INTO THE VOID

CHAPTER 36: THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Jealously is a slow poison; it creeps up on a person. Just like a neglected tear in a fabric can destroy the whole cloth, jealousy can ruin men, it can cause wars or in Kratusa’s case, destroy a planet.

The reign of the Kingdom of Oceania was one that lasted for years, centuries in fact. The people of Hydros were even viewed as gods, some divine species created to help the world. This great kingdom in all its splendor was singlehandedly responsible for the destruction of the whole planet.

It all began with the discovery of Okuta on Lithos by the Xerans; the most neglected of the Kingdoms. These people were seen as peasants for they had no water. Who would have ever guessed that amongst the desolate sands, a resource even more valuable than water existed? Your guess is as good as mine; no one.

In their search for water, their excavation led them to discover Okuta; a shiny crystalline substance. At first it was sold as ornaments to the merchants of Azubalam who then sold the crystals at much higher prices to the aristocrats of Oceania and Ori. The merchants have always been in trade with the Xerans, buying roots and plants from them which they used for medicinal purposes.

The Xerans had great thinkers amongst them; men and women of craftiness, who could create devices and formulate different substances. They studied the seasons, watched the sands and tried several means to make life easier for the people of the continent. It was because of this pursuit for a better life that the thinkers invented Creepers; a vehicle with the likelihood of an insect. These machines were not as fast as horses and camels but it was definitely better than just walking. The main issue was finding a sustainable fuel source for the Creepers and then came along Okuta.

These crystalline material was a miracle. It was so efficient in mechanics and automobiles. The Xerans were utilizing it as much as they could. When the news of a wonder rock reached the ears of the royals of Oceania, they overlooked it saying, “Can anything good ever come out of Lithos?” The royals of Oceania were snobbish and apparently the reverence other Kingdoms gave to them had gotten to their heads. Did they actually believe they were divine creatures?

While the Oceanians sat in their high houses clothed in pride and blinded by arrogance, the Xerans grew and grew exponentially. The merchants of Azubalam were fascinated by the technology in Xeran. They bought everything they could from them; the Creepers, Okuta and any new gizmo they could get their hands on. The fame of Xeran technology spread, not just in Ori but in Cryos.

The Royals of the Frost were not as arrogant like those in Oceania. They were open minded and open to the technology the Xerans had to offer. There brought in thinkers from Xeran into their kingdom and provided them the tools to invent as many things as they needed. Cryos was a terrain of frozen mountains. The most important thing the continent needed was water. Although they melted the ice for water, they need quicker ways to do this and the Xeran thinkers made the technology possible.

Not only were there melting the ice rocks but they also were able to purify it for drinking amongst many other things. But the most outstanding of them all was the cloud making technology.

Using an Okuta powered contraption, Xeran Thinkers were able to not only make clouds but somehow transport them to Xeran. With this technology, the problem of drought and famine was fixed within a decade. The Kingdom of Xeran began to flourish. The people could grow plants and hunger was curb; there was a boom in agriculture. The Xerans and Frosts were in close relations and actively traded.

The Royals of Oceania paid no attention to them dismissing this as Xeran desperation. They believed that the Xerans will one day learn their lesson and in humility come crawling back to Hydros to beg at their feet. They remained adamant and refused to acknowledge the changes around them.

It was not until the feast of water that they understood how much the world around them had changed. The feast of water was a festival celebrated every one hundred years in commemoration of water; their blessing from the gods. It was a big celebration with people from all over Hydros gathering in the Kingdom of Oceania for the celebration. Pilgrims from Ori travelled all the way to witness the splendor.

While others rode on horses, donkeys and camels, these pilgrims brought with them Creepers. It was so shocking to see these machines. The people of Hydros may have had rumors of this unnatural steeds but had never seen them until now. Some were amaze, others scared but the word about Creepers spread around the continent quickly.

The stories reached the Royals before the day was done and in curiosity, they invited the pilgrims to their court so there to can see this marvel the people speak off.

“I here you have brought a strange steed into the kingdom. Can you explain yourself?” Asked Ruwa, the leader of the royals.

“Sire we mean no disrespect. These contraptions you see behind you are very durable instruments of transport, horses are a thing of the past. All over Ori, you will see these machines serving their purpose. This is not an animal that you would have to feed and clean, no, this is a machine that can run as fast as the horses or even faster.” A pilgrim said.

Ruwa laughed in derision. The other royals laughed too.

“What delusion is this, that you believe this thing of rods can outrun my horses. How stupid of you.” He said in the most derogatory manner.

“Sire, I do not mean it as an insult...”

“Silence!” Ruwa screamed vehemently interrupting the man.

“How dare you? What insolence is this? That you stand in the presence of the presiding council of all Hydros and you speak this lies, you dare challenge me.”

“No… I will never sire…”

“Shut up, I do not want to hear any more of your lies. This is what will happen. Your iron beast against one of our horses. When you lose, we shall have your head as a testament of what happens to those who challenge the words of the council”

“…and if I win?” the man asked.

“You deserve to die just for the thought that alone. But in the eventuality that you somehow beat the majestic steads of Hydros, you get to live.”

“I beg your pardon sire but I have a counterproposal. If I win, the presiding council will open the gates of Oceania to Xeran thinkers and the people shall be free to use these mechanical steads.”

Ruwa laughed; he laughed loud and hard and then he stopped. He looked at the man with a cold stare and then he said,

“So be it. The race will happen by the peak of the Ember’s light. Prepare yourself peasant, eat and make merry, enjoy every single breath because you will not have them by tomorrow. One more thing, if you are thinking of running away, remove that thought from your mind. This is Oceania. Make no mistakes, the council has eyes everywhere. The council is watching you.”

With his life on the line he was not going to take any chances. He may not have been a Xeran thinker but this pilgrim from Azubalam sure knew a thing or two about gizmo maintenance. The Creeper he rode was nothing special. Like many others in Xeran and Azubalam, it had six appendages.

It was like a giant mechanical ant. The rider seat was located just where the thorax of the ant would be. Two levers popped out in place of antennas and with these, the rider could control the movements of the creeper. The inner workings of the metal beast were not as simple as it outwards appearance though. Only the Xeran thinkers could confidently open up the beast and couple it back with the assurance that the machine will work again. So, the man did not do much on the insides. Instead, he cleaned the machine and lubricated the moving parts. His machine was ready but he was far from it.

The tension was heavy on him; the realization that he could lose his head over a foolish wager. He had seen the Creepers in action countless number of times but could it really outrun a horse? He wondered. All through the night, he tossed and turned on the bed. This journey was supposed to be one of blessings and celebration. Never in a thousand years would he have thought that he would not return home. How crazy was it that the reason for his celebration could be the reason for his demise and the sorrow of the family he left behind?

The morning came quicker than expected. The man had barely fallen asleep when the Ember’s rays flooded the room. Just like that, with the blink of his eyes the morning was here. The day of reckoning had come.

Ruwa and his men were fully ready. The venue of the contest was a field just by the outskirts of the venue. This was where the royals watched plays, threw parties, held festivals or trials and now today it will be the venue on which the Pilgrim of Azubalam races against a stead of the council. What a day it was.

People from all over Hydros were gathered. News of this event had spread far and wide. People gathered in their numbers to see the gizmo from Xeran and the audacious pilgrim who rode it.

As Ruwa who was dressed in his most ceremonial wear stood up, the rowdy crowd that was filled with murmurings went completely silent. Even the horses seemed to understand that royalty was about to speak. Ruwa said nothing for a moment. He turned his head slowly from left to right as though he was looking for somebody among the sea of faces. Ruwa had an effect on these people. There was this reverence they felt towards the man like they were all holding their breath waiting for him to speak.

“Brothers and sisters of Hydros, visitors from far and near, I greet you all. The festivities for which we have gathered have been truncated by a fleeting distraction. This man here has come into our house and brought with him lies. This man brought with him some Xeran contraption and he claims that he can outrun the horses of Oceania.” The crowd gasped in shock. The murmurs continued but louder than before.

“This man has challenged us to a race and he has laid is life down to defend his claims.

The rules of the race is simple. The two racers are going to take a lap around the course and the first one to arrive wins. Now we shall know who lies; this blasphemer or the members of the presiding council.”

The rider for Oceania was a known warrior. He had a big, strong, sturdy horse. As he approached the line, there were roars from the crowd. He was known around these parts; this was his terrain. He waved in pride striding his majestic stead to the line.

The pilgrim moved the levers and at his touch the metal contraption came to life, its appendages moving. The crowd gasped in awe. There was shock on their faces. Many people had only heard of this machine and now seeing it was really exciting.

At the bang of a gong, the two racers took off. Oceania’s rider took off quickly leaving the pilgrim in the dust that his horse was raising. The pilgrim followed behind. Ruwa had a sinister smile on his face. He needed no further confirmation, what else was there to see? There was no way this metal thing will overtake the stead of Hydros.