfekhtc Wuiq, hto Ytejon Htkigo,’ Uxxok says.

Vaiqon translates in his mind, ‘The Powerful Seek, the Unworthy Fail, the Chosen Thrive?’

‘Apparently so,’ Uxxok responds.

‘Was this scholar ever a Rniti?’ Vaiqon questions.

‘I do not believe so,’ Teqqc responds. ‘On these papers here he has multiple question marks surrounding the words.’

’What papers?” Uxxok asks suspiciously.

Vaiqon cannot see what is transpiring inside the office but he pictures a desk littered with mountains of paper scattered about.

‘Oh no, Uxxok, look,’ Teqqc suddenly says.

Vaiqon feels his aura suddenly filled with images of the office and sees the scholar razed with burns, bleeding profusely from a cut just above his left eye. ‘Sickening,’ he says, ‘he was tortured. That monster tortures his victims before killing them. It must be brought to justice.’

‘Yes, we know, Vaiqon,’ Teqqc says while trying to bandage the dying man.

The man begins coughing terribly before he starts convulsing uncontrollably and blood spits from his mouth in a geyser, coating Teqqc’s white tunic and pants in crimson. Teqqc backs away as the man thrashes about.

Uxxok steps away as well and sees a stab wound from a sword entering the man’s stomach and through the back, missing any vital organs, but causing internal hemorrhaging.

The man seizes once more and finally, the lights of his eyes disappear. Uxxok bends down to the man’s face and places his hand over the man’s eyes.

Teqqc breaks the connection after Vaiqon says, ‘That is a shame, but you must remember why you are there. Try to discover anything from the scholar’s papers.’

Vaiqon sees nothing but darkness now as he stares inside his tent, his thoughts swirling. ‘How am I to sleep now?’

Vaiqon rises and exits his tent. He sees smoldering embers left of the fire from earlier. He creates an air chair for himself and sits. He holds his head in his hands as he tries to bring peace to his mind.

He feels a presence next to him and when he opens his eyes, he sees Hawk standing beside with a curious expression on his face. Vaiqon smiles quickly, but his heart is not behind the expression.

Vaiqon creates an air chair for Hawk and waits as Hawk looks incredulously at the chair, but sits down without further hesitation. Hawk stares into the smoldering embers as well, wondering as to why the great Vaiqon has decided to sit out in the dark all alone.

“Is there some danger we need to be cautious of?” Hawk asks suddenly, effectively surprising Vaiqon.

Vaiqon stares at the boy in beside him with disbelief. ‘How could... no, he could not possibly know...’ Vaiqon thinks to himself, then aloud, “Hawk, why would you ask such a question?”

Hawk answers without hesitation, “Because I feel a disturbance. I can’t explain it, but something feels wrong out there,” he says while motioning his arm in a wide arc around him.

Vaiqon stares at Hawk in the darkness, glad it is not day for he knows he cannot hide his confusion on his face. “Hawk, why would you concern yourself with things beyond your control?”

“Why are they beyond my control?” Hawk asks quickly.

Vaiqon blinks, “Well, you are young, Hawk, you need not concern yourself with things you cannot control.”

“But why, Vaiqon. I know I am stronger than I appear. Perhaps I can help.”

“But strength is not all that is needed.”

“I know, my grandfather taught me meditation. But what I mean by strength is just another helping hand.”

“I am afraid you are too young, Hawk.”

“So, there is something amiss out there.”

Vaiqon keeps his mouth closed. He sees the embers have ceased their smoldering altogether now. He yawns deeply. He hears a stifled yawn emit from Hawk. He smiles, “Perhaps all this talk has finally tired you, eh?” Vaiqon asks.

Hawk shrugs, barely visible in the darkness, “I suppose.”

Vaiqon pats Hawk on the shoulder as he rises. He waits for Hawk to rise as well and allows for the air chairs to dissipate. “Go now, sleep well, Hawk.”

Hawk nods slowly, “If I must...”

Hawk trudges slowly back to his tent where he disappears behind the entrance folds of his tent. Vaiqon looks to his tent and feels sleep just on the edge of his eyes. He enters his tent. He creates a mattress from the air and falls upon it with closed eyes.