Spirit of Empire 4: Sky Knights (3 page)

The bowl held soup. When he lifted it to his nose, the aroma brought his taste buds alive painfully and he realized with a sense of unreality that this was the first odor he had smelled in this all-white place. There were no smells of the forest or even of earth or the air, nor did there seem to be any sounds. Had it not been for his wounds screaming at him non-stop, he would have wondered if he was still in a dream. After all, he’d died at the hands of the demon-beast.

He lifted the bowl to his lips and drank a clear but tasty broth, then selected another bowl containing something different. He tasted it with his finger and was startled at the cold and sweetness of the creamy substance. Following Washburn’s example, he dug into it with a spoon and finished it while studying the room. When he was done, he looked to Washburn for more but the dark man shook his head and pointed to Galborae’s wounded stomach.

The two of them returned to Galborae’s bed where he quickly fell asleep.

When he awoke, he sensed that a long period of time had passed. He sent his thoughts out to Limam, his meld, but he received no response. He blinked, wondering if his companion of many years had survived the demon’s attack, then he thought about his dead friends. They had not survived. They were the best soldiers in the town, and he worried about what might be happening there in his absence. There were more demons. He needed to learn how Washburn fought them.

Washburn entered the room with a helmet in his hands. Galborae sat up and lifted his legs toward the floor to stand, but Washburn motioned for him to stay where he was. He handed Galborae the helm and motioned putting it on, which of course made no sense. Why would you wear a helm unless imminent danger threatened? Washburn’s body language intimated that such was not the case, so Galborae put the helm on and lay back down. Washburn leaned over the bed and lowered a visor on the helm to restrict his view.

Shortly after putting the helm on, he found himself back in the dream. Washburn joined him, and it was just the two of them again. They were back in the same clearing, but this time it was daylight.

“We can talk now,” Washburn said.

“I like this dream better,” Galborae said. “It doesn’t hurt as much and it has color.”

Washburn smiled. “But no smells. The one who creates the dream cannot smell. Our healer tells me your wounds are healing well. She is a great healer.”

“I would like to thank her.”

“Not yet. For the moment I’m your only contact here. I’ll introduce her when she believes it appropriate.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t. Today, some of your questions will be answered. There is more strangeness, I’m sorry to say, and you will be sorely tested. It’s important that you remember you are among friends. Know also that we speak true and that our purpose includes freeing your world of the beasts.”

“They’re far worse than beasts. They’re demons.”

“When you have seen what I have to show you, you will understand that they are not demons. Mortal men will vanquish them.”

“Where am I?”

“You are on a ship, a great ship. I want to show you your home as it really is, but first I want to prove to you that I can kill the beasts.” Galborae looked at him in silence, so he continued. “In this dream you will be able to see my memories. You will see me kill the beast.”

“I believed you when I thought I was dead, but I’m no longer certain I’m dead. How can I see your memories if I’m not dead.”

“Just watch. Even if you feel yourself not believing, do me the courtesy of watching until the memory ends. It’s best if we don’t talk during the memory.” He paused, then added, “I’m sorry, but my dream includes your men dying. You will feel like you’re right there and will want to help, but you cannot.”

“Get on with it.”

Galborae did not feel like he had moved, but it suddenly turned dark and he was looking down on the clearing from the height of the tree tops. He watched and heard Morlan and the three squires fight the demon, he watched them die, he saw the two strange blue lights, and he saw and heard blasts that somehow killed the demon.

He suddenly found himself back with Washburn, both of them in the same clearing as before. Washburn gave Galborae time to deal with his grief, then he stood up and stepped over to Galborae, taking his shoulder in his grasp.

“I’m sorry. Did you know them well?”

“Know them?” Galborae asked, offended. “I grew up with them. We were as close as brothers, closer than many brothers.”

Washburn nodded and stepped away with his back to Galborae, giving him some privacy. A moment later he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“At least I know now. Thank you for that. We should move on.”

Washburn nodded. “You saw the blue light, and you heard the blasts. It is how we kill demons. We kill from afar. I’m certain you can appreciate the value of that.”

“Will you teach me?”

“I will, but not today. I want to show you other things today.”

“More of your dreams?”

“Yes. I want to show you your home as I see it, as I saw it when I came here.”

“I know my home. I’m ready to return.”

“I’ll take you back if you insist, but if you return now, there will be no one to lead your people in their fight against the demons. The problem is much larger than you know. There are many kingdoms in your land, and all of them are fighting the demons.”

Galborae stepped away from Washburn while he pondered. When he turned back, he asked, “Many?”

Washburn nodded, but he did not wait. The dream changed and Galborae suddenly found himself in a small room with windows. He looked to Washburn with a hint of fear in his eyes, but then he remembered he was in the dream.

“We are still in the dream, but only because you have the helmet on,” Washburn said. “When you take the helmet off, the dream ends and your pain will return. What you’re going to see now will be hard, but it’s part of learning how to defeat the demons. We’re going to fly like a bird, but because it’s a dream we cannot fall and we cannot be hurt. Unless, that is, it drives you crazy.”

“I
am
crazy. None of this makes sense, but if it helps my people to kill demons, get on with it.” Chairs appeared in the dream and Galborae sank into one.

The room lifted them slowly until they were just above the trees. Fear shot through Galborae and he tightened his grip on his seat, but he forced himself to look out the windows. Washburn waited patiently, and when the room did not move any more, Galborae relaxed slightly.

“Amazing,” he grumbled.

