Between Darkness and Light Trilogy Read online

  Yet again we find ourselves in an entirely different place. We stand before great ornate doors, which begin to open before us, leading to a throne room filled with very impressive, very serious looking individuals. They look more like us! William and I have always been different from our people, stronger, more powerful, and most notably, we have always seemed pale compared to nearly everyone else; only the Technologists in their underground civilization looked as we did. The intensity of our sun does not allow for light complexions, yet here I see infinite variety in skin tones. It feels both good and odd. These people; I had always found William to be the most impressive man I'd ever seen, being more solidly built than anyone else on Shiral, and possessing an aura of something I've never understood, but that always overshadowed everyone else. These people make both William and I seem like children, not yet fully grown. Where are we?

  I manage to snap my jaw shut before we reach the front of the hall. The most commanding man I’ve ever seen frowns down upon us from his throne. His hair is medium blond, only slightly wavy, and frames a face that, above all else, looks disapproving. Everything about him is larger and more substantial than any being I have ever seen; I have to fight to keep my jaw from dropping once again. He opens his mouth to speak, but with a note of playful amusement, our escort begins first.

  “Imperial Majesty; I do hope you can forgive the interruption… I have new family members to introduce!”

  Family?

  Muted gasps and exclamations fill the air; to say that our arrival is a surprise would be quite the understatement. “New family?” “They aren’t children, they’re adults!” “This is madness!” I pay little attention to the exclamations of those around us as my mind spins – Family???

  The Emperor looks unconvinced, “That seems rather unlikely, are you certain?”

  Our benefactor pulls herself up straighter and it seems as though decades drop away from her; I almost edge away in awe, but she shifts her arm up over my shoulder and tightens her grip. She sniffs in an insulted tone, “Yes, of course I’m certain! I happen to be exceedingly good at recognizing my own descendants – no matter how distant most are these days!”

  Descendants! So, there are increasing degrees of mental reeling… I hadn’t known. Heedless of our audience I ask the old woman, “Who are you?”

  The Emperor turns his intense gaze to us, “I will ask the questions here; who are you and where have you been hiding?”

  It feels very strange, being spoken to with such an absolute lack of respect; it is as though he is trying to goad us. I maintain strict control over my voice. I remain respectful, but lift my chin to show I am not intimidated. “I am Shi'ahn, leader of the High Council of Shiral, and this is my brother William.”

  He chuckles coldly – a more chilling sound than I've ever heard before. “Well, leader of the High Council, your position on your homeworld means nothing here – remember that.”

  Homeworld? Where are we?

  His expression turns contemplative, “Shiral… I have not heard of that world; it must not be of any significance.”

  Annoyance flares in my mind, but I restrain myself, and outwardly ignore his insult. “What is this place?”

  The ancient woman answers, at first directing her words toward the throne. “They quite literally just arrived at the front gates, I haven’t explained anything to them yet.” She turns back toward us, “You are at the pinnacle of the Universe, this is the source of order, the beginning of the Path of Enlightenment. Welcome to Lumina. You and William are my descendants, and therefore members of the Royal family.” She turns again toward the Emperor, “I expect them to be treated appropriately.”

  It’s strange, the man is obviously the head of state, and yet the old woman seems to outrank him. He doesn't seem pleased with that.

  “I have business to attend to at the moment, send them to me in one hour.” That’s it. He turns away as though we have ceased to exist. Again the sparkling light, and our surroundings change once more; we are in a room where the walls are lined with books, and very comfortable looking chairs await us. The ancient being is once again a shrunken old woman.

  “Do you do that often, travel instantaneously from place to place?” She laughs, a surprisingly musical laugh for one so old.

  “No, child, I rarely find reason to leave my tower. The infrequency of my visits causes shock when I appear, which I find I rather enjoy. Come, sit, we have much to discuss.” I sink into a chair that seems to welcome me, I’ve never felt anything like it. “Like the chair? I’ve had a long time to perfect it. Chairs are important, after all – you never know how long one may be caught up in thought. Now, I expect you have some questions you’d like to ask.”

