A Twist of the Tale by P R Glazier
Chapter 47. True Identity
Solin sat dozing in a chair, a glass half full of wine sat upon the small occasional table beside her. Voices could be heard from the kitchen, they belonged to Nar’Allia and Lo’Rosse, they were laughing and talking with Minervar and Iolrreas whose back could just be seen through the open door. The four still bathed in the joy of their reunion, catching up on old tales and enjoying the family moment.
Serinae sat in the parlour adjoining the kitchen drinking tea. One of the first things she had done on her return was to reacquaint herself with her favourite drink. She looked long and hard at the twins over the rim of her teacup. They were also here in the room. Solvienne was sitting reading as usual. The two women had just arrived back from Amentura, to the house that Solin had there, before they had all left finally for their home in Elit G’fedrel. Solvienne had wanted to check up on the place one last time, after all she was still curator of all that the house contained. Serinae didn’t know why she wanted to go, partially of course it was to escort Solvienne, but also part of her wanted to see the house once more. They ended up spending many weeks there gathering things and filling Solin’s secret room with many items that they did not want to be left lying around. The wooden door with the carving of the great tree, the S’Apli’Baum upon it was closed and sealed for the last time. Serinae had the Dolan safely hidden in her pocket.
Before they left Jonas was bequeathed the house and its contents, his family had been custodians of the place for many generations and he was asked to continue that role, but now also to take up the additional responsibility as curator and guardian. This position he accepted without question in the full knowledge that successive generations of his family line would also be taught from an early age about the house and its contents so they in turn may take on the responsibility. Serinae and Solvienne understood that Jonas and his family would continue to guard the house and keep the wealth of knowledge within safe. They also knew that much that the house contained would have to be kept a closely guarded secret, they were satisfied that Jonas fully understood the reasons for this and the possible results if the houses darker secrets became accessible to those who might misuse them. On the final day when the two women left they knew neither of them would ever return. Serinae had a feeling of reticence as she stood there looking through the gate at the gardens beyond. So many memories, so many thoughts raced through her mind. But eventually Serinae had just felt some kind of great relief flow over her, as if for some reason being there really heralded the end to her trials and tribulations.
Thor coughed; he brought Serinae back from her thoughts. He was standing his hand on the mantle of the fireplace, deep in his own thoughts.
Serinae smiled behind her cup. She took one final sip and placed the cup back upon the table next to her. She sat back and said, “I know you two love stories, I believe a favourite used to be the one that Minervar would tell about our little adventure all those years ago. She told me that you insisted on her telling the tale over and over when you were younger.” She waited until she was sure that she had both Solvienne’s and Thor’s full attention. Then she added, “well let me tell you another story, something that will set the record straight if you will.”
Solvienne had looked up towards Serinae and closed the book placing it upon her lap. Thor walked from where he stood and went to stand behind the chair on which Solvienne sat, both looked at Serinae in anticipation of what they may about to be told.
Serinae laughed inwardly, she had caught the merest glimpse of a smile at the corners of Solin’s mouth. She resisted the temptation to throw a cushion at her. But she knew the old T’Iea too well to spoil her fun.
So Serinae began. “Long ago, before history, perhaps before time itself, Eny’Nin’Rel in his wisdom decided to create his children. Beyond measurement was his being within the void with only his own conscience and his own thoughts. It is said he came to desire other beings with which he may converse, to teach and share in his infinite wisdom and knowledge. So he set about making the first race. He created them with much care and love; he made them in his likeness and poured into them his spirit. With this gift he gave them great capability of intellect, second only to his own. It was his intention to have them live with him in the void, so he created a place on which they may live, a place that he could visit when he had a wish to do so. So he, threw the myriad of stars out into the void, and created the suns and the void balls. One such ball he created lovingly, he poured out his creativity into this place making it like a garden. Onto this place he set his children. They wanted for nothing. The place on which they lived was perfect in every way, designed with great care to satisfy their every need.
For many, many millennia this was enough and the children of Eny’Nin’Rel lived there in great harmony and bliss. But soon they began to feel lonely, for there were not many of them and they sort the company of others, so in his great love for them Eny’Nin’Rel placed them all into a deep slumber. He took them up and divided them into two groups, one group he made male and the other he made female. He set them back onto their home and awoke them. The children of Eny’Nin’Rel began then to reproduce in great numbers, they thanked Eny’Nin’Rel for this gift and every one of them that was born worshipped Eny’Nin’Rel and loved him with all their heart as a child would love their father. Eny’Nin’Rel loved them in return and was greatly pleased with them. He watched as their numbers increased and although he knew every single one by name he saw that they enjoyed the company of each other greatly and Eny’Nin’Rel became increasingly happy to allow them their time and to be masters of their own destiny and he did not visit them as often as he once did. Although he knew their every thought he was content to allow them their time to discover and develop without his close watch upon them. These first-born children, this first race grew great in knowledge, wise in counsel and gained much knowledge and immense power.
The first-born began to understand the inner workings of the universe, the sciences. They eagerly made discoveries; they sort explanations and their minds and intellect expanded greatly. They began to learn much about how Eny’Nin’Rel made the universe and everything within. They set their path to understand the most intimate designs of Eny’Nin’Rel himself. So it was they discovered the most powerful of energies, the energy that holds everything together, the energy from which perhaps Eny’Nin’Rel himself is formed, although that you understand is just my own speculation, do not take it as truth, for truth it may not be. This power we T’Iea know as D’Arcane’Juuone or the power within, we are familiar with it because of the first-born. For you see they discovered that this energy when harnessed could be used to transport them great distances across the void. They could leave behind their home which Eny’Nin’Rel created for them, even leave the place in which their home was but a tiny infinitesimal part and visit other places far away across time and space.”
Solvienne interrupted Serinae with a question. “So the first born, they are what we call the ancient fathers?”
Serinae just smiled, she glanced at Solin who was still feigning sleep but was obviously listening intently to the tale.