“It gets more amazing. We’re going higher, then we will visit your home.”

The room moved higher, incredibly high as far as Galborae was concerned. He gripped the seat hard and set his jaw as the room moved across the land, his fear nearly overcome by the amazing view. Trees, lakes, rivers, and hills sped by. In no time at all, they approached a fortress. The room lowered and stopped above the main gates, then hovered slowly across the town.

Galborae stared at the awesome view. “It’s my home,” he suddenly said in amazement. “I recognize the people. Why do they not see us?”

“We’re in a dream, remember?”

Galborae nodded, deflated. “Just as I thought. Be honest with me—admit we’re in the place we go after death.”

“No, we are not. We’re just in the dream, and what you’re seeing is a memory. We’re leaving now and going higher, much higher. It might be difficult for you, but you have to understand the true nature of your home before you can understand my place here. Are you ready?”

Galborae was not, but he nodded grimly, his hands tight about his seat again as the room rose higher into the sky. The town remained in view, but it eventually became just a scar on the surface. Roads and fields became harder and harder to make out, then mountains, high mountains, came into view. A little later, he saw the great ocean.

“Do you know where you are?” Washburn asked.

“I have been to the great mountains but not beyond. I have heard of the great ocean.”

“This is your home, Galborae, but there is more to it.”

The room moved across the land and the shoreline of the great ocean came under them. Land fell away behind them, and it seemed like an eternity before more land appeared before them. They crossed that land for a long time, various fortresses and cities passing under them on a regular basis.

“This is tedious,” Galborae decided. “Does it go forever?”

“No. I just want you to know how big it is.”

“It’s big, I agree. I have seen many kingdoms.”

The room rose higher, then higher still until a definite curve could be seen and vast cloud patterns hid the land. It continued higher, then suddenly the true shape of the planet became known to Galborae. He stared in utter confusion.

“This is your home, my friend,” Washburn said. “We call it a world. We are seeing it from high in the same sky we looked at last night in the dream, the place with all the lights I call stars.”

Galborae rose from his chair to stare down at his world, then he lifted his eyes up to look at his sun. He stared for a while, then moved to the other side of the room and looked out on the stars, his mind trying to make sense of it.

Washburn moved to his side and said, “Those stars are so far away that they look small, but each one of them is bigger than your world. What’s important for you to understand is that each one of them has worlds similar to your own. Your world is just one among many.”

Galborae considered Washburn’s words and came to a logical conclusion. “You come from one of them,” he said.

“I do. So did the demons. They were not sent by the gods, they were brought here by my enemies.”

“In ships like this one.”

“Yes.” Washburn paused, then added, “I know you think you’ve passed beyond life to the afterlife, but you’re wrong. All of this is real even if it’s just a memory. The only reason we’re doing this in the dream is so that I can talk to you. The words you use for speaking are different than the words I learned to speak as a child. Within the dream, we don’t need words. We understand thoughts and feelings, and it is almost impossible to lie to anyone here in the dream. Outside the dream, we only understand words and sometimes impressions, and it’s easy to lie. I believe you sense my truth.”

Galborae nodded thoughtfully. “If I’m not dead, then we need to stop wasting time. The demons are not idle. People are dying. Are the demons everywhere on my world?”

“They are, and they are incredibly efficient killers. I don’t see how you were able to fight them at all.”

“I wouldn’t call it fighting. I did no more than flail around with my sword. Our melds helped.”

“Those were the cats we saw attacking the beast?”

Galborae shrugged. “They don’t see the demons either, but they sense them in ways we cannot. They guided us.”

“How?”

“We know their thoughts.”

“You read their minds?” Washburn asked in awe.

“No, but we share their thoughts when they want us to. Actually, I hear the thoughts of just one meld. They bond to us when they’re born, and they partner with us for as long as they live. Mine is a she-meld.”

“You’re telling me you know the thoughts of one particular meld?”

Galborae nodded. I do. Only one. Her name is Limam. Why do you ask? You have melds as well. I saw them in the memory.”

Washburn stared at him as his mind considered possibilities. “Uh, not exactly. What you saw were Great Cats. They are ancient warriors, lethal beyond belief, but they rarely fight wars. They protect us, and we call them Protectors. We do not bond mind to mind with them. Are you in touch with Limam right now?”

“No. I think we’re far from her, maybe too far, though she might have died at the hands of the demon.”

“Does Limam have hands? Can she hold a weapon?”

“No, but she is not defenseless. She can be vicious when she senses the need.”

“We’re going on a long journey. If she’s alive, can she be separated from you for a long period of time?”

Galborae’s brow furrowed while he considered, then he shrugged. “I don’t know. When one of us dies, our meld usually follows shortly thereafter, so probably not. How long a journey?”

“Hmm. I think your lesson is over for today. I need to meet with my fellow warriors.”

“Can they join us in our dream? I would like to know what you discuss even if I don’t understand all of it.”

“They could, but you’re not ready to meet them, my friend. Remember, we come from many different worlds, and not all of us look like you and me. We have some very strange creatures on this ship.”

Galborae took a deep breath. “If meeting them is part of killing the demons, I will meet them.”

“Not yet. It’s too soon. When you do meet them, I think it will be here in the dream. When we’re in the net . . . I mean when we’re in the dream, you’ll sense their feelings and know they mean you no harm. Let’s end this dream now. We can return later. As before, when you awaken, we will not be in the dream and we will not be able to speak to each other. That will change in a few days, but for now it would be best if you stay in your room.”