  I hardly know where to start, but William does.

  “Are we truly at the pinnacle of the Universe?”

  “It would be more precise to say that we are at the extreme end of one half of our bi-polar Universe. Lumina marks the Spire, the beginning, the source of the Realm of Order.”

  I restate my original question, “And you are?”

  “Ah, that is a good question. I have been given many names throughout the ages, some not the least bit flattering! Many refer to me as the old hag. Suffice it to say that I am… she who imposed order upon this end of the Universe.”

  “Then you are…” My voice sounds odd to my ears, awed beyond imagination.

  “Very old, yes, I’m quite aware of that!”

  “What… what should we call you?”

  “What indeed? My primary function these days is watching over the Spire, and so some call me the Guardian. I don’t like that, though, to me it sounds as though I am a keeper of wayward children!” She shrugs, “That may not be far from the mark at times, but I prefer names to titles; call me… Cailliach, I’ve always liked the sound of that one.” I can’t help but think, something so simple? Yet, it is the name of an ancient goddess… She puts her arm around me, once again bathing my soul in perfect music. “Better still, my little muse, you may call me Cailli – or Grandmother, if you wish.”

  I can hardly believe my ears, “Are you truly our grandmother?”

  She smiles and then laughs gently. “Not quite, my little one, but “Greats” don’t trip over the tongue well at all. Grandmother sounds much better, don’t you think?” I can only nod as I try to assimilate her words and the music that fills my soul while she touches me.

  My mind busy grappling with her revelations, William takes up the conversational reins. “The Path of Enlightenment, what is that?” It’s easy to hear that those words ring a cosmic bell within him; he seems almost giddy. The ancient one, no, think of her as she wishes; Cailli, notices as well. She looks at him thoughtfully, and with an almost amused expression as she replies.

  “It's a staircase, actually. It is a place of testing and learning, the place where all the dimensions come together in equal strength and become joined as if one. The greatest singularity of all. You will see when you are ready but not before; to ascend the Staircase prematurely can kill, or worse yet, destroy the mind. I will take each of you to it when it is your time.” A quiet ringing comes from a painting of a great tree that hangs on the wall next to a fireplace. Cailli looks faintly surprised. “That didn’t take long at all. Well, speaking of time, I think I’ll be sending you for your interview with the Emperor, now.”

  William looks positively distressed, “But it hasn’t been long at all yet!”

  Cailliach smiles, “It has been precisely as long as I say it has been. Time is a dimension, child, and just as controllable as the others… to those who have mastered the Path.”

  I see a playful glint behind her eyes and can’t resist asking, “And to she who created it?”

  “Effortless.”

  Our surroundings sparkle around us a third time, and we are left standing in yet another room, this time without our escort. A man sits behind a desk in what looks like an outer office. He is a large man, yet not so large as the Emperor. He appears well
built, and yet he doesn't sound quite right to me. Perhaps it is his hair, or lack thereof. I can hear that he should have a fine head of light blond hair, but he doesn't – he is clean-shaven. Why would anyone remove something perfectly fine that the Universe has gifted one with?

  He looks up, “Exactly on time, of course. His Imperial Majesty will be with you momentarily.” His tone sounds entirely unimpressed, even annoyed – I find myself instinctively disliking him. I reach out to take Williams’ arm and speak to his mind; one of the many skills we have always shared, but was beyond our people.

  ‘Little brother, things are going so fast… how are you faring – I’ll admit I’m… a bit overwhelmed.’

  ‘Agreed! But it’s exciting too, isn’t it?’

  ‘I suppose, in much the same way that falling off a high cliff with no way of breaking one’s fall is exciting.’

  ‘Oh come on, Sis, I’ve never seen you hesitate in the face of the unknown before. Besides, I’ve got a really good feeling – there’s something about this place that feels… well, like I’m supposed to be here.’ Before I can respond the door before us opens, and William and I walk forward, arm in arm.