Instead of answering Serinae continued. “The first born spread and multiplied, they chose uninhabited worlds and built great machines within them, machines that gathered and controlled vast fields of arcane energy that spread across the galaxies and the void and powered their machines of travel. In this way the first-born explored the void extensively in their great ships of the stars. They created other great machines as they went enabling them to go farther and farther across the endless void. When they discovered a void ball able to sustain life they colonised it, leaving many on the place to live and to prosper, they built a great machine there also to ensure that the colonists maintained contact with the rest of the first-born and to provide a beacon telling others that this place was already colonised. The race of the first-born diversified, adapted to many millions of different worlds on which they lived. But deep inside they were all from the sa
me source, from Eny’Nin’Rel, the Maker of all, each kept something of him deep within, something that linked them all together.
Serinae watched the two faces in front of her; she watched the thoughts fly across the features of the other two T’Iea. She watched as realisation dawned in their eyes.
It was Solvienne who spoke first, “by the Maker the world of men was one such place wasn’t it?
Serine’s eyes burned a vivid green as she stared into Solvienne’s eyes, she watched as the young elf’s mind churned and turned the thoughts that raced through it. “But we were all of us there to, the elder races. In the world, that void ball, those first born, those we know of as the ancient fathers brought all the elder races to the world of men, but why? The T’Iea race, the Grûndén, the Pnook, the ognods, all were brought there by the first born, those we call the ancient fathers.”
Serinae smiled and nodded. We all came yes, after all the elder races, or should I say the Combined Races as they were then known, had made contact and united and had designed to work together for the good of all.
It was Thorandill’s turn now to speak, “even the keepers, they were brought as well?”
“Yes,” was Serinae’s response, “all were brought long ago in the past.” She glanced at Solin as she said these words. Now the old T’Iea was no longer feigning sleep she was awake and looking at her friend intently, a smile on her lips.
Both Nar’Allia and Lo’Rosse on hearing the story had come forth from the kitchen and both were leaning on the wall in the open door way. Minervar and Iolrreas could be seen listening behind them.
“But this kind of ties in with the tale that Minervar used to tell us, but there are subtle differences,” said Nar’Allia as she wiped her hands dry upon a towel.
“Yes,” said Serinae, “differences I did not know, differences I did not discover until recently, for after I left Minervar in the machine hall all those years ago, I found myself transported to a place where the ancient father’s legacy survives and lives. It is with their great knowledge I had been spending my time. It is there that I have been learning and planning and plotting the acts of recent times.”
So the spirits, the R’Alacry Fer’Def, they are, or were, the ancient fathers?”
“Exactly, yes.” was the response from Serinae. The place is called At’Lan’T’Ys, the city of the ancient fathers and the technology it housed had the ability to create images of beings long gone but remembered by the same technology that the city contained. A super intelligence, a calculating entity able to adapt, manage and maintain, it created the R’Alacry Fer’Def as a form of communication, it was a way of influencing events within the world of men.
Nar’Allia remembered the vision of the ancient fathers in the cylinder she and Solvienne had found in Amentura. “When Solvi and myself were in Amentura, we discovered a strange thing. Behind the door that was unlocked by Solin’s Dolan.” She looked at Solin who had her elbows resting upon the arms of the chair, her hands were in front of her face her lips rested on the tips of her fingers as she stared at the floor in front of her. Nar’Allia continued as she realised no comment or explanation was forthcoming from the old T’Iea. “We found the message cylinder, the one that the image of Venetra came from and related the tale, somewhat similar to that you tell Seri, but not exactly the same?”
Serinae remained silent.
Nar’Allia continued, “we found out that we could change the message, make a new message of our own.”
Still Serinae and Solin remained silent.
Nar’Allia looked towards Solin. “Who are you Solin? Who are you really? It seems to me that you have control over all our destinies somehow. You always seem to know what is going on and you seem to be able to influence matters most subtly. You haven’t had any direct involvement in all that we have witnessed through the years, yet somehow you are always there, suggesting this, suggesting that.” At this Nar’Allia walked around to stand in front of the elderly T’Iea, she had an air of accusation upon her features and the tone of her voice. “You made that message, the one that Minervar and the others witnessed in the House in Amentura didn’t you Solin? It was never from the ancient fathers at all was it? You knew that Serinae’s friend. The easterner Teouso would be able to figure out how to access the message didn’t you? In fact I am willing to wager that you arranged it all, even told Teouso what to do to make it look like he stumbled upon the solution.”
Solin looked deep and hard into Nar’Allia’s eyes and after a second or two looked up at her and smiled. “Yes Narny, I’m afraid I did. You are correct on all counts.”
Suddenly something jolted Solvienne’s thoughts, something so wildly preposterous, something so unbelievable that she had to voice it. She went to stand next to her older sister in front of Solin. She faced the elderly T’Iea and said, “Solin, you aren’t a T’Iea all are you. You are one of the first born, one of the race of the ancient fathers. Possibly the last remaining one in this world.” She stared at Solin accusingly.
Solin gazed at Solvienne, her blue in blue eyes burned bright, then she glanced at Serinae.
“Oh no!” Solvienne gasped in shocked realisation. She turned to look at Serinae. “You aren’t the last. There are two of you, both in this room. How many more are there? Tezrin! Don’t tell me that Tezrin was one also. You have kept this secret, kept it for so long.” Then she looked suspiciously at Solin and asked, “what exactly are you doing here. What purpose, what true purpose do you have? You have manipulated all of us from the start. What was the original message in the cylinder? The message you erased?”
Serinae stood, “please sister be calmed, it is not as you think.”
Solin held up her hand, the room went silent. She sighed, but then she giggled. “It’s alright Seri, please sit.” Solin threw both hands up in a submissive fashion a smile upon her lips. “So, the game is up! We are discovered. I knew you were a clever one Solvi.”
Solvienne smiled as if she had won a game. She went to stand with Nar’Allia and her mother as if showing a force of solidarity against an aggressor. But the expression on Solin’s face brought the suspicion back once more. She narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusing finger towards Solin. “You are making fun of me Solin.”
Solin then seemed to grow serious as she said, “yes, Solvienne, I am sorry, I cannot help myself, but you are a clever one never the less, but before all your thoughts run riot and begin to journey along the wrong road, please listen to me as I will furnish you with an explanation and answer your questions.” She stood slowly. She took in a deep breath and said, “but please do not question my heritage, my identity, for this remains true and unsullied at least. I am still T’Iea as have been all my forbears.” She held up a hand demanding continued silence, “but, in truth, I am not making fun of you for your assumptions are in reality quite correct. You have stumbled upon the true identity of those people we call the ancient fathers. But I assure you Seri and myself are not the last of the race of the ancient fathers to remain, oh no, far from it.”
Thor strode forward and said, “so where are the others then of whom you speak, why do you keep them hidden as you have your own true identity, what is your purpose? Such secretive behaviour does not bode well in my mind and if you keep your secrets to do harm or mischief then friend or not you will answer to me.”
Serinae had again stood, her eyes were burning green as she stared at Thor, she had no weapon. Thor felt uncomfortable at her stare; he was in no doubt of the danger she presented should he make the wrong move now he did not think she needed a weapon to be a dangerous opponent. Thor frowned at her expression, his heart was beating fast. Serinae seemed to calm, her eyes dimmed as she said, “Thor please be seated, no one means ill of any kind towards anyone here, of that you can be assured.”
Solin went to stand by the side of Serinae and took her hand. She looked at their clasped hands for a moment. “Please everyone do not be alarmed, I beg you to hear me out.”
Thor shook his
head and returned to where he was standing before.
Solin continued, “as I said, we are not the only ones, we are not the only representatives of the race of the ancient fathers. That is what we learned from the cylinder, the original message was made many millennia in the past, it spoke of many things, much of what we are now revealing to you in fact. For you see there are many that may bear the name of the ancient fathers, both within this world and beyond it.” She looked at the faces of each person around the room and said, “the ancient fathers stand here, in this room before me. I see them.”
Nar’Allia looked around the room. She was expecting some ghostly images, expected to see the strange and elusive beings she knew that images of the ancient fathers appeared, the R’Alacry Fer’Def as the T’Iea called them. Yet she could not see anything that resembled such.
Then everyone started to talk at once, a great hubbub of voices resounded within the room.
Only Serinae and Solin remained silent. They stood there still with their hands clasped together and uncharacteristically waited with downcast eyes.
Eventually calm once more descended and Nar’Allia was the first to speak, she addressed Solin. “So if we are to believe this, then the race of the ancient fathers does not really exist for I do not see them here. Then what about the other elder races, what part do you wish us to believe about them?” She frowned.
Solin pursed her lips, then she smiled at Serinae.
Minervar had seen that look many times, a glance that spoke of deep friendship and unspoken understanding.
Then Solin turned once more to look at Nar’Allia. “No, you are correct my child, the race of the ancient fathers does not exist, well not as we imagine them. But then the ancient fathers are not really a race of people as such, they are actually an assembly of races. Once long ago this assembly called themselves The Combined Races.”
Nar’Allia flung her hands up in an expression of disbelief, “then you talk in riddles Solin, I expected more from you.”
Solin began to speak once more. “You remember I told you how the first born spread across the galaxy, how they populated worlds that could sustain life? Well living for hundreds of thousands of generations on those new worlds forced adaptations, the process of evolution works everywhere, it is necessary for long-term survival. Evolution made the necessary adaptations changing the first born both physically and mentally. Eny’Nin’Rel created his children to adapt to a changing environment, to evolve, to change, to ensure they made the best of what they had. He made them to survive. If you don’t see it for yourself let me enlighten you. The T’Iea our people, we are one such adaption, a race formed and fashioned, moulded by the environment in which we lived. So you see the ancient fathers did not desert this world, they have been here all the time.” How could they leave? Seri is proof they did not! She has been there, to the great city within the ship of the stars. If that is still here, then so must they be. Don’t you see?” She smiled broadly. Then she repeated herself. “Do you not see? Do none of you see?” The ancient fathers never left this world. They are you, I see them in your faces, all of you are the ancient fathers. We did not come here as workers, as artisans of some higher, superior race. No, not at all, we came here as equals, each race with knowledge and expertise of their own, all equal. For we are, all of us, all the elder races, we are the Combined Races, we are the ancient fathers.”
Solin waited as this information sunk in to each of them standing there.
It was Minervar who spoke to break the silence of their thoughts. “So while we are at it then, what about the race of men? Are they a part of this alliance of which you speak. Can they call themselves ancient fathers, one of the Combined Races also, can they lay claim to that lineage?”
Solin lowered her gaze, “ah, that is the question of all questions my child. That is the cause of all this. Everything that has happened. The answer is yes, in a way they can, for they too are children of Eny’Nin’Rel.” She held up her hand warding off any more questions. “For that reason alone we are all here. Long ago men had advanced in technology to a point where they were approached by the Combined Races Combined Races to become part of the assembly, to be a part of this great alliance. But something occurred before that was finalised. The race of men are unpredictable. They decided to have a war.” She shook her head sadly, “they had to have a war. A war that changed everything. An event so catastrophic that we became marooned on this world and were changed because of it. The war affected all. We were lucky though, we had our sanctuaries to retreat to and we watched as humankind destroyed themselves, for it was not our way to interfere with the choices of men. But in the end we decided that we needed to help save mankind, we made an exception. But this act had other effects upon us. Man was saved but some if not all our races suffered the consequences of our interference.
But then something happened to make us abandon our home, the great city of the stars where Serinae found herself invited to. What that single event or series of events was I cannot say, that portion of our history is lost to us I’m afraid. Perhaps the answer remains somewhere in the Star Ship, perhaps one day we will find out. But whatever happened, whether by accident or design, we came to live within the world of men. This act isolated each race, made us insular, turned us against one another. Where once we had allied in our common roots, we now separated. We began to diminish, we began to forget, to lose much of the knowledge we had. We became lost as it were on this world of men. So,” she looked at Serinae once more and said, “we put together a plan, a master plan. A last ditch effort to make things right, an attempt to save all from another war, or worse. For this is what would have surely happened. We had already seen the ognod’s attack the other elder races. We felt it wouldn’t be long before the T’Iea, the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran to be precise, would decide to take aggressive action and so it would go on until nothing and no one was left.”
“But how did you discover all this?” It was Minervar who spoke.
“In the course of my academic career I discovered much that indicated at some of the history. But I admit now to something, I had a head start. I really did travel the northern lands; I really did meet the guardian, the old ognodess. She really did show me the way to the cylinder and Serinae here really did save my life. The cylinder showed us much, it held a message from one of those who travelled upon the great star ship, the city of the stars, that person had a hand in all the events of that time. But the message was a diary of one individual, we were still missing pieces. The part that filled in all of the gaps was the discovery of the Book of Truths. I know now that the human monks wrote it, I believe it was a collection of truths to remind the race of men, make them think, well it made me think to.
The three of us spent many years travelling and researching so much that eventually a pattern began to emerge. It became apparent that so much that was on this world did not actually belong originally to it. Then changes in the elder races also pointed at evolutionary adaptations, not all of them good. Things like the ognods increasingly experiencing problems with reproduction. The T’Iea increasing vulnerability to their darker side. Even the Pnook seem to be suffering from minor mental instability, increasing sharpness of anger and the like. Only the keepers and the Grûndén seem unaffected in obvious ways, but then the keepers remain in their natural environment, in TeraT’Inu’Itil their city in the voids and the Grûndén remain mostly hidden from the world in their own created environment which I suspect is closely modelled on what they remember of their real home. Neither of these two races spending much time within, or upon the world itself. Yet human kind seem unaffected by any of these symptoms, they remain unchanged as if the world agreed with them more. As if they belonged here, which of course they do.
“The three of us? You said the three of us?” Nar’Allia asked.
“Yes, we were three. Once. Seri, myself and ….”
“Tezrin.” Solvienne said quickly before Solin could say the name.
Serinae sm
iled, “no, not Tezrin Solvienne. He came later and of course for very different reasons. No not Tezrin. If you have not guessed already, the third in our little band was the Grûndén Ĝørtmûnd, or Héaréa Ĝørtmûnd Fløwsélld to give him his full title.
Solvienne smiled and shook her head. She did have a look of surprise on her features, but this soon changed to an expression of realisation. “When we were in the machine hall, Serinae mentioned a society, a secret society. But I can’t recall the name.”
Nar’Allia said with some realisation, “The Compendium of the Combined.” She then looked at Solin.
“Yes Solvienne Ĝørtmûnd was a member, in fact he held a special place within the society for he was the last surviving member of the original cast.”
Solvienne became very excited and animated. “Yes. Yes, that’s it, you were a member Solin, are still!”
Solin smiled and nodded. “My family were original members and like many others, the responsibility passed to me in due course yes.”
Solvienne turned towards Serinae. “So Serinae must be a hereditary member also?”
Serinae looked at Nar’Allia. “It is true my mother was a member. My father however was not. So I did not inherit that responsibility. Hereditary membership was strictly restricted to those with both parents involved directly in the machines construction.” Serinae was looking Solin, fire burned in her green eyes. “My father even though he was most probably around at the time of the building of the great machine had no direct - involvement, as a result he did not fulfil the necessary criteria for membership.”
Solin quickly carried on. “So it was, the Combined Races built the machine. We built the machine. The machine helped to lessen the effects of the arcane upon us, but some still fell under the evil that the Rift contained and played host to. Amndo almost worked out the whole story for, the Rift was infiltrated by an evil intelligence, the Rift entity I think is what Amndo called it, not a physical presence, but none the less it had great intelligence, was able to learn and adapt. I think it was of a similar essence to the intelligence that controls the great star ship itself. But Amndo realised most of this, he learnt much through his selfless sacrifice and we have a lot to thank him for.”
Solvienne thought of Amndo, she felt a little guilty of suspecting him of having sinister purpose when in fact he had saved them all, his final sacrifice had done more to save them than any other single event. She sighed. “There is one thing I still do not understand. The great machine, Tezrin’s plan was to upset it and through that destroy the world. When you put the machine to rights the world was also put to rights once again. If the world needs the machine to keep stability, why then has nothing happened once we had destroyed the machine and along with it the Rift?”
Solin giggled to herself. “That can easily be explained my child. We misunderstood the true purpose of the great machine. Well to an extent. It is true that it was built to control the Rift, but more to keep the evil intelligence within the Rift imprisoned. It also functioned as a navigational beacon for the Star Ships.” She sat back in her chair scrutinising Solvienne’s face. “We also know that the Combined Races used the machines connections to the Rift as a highway, a road to get from one place to another. The one thing we mistook the machine for was s a controlling force critical to the well being of this world. It actually was never that and as such when the machine was destroyed it had no effect upon the stability of the world, it never did have. Apart from once of course, for when Tezrin foolishly toyed with the machines controlling biplextors he did actually cause the machine to malfunction and through the machine he was able to control the outflow of energy from the Rift increasingly destabilise the worlds orbit around the sun.”
Solvienne had a sudden thought, a horrifying thought. “By the Maker, so when we destroyed the machine and the Rift along with it we freed the evil entity within it.” She looked horrified. “We had done the one thing that could have destroyed the world as we know it!”
Solin stood and walked to Solvienne she took both her hands in hers. “What you say is true, but it was necessary to free the entity, the machine and the Rift as well as keeping the entity in check also protected the entity. All the while the Rift existed we could not counter the entity, could not destroy it. But remember Solvienne, the entity was making progress in freeing itself. Long ago the great keystone above the Rift was placed there, probably by the first corrupted T’Iea to keep a way open for the entity, to create a chink in the prison wall. Over the ages the entity has worked at that chink and it would not have been long until it could escape. If that were to happen then I think we would be in a far more precarious situation. It was better in the long run to have allowed the entity to escape on our terms forcing it to abandon the dying Rift and enter the one place where it could survive at the time – the great keystone. If it had freed itself, it would have chosen a more mobile host and we would have found ourselves in a far more dangerous situation. For then it would have been free to expand its influences upon the world at a rapid rate. I doubt Solvienne that any of us we would have survived. It would have quickly taken over the entire T’Iea population and through us waged a war once more upon the world that would have destroyed all the other races including mankind. Not only that but eventually it would have found the Star Ship in the voids and I am sure from there it would have travelled out into the greater universe.” Solin shuddered. “That would have been unthinkable.”
Nar’Allia spoke, “so you knew all this Solin? Right from the start?”
Solin turned to Nar’Allia, she was shaking her head as she said, “no Narny. That’s just it I did not know half of it, only now in hindsight do I fully understand. Our success, our being here now, our saving grace boils down to one thing and one thing only. That rarest of resources. The totally selfless act of personal sacrifice made by one single individual when faced with the opportunity to save millions of others.”
All of them were silent, they were all thinking of and thanking Master Amndo.
Solin sat dozing in a chair, a glass half full of wine sat upon the small occasional table beside her. Voices could be heard from the kitchen, they belonged to Nar’Allia and Lo’Rosse, they were laughing and talking with Minervar and Iolrreas whose back could just be seen through the open door. The four still bathed in the joy of their reunion, catching up on old tales and enjoying the family moment.
Serinae sat in the parlour adjoining the kitchen drinking tea. One of the first things she had done on her return was to reacquaint herself with her favourite drink. She looked long and hard at the twins over the rim of her teacup. They were also here in the room. Solvienne was sitting reading as usual. The two women had just arrived back from Amentura, to the house that Solin had there, before they had all left finally for their home in Elit G’fedrel. Solvienne had wanted to check up on the place one last time, after all she was still curator of all that the house contained. Serinae didn’t know why she wanted to go, partially of course it was to escort Solvienne, but also part of her wanted to see the house once more. They ended up spending many weeks there gathering things and filling Solin’s secret room with many items that they did not want to be left lying around. The wooden door with the carving of the great tree, the S’Apli’Baum upon it was closed and sealed for the last time. Serinae had the Dolan safely hidden in her pocket.
Before they left Jonas was bequeathed the house and its contents, his family had been custodians of the place for many generations and he was asked to continue that role, but now also to take up the additional responsibility as curator and guardian. This position he accepted without question in the full knowledge that successive generations of his family line would also be taught from an early age about the house and its contents so they in turn may take on the responsibility. Serinae and Solvienne understood that Jonas and his family would continue to guard the house and keep the wealth of knowledge within safe. They also knew that much that the house contained would have to be kept a closely guarded secret, they were satisfied that Jonas fully understood the reasons for this and the possible results if the houses darker secrets became accessible to those who might misuse them. On the final day when the two women left they knew neither of them would ever return. Serinae had a feeling of reticence as she stood there looking through the gate at the gardens beyond. So many memories, so many thoughts raced through her mind. But eventually Serinae had just felt some kind of great relief flow over her, as if for some reason being there really heralded the end to her trials and tribulations.
Thor coughed; he brought Serinae back from her thoughts. He was standing his hand on the mantle of the fireplace, deep in his own thoughts.
Serinae smiled behind her cup. She took one final sip and placed the cup back upon the table next to her. She sat back and said, “I know you two love stories, I believe a favourite used to be the one that Minervar would tell about our little adventure all those years ago. She told me that you insisted on her telling the tale over and over when you were younger.” She waited until she was sure that she had both Solvienne’s and Thor’s full attention. Then she added, “well let me tell you another story, something that will set the record straight if you will.”
Solvienne had looked up towards Serinae and closed the book placing it upon her lap. Thor walked from where he stood and went to stand behind the chair on which Solvienne sat, both looked at Serinae in anticipation of what they may about to be told.
Serinae laughed inwardly, she had caught the merest glimpse of a smile at the corners of Solin’s mouth. She resisted the temptation to throw a cushion at her. But she knew the old T’Iea too well to spoil her fun.
So Serinae began. “Long ago, before history, perhaps before time itself, Eny’Nin’Rel in his wisdom decided to create his children. Beyond measurement was his being within the void with only his own conscience and his own thoughts. It is said he came to desire other beings with which he may converse, to teach and share in his infinite wisdom and knowledge. So he set about making the first race. He created them with much care and love; he made them in his likeness and poured into them his spirit. With this gift he gave them great capability of intellect, second only to his own. It was his intention to have them live with him in the void, so he created a place on which they may live, a place that he could visit when he had a wish to do so. So he, threw the myriad of stars out into the void, and created the suns and the void balls. One such ball he created lovingly, he poured out his creativity into this place making it like a garden. Onto this place he set his children. They wanted for nothing. The place on which they lived was perfect in every way, designed with great care to satisfy their every need.
For many, many millennia this was enough and the children of Eny’Nin’Rel lived there in great harmony and bliss. But soon they began to feel lonely, for there were not many of them and they sort the company of others, so in his great love for them Eny’Nin’Rel placed them all into a deep slumber. He took them up and divided them into two groups, one group he made male and the other he made female. He set them back onto their home and awoke them. The children of Eny’Nin’Rel began then to reproduce in great numbers, they thanked Eny’Nin’Rel for this gift and every one of them that was born worshipped Eny’Nin’Rel and loved him with all their heart as a child would love their father. Eny’Nin’Rel loved them in return and was greatly pleased with them. He watched as their numbers increased and although he knew every single one by name he saw that they enjoyed the company of each other greatly and Eny’Nin’Rel became increasingly happy to allow them their time and to be masters of their own destiny and he did not visit them as often as he once did. Although he knew their every thought he was content to allow them their time to discover and develop without his close watch upon them. These first-born children, this first race grew great in knowledge, wise in counsel and gained much knowledge and immense power.
The first-born began to understand the inner workings of the universe, the sciences. They eagerly made discoveries; they sort explanations and their minds and intellect expanded greatly. They began to learn much about how Eny’Nin’Rel made the universe and everything within. They set their path to understand the most intimate designs of Eny’Nin’Rel himself. So it was they discovered the most powerful of energies, the energy that holds everything together, the energy from which perhaps Eny’Nin’Rel himself is formed, although that you understand is just my own speculation, do not take it as truth, for truth it may not be. This power we T’Iea know as D’Arcane’Juuone or the power within, we are familiar with it because of the first-born. For you see they discovered that this energy when harnessed could be used to transport them great distances across the void. They could leave behind their home which Eny’Nin’Rel created for them, even leave the place in which their home was but a tiny infinitesimal part and visit other places far away across time and space.”
Solvienne interrupted Serinae with a question. “So the first born, they are what we call the ancient fathers?”
Serinae just smiled, she glanced at Solin who was still feigning sleep but was obviously listening intently to the tale.
Instead of answering Serinae continued. “The first born spread and multiplied, they chose uninhabited worlds and built great machines within them, machines that gathered and controlled vast fields of arcane energy that spread across the galaxies and the void and powered their machines of travel. In this way the first-born explored the void extensively in their great ships of the stars. They created other great machines as they went enabling them to go farther and farther across the endless void. When they discovered a void ball able to sustain life they colonised it, leaving many on the place to live and to prosper, they built a great machine there also to ensure that the colonists maintained contact with the rest of the first-born and to provide a beacon telling others that this place was already colonised. The race of the first-born diversified, adapted to many millions of different worlds on which they lived. But deep inside they were all from the sa
Serinae watched the two faces in front of her; she watched the thoughts fly across the features of the other two T’Iea. She watched as realisation dawned in their eyes.
It was Solvienne who spoke first, “by the Maker the world of men was one such place wasn’t it?
Serine’s eyes burned a vivid green as she stared into Solvienne’s eyes, she watched as the young elf’s mind churned and turned the thoughts that raced through it. “But we were all of us there to, the elder races. In the world, that void ball, those first born, those we know of as the ancient fathers brought all the elder races to the world of men, but why? The T’Iea race, the Grûndén, the Pnook, the ognods, all were brought there by the first born, those we call the ancient fathers.”
Serinae smiled and nodded. We all came yes, after all the elder races, or should I say the Combined Races as they were then known, had made contact and united and had designed to work together for the good of all.
It was Thorandill’s turn now to speak, “even the keepers, they were brought as well?”
“Yes,” was Serinae’s response, “all were brought long ago in the past.” She glanced at Solin as she said these words. Now the old T’Iea was no longer feigning sleep she was awake and looking at her friend intently, a smile on her lips.
Both Nar’Allia and Lo’Rosse on hearing the story had come forth from the kitchen and both were leaning on the wall in the open door way. Minervar and Iolrreas could be seen listening behind them.
“But this kind of ties in with the tale that Minervar used to tell us, but there are subtle differences,” said Nar’Allia as she wiped her hands dry upon a towel.
“Yes,” said Serinae, “differences I did not know, differences I did not discover until recently, for after I left Minervar in the machine hall all those years ago, I found myself transported to a place where the ancient father’s legacy survives and lives. It is with their great knowledge I had been spending my time. It is there that I have been learning and planning and plotting the acts of recent times.”
So the spirits, the R’Alacry Fer’Def, they are, or were, the ancient fathers?”
“Exactly, yes.” was the response from Serinae. The place is called At’Lan’T’Ys, the city of the ancient fathers and the technology it housed had the ability to create images of beings long gone but remembered by the same technology that the city contained. A super intelligence, a calculating entity able to adapt, manage and maintain, it created the R’Alacry Fer’Def as a form of communication, it was a way of influencing events within the world of men.
Nar’Allia remembered the vision of the ancient fathers in the cylinder she and Solvienne had found in Amentura. “When Solvi and myself were in Amentura, we discovered a strange thing. Behind the door that was unlocked by Solin’s Dolan.” She looked at Solin who had her elbows resting upon the arms of the chair, her hands were in front of her face her lips rested on the tips of her fingers as she stared at the floor in front of her. Nar’Allia continued as she realised no comment or explanation was forthcoming from the old T’Iea. “We found the message cylinder, the one that the image of Venetra came from and related the tale, somewhat similar to that you tell Seri, but not exactly the same?”
Serinae remained silent.
Nar’Allia continued, “we found out that we could change the message, make a new message of our own.”
Still Serinae and Solin remained silent.
Nar’Allia looked towards Solin. “Who are you Solin? Who are you really? It seems to me that you have control over all our destinies somehow. You always seem to know what is going on and you seem to be able to influence matters most subtly. You haven’t had any direct involvement in all that we have witnessed through the years, yet somehow you are always there, suggesting this, suggesting that.” At this Nar’Allia walked around to stand in front of the elderly T’Iea, she had an air of accusation upon her features and the tone of her voice. “You made that message, the one that Minervar and the others witnessed in the House in Amentura didn’t you Solin? It was never from the ancient fathers at all was it? You knew that Serinae’s friend. The easterner Teouso would be able to figure out how to access the message didn’t you? In fact I am willing to wager that you arranged it all, even told Teouso what to do to make it look like he stumbled upon the solution.”
Solin looked deep and hard into Nar’Allia’s eyes and after a second or two looked up at her and smiled. “Yes Narny, I’m afraid I did. You are correct on all counts.”
Suddenly something jolted Solvienne’s thoughts, something so wildly preposterous, something so unbelievable that she had to voice it. She went to stand next to her older sister in front of Solin. She faced the elderly T’Iea and said, “Solin, you aren’t a T’Iea all are you. You are one of the first born, one of the race of the ancient fathers. Possibly the last remaining one in this world.” She stared at Solin accusingly.
Solin gazed at Solvienne, her blue in blue eyes burned bright, then she glanced at Serinae.
“Oh no!” Solvienne gasped in shocked realisation. She turned to look at Serinae. “You aren’t the last. There are two of you, both in this room. How many more are there? Tezrin! Don’t tell me that Tezrin was one also. You have kept this secret, kept it for so long.” Then she looked suspiciously at Solin and asked, “what exactly are you doing here. What purpose, what true purpose do you have? You have manipulated all of us from the start. What was the original message in the cylinder? The message you erased?”
Serinae stood, “please sister be calmed, it is not as you think.”
Solin held up her hand, the room went silent. She sighed, but then she giggled. “It’s alright Seri, please sit.” Solin threw both hands up in a submissive fashion a smile upon her lips. “So, the game is up! We are discovered. I knew you were a clever one Solvi.”
Solvienne smiled as if she had won a game. She went to stand with Nar’Allia and her mother as if showing a force of solidarity against an aggressor. But the expression on Solin’s face brought the suspicion back once more. She narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusing finger towards Solin. “You are making fun of me Solin.”
Solin then seemed to grow serious as she said, “yes, Solvienne, I am sorry, I cannot help myself, but you are a clever one never the less, but before all your thoughts run riot and begin to journey along the wrong road, please listen to me as I will furnish you with an explanation and answer your questions.” She stood slowly. She took in a deep breath and said, “but please do not question my heritage, my identity, for this remains true and unsullied at least. I am still T’Iea as have been all my forbears.” She held up a hand demanding continued silence, “but, in truth, I am not making fun of you for your assumptions are in reality quite correct. You have stumbled upon the true identity of those people we call the ancient fathers. But I assure you Seri and myself are not the last of the race of the ancient fathers to remain, oh no, far from it.”
Thor strode forward and said, “so where are the others then of whom you speak, why do you keep them hidden as you have your own true identity, what is your purpose? Such secretive behaviour does not bode well in my mind and if you keep your secrets to do harm or mischief then friend or not you will answer to me.”
Serinae had again stood, her eyes were burning green as she stared at Thor, she had no weapon. Thor felt uncomfortable at her stare; he was in no doubt of the danger she presented should he make the wrong move now he did not think she needed a weapon to be a dangerous opponent. Thor frowned at her expression, his heart was beating fast. Serinae seemed to calm, her eyes dimmed as she said, “Thor please be seated, no one means ill of any kind towards anyone here, of that you can be assured.”
Solin went to stand by the side of Serinae and took her hand. She looked at their clasped hands for a moment. “Please everyone do not be alarmed, I beg you to hear me out.”
Thor shook his
Solin continued, “as I said, we are not the only ones, we are not the only representatives of the race of the ancient fathers. That is what we learned from the cylinder, the original message was made many millennia in the past, it spoke of many things, much of what we are now revealing to you in fact. For you see there are many that may bear the name of the ancient fathers, both within this world and beyond it.” She looked at the faces of each person around the room and said, “the ancient fathers stand here, in this room before me. I see them.”
Nar’Allia looked around the room. She was expecting some ghostly images, expected to see the strange and elusive beings she knew that images of the ancient fathers appeared, the R’Alacry Fer’Def as the T’Iea called them. Yet she could not see anything that resembled such.
Then everyone started to talk at once, a great hubbub of voices resounded within the room.
Only Serinae and Solin remained silent. They stood there still with their hands clasped together and uncharacteristically waited with downcast eyes.
Eventually calm once more descended and Nar’Allia was the first to speak, she addressed Solin. “So if we are to believe this, then the race of the ancient fathers does not really exist for I do not see them here. Then what about the other elder races, what part do you wish us to believe about them?” She frowned.
Solin pursed her lips, then she smiled at Serinae.
Minervar had seen that look many times, a glance that spoke of deep friendship and unspoken understanding.
Then Solin turned once more to look at Nar’Allia. “No, you are correct my child, the race of the ancient fathers does not exist, well not as we imagine them. But then the ancient fathers are not really a race of people as such, they are actually an assembly of races. Once long ago this assembly called themselves The Combined Races.”
Nar’Allia flung her hands up in an expression of disbelief, “then you talk in riddles Solin, I expected more from you.”
Solin began to speak once more. “You remember I told you how the first born spread across the galaxy, how they populated worlds that could sustain life? Well living for hundreds of thousands of generations on those new worlds forced adaptations, the process of evolution works everywhere, it is necessary for long-term survival. Evolution made the necessary adaptations changing the first born both physically and mentally. Eny’Nin’Rel created his children to adapt to a changing environment, to evolve, to change, to ensure they made the best of what they had. He made them to survive. If you don’t see it for yourself let me enlighten you. The T’Iea our people, we are one such adaption, a race formed and fashioned, moulded by the environment in which we lived. So you see the ancient fathers did not desert this world, they have been here all the time.” How could they leave? Seri is proof they did not! She has been there, to the great city within the ship of the stars. If that is still here, then so must they be. Don’t you see?” She smiled broadly. Then she repeated herself. “Do you not see? Do none of you see?” The ancient fathers never left this world. They are you, I see them in your faces, all of you are the ancient fathers. We did not come here as workers, as artisans of some higher, superior race. No, not at all, we came here as equals, each race with knowledge and expertise of their own, all equal. For we are, all of us, all the elder races, we are the Combined Races, we are the ancient fathers.”
Solin waited as this information sunk in to each of them standing there.
It was Minervar who spoke to break the silence of their thoughts. “So while we are at it then, what about the race of men? Are they a part of this alliance of which you speak. Can they call themselves ancient fathers, one of the Combined Races also, can they lay claim to that lineage?”
Solin lowered her gaze, “ah, that is the question of all questions my child. That is the cause of all this. Everything that has happened. The answer is yes, in a way they can, for they too are children of Eny’Nin’Rel.” She held up her hand warding off any more questions. “For that reason alone we are all here. Long ago men had advanced in technology to a point where they were approached by the Combined Races Combined Races to become part of the assembly, to be a part of this great alliance. But something occurred before that was finalised. The race of men are unpredictable. They decided to have a war.” She shook her head sadly, “they had to have a war. A war that changed everything. An event so catastrophic that we became marooned on this world and were changed because of it. The war affected all. We were lucky though, we had our sanctuaries to retreat to and we watched as humankind destroyed themselves, for it was not our way to interfere with the choices of men. But in the end we decided that we needed to help save mankind, we made an exception. But this act had other effects upon us. Man was saved but some if not all our races suffered the consequences of our interference.
But then something happened to make us abandon our home, the great city of the stars where Serinae found herself invited to. What that single event or series of events was I cannot say, that portion of our history is lost to us I’m afraid. Perhaps the answer remains somewhere in the Star Ship, perhaps one day we will find out. But whatever happened, whether by accident or design, we came to live within the world of men. This act isolated each race, made us insular, turned us against one another. Where once we had allied in our common roots, we now separated. We began to diminish, we began to forget, to lose much of the knowledge we had. We became lost as it were on this world of men. So,” she looked at Serinae once more and said, “we put together a plan, a master plan. A last ditch effort to make things right, an attempt to save all from another war, or worse. For this is what would have surely happened. We had already seen the ognod’s attack the other elder races. We felt it wouldn’t be long before the T’Iea, the T’Iea’Neat’Thegoran to be precise, would decide to take aggressive action and so it would go on until nothing and no one was left.”
“But how did you discover all this?” It was Minervar who spoke.
“In the course of my academic career I discovered much that indicated at some of the history. But I admit now to something, I had a head start. I really did travel the northern lands; I really did meet the guardian, the old ognodess. She really did show me the way to the cylinder and Serinae here really did save my life. The cylinder showed us much, it held a message from one of those who travelled upon the great star ship, the city of the stars, that person had a hand in all the events of that time. But the message was a diary of one individual, we were still missing pieces. The part that filled in all of the gaps was the discovery of the Book of Truths. I know now that the human monks wrote it, I believe it was a collection of truths to remind the race of men, make them think, well it made me think to.
The three of us spent many years travelling and researching so much that eventually a pattern began to emerge. It became apparent that so much that was on this world did not actually belong originally to it. Then changes in the elder races also pointed at evolutionary adaptations, not all of them good. Things like the ognods increasingly experiencing problems with reproduction. The T’Iea increasing vulnerability to their darker side. Even the Pnook seem to be suffering from minor mental instability, increasing sharpness of anger and the like. Only the keepers and the Grûndén seem unaffected in obvious ways, but then the keepers remain in their natural environment, in TeraT’Inu’Itil their city in the voids and the Grûndén remain mostly hidden from the world in their own created environment which I suspect is closely modelled on what they remember of their real home. Neither of these two races spending much time within, or upon the world itself. Yet human kind seem unaffected by any of these symptoms, they remain unchanged as if the world agreed with them more. As if they belonged here, which of course they do.
“The three of us? You said the three of us?” Nar’Allia asked.
“Yes, we were three. Once. Seri, myself and ….”
“Tezrin.” Solvienne said quickly before Solin could say the name.
Serinae sm
Solvienne smiled and shook her head. She did have a look of surprise on her features, but this soon changed to an expression of realisation. “When we were in the machine hall, Serinae mentioned a society, a secret society. But I can’t recall the name.”
Nar’Allia said with some realisation, “The Compendium of the Combined.” She then looked at Solin.
“Yes Solvienne Ĝørtmûnd was a member, in fact he held a special place within the society for he was the last surviving member of the original cast.”
Solvienne became very excited and animated. “Yes. Yes, that’s it, you were a member Solin, are still!”
Solin smiled and nodded. “My family were original members and like many others, the responsibility passed to me in due course yes.”
Solvienne turned towards Serinae. “So Serinae must be a hereditary member also?”
Serinae looked at Nar’Allia. “It is true my mother was a member. My father however was not. So I did not inherit that responsibility. Hereditary membership was strictly restricted to those with both parents involved directly in the machines construction.” Serinae was looking Solin, fire burned in her green eyes. “My father even though he was most probably around at the time of the building of the great machine had no direct - involvement, as a result he did not fulfil the necessary criteria for membership.”
Solin quickly carried on. “So it was, the Combined Races built the machine. We built the machine. The machine helped to lessen the effects of the arcane upon us, but some still fell under the evil that the Rift contained and played host to. Amndo almost worked out the whole story for, the Rift was infiltrated by an evil intelligence, the Rift entity I think is what Amndo called it, not a physical presence, but none the less it had great intelligence, was able to learn and adapt. I think it was of a similar essence to the intelligence that controls the great star ship itself. But Amndo realised most of this, he learnt much through his selfless sacrifice and we have a lot to thank him for.”
Solvienne thought of Amndo, she felt a little guilty of suspecting him of having sinister purpose when in fact he had saved them all, his final sacrifice had done more to save them than any other single event. She sighed. “There is one thing I still do not understand. The great machine, Tezrin’s plan was to upset it and through that destroy the world. When you put the machine to rights the world was also put to rights once again. If the world needs the machine to keep stability, why then has nothing happened once we had destroyed the machine and along with it the Rift?”
Solin giggled to herself. “That can easily be explained my child. We misunderstood the true purpose of the great machine. Well to an extent. It is true that it was built to control the Rift, but more to keep the evil intelligence within the Rift imprisoned. It also functioned as a navigational beacon for the Star Ships.” She sat back in her chair scrutinising Solvienne’s face. “We also know that the Combined Races used the machines connections to the Rift as a highway, a road to get from one place to another. The one thing we mistook the machine for was s a controlling force critical to the well being of this world. It actually was never that and as such when the machine was destroyed it had no effect upon the stability of the world, it never did have. Apart from once of course, for when Tezrin foolishly toyed with the machines controlling biplextors he did actually cause the machine to malfunction and through the machine he was able to control the outflow of energy from the Rift increasingly destabilise the worlds orbit around the sun.”
Solvienne had a sudden thought, a horrifying thought. “By the Maker, so when we destroyed the machine and the Rift along with it we freed the evil entity within it.” She looked horrified. “We had done the one thing that could have destroyed the world as we know it!”
Solin stood and walked to Solvienne she took both her hands in hers. “What you say is true, but it was necessary to free the entity, the machine and the Rift as well as keeping the entity in check also protected the entity. All the while the Rift existed we could not counter the entity, could not destroy it. But remember Solvienne, the entity was making progress in freeing itself. Long ago the great keystone above the Rift was placed there, probably by the first corrupted T’Iea to keep a way open for the entity, to create a chink in the prison wall. Over the ages the entity has worked at that chink and it would not have been long until it could escape. If that were to happen then I think we would be in a far more precarious situation. It was better in the long run to have allowed the entity to escape on our terms forcing it to abandon the dying Rift and enter the one place where it could survive at the time – the great keystone. If it had freed itself, it would have chosen a more mobile host and we would have found ourselves in a far more dangerous situation. For then it would have been free to expand its influences upon the world at a rapid rate. I doubt Solvienne that any of us we would have survived. It would have quickly taken over the entire T’Iea population and through us waged a war once more upon the world that would have destroyed all the other races including mankind. Not only that but eventually it would have found the Star Ship in the voids and I am sure from there it would have travelled out into the greater universe.” Solin shuddered. “That would have been unthinkable.”
Nar’Allia spoke, “so you knew all this Solin? Right from the start?”
Solin turned to Nar’Allia, she was shaking her head as she said, “no Narny. That’s just it I did not know half of it, only now in hindsight do I fully understand. Our success, our being here now, our saving grace boils down to one thing and one thing only. That rarest of resources. The totally selfless act of personal sacrifice made by one single individual when faced with the opportunity to save millions of others.”
All of them were silent, they were all thinking of and thanking Master Amndo.