  “So…” the Emperor looks us over critically, “descendants of Nebulaea, I would say. Who are your parents?”

  We glance at each other, then I reply, “The people called Mathair ‘beautiful lady…’”

  “And you never knew her name?”

  “She was taken from us when I was quite young, William was little more than a babe.”

  “And your father?”

  William and I exchange another silent glance before I answer, “We have never known a father, there was only Mathair.” He gazes disapprovingly at us.

  “Just what we need – unidentified foundlings. Tell me, how did you come to find yourselves within the main gates?”

  “We found a strange obelisk deep in a great mountain. It bore an inscription that read, ‘Those of the blood, prove it.’”

  “And so you appeared here?”

  “After a second obelisk, yes.”

  “Obfuscating your point of origin – how convenient.”

  “Speaking of our origin,” I add, “How do we get back home?” He looks at me as though I’m a fool.

  “You are at the origin of reality – surely that must be more important to you than your insignificant homeworld.”

  “Our people – they did not expect us to be gone. If we disappear without explanation, our dragons could be blamed!”

  “Dragons took you to the obelisk?”

  “Yes – my Zah-Ha’Gor found it and felt we should investigate.” He looks me up and down, his eyes pausing on my fire diamonds, then eyes William, and nods in understanding.

  “Oh this just keeps getting better and better.” Then he raises his voice slightly. “Lucian!” I notice movement in a chair off to the side – I hadn’t noticed anyone there before – he’d been here the whole time and I hadn’t even heard him breathe! He is… well, extremely attractive, but in a dark, dangerous way. His hair and eyes are identical shades of near black, his skin far darker than mine, but not nearly so dark as my people's. He is nearly as tall as the Emperor and his build is undeniably strong, but not overly bulky. His expression sends chills down my spine.

  “Yes, Father?” His voice is dark and cold, so very cold, as though something important within him is missing, or dead.

  “Take these two to the Nebulaean quarter and assign them rooms. Escort them to dinner tonight.” The Emperor turns away from us as Lucian approaches – I get the distinct impression that we are dismissed.

  ~~~

  “Follow me.” It is plain to hear that he isn’t exactly pleased with this duty, we follow him silently. “So you two are dragon riders… is that common on your world?”

  I stifle a choke of surprise while William answers with laughter behind his voice, “Oh no… Dragons consider men to be inferior creatures, for the most part. They’ve taken a fancy to us, however. I suspect they consider us their pets.” William and I share a smile; he has described our relationships with Zah-Ha'Gor and Puff quite well.

  “Very astute of you, young William. Dragons are extremely powerful and dangerous magical creatures… consorting with them is usually considered rather suspect.”

  I don’t understand… “Why?”

  He just looks at me… piercingly… and says nothing. He leads us through a long succession of corridors, finally stopping in front of a large wooden door. “These will be your rooms, Shi'ahn. I would appreciate it if you would stay in them until I come to escort you to dinner. You may wish to appear somewhat more formal then, feel free to choose something more appropriate from the provided wardrobe.”

  ~~~

  He closes the door behind me as soon as I step in, though at first I hardly notice; I’m absorbed in exploring my new accommodations. I have been given a very nice suite; beyond the entrance is a sitting room/study containing a wide variety of items, ranging from books to a large, oddly designed wooden desk. Further within is a larger sitting room. A door off that room leads to a nice bedroom with attached bath. A corner of that room looks as though it may be a shower, judging from the complete lack of anything other than a smooth surface on the floor, walls and ceiling, but there are no fixtures, no defined enclosure and no controls. I sense no magic in it, only cold technology. “I wonder how it works?”

  A voice rings out, “State the purpose of your cleansing.”

  “What?”

  “Do you seek disinfection, beauty treatment, relaxation, massage? State your need.”

  “Ah, none at this time, thank you.” How strange. I leave quickly to continue my tour. Another door off the bedroom leads to a large closet. As I pass through the doorway I'm scanned, then there is a flash of sparkling light and while I'm unsure of the method, I suspect that all the clothing will fit me perfectly. I look more closely and see a plethora of clothing options, almost all of which are rather lower cut than I usually wear, and decidedly more pretentious. The materials are beautiful, though…

  It would take the addition of only a kitchen to make this place a complete apartment. As it is there are absolutely no means of storing food, I must be expected to go elsewhere to eat. I return to the study and gaze at the books; where to start? The titles are daunting, “The Nature of a Bi-Polar Universe.” “Order, Chaos, and You.” “When Rules Quit Working.” “Striking the Cosmic Balance.” To name but a few! I obviously have a great deal to learn. I lift down one with a title that sounds as though it may have been written just for me, “Elementary Physics For Those Who Have Lived Sheltered Lives.” Intrigued, I begin to read.

  ~~~

  Primitive civilizations often see their worlds as being merely three-dimensional.

  ~~~

  I snap the book shut and give it a stern look of disapproval – such rudeness is entirely uncalled for! I move to replace it on the shelf, but… I have a nagging suspicion it may contain information that I need to understand.

  ~~~

  The three dimensions of space are all that are needed to understand the physical world around them. Some come to recognize time as a dimension, the final indicator of exactly where one is in relation to not only their world, but also its past. Gravity and electromagnetism are often considered forces, alongside weak and strong forces. It isn't until a society begins to understand just how complex and varied the universe is that they realize they need more unified theories on how everything works - that they either need new terminologies, or they should re-define existing terms. Here in Lumina a dimension is a specification of mass, location, forces or powers that are the most important to existence in the universe. (Force explanations given in disgracefully simplistic terms)

  1. Physical space

  2. Time

  3. Strong Nuclear Forces (Hold things together)

  4. Electromagnetism (EM waves, radio, light, etc.)

  5. Weak Nuclear Forces (Decay)

  6. Gravity (Keeps things from float
ing aimlessly about)

  7. Physical Energy, all forms.

  8. Mental Energy

  9. Mystical Energy / Bridging all other dimensions, non-technologically.

  ~~~

  Wow, those really are simplistic, what do they think I am, a child? Sigh, I read on…

  ~~~

  The first seven dimensions are purely of the physical world, the last is metaphysical, and the eighth, mental energy, can be of both. Most of Lumina find it far easier to control the physical dimensions; generally only those of the Nebulaean line find mastery of the metaphysical to be a natural progression of their skills.

  There are those who consider Chaos to be a tenth dimension, allowing within it infinite sub-dimensions to 'work out' the difficulties inherent in certain theories, yet here in Lumina most feel that Chaos is not a dimension, but merely a state. There are also those who strongly feel that Sesh is a dimension, but in truth, much like our Spire, it is merely a means of gaining control over one's reality, or lack thereof.

  ~~~

  I've just recently learned of the Spire, but what in the Shir is Sesh? I feel my mind begin to drift into a haze; I let the book slip from my fingers and fall to the floor. How could I have not suspected that there was so much beyond Shiral? There we were, surrounded by people that, beloved though they were, were not… like us. They could not establish mental contact with a simple touch, as William and I do. They could not see the extent of the beauty of the Shir due to their inability to see into the infrared and ultraviolet spectrums. They did not intuitively understand the languages of magical creatures. They were not able to mimic the effects of mystical disciplines other than their own. By mass, they were weaker than William and I, and tired far more easily. Their skin was affected by exposure to the elements, while ours was not. We were stronger, faster, and healed far more quickly than they did. So many factors pointed to what I now know, that we were from somewhere else, but I never even suspected.

  Still contemplating the depth of my lack of understanding, I hear a knock at the entry door, “Shi'ahn, may I come in? Shi'ahn? Are you still in there, Sis